Today we’re taking a closer look at two more electrolytes: magnesium and calcium.
As a quick refresher, remember that electrolytes are defined as “a substance that breaks up into ions (particles with electrical charges) when it is dissolved in water or body fluids. Some examples of ions are sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, and phosphate.”
Electrolytes have the ability to conduct electricity. Electrolytes help your body to manage fluid balance, nerve signals, and muscle contractions.
(Read more about electrolytes in Part 1, focusing on sodium and potassium.)
Magnesium
Just like potassium, many people do not get enough magnesium in their diets. Over 68% of adults in America do not consume the recommended daily intake.
Magnesium is a mineral that is necessary for the health of your body and brain. It is involved in tons of cellular reactions, produces energy, and builds important proteins.
Your body can’t function correctly without it!
How exactly does magnesium help the body and brain?
Magnesium:
- Creates energy
- Maintains genetic health
- Aids muscle movement
- Forms new proteins
- Regulates the nervous system
- Improves exercise performance
- Fights depression and anxiety
- Improves sleep, bone health, heart health, and blood sugar levels
- Combats PMS symptoms, migraine attacks, and inflammation
Magnesium’s role in all of this is to relay important messages between your body and your brain. Every cell in your body requires magnesium to function as it should.
The more active you are, the more magnesium you require! It also regulates neurotransmitters which is what helps facilitate sleep.
How much magnesium do I need?
The recommended daily intake for men is 400-420 mg per day. For women, 310-320 mg are recommended.
A magnesium rich diet is essential for your body to function properly. Supplements are also available to help boost magnesium levels if diet alone does not reach the daily intake recommendation.
What happens when magnesium levels are too low?
“Hypomagnesemia” is the scientific term for magnesium deficiency. The signs are not always obvious, and low magnesium may go relatively undetected unless the deficiency is severe.
It is important to maintain healthy levels through diet (and supplementation, if necessary) so you never reach the point of severe deficiency.
Symptoms of low magnesium:
- Insomnia
- Constipation
- Muscle cramps, pain, and stiffness
- Muscle twitches and/or weakness
- Anxiety
- Mental health conditions
- Fatigue
- Numbness
- Tingling
- High blood pressure
- Irregular heartbeat
- Osteoporosis
- Asthma
- Seizures
Many adults are low in magnesium. If you believe you do have a deficiency, be sure to talk with a healthcare practitioner who is experienced in micronutrients. Magnesium levels tend to collect in tissue and bone instead of the blood, so blood testing can be tricky to get an accurate reading. The blood test must be very sensitive.
To increase magnesium intake through food, many plant and animal-based foods provide magnesium naturally. Seeds, nuts, whole grains, beans, and leafy greens help to increase your magnesium levels.
Food Sources of Magnesium
A balanced diet is the best way to ensure magnesium consumption. As always, healthy foods are the best way to get necessary vitamins and minerals! Supplementation always comes second.
Here are some delicious sources of magnesium:
- Dark chocolate – the higher the percentage of cocoa the better!
- Nuts and seeds – almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, and chia seeds. Pumpkin seeds provide 168 mg of magnesium in one ounce. And almonds boast 80 mg in one ounce.
- Avocados – there are 58 mg of magnesium in one medium avocado! They are a delicious and excellent source of magnesium.
- Legumes – beans, chickpeas, lentils, peas. Just one cup of cooked black beans will give you 120 mg of magnesium!
- Whole grains – oats, wheat, barley, quinoa, and buckwheat.
- Bananas – a delicious banana has about 37 mg of magnesium!
- Leafy greens – spinach, kale, collard greens, and mustard greens.
- Some fatty fish – salmon, halibut, and mackerel.
- Tofu – also known as bean curd, tofu is made of soybean milk and boasts 53 mg of magnesium per 3.5 ounce serving.
If you are eating a magnesium rich diet and still experiencing symptoms of deficiency, then magnesium supplements may be helpful. Make sure to speak with your healthcare provider about what type and amount is right for you – everyone is different!
For example, magnesium citrate helps to prevent constipation. Magnesium glycinate, on the other hand, is more important for sound sleep, muscle aches, pains, stiffness, cramps, and muscular twitching. There are several types of magnesium, so it’s best to talk with a healthcare provider who can steer you in the right direction.
Quick Tips
Did you know that the best time to take a magnesium supplement is at bedtime? It’s true! Magnesium is calming and relaxing, so bedtime is the best time.
To quickly and easily boost your magnesium intake, consider making a homemade trail mix out of almonds, pumpkin seeds, mini dark chocolate chips (Enjoy Life and Lily’s stevia-sweetened chocolate chips are terrific brands), and a small amount of organic raisins.
Calcium
The next electrolyte we’re looking at is calcium. Calcium is an essential nutrient for bodily function. The funny thing is, our bodies do not make any calcium on their own. We have to rely on calcium from our diets.
What exactly does calcium do for our bodies?
- Circulates blood
- Moves muscles
- Releases hormones
- Carries messages from the brain to the body
- Strengthens bones and teeth
In order to absorb calcium, the body requires vitamin D. If you are low on vitamin D, then a calcium rich diet won’t benefit you! The two work together.
Of course, you can get vitamin D from your diet – but the best form is SUNSHINE! When skin absorbs sunshine, it produces its own vitamin D.
However, people with darker skin do not create vitamin D as well, so supplementation might be needed. If supplementing, always choose vitamin D3 rather than vitamin D2, and work with your healthcare provider to get the right dosing.
How much calcium do I need?
The recommended amount of calcium depends on a person’s age.
For women 50 and younger and men 70 and younger, the recommended amount is 1,000 mg per day. For women over 50 and men over 70, the amount increases to 1,200 mg per day. 1,200 mg daily is also recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Food Sources of Calcium
Your bones store the majority of your calcium. If you become calcium deficient, your body starts to pull calcium out of your bones! This will cause you to have weak and brittle bones. It is essential to eat a calcium rich diet so this does not occur!
Although dairy products do provide great sources of calcium, many calcium rich foods are non-dairy. That’s great news for those of us who are intolerant of or allergic to dairy.
Here are some delicious sources of calcium:
- Seeds – poppy, sesame, celery, and chia. Just one tablespoon of poppy seeds as 127 mg of calcium!
- Yogurt – One cup of plain yogurt contains 23% of the recommended daily intake of calcium. Low fat has even more, at 34%. Regular yogurt actually contains more calcium than Greek yogurt, although it has less protein.
- Cheese – Parmesan is the most calcium rich cheese, boasting 19% of the recommended daily value in only one ounce.
- Sardines and canned salmon – Thanks to edible bones, they are both excellent sources of calcium.
- Beans and lentils – Winged beans and white beans have the most calcium.
- Almonds – About 23 almonds gives 6% of the daily value.
- Leafy greens – Just one cup of cooked collard greens boasts 268 mg!
- Whey protein – Whey is a protein in milk. One ounce has about 160 mg of calcium.
- Rhubarb – 8% daily value per cup.
- Figs – 5% daily value in 1.4 ounces.
- Milk – the best source of calcium! A cup of milk will have 306–325 mg, depending on if it is whole or nonfat.
- Calcium fortified food and drink
Don’t forget about vitamin D! Remember, your body needs it to absorb calcium. Here are some great dietary sources of vitamin D:
- Salmon
- Canned tuna
- Egg yolks
- Mushrooms
- Vitamin D fortified milk, juice, or cereal
Supplementation for calcium deficiency
Lack of calcium can increase the risk of osteoporosis, osteopenia, and calcium deficiency disease (hypocalcemia). Calcium deficiency poses the biggest threat to your bones, causing them to be weak and brittle.
When children do not get enough calcium, it can stunt their growth. There are other symptoms of deficiency as well, like weak nails, slower hair growth, and fragile, thin skin.
Not everyone needs calcium supplementation. Often diet alone is enough.
However, there are certain instances where supplementation might be needed – if you are a vegan, have osteoporosis, have Crohn’s or inflammatory bowel disease, are being treated with corticosteroids, or follow a high protein/high sodium diet.
If you are low in calcium due to one of the above conditions, there are three commonly recommended types:
- Calcium carbonate – least expensive with the most elemental calcium, but has the most side effects
- Calcium citrate – absorbs the easiest
- Calcium phosphate – also easily absorbed and does not cause constipation
Something important to consider when taking calcium supplements is that the body cannot absorb large quantities of calcium at one time. According to experts, a single dose should not be larger than 500 mg.
Taking too much calcium has some unpleasant side effects:
- Constipation, gas, and bloating
- Hypercalcemia
- Calcium buildup in soft tissues
- Trouble absorbing iron and zinc
As always, diet is the very best way to get the proper nutrients into your body. If you suspect you may be at risk for calcium deficiency, make sure to contact your health care provider! It is important to get expert advice on the appropriate type and dosage of calcium.
Quick Tips
Leafy greens are a great source of calcium and have SO many additional benefits for your body! Did you get your leafy greens today?
Keep in mind that you need adequate amounts of magnesium and vitamin D3 to absorb calcium from your diet or supplements. To boost your calcium levels, consider getting vitamin D from sunshine each day (even 15 – 20 minutes in the sun will do the trick). And be sure you’re getting enough magnesium on a daily basis.