What does magnesium do for muscles? The common signs of deficiency

Modern life surrounds us with stress and challenge, but because the body has its own regulatory elements it can still restore itself in the short term — calming the emotions, relaxing the muscles and so on. Once stress becomes long-term, those elements — magnesium above all — are consumed in large quantities, and chronic stress steadily drains our physical energy, vitality and mental capacity.

Magnesium is a naturally occurring mineral and an extremely important helper in the human body. Everything from cells, muscle and bone to the nerves and the heart needs it. A shortfall in magnesium causes fatigue, palpitations, difficulty falling asleep, poor sleep quality and irritability, and can even produce stiffness and pain — lower back ache, cramps, a stiff neck and shoulders.

To improve how the body functions and support health, it helps to take in a range of different forms of magnesium:

• Magnesium citrate: this form crosses the intestinal wall into the bloodstream relatively easily and is well absorbed and used. It acts mainly on heart and muscle function and helps prevent cramping after exercise
  
  
• Magnesium chloride: readily absorbed through the digestive tract and raises blood magnesium. Supports bone health and eases muscle fatigue
  
  
• Magnesium gluconate: helps muscles relax after exercise and eases joint discomfort
  
  
• Magnesium glycinate: highly bioavailable, raises blood magnesium quickly and rarely causes diarrhea. It acts mainly on the nerves, easing anxiety, settling the nervous system to aid sleep, and supporting cognitive function
  
  
• Brown rice magnesium: an antioxidant helper that eases the body's stress load
  
  
• Magnesium sulfate: relaxes skeletal muscle and settles the nervous system

Each form of magnesium does something different, so combining them is the most efficient approach.

Sources:

• ELINT
• Dr. Hsu Chung-en, Afternoon Health