How much magnesium should one take on a keto diet? And what are some best sources to intake magnesium for dieters?
Magnesium is an important electrolyte and mineral that our body needs to perform more than 300 functions daily. But for the reason that our body cannot make it on its own, we have to fulfill the body’s needs through our diet.
According to a study, half of the people of the United States are unable to meet the daily requirements of magnesium and they don’t even recognize it. It’s rare that you have noticed magnesium quantity listed in the nutrients section of a product and are not even recorded by many popular food-tracking apps.
How would you know if you are getting enough of this essential mineral? Whatever diet you follow, ensure that you don’t miss any nutrient or mineral from the health chart, especially if you are planning or are already doing one of the trendiest diets – Keto. If you’re, then it’s also important to know how much magnesium on a keto diet you should take as keto dieters rely mostly on magnesium rather than any other nutrient.
The articles will reveal the importance of magnesium in our daily lives and what are the best supplements to fulfill the need for magnesium during a keto diet. And how the consumption of magnesium can become a game-changer for you.
Importance of Magnesium in our Daily Life
It’s a fact that your body cannot function properly if it lacks magnesium. Magnesium controls your blood sugar, energy production, heart health, bone health, blood pressure transitions, and much more. Magnesium is crucial even for heartburn, improves your sleep routine and it is also important for your mental health. In short, magnesium is important for our overall well-being and healthcare.
Daily intake of magnesium for men is recommended to be between 400-420 milligrams where women have to take 310-320 milligrams a day.
The problem that keto dieters face is that many foods that are rich in magnesium are high in carbohydrates such as beans, gluten-laden bread, cereals, rice, potatoes, etc
Well, how would you meet your daily requirements of magnesium in this case? It’s simple, begin with a healthy diet. Depending on the type of Keto diet, there’s a range of foods that are keto-friendly and high in magnesium. For instance, if you’re on the clean keto diet, then you possibly are eating many foods containing magnesium.
Magnesium-rich Keto Foods
Observe the given chart below, you will find many foods that are rich in magnesium. Foods like edamame, whole grains, black beans, whole wheat, and quinoa.
Other magnesium-rich foods such as chocolate, peanut butter, pumpkin, cashew, mackerel, halibut, and avocado also deliver omega 3 fatty acids. Bazile nuts, Swiss chard, kale, and other mentioned foods in the chart below provide a high amount of magnesium even on the Keto diet.
However, when you add any of these foods to your diet while following keto, you will still fall short, as they are high in magnesium as a whole but you may be restricted to have carbs and other nutrients that these foods provide. Then what would happen is you face magnesium deficiency even if you’re trying to maintain it.
What could happen if you are not having enough magnesium?
If your magnesium level plummets, you may feel sick. The potential of magnesium deficiency is so high that it can make you feel like vomiting, nausea, appetite loss, constipation, weakness, and fatigue. Charlie horses and muscle cramps at midnight are some of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency. You may feel abnormal heart palpitations which are also indications of low magnesium levels.
Elder individuals with celiac disorders, type 2 diabetes, or people on continuous medications may experience difficulties in absorbing and consuming magnesium from their diet.
Long-term magnesium deficiency strongly relates to the greater risk of death. It also has the potential of increasing the risks of:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Insulin resistance
- Osteoporosis
- Asthma
- Depression
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Migraine headaches
- ADHD
- Hypertension, stroke, cardiovascular diseases, sudden cardiac death
How much Dietary Supplements work?
It is worth knowing about the magnesium supplements after observing the chronic side effects of magnesium deficiency along with the pervasiveness of magnesium deficiency. Magnesium supplements work to draw off magnesium deficiency from your daily diet.
Magnesium supplements may hinder the effects of certain medications like diuretics, oral bisphosphonates, and antibiotics. Just to remain on the safe side, you need to speak to your doctor before taking any magnesium supplement.
Although, magnesium supplements are usually tolerant they can also have side effects.
Common Side Effects of Magnesium Supplements
Magnesium helps water to draw into your intestine, but not all types of magnesium have the same effects on your body. Different types of magnesium have different impacts on the influx of water inside your body.
To know what kind of magnesium would work best for your body requires experimentation because there’s no form of magnesium that seems universally fit. Each body reacts differently to every version of magnesium. However, some individuals find the combination of magnesium forms in receiving the optimal results.
If you are taking a magnesium supplement and it does not suit your body, then the common side effects that you may expose to include abdominal cramping, nausea, and most of the time diarrhea. These indications are the first signs that show your body is not absorbing magnesium correctly.
If you are exposed to any of the mentioned symptoms, then it is recommended to divide your dose in half. Probably, by splitting your dose, your body has to work less in absorbing the lesser quantity. You can opt to take half in the evening and the other half at night. If you do not feel any improvement in your reactions, then move to the other type of magnesium.
Which type of Magnesium is best to consume?
To get the most magnesium content you need to combine it with some other element to keep it stable. The supplements that improve magnesium deficiency in your body bind the molecules of other elements into different forms of magnesium to make the supplement beneficial.
It depends on the binding molecules to get the best dose of magnesium from the magnesium supplements. It is always a better option to get the supplements from a renowned company.
Here are some popular types of magnesium supplements available.
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Magnesium Chelates:
Supplements of Chelated minerals are bound with amino acids. Amino acids are essential in helping your body to absorb magnesium before any side effects come in. With magnesium in the supplements along with the amino acids provide exceptional health benefits such as decreased laxative effects.
The downside of the supplement is the manufacturing process, which means the complex procedure of binding amino acids with Chelates makes it more expensive than any other type of magnesium.
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Magnesium Oxide:
It is among the least bioavailable sources of magnesium. Magnesium oxide forms when magnesium binds with the molecules of oxygen, after that it becomes the highest elemental concentrated magnesium per dose.
Magnesium oxide is not something that you can have daily, your body cannot absorb it enough for anything else but constipation relief.
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Magnesium Citrate:
Magnesium, when binds with citric acid, Magnesium citrate is formed. Magnesium citrate helps to combat nighttime cramps and helps in relaxing tensed muscles. But you may experience diarrhea as a side effect of laxatives.
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Magnesium Chloride:
Magnesium oil is made by a combination of coconut oil, magnesium chloride, and shea butter. Magnesium oil is rubbed to provide relief on the cramping areas of the body. While other ingredients will serve your skin with a glow.
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Magnesium Sulfate:
Epsom Salt is commonly known as Magnesium sulfate. People add Epsom salt in warm water to relieve muscle pain, aches, and tensions. You can add Epsom salt to your meals as well. But studies still need to prove how it provides benefits to people having a magnesium deficiency.
The Final Word
Magnesium falls under the most important supplement in a keto diet. By taking enough magnesium to meet your daily requirements you will feel less fatigue, anxiety, muscle cramping, and sleeping disorders. Magnesium supplements may also decrease laxative effects and keto flu.
Consult your doctor about how much magnesium on a keto diet is beneficial before you start your keto diet especially when you are on certain prescribed medication or if you take medications daily. When you get approval from your dietitian, start your keto magnesium-based diet.
You may need to experiment before you find the right form of magnesium that works best for you especially while following ketosis. Once you receive your best results from the magnesium dose, you will find the worth of the effort.