Magnesium Increases Energy Production

Updated: November 28, 2022

Mother and daughter enjoying bike ride in the park together

Do you need more energy?

If you’re like most of our readers, you live a fast paced life. Maybe you are juggling grandkids on the weekend. Perhaps you’ve started to travel, or maybe you’re taking classes for a new found hobby. Or you may have a more flexible schedule – but flexible doesn’t necessarily mean relaxing!

In fact, many of you have told us you’re more active now than at any other time of your lives.

If that’s true for you, and you often feel tired, worn out, and lethargic, despite exercising and getting lots of rest, one possible cause is a lack of magnesium in your diet.

Magnesium is a vital mineral that has been shown to positively impact energy, muscle function and bone quality (when taken with calcium and vitamin D). And studies show as many as 80% of us are deficient in this power generator!

Magnesium is also responsible for more than 300 biochemical reactions in your body, which makes it one of the most important minerals for your overall health.

Keep reading to find out how much magnesium you need each day and how to get enough of this vital mineral.

Magnesium and its Starring Roles

Detoxification: Magnesium plays a major role in the detoxification process by helping prevent chemicals, heavy metals and other toxins from damaging your body. Glutathione, which has been dubbed the body’s ‘master antioxidant’ is the most powerful of any antioxidant in your body and needs magnesium for its synthesis.

Regulation: Magnesium plays an important role in regulating calcium and controls the amount of calcium that flows into and out of your cells.

Muscle Function: Magnesium is often called the relaxation mineral because of its tranquilizing effect on nerves and muscles. Without magnesium, your muscles are not able to relax properly and cramps may occur. Low magnesium also results in a buildup of lactic acid that can cause pain and tightness. It is for this reason that some physical trainers recommend taking magnesium in the evenings on days that you do strenuous exercise.

Energy production: Magnesium in your body creates energy by activating adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the fundamental unit of energy within the body’s cells. [1] Without proper levels of magnesium, the nutrients that you take in through food and supplements would not be metabolized into energy.

A study published in the Journal of Nutrition revealed that low levels of magnesium may disrupt the body’s ability to efficiently use energy stores. [2] The researchers assessed postmenopausal women during a cycling exercise in relation to the amount of dietary magnesium that they were consuming. The results showed that women who had low magnesium levels had higher oxygen use and higher heart rates during the cycling exercise. This suggests that the women with low levels of magnesium required more oxygen to do the physical task. Ultimately, their bodies were working harder and over time had them feeling more depleted.

So How Much Do You Need?

The recommended daily intake of magnesium differs between male and females. According to the National Institute of Health, males require 420 mg per day while females need a little less at 320 mg per day. [3] It is important to note that magnesium cannot be made by the body and must be taken in through food or supplements.

How Can You Get Enough Magnesium? Hint: Think Fiber

An easy way to remember food sources that are high in magnesium is to think of fiber. [3] Fiber rich-foods are usually high in magnesium as well.

A major benefit of getting your vitamins and minerals from a varied diet is that you are more often than not getting them in the right combination. For instance, foods contain all of the cofactors and needed co-nutrients in the proper amounts for optimal health. Nature puts these nutrients in combination for a reason – for proper functioning and balance for your body.

Your health, and bones, depend on replacing the many vitamins and minerals that you are losing everyday. That’s where AlgaeCal comes in. As a plant-based, whole-food, AlgaeCal replaces the magnesium, calcium, vitamin D, K2 and other trace minerals such as silica and boron in its proper amounts.


Sources:

  1. ^ http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/12/08/magnesium-health-benefits.aspx”/
  2. ^ http://jn.nutrition.org/content/132/5/930.full.pdf/
  3. ^ http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/

Article Comments

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  1. Shamsul Haque Mridha

    July 14, 2021 , 10:48 pm

    Very crystal clear delevery, helpful.
    Thanks.

  2. Megan AlgaeCal

    July 15, 2021 , 10:46 am

    So glad to hear this! Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback, Shamsul 😀

    – Megan @ AlgaeCal

  3. Sarath J De Alwis

    February 27, 2022 , 8:21 am

    Thanking you for the awareness you have created in us on the Requirments of Magnesium compounds & Also Algaecal

  4. Kirby Johnson

    February 28, 2022 , 9:41 am

    Sarath,

    It’s our pleasure to support your bone-health journey and we’re thrilled you’ve found our blog helpful! Thank you so much for your kind words 🙂

    – Kirby @ AlgaeCal

This article features advice based on cutting-edge research from our industry experts to give you the best possible information to support your bone-building journey.

Lara Pizzorno
MDiv, MA, LMT - Best-selling author of Healthy Bones Healthy You! and Your Bones; Editor of Longevity Medicine Review, and Senior Medical Editor for Integrative Medicine Advisors.,
Dr. Liz Lipski
PhD, CNS, FACN, IFMP, BCHN, LDN - Professor and Director of Academic Development, Nutrition programs in Clinical Nutrition at Maryland University of Integrative Health.,
Dr. Emma Gasinski
PT, DPT, RYT - Physical therapist and certified yoga teacher with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professionals,
Dr. Lawrence (Larry) A. May
MD, FACP, Harvard Medical School Graduate, Physician, Author, Public Speaker - Doctor of Internal Medicine at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center and author of several articles and books, including the widely utilized and best selling medical textbook Primary Care Medicine,