At the latest – if you start looking for the cause after the first muscle cramp – you will realize that this disturbing phenomenon is probably caused by a magnesium deficiency. Muscle twitching is also often associated with the mineral. This is why many people, and especially many athletes, take magnesium in the form of dietary supplements.
Magnesium is an important mineral. A person weighing 70 kilograms carries about 21 grams of magnesium. More than half of magnesium is found in bones, about 30 percent in muscles, and the rest is distributed among all cells in the body. The substance is involved in more than 300 metabolic processes. In addition, magnesium has an important function in the transmission of stimuli in the nervous system and muscle contraction. This led to the scientific assumption that magnesium deficiency is a cause of muscle cramps.
Which foods contain magnesium?
Animal and plant foods contain magnesium. Deficiency is almost impossible with a normal diet, but chronic alcohol consumption and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract can lead to deficiency. Then there are the symptoms Muscle Weakness and cramps, muscle tremors, tingling in hands and foot and cardiac arrhythmias.
The Swiss Nutrition Society writes that the daily requirement for women is 300 mg and for men 350 mg. The requirement is greater during pregnancy and lactation because the excretion of magnesium through the kidneys increases and the risk of deficiency increases. That is why pregnant women are often prescribed preparations that are prescribed.
Daily dose for an adult male
(350 mg) content:
- 110 g sunflower seeds
- 355 g tofu
- 290 g dark chocolate (dark)
- 300 grams of oatmeal
- 420 g whole wheat bread (graham bread)
The best sources of magnesium
*Magnesium content in mg per 100g
| pumpkin seeds | 530mg |
| flaxseed | 320mg |
| soybean | 220mg |
| walnut | 140mg |
| Chickpeas | 120mg |
| Rolled oats | 120mg |
| millet | 120mg |
| grass style | 81 milligrams |
| Brown bread | 50 milligrams |
| spinach | 81 milligrams |
| kohlrabi | 43 milligrams |
| Raisins | 41 milligrams |
| hard cheese | 32 milligrams |
| banana | 30mg |
| chicken breast | 27 milligrams |
Can you overdose on magnesium?
Although daily requirements are easily met with an average diet, many people also take magnesium through supplements. There is usually no harm in taking such drugs, but it is recommended not to take more than 250 mg per day. In case of overdose, diarrhea and vomiting may occur in the body.