Magnesium: Superstar Supplement

Magnesium is an emerging superstar mineral, but for decades it’s been so underrated that one study called it an “orphan nutrient”

- Vera Tweed

In the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s online database at pubmed.gov, there are more than five times as many scientific articles about calcium as there are about magnesium. Yet both are equally essential for the function of the human body.

CALCIUM-MAGNESIUM PARTNERSHIP

These two minerals are somewhat like the opposite ends of a dimmer switch. Calcium gives bones their hardness and makes things happen by exciting nerves, contracting muscles, and contributing to the inflammation necessary to fight invaders or injury. Magnesium gives bones some flexibility, keeps them from becoming brittle, and has a “chilling out” effect, relaxing nerves and muscles and reducing inflammation. Calcium is necessary for blood to clot so that wounds can heal, while magnesium prevents harmful clots and keeps blood flowing.

When we experience a stressful situation, whether it’s an irritable boss, a traffic jam, or a workout at the gym, calcium contributes to the fight-or-flight response that kicks in, and if there isn’t enough magnesium to calm things down, we stay stressed. And without enough magnesium, high calcium levels can lead to stiff arteries and heart disease.

MORE REASONS IT’S ESSENTIAL