Mangosteen: A Nutrient-Packed Superfruit for Optimal Health

Mangosteen, known as the "queen of fruits," is celebrated for its delectable flavor and impressive nutritional profile. Among its notable benefits is its rich mineral content, which plays a vital role in promoting overall health and well-being.

One of the key minerals in mangosteen is potassium, an essential nutrient for cardiovascular health. Potassium aids in maintaining proper heart function by regulating heartbeat and blood pressure. It also balances body fluids and supports muscle contractions, including the heart's. Research shows that potassium-rich diets can significantly reduce the risk of hypertension, stroke, and kidney stones, emphasizing the importance of including foods like mangosteen in your diet.

Another significant mineral in mangosteen is magnesium, which is involved in over 300 enzymatic processes in the body. This mineral supports energy production, protein synthesis, and the proper functioning of muscles and nerves. Additionally, magnesium contributes to bone health and helps regulate blood sugar levels, making it a critical component for preventing conditions like osteoporosis and type 2 diabetes.

The fruit also provides calcium, an essential element for building and maintaining strong bones and teeth. Calcium is pivotal for muscle function, nerve transmission, and blood clotting. Regular consumption of calcium-rich foods like mangosteen can help prevent bone-related conditions such as osteoporosis, particularly in older adults.

Another valuable mineral in mangosteen is iron, crucial for the formation of hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells. Adequate iron intake supports energy metabolism, cognitive function, and immune health. Iron deficiencies, which are common globally, can lead to anemia, fatigue, and weakened immunity, making mangosteen a helpful dietary inclusion.

Moreover, mangosteen is rich in antioxidants like xanthones, which enhance the fruit’s health benefits by combating oxidative stress, a contributor to chronic diseases. The combination of essential minerals and potent antioxidants underscores mangosteen’s role as a superfruit.

In conclusion, mangosteen is not only a tropical delight but also a nutrient powerhouse. Its diverse mineral content makes it a valuable addition to a balanced diet, supporting heart health, bone strength, energy production, and immune function.
Mangosteen: A Nutrient-Packed Superfruit for Optimal Health

Major Sources of Magnesium for Better Health

Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It plays a vital role in muscle and nerve function, blood glucose control, and bone health. To maintain adequate magnesium levels, it's important to include magnesium-rich foods in the diet. Here are some excellent sources of magnesium:

Leafy Green Vegetables

• Spinach: A cup of cooked spinach provides about 157 mg of magnesium, making it one of the best sources.
• Swiss Chard: Another leafy green high in magnesium, with around 150 mg per cooked cup.

Nuts and Seeds

• Almonds: One ounce of almonds contains approximately 80 mg of magnesium.
• Cashews: An ounce of cashews provides about 74 mg of magnesium.
• Pumpkin Seeds: An excellent source, with 150 mg per ounce.

Whole Grains

• Quinoa: One cup of cooked quinoa offers around 118 mg of magnesium.
• Brown Rice: A cup of cooked brown rice contains about 84 mg of magnesium.

Legumes

• Black Beans: A cup of cooked black beans has about 120 mg of magnesium.
• Edamame: One cup of cooked edamame provides around 99 mg of magnesium.

Fruits

• Avocados: One medium avocado contains approximately 58 mg of magnesium.
• Bananas: A medium banana provides about 32 mg of magnesium.

Fish

• Mackerel: A 3-ounce serving of mackerel contains about 82 mg of magnesium.
• Salmon: A 3-ounce serving of cooked salmon offers approximately 26 mg of magnesium.

Dairy Products

• Yogurt: One cup of plain, low-fat yogurt contains about 50 mg of magnesium.

Dark Chocolate

• Dark Chocolate: One ounce of dark chocolate (70-85% cocoa) provides around 64 mg of magnesium.

Other Sources

• Tofu: Half a cup of tofu contains about 37 mg of magnesium.
• Potatoes: One medium baked potato (with skin) offers about 48 mg of magnesium.

Supplementation

For those who may not get enough magnesium through diet alone, magnesium supplements are available, but it is always best to consult with a healthcare provider before starting any supplementation.

Incorporating a variety of these foods into your diet can help ensure you meet your daily magnesium needs and support overall health and well-being.
Major Sources of Magnesium for Better Health

The Importance of Addressing Magnesium Deficiency

Magnesium deficiency, while rare in those with balanced diets, remains a significant concern due to its vital role in bodily functions. This mineral is plentiful in various foods, yet several factors can increase susceptibility to deficiency, making awareness crucial.

In healthy individuals, overt magnesium deficiency symptoms are uncommon due to ample dietary sources and renal conservation mechanisms. However, specific conditions heighten risk. Gastrointestinal disorders like Crohn's disease or celiac disease impair absorption, potentially leading to deficiency. Renal disorders causing magnesium wasting, such as renal tubular dysfunction, exacerbate this risk.

Chronic alcoholism and older age are also linked to magnesium deficiency. Alcohol impairs magnesium absorption, while aging often correlates with decreased intake and absorption efficiency. Moreover, lifestyle choices like excessive coffee, soda, salt, or alcohol intake, along with heavy menstrual periods and prolonged stress, can deplete magnesium levels.

Symptoms of magnesium deficiency span from psychological to physiological manifestations, including agitation, abnormal heart rhythms, muscle weakness, and insomnia. Recent studies even associate magnesium with mental health, suggesting its role in anxiety and mood regulation.

With modern lifestyles and dietary habits, the prevalence of magnesium deficiency warrants attention. Promoting awareness and integrating magnesium-rich foods or supplements into daily regimens can mitigate associated health risks and improve overall well-being. Addressing these factors is imperative in ensuring optimal health and vitality.
The Importance of Addressing Magnesium Deficiency

Unveiling the Magnesium Bounty in Our Diet

Magnesium, vital for various bodily functions, remains deficient in the American diet despite abundant sources. Plant-based foods emerge as primary reservoirs, offering a plethora of options to bolster magnesium intake. From robust whole grains to verdant vegetables, legumes, and tofu, nature provides an array of choices. Even seafood, like salmon and mackerel, boasts notable magnesium content, accentuating the importance of diverse dietary choices.

However, quantifying magnesium in foods poses a challenge due to methodological variations, leading to conflicting estimations. Despite this, clinical magnesium deficiency remains rare, thanks to the body's adept regulation. Nevertheless, certain medical conditions, such as gastrointestinal disorders or kidney diseases, can disrupt this balance, necessitating vigilant monitoring.

Furthermore, emerging research continues to uncover new sources and understandings of magnesium's role in human health. Chocolate, once viewed solely as a guilty pleasure, now shines as a modest contributor to magnesium intake. In essence, while dietary magnesium inadequacies persist, the evolving landscape of nutritional science offers hope for addressing and rectifying these deficiencies.
Unveiling the Magnesium Bounty in Our Diet

Magnesium: Vital Body Functions

Magnesium plays a multifaceted role in maintaining bodily functions, extending beyond its commonly known benefits. Firstly, it's crucial for organ health, with particular significance for the heart, muscles, and kidneys. Additionally, its presence is vital in dental and skeletal structures, contributing to the formation of teeth and bones.

Moreover, magnesium influences cell migration by modulating calcium levels in the extracellular fluid, which proves pivotal in wound healing processes. Its involvement in nucleic acid and protein synthesis underscores its indispensability in cellular processes, while also being essential for the activity of numerous enzymes involved in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.

Furthermore, magnesium serves as a catalyst for enzymatic reactions, facilitating energy production and maintaining metabolic pathways. Its regulatory role extends to managing calcium levels and modulating the activity of various nutrients like copper, zinc, potassium, and vitamin D. Thus, magnesium emerges not only as a structural component but also as a pivotal regulator of biochemical processes crucial for overall health and wellbeing.
Magnesium: Vital Body Functions

Magnesium content in oats

About 60% of the body's magnesium is located in human bones, while the remaining portion is found in muscles, soft tissues, and bodily fluids. Magnesium is a vital element essential for the proper function of every cell within the human body.

The primary kind of oats is identified as cereals: QUAKER Quick Oats, Dry, containing 270 mg of magnesium per 100g. Rolled oats have a magnesium content of 138 mg, and a standard one-cup serving of oatmeal, an extensively consumed global breakfast choice, contains 60 mg of magnesium.

The recommended daily magnesium intake for adults is outlined as follows:

~Men: 400-420 mg
~Women: 310-320 mg

Oats emerge as an abundant source of magnesium, a pivotal element for driving enzyme activity and energy production. It contributes to averting heart attacks and strokes by fostering relaxation of blood vessels, bolstering the heart muscle, and managing blood pressure. Magnesium also plays a role in orchestrating protein synthesis, preserving genetic integrity, and governing the nervous system.

Magnesium plays a pivotal role in modulating blood sugar levels. Individuals obtaining sufficient magnesium intake typically confront a lowered risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Rectifying low magnesium levels may enhance blood sugar control for those who are already grappling with correlated concerns.

Among individuals in good health, encountering a deficiency due to inadequate dietary intake is infrequent. However, persistent low intake or heightened magnesium depletion stemming from circumstances such as chronic alcoholism, Crohn's disease, celiac disease, intestinal surgery, or the usage of specific medications can result in magnesium deficiency.

In cases where a patient sustains chronically low magnesium levels over an extended period, leading to magnesium deficiency—an uncommon occurrence—manifestations like reduced appetite, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, and weakness might become evident.
Magnesium content in oats

Major minerals important to human health

The main minerals that keep human health intact and prevent from getting ill with a wide range of diseases are: Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium and Iron. They all strengthen the natural defense shield of immune system. Moreover, they have tones of other benefits on the main organs and functions of human body.

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. Around 99 percent of calcium is stored in bones and teeth, where it supports their structure and function. The remaining one percent is used to support metabolic functions. Calcium is important for helping muscles relax and contract; important in nerve functioning, blood clotting, blood pressure regulation, immune system health.

Magnesium is the sixth most abundant mineral in the body Magnesium helps manage muscle and nerve function, control blood glucose levels, regulate blood pressure, and make DNA, protein and bones. It works with calcium to assist in muscle contraction, blood clotting, and the regulation of blood pressure and lung function.

Potassium is the third most abundant mineral in the body and is an electrolyte that helps with proper nerve and muscle functions including the beating of the heart.

Iron helps make many proteins, including hemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen to body tissues, and myoglobin, which brings oxygen to the muscles. Human body also uses iron for growth and development, and to make some connective tissue and hormones. Part of a molecule (hemoglobin) found in red blood cells that carries oxygen in the body and it needed for energy metabolism.

Major minerals important to human health

Minerals in cocoa and chocolate products

Cocoa and chocolate contain a number of minerals. Cocoa has the potential to provide significant amount of minerals in the human diet, in particular copper, iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium and zinc.

Potassium, magnesium and calcium are the most abundant minerals in cocoa powder. The mineral content of the cocoa is dependent on the soil condition in which the cacao is grown.

Cocoa and cocoa products contain relatively higher amounts of magnesium compared to black tea, red wine, and apples. Magnesium is involved in catalyzing multitude biological reactions, including protein synthesis, transmission of nerve impulse, muscle relaxation, energy production and bone and teeth adsorption.

The final concentrations of minerals in chocolate products are dependent on the amount of non-fat cocoa solids, the amount of cocoa butter and the presence of other ingredients including milk and nuts which can enhance the levels of certain minerals.

A 100 g bar of plain chocolate is able to supply 24% of the copper needed in a healthy diet, whilst milk and white chocolate are a relatively good source of calcium, which is widely regarded as being beneficial in maintaining strong bones.

Dark chocolate typically has higher amounts of minerals than milk chocolate. Dark chocolate is plentiful in magnesium, important for brain functioning. It also boast other nutrients, such as copper, iron, manganese and zinc.
Minerals in cocoa and chocolate products

The role of magnesium in photosynthesis

Photosynthesis takes place in chloroplasts. Chlorophyll is the most abundant pigment involved in the light harvesting and the tetrapyrrole ring of chlorophylls, called chlorine, is similar to heme but contains Mg2++ chelated to the nitrogen atoms of the rings.

Photosynthesis strongly depends on sufficient Mg2++ supply, reduction of CO2 assimilation is often on Mg2++ deficient plants. Perhaps the most important single biological role of magnesium is in the formation of chlorophyll and the utilization of radiant energy in photosynthesis.

Magnesium ions are inserted into the chlorine ring through the action of a chelatase enzyme. Without the enzyme, magnesium could not combine with chlorins.
The role of magnesium in photosynthesis

Magnesium participates in the catalytic of enzymes

Enzymes are what make the body’s chemical reactions take place at the proper times, at the proper speed, and in the proper amounts.

Magnesium is a vital catalyst in enzyme activity, especially the activity of those enzymes involved in energy production.

The roles of the magnesium in proteins, particularly enzymes, are described in terms of their structural and catalytic functions.

Among magnesium utilizing enzymes the major role of the metal ion appears to be structural, in view of the precisely octahedral coordination of six oxygen atoms normally found in magnesium salts and complexes.

This suggests that the magnesium ion serves to orient the substrate in the required orientation for the catalytic mechanism to take place.

Magnesium is directly necessary to the enzymes that breakdown glucose, control the production of cholesterol, make nucleic acids such as DNA, make proteins, and breakdown fats.

Importantly, magnesium is necessary to the enzymes that keep potassium inside cells – including those of the cardiovascular system - where it is necessary for cellular activity and to keep sodium outside the cells, thereby preventing edema or swelling.

A deficiency of magnesium interferes with the transmission of nerve and muscle impulses, causing irritability and nervousness.
Magnesium participates in the catalytic of enzymes

Magnesium deficiency and heart disease

Most modern heart disease is caused by magnesium deficiency. The diet of the industrial world is short on magnesium, and this causing an epidemic of heart disease in the modern world.

Human body loses magnesium from diarrhea, diet and stress. Diarrhea causes much of the magnesium in intestines to be excreted.

Magnesium deficiency can cause arrhythmia, prolonged of the QT interval or congestion heart failure and cardiac disease.

Heart is a muscle that pumps by constantly contracting and relaxing. Calcium helps heart and other muscle to contract. Magnesium helps them to relax.

Magnesium deficiency may result in the formation of clots in the heart and brain and may contribute to calcium deposits in the kidney, blood vessels and heart.

Magnesium deficiency may be the cause of idiopathic mitral valve prolapsed, a great valve disorder whose symptoms include palpitations, chest pain, fatique, panic attacks and hyperventilation.

Heart failure resulting from fibrillation and lesions in the small arteries is linked to a deficiency of magnesium, as its vasodilation, which can be followed by hyperkinetic behavior and fatal convulsions.

The researchers found that a magnesium deficiency cause of death from sudden heart attacks in 8 million people in US between 1940 and 1994.
Magnesium deficiency and heart disease

How does magnesium affect our blood pressure?

In general, a daily magnesium intake of 480 mgs or more lowered high blood pressure whole taking only the RDA requirements (360 mgs per day) did not.

Researchers have proposed that subclinical magnesium deficiency has developed in industrialized countries and this has paralleled the increased prevalence of hypertension.

Conversely, persons consuming vegetarian diets which are usually high in magnesium and fiber content, tend to have lower blood pressure than non-vegetarians, a finding raising the possibility that dietary magnesium is inversely related to blood pressure.

Magnesium helps to lower blood pressure by dilating blood vessels. Adequate magnesium intake allows the coronary arteries to relax and open wider to lower blood pressure.

Magnesium is a required cofactor for enzymes involved in a fatty acid metabolism and the synthesis of prostaglandins, which are known to include blood pressure.

Dietary magnesium is found in nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans), rice, bananas, potatoes, wheat germ, kidney and lima beans soy products and molasses.
How does magnesium affect our blood pressure?

Magnesium requirements and dietary sources

Magnesium is the third most common mineral in bone, with 60% of the body’s magnesium found in the skeleton. The concentration of magnesium in the body is 250 mg/kg.

The US magnesium RDA for adult women is 320 mg/day and for adult men is 420 mg/day.

Soft tissue magnesium functions as a cofactor of many enzymes involved in energy metabolism, protein synthesis, RNA and DNA synthesis and maintenance of the electrical potential of nervous tissues and cell membranes.

Of particular importance with respect to the pathological effects of magnesium depletion is the role of this element in regulating potassium fluxes and its involvement in the metabolism of calcium.

Because of its indispensable role in bloody metabolism, magnesium deficiency causes serious disorders. 

Under increasing of death by cardiovascular diseases, magnesium status is very important.

Magnesium is widely distributed in pant and animal foods, and geochemical and other environmental variables rarely have major influence on tis content in foods.

Food with high magnesium content is found in dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, fish, algae, pulses (especially tofu), and whole grains.
Magnesium requirements and dietary sources

The main causes of magnesium deficiency

Magnesium deficiency is not uncommon. Deficiency may arise through reduced intake, reduced absorption or excessive excretion.

Magnesium deficiency is common in people with constipation. Magnesium deficiency results in constipation because it causes intestinal spasms. And people also can lose magnesium through frequent diarrhea.

Urinary loss of magnesium is also an important contributing cause of magnesium deficiency. The renal magnesium transport is influenced by the filtered sodium and calcium load.

This excess urinary excretion of sodium and calcium will increase magnesium clearance and lead to urinary magnesium losses. A very common reason for an increased urinary loss of magnesium is the widespread use of conventional diuretics.

Certain drugs – ammonium chloride and mercurial diuretics – result in loss of magnesium through the urine. 

In general, diabetes mellitus is associated with magnesium deficiency and exemplifiers osmotic-induce magnesium deficiency. The acidosis resulting from ketoacidosis, starvation or alcoholism may also lead to renal magnesium wasting.

Magnesium deficiency has been reported in children with protein-calorie malnutrition due to primarily to diarrhea which increases fecal loss of the mineral.

Magnesium plays an important role in the activity of electrically excitable tissues.

Many enzymes are magnesium activated or dependent. Magnesium is required by all enzymatic processes involving ATP and by many of the enzymes involved in nucleic acid metabolism.
The main causes of magnesium deficiency

Hypermagnesemia

Hypermagnesemia represent an increase in total body magnesium and a serum magnesium concentration in excess of 2.6 mg/dL (1.04 mmol/ L). Because of the ability of the normal kidney to excrete magnesium, hypermagnesemia is rare.

Hypermagnesemia may result from a combination of excessive magnesium load and a relatively low capacity for renal excretion of magnesium.

Symptoms of hypermagnesemia usually correlate well with plasma magnesium concentration. Signs and symptoms of hypermagnesemia reflect altered neuromuscular function (e.g. hyporeflexia, lethargy, respiratory depression) and cardiac function (e.g. flushing for vasodilation, bradycardia, hypotension, dysrhythmias). 

Hypermagnesemia is one of the metabolic complications of tumor lysis syndrome, massive tissue damage from seizure and ischemia.

It also may due to abuse of antacid containing magnesium, redistribution in DKA or pheochromocytoma, and toxicity from lithium.

Some cases of hypermagnesemia associated with diabetic ketoacidosis have been discovered.

The elderly are particularly at risk because they have age-related reductions in kidney function and tend to consume more magnesium-containing medications, including antacids and laxatives.
Hypermagnesemia

The role of magnesium in the cardiovascular system

Magnesium is the fourth most abundant cation in the body and quantitatively it is second to potassium as the intracellular cation. Magnesium plays a vital role in helping the body maintain a healthy cardiovascular system.
There are scores of people with heart conditions who could improve significantly if they supplemented with magnesium.

From arrhythmias to blood pressure, magnesium plays a central role in cardiovascular function and insulin regulation.

Magnesium exerts effects on the cardiovascular system, acting peripherally to produce vasodilation, resulting in changes in blood pressure and cardiac output.

Magnesium is thought to have a direct effect on peripheral arteries and arterioles, which results in a decreased total peripheral resistance.

Magnesium’s actions on the cardiovascular system derive from its effects on calcium channels and pumps to regulate transmembrane and intracellular ionic flows.

Low intake of magnesium is associated with hypertension, atherosclerosis and stroke. This makes supplementation with magnesium even more important for anyone at risk for the diseases and especially for those at risk for dementia.

Dementia vascular due to result of multiple ministrokes throughout the brain has origins in hypertension, atherosclerosis and stroke.

Magnesium deficiency in cardiovascular system symptoms mainly consist of an increased tendency to paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardias, ventricular ectopic beats, ventricular tachycardia or even fibrillation.
The role of magnesium in the cardiovascular system

Symptomatology of magnesium deficiency

Since magnesium is present in most common foodstuff, low dietary intakes of magnesium are associated with general nutritional insufficiency.

Marked symptoms of magnesium deficiency appeared and the early symptoms of magnesium deficiency can include fatigue, anorexia, irritability, insomnia and muscle tremors or twitching.

Symptoms of a deficiency principally occurs in the nervous system, skeletal muscles, gastrointestinal tract and cardiovascular system.

Symptom associated with the central nervous system often begin with apathy, apprehension, decreased learning ability, confusion, poor memory, depression, and reduced ability to concentrate.

Neuromuscular hyperirritability may be the most common presenting problem in magnesium depleted patients. Cardiac arrhythmias are a serious complication of magnesium depletion.

Symptoms associated with gastrointestinal tract: intestinal malabsorption, severe vomiting, diarrhea or other causes of intestinal loss.

Deficiency is more likely in those who eat processed food diet. Deficiency is also more common when magnesium absorption is decreased, such as after burns, serious injuries or surgery and in patients with diabetes, liver disease or malabsorption problems, and when magnesium elimination is increased as in people who use alcohol, caffeine or excess sugar.
Symptomatology of magnesium deficiency

Magnesium in banana

Banana is said to be very high in magnesium. A 2007 issue of Environmental Nutrition describes research conducted at the Harvard School of Public Health. Research reviewed the diets of more than 43,000 men and found that those with the highest intake of foods high in magnesium and potassium like bananas, had a reduced risk of stroke.

Magnesium is necessary in blood clotting, prevention of kidney stone formation, bone and tooth formation and prevention of muscle and nerve irritability.

It helps lower cholesterol levels and release fat deposits in the aorta. Banana is important sources of magnesium which is cofactor for hundreds of enzymes.

Low levels of magnesium are associated with kidney disease, alcoholism and use of diuretics.

Muscle weakness, muscle twitching, and muscle cramps are common symptoms of magnesium deficiency.

One medium sized banana supplies about 33 mg of magnesium, Women need approximately 320 mg of magnesium daily while men about 420 mg.

Magnesium in banana

The importance of magnesium in human body

Magnesium is the fourth most common cation in the human body. Of the body’s magnesium, 30-40% is found in muscles and soft tissues, 1% is found in extracellular fluid and the remainder is in the skeleton. 

Magnesium is found in a wide variety of foods and beverages, Beverages rich in magnesium are coffee, tea and cocoa. Foods particularly high in magnesium include nuts, legumes and whole grain cereals.

Magnesium supplements are extremely beneficial for maintaining our heart healthy, lowering high cholesterol levels in the blood, strengthening the bones structure. It plays a critical role in many metabolic processes, including production and use of the energy essential in the maintenance of normal intracellular.

Magnesium plays a key role in more than 300 different enzymatic reactions that take place within all of the body’s cells.

Magnesium intake is also recommended for pregnant women or those who are at the risk of arthritis. It also helps the body absorb other vital minerals, like calcium and potassium.

Magnesium has a relaxing effect on the central nervous system and tempers the action of the sympathetic nervous system. Magnesium is also necessary for the proper metabolism of zinc, iron, copper and phosphorus, as well as for calcium potassium and sodium.

Deficiency of magnesium or disturbances in magnesium homeostasis is usually associated with the presence of other illnesses.

Poor magnesium status may be related to cardiovascular disease, renal disease, diabetes mellitus, toxemia of pregnancy, hypertension, or post complication.

Magnesium deficiency leads to allergies, low immunity to infections, nails, hair and teeth fragility, migraines, loss of appetite, high blood pressure, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, emotional disorders etc.

Supplements of magnesium are sometimes needed for people with fat malabsorption disease, such as inflammatory bowel disease and pancreatic disease, which cause the malabsorption of not only fat but also magnesium.
The importance of magnesium in human body

Magnesium in human health

The human body contains about 760 mg of magnesium at broth, approximately 5 g at the 4-5 months and 25 g when adult.

The mineral magnesium is important for every organ in the body, particularly the heart, muscles, and kidneys. It also contributes to the composition of teeth and bones.

Between 50% to 60% of body magnesium is located within bone, where it is thought to form a surface constituent of the hydroxyapatite mineral component.

Magnesium plays an important role in normal calcium and phosphorus metabolism in man.

Calcium and magnesium levels in the fluid surrounding cells affect the migration of a number of different cell types. Such effects on cell migration important in would healing.

Extracellular magnesium concentrations are critical to the maintenance of electrical potential of nerve and muscle membranes and for transmission of impulse across neuromuscular junctions.

Magnesium is required at a number of steps during the synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins. It plays structural roles in DNA, cell membranes and chromosomes.

A number of enzymes participating the synthesis of carbohydrates and lipids require magnesium for their activity.

Magnesium plays a key role in more than 350 enzymes primarily as Mg-ATP complex in energy dependent activities.

Most importantly, it activates enzymes, contributes to energy production, and helps regulate calcium levels as well as copper, zinc, potassium, vitamin D, and other important nutrients in the body.

Magnesium is involved in virtually every metabolic process occurring in the body, including active transport such as the sodium potassium ATPase pump, and cell signaling. It also takes part in the phosphorylation metabolic pathways.

Magnesium in human health