In 2006, the World Health Organization reported that a majority of the world's population is Mg deficient. Likewise, in 1995, the Gallop Organization conducted a survey and found that 72% of adult Americans consume less than the RDA for Mg.

Estimated U.S. Intake of Magnesium Recommended Daily Allowance

Why are we magnesium deficient?

Magnesium deficiency Questionaire

Since magnesium has so many roles in the body, its deficiency is therefore involved in many health Problems - increasing the body's magnesium levels is thus a "no-brainer" for those experiencing magnesium deficiency-related health problems.

Many Health Benefits of Magnesium

Blood tests for magnesium deficiency are misleading

Blood magnesium may be normal in spite of a significant magnesium deficiency - most Mg is inside cells and < 1% of the body's Mg is in the blood, which the body works hard to keep at a constant level.

Signs of Magnesium Deficiency

What happens when Mg intake is insufficent

If magnesium within the cell becomes depleted from its normal level, then calcium levels increase inside the cell -i.e. the intracellular Mg : Ca ratio decreases having an impact on cell functions, which incidentally includes impacting all aspects of the stress response ("Fight-or-Flight"reaction). In a life-threatening crisis, such reactions can be life-saving as they allow a person to perform with unusual strength and speed, and then levels return to normal when the stress is over. However, when a low intracellular Mg : Ca ratio is due to nutrient deficiency, these become chronic conditions:

• In blood vessel smooth muscle cells - causes vasoconstriction, arterial stiffness, and/or hypertension;

• In heart cells - causes enlargement (hypertrophy);

• In blood platelet cells - causes increased aggregation, stickiness and clotting;

• In fat and skeletal muscle cells -makes them less able to respond to INSULIN -aka INSULIN-resistance;

• In pancreatic beta cells -causes them to produce more INSULIN - causing hyperinsulinemia, which may lead to hypoglycemia and sodium retention/hypertension;

• In neurons - increases nerve cell activity

• In endocrine tissues -increases their response.

Functions of Magnesium in the Body

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