It has been dubbed the “invisible deficiency,” an appropriate title considering only 1 percent of magnesium in your body is distributed in your blood, meaning that samples of magnesium from serum magnesium blood tests are considerably useless.
It’s estimated that about 80 percent of Americans are deficient in magnesium today, with the recommended daily intake for men being 420mg and 320mg for women. However, as explained by Dr. Carolyn Dean, a medical and naturopathic doctor, even this recommended amount is merely only enough to ward of deficiency symptoms.
What’s Important About Magnesium?
Magnesium is a mineral used by nearly every organ and muscle in your body, including your heart and kidneys. While previously it was thought that magnesium’s primary benefits were exclusive to the heart and bones, recent research has discovered 3,751 magnesium-binding sites on human proteins, indicating a more substantial role for magnesium in our overall health and the prevention of disease. Continue reading