Magnesium is one of the essential minerals in the body. It regulates more than 300 enzymes and plays a role in DNA synthesis, bone formation, blood clotting, and muscle contraction. The average person only needs about 250 mg of magnesium daily to reach peak health. Still, an estimated 80 percent of Americans need to get more of this essential nutrient through their diet alone.
The lack of magnesium makes a person tired, irritable, and depressed. The most common magnesium deficiency symptom is fatigue, which affects more than 75 percent of people who are deficient in this vital mineral. Magnesium also plays a role in regulating blood pressure and preventing migraines, muscle cramps, and headaches. If someone is experiencing any of these symptoms, it could be a sign that their body isn’t getting enough magnesium.
Migraines and Headaches
Magnesium deficiency can cause migraine headaches. The two are often correlated because migraines are a symptom of magnesium deficiency in many cases, but not all of them. A study by the University of Maryland Medical Center discovered that patients who took magnesium supplements could get pain relief from their migraines more effectively than those who didn’t. In addition, it was also discovered that taking magnesium gave these patients more significant relief from their symptoms than those who took medications like Tylenol or ibuprofen for their migraines instead of magnesium supplements.
There are other types of headaches besides just migraine headaches that can be caused by magnesium deficiency and menstrual cramps (which may be considered a type of headache). For example, cluster headaches are often caused by low levels of serotonin. However, they can also be triggered by a lack or imbalance in other chemicals, such as dopamine and endorphins, which are regulated through a complex system that involves both enzymes within cells called monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A).
