Can Magnesium be Contributing to your Stress Levels? By Theresa Seaquist

woman stretching

What is stress?

Stress is unique for each person and how their brain and body respond to any physical and or emotional demand. This can be related to chronic ailments; lower back pain or an acute incident (car accident or family death).

Inconsistency, constant changes and unknowns elevate both emotional and physical stress.

Many individuals are sometimes reluctant to acknowledge stress, as it may show ‘weakness’ or inability to lead others. These same individuals may be ignoring the subtle, yet accumulating, signs of how stress effects their body.

The subtle signs would and could be identified through a physicians exam and blood panel review.

5 physical ‘underlying’ symptoms of stress.

  • Calcium imbalance[1]
  • Increases Cortisol levels[2]
  • Constricts blood vessels[3]
  • Creates fatigue[4]
  • Elevates Cellular Inflammation[5]

The “below the surface” underlying results can be the result of how the body utilizes Magnesium and more specifically Magnesium deficiency.

Since Magnesium is involved with every cell function; as are all dietary minerals, Magnesium is heading to the front of the line as the missing mineral in 60-75% of Society.

Magnesium isn’t creating stress, the lack of Magnesium may be elevating the symptoms of stress.

As our stress loads increase, the physical cellular requirements for Magnesium dramatically increase. If we are not replenishing our Magnesium inventory in our diets or by supplementation, the body begins to ‘cook the books’ and starts stealing from Peter to pay Paul.

During this process we begin to ‘feel’ the signs of low Magnesium levels. You might start to have twitchy eye lids and or restless legs at night. You might not be able to sleep well and or awake at 3 am.

Since Magnesium is stored in our muscle and bones, our muscles begin to feel sore and or have stress fractures as a result of low bone mineral density.

You might now be running to check your latest blood test and see the Magnesium ranges are normal.

Yet, an interesting and peculiar aspect to our blood serum tests is it will probably show normal Magnesium ranges.

That’s a head scratcher.

It is and it isn’t.

Since every function of the body requires Mg, the nutrient transportation subway, is via blood vessels. If the body is constantly in need of Magnesium, it is constantly pulling it from various Magnesium bank accounts (muscles and bones) and stuffing it in the guaranteed low interest account (blood stream).

When the accounts have reached a zero balance, the physical chemistry ‘alteration and adaptation’ begins.

The body begins to show the previously mentioned underlying signs as physical symptoms:

  • Muscle cramping, Tense Muscles = Excessive Calcium levels
  • Elevated body fat=Increases Cortisol levels
  • High blood pressure & headaches=Constricts blood vessels
  • Reduced strength, stamina and endurance= Creates fatigue
  • Increases bacterial and viral susceptibility (more frequent colds) = Elevates Cellular Inflammation

The following ‘forms” of Magnesium are not well absorbed, meaning they don’t get into your blood stream and they cause laxation (lose stool) or diarrhea.

  • Oxide
  • Sulfate
  • Carbonate

The clinically verified best Magnesium form is a ‘chelate’.

A mineral chelate is the outcome of our natural internal chemical process ‘under a perfect storm’ to make a mineral more efficiently absorbed. The body attaches amino acids to the mineral so the body can ‘recognize’ it and absorb it.

Stress and diet often alter the internal body chemistry, rendering mineral and various nutrients not recognized, therefore not absorbed.

A ‘Magnesium chelate’ is pre bonded to amino acids making it the most efficient and absorbed up to 6x better than other forms of Magnesium.

The following daily protocols will help reduce stress and eliminate the Magnesium deficiency symptoms that often accompany stress.

3 Daily Stress Relief Methods

  • Mind:
    1. Meditation
    2. Deep Breathing Methods
    3. Journaling
    4. Conversations with friends and family
  • Physical:
    1. Daily exercise 20-60 minutes
  • Nutrition:
    1. Drinking plenty of water with electrolytes
    2. Focus on magnesium-centric diet: green leafy veggies and certain nuts
    3. Drink HydraMag® Magnesium 2x daily:
      1. Contains the #1 Physician recommended form of Magnesium chelate.
      2. Drinking Magnesium allows slow release into the body.

Taking Magnesium in doses in excess of 75mg per dose can potentially cause the aforementioned adverse events. Drinking Magnesium provides the benefit of hydration and minimal levels being ingested at one time.

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Theresa Seaquist is the CEO and Founder of MoxiLife. A veteran Triathlete of over 36 years, 6x Ironman Finisher and Collegiate All American and HOF, her interest in nutrition and ingredients goes back about 25 years. Her personal journey as to how Magnesium has affected her life and performance, was the defining moment to launch MOXiLIFE Nutrition™ and to share her mineral knowledge with the endurance community. You can check out her products at MoxiLife.

 

[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29952272/

[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25560699/

[3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3229017/

[4] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27860130/

[5] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25215171/