Pregnancy is a special time for a mother as well as her baby. Organism requires more of everything, which includes energy, proteins, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, minerals etc. Minerals and vitamins are especially important during pregnancy and childbirth and their deficiency could seriously undermine child’s health.
Dietary experts agree that recommended daily intake of magnesium is around 4 – 12 milligrams per kilogram of body mass and this dosage has to be increased by approximately 35% during pregnancy. Changes in a pregnant organism require more magnesium, because it’s being disposed through urine as well as absorbed by the organism of a baby. Vomiting, nausea and food aversions only intensifies magnesium deficiency, in other words – mother’s organism loses it fast and it needs to be restored continuously. Magnesium accelerates ossification process, increases bone fracture resistance and takes part in fetus bone formation. It also affects uterine contraction intensiveness and magnesium sulphate is usually used to suppress contractions. Otherwise, deficiency of magnesium in the organism could induce premature birth and it’s very important to watch the level of magnesium during pregnancy. Leg cramps may occur more frequently during pregnancy and it’s more than natural and this is why. Because of the baby and naturally low level of magnesium in the organism, the body can begin to absorb magnesium from the place where it is stored most - from the muscles. And then cramps and muscle spasms begin, which is one of many indications that additional magnesium intakes are needed. We should also not forget about the role of calcium which goes hand in hand with magnesium. While magnesium induces relaxation to the muscles, calcium stimulates muscle contractions. The right levels of magnesium can also keep the uterus from contracting until 35 weeks of pregnancy. Because of changes in hormones, women may experience malaise, insomnia and irritation during pregnancy. Magnesium deficiency could be one of the causes, which could further lead to numbness, apathy and neurosis. Pregnancy may also cause migraine for some women, even those who may have never had it. It is normal to experience migraine during pregnancy, because of the hormone changes and magnesium can aid in lessening migraine headaches. It helps in relaxing the constricted blood vessels in the brain, preventing the lactic acid buildup, which may otherwise cause tension and migraine pain
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Magnesium plays one of the most important roles in our body. It is one of the main minerals in human nutrition. It participates in more than 300 biochemical reactions, supports nervous and muscular activity, strengthens the immune system and strengthens bones. Additionally, it regulates blood glucose levels, helps to produce energy and is involved in protein and carbohydrate metabolism.
The most common signs or symptoms of magnesium deficiency are cramps, stress, migraines, tiredness, dermatitis, heart rhythm disorders, and depression. Magnesium deficiency can also contribute to the development of diabetes, osteoporosis, asthma, and kidney disease. Lack of magnesium can occur due to: Poor nutrition Unfortunately, with the advancement of technology, the quality of our nutrition is getting lower. Magnesium is naturally absorbed with food: eating cereals (brown rice, millet, buckwheat), vegetables (lettuce, spinach, beet leaves, lentils, beans), nuts and seeds (almonds, pumpkin seeds) and chocolate. With the current life pace, many people prefer quick snacks, which are usually associated with a lot of calories and nutritional deficiencies. Unfortunately, it is true. And even if someone starts eating healthy food, it does not necessarily mean that he receives enough nutrients (magnesium, calcium). Why? Due to the use of food processing technologies, thermal food processing and even degraded soils, the amount of this mineral is inadequate. In refined oils, you will not find any magnesium - the oil is processed at high temperature and magnesium is removed using chemical additives. Grains lose 80 to 100 percent of magnesium during processing. With the help of modern technology agriculture companies produce large and nicely looking vegetables, but there is much less of magnesium and other essential nutrients in them than there were a few decades ago. What’s the solution? Grow vegetables and fruits in your own garden or farm? Well, maybe someone can allow this luxury, but definitely not everyone. Diets Diets may lead to lack of magnesium, because severely restricting nutrition people may absorb less useful minerals and vitamins. Everyone wants to look beautiful and feel healthy – that’s the essence of diets. However, when choosing a diet, it is important to properly balance it - then you can deal with overweight without unnecessary loss of minerals. Diseases Crohn's, celiac diseases make it difficult for the body to absorb magnesium, even if its consumption does not diminish. As we have already mentioned, magnesium must not only be consumed, but also absorbed. Gastroenteritis, diabetes, chemotherapy increases the risk of magnesium loss. Let us not forget that intestinal diseases, for example diarrhea, significantly reduce the amount of necessary minerals and that’s why doctors recommend using mineral supplements. Diseases like neuroses, depression, menopause, renal failure and diabetes also increase lack of magnesium. Medical drugs Some antibiotics, antacids, hormones, antiviral and antihypertensive drugs reduce the amount of magnesium in the body. When taking such medicine, it is necessary to add magnesium supplement or to use magnesium oil in your diet. Coffee, tea, alcohol Who doesn’t drink coffee or tea – cast a stone at me. Ok, I am joking, but you get the point. It has become an integral part of our culture and many do not imagine the early morning without a cup of coffee. Caffeine in coffee and tea has a stimulatory effect on the nervous system - it cheers you up, gives additional strength, helps to concentrate. Unfortunately, caffeinated drinks also have another effect - caffeine makes body lose more fluids and important minerals as well. So, coffee or tea acts as a diuretic, which means that you flush calcium and magnesium from your body. Regarding alcohol (which also acts as a diuretic), high levels of magnesium are also being flushed with the urine. Recently conducted study showed that after the first glass of wine or beer, the kidneys remove over 200 percent more magnesium than usual. If you are regular drinker, your body loses magnesium supply very fast. Is there a way out? Well, maybe it’s time to change your habits. Believe it - your body will be thankful, although you will not notice it at first. Stress Nowadays, stress-free life is difficult to imagine - competition is everywhere, we are in a constant rush, life is crazy. Magnesium enables body's resistance against stressful situations. If stress does not stop, magnesium level in the body begins to decrease. We become more nervous and more adrenaline is released, which reduces the amount of magnesium in the cells. Thus, reduced amount of magnesium makes us vulnerable in stressful conditions resulting in a vicious circle where the effect increases the cause. Magnesium supplements may act like the solution. If you notice that you have magnesium deficiency, find out why. Don’t just rush to buy another pack of supplements. First, find out the cause and then let your body recover with additional mineral dosage. I remember playing basketball few years ago. Everything went well, but after some time I felt
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