What are the symptoms and hazards of magnesium deficiency

Magnesium is an essential element for the human body and, like other trace elements, has an irreplaceable role. If magnesium deficiency is severe, it can also induce magnesium deficiency. Therefore, we must be aware of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency and the possible harm it may cause, and seek timely treatment when similar symptoms are found to avoid more serious consequences. So, what are the symptoms and dangers of magnesium deficiency? Let’s take a look below.

Clinical manifestations of magnesium deficiency

Early symptoms of magnesium deficiency often include anorexia, nausea, vomiting, weakness and apathy. Worsening magnesium deficiency may cause memory loss, mental tension, irritability, confusion, restlessness, and athetoid movements. Severe magnesium deficiency may cause epileptic seizures. Because magnesium deficiency is often accompanied by potassium and calcium deficiencies, it is difficult to determine which symptoms are caused by magnesium deficiency.

In addition, hypomagnesemia can cause cardiac arrhythmias. Magnesium is an essential substance for activating Na+-K+-ATPase. Magnesium deficiency can cause myocardial cells to lose potassium. The electrocardiogram may show prolonged PR and QT intervals, widened QRS waves, depressed ST segment, widened, flat or inverted T waves, and occasional U waves, which may be confused with hypokalemia or be related to changes in blood potassium and calcium.

The dangers of magnesium deficiency

Magnesium deficiency may lead to cardiovascular disease

Modern medicine has confirmed that magnesium plays an important regulatory role in heart activity. It inhibits the myocardium, weakens the heart's rhythm and excitement conduction, thus facilitating the heart's relaxation and rest. If the body lacks magnesium, it will cause spasms in the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the heart, which can easily lead to various arrhythmias and even cardiac arrest and sudden death.

In addition, magnesium also has a good protective effect on the cardiovascular system. It is an activator of the body's synthesis of lecithin. Lecithin can promote the excretion of cholesterol, reduce the cholesterol content in the blood, prevent arteriosclerosis, and at the same time dilate coronary arteries and increase myocardial blood supply. Once the human body is deficient in magnesium, the synthesis of lecithin will be reduced, which becomes a hidden danger of atherosclerosis.

Magnesium can also protect the heart from damage when blood supply is suddenly blocked, thereby reducing the mortality rate from sudden heart attack. At the same time, scientists have also discovered that magnesium can prevent damage to the cardiovascular system caused by drugs or environmental hazards and enhance the anti-toxic effect of the cardiovascular system.

Magnesium deficiency can easily lead to high blood pressure and stroke

In recent years, Professor Yukio Iemori of Shimane University in Japan and others have confirmed this. Professor Jiasen and Chinese medical workers conducted an epidemiological survey in five regions, namely Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shijiazhuang and Lhasa. The survey subjects were healthy men and women aged 50-54, 30 people were selected from each region, their urine was collected for 24 hours, the trace elements in it were analyzed, and their relationship with blood pressure was explored. The results showed that the lower the magnesium content in the urine of people in a certain area, the higher the incidence of hypertension and stroke in that area.

Magnesium deficiency linked to diabetes

People with diabetes are often very magnesium deficient. Magnesium deficiency reduces the patient's sensitivity to insulin, causing hyperinsulinemia and glucose metabolism disorders. Magnesium helps regulate insulin secretion to a certain extent, helps enhance insulin's responsiveness to glucose, and helps reduce cellular resistance to insulin. A study showed that increasing magnesium intake can reduce the risk of diabetes in women by 10% and in overweight women by 20%.

Many medical experts have found that the magnesium content in the blood of diabetic patients is significantly lower than that of normal healthy people. The occurrence of some complications of diabetes is related to decreased serum magnesium. For example, magnesium ion deficiency can trigger eye and heart damage. Therefore, magnesium supplementation is beneficial for diabetic patients. Magnesium supplementation can comprehensively improve glucose metabolism indicators and reduce the incidence of vascular complications. Baojian Wangdu WeChat sharing

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has recommended a list of 10 superfoods for diabetics, including beans, dark green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, sweet potatoes, prunes, tomatoes, fish containing omega-3 fatty acids, whole grains, nuts, skim milk and yogurt. In addition to the lower glycemic index, another important reason they recommend it is that it is rich in minerals and vitamins such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamins A, C and E, and dietary fiber. It can be seen that magnesium and several other major minerals and vitamins are equally important for diabetic patients.