With well known and sometimes learned health influencers telling us that 50% of Americans are magnesium deficient, many of us in Singapore have seemingly caught the magnesium supplement bug and are turning en masse to pills. Does Singapore have a magnesium deficiency, like 50% of Americans? 50% of what Americans, eating what, with what lifestyles? You, me, Aunty and Uncle? We have no idea.
By all means it can be worthwhile getting tested to understand one's own nutritional deficiencies and make informed health choices. But first and foremost, as competent health speakers will advise, focus on getting diet and eating practices right before taking supplements.
Most people we have spoken to, stating that they are on a magnesium supplement, outside of sharing that 'they get tired' say that they have no idea if they are deficient or not.
As ever, please talk to your doctor or medical practitioner most familiar with your medical history before implementing any changes in diet, exercise or lifestyle, especially if you are under treatment. Links to supporting studies and resources are found at the end of page.
So, where to get magnesium from diet? Good sources of magnesium include:
Nuts: Almonds and cashews
Seeds: Pumpkin seeds, sunflower, flaxseed, chia seeds
Greens: Chard, broccoli, kale, spinach, turnip greens and mustard greens
Beans: Black beans, lima beans, peanuts, peanut butter, soy beans (see below) and dark chocolate (yes, it’s a bean product)
Soy products: Soy beans, soy milk, tofu or edamame
Grains: Brown rice, rolled oats, whole wheat bread, quinoa
Seafood: Salmon, mackerel, halibut
Dairy Products: Yogurt and milk
Fruit: Avocados, bananas, papaya
Eating real - whole - foods not only provides magnesium but a host of other macro and micronutrients: protein, prebiotic fibre, complex carbohydrates and polyphenols. Delivering far more health than any high dose mineral pill. But it does mean eating real food and, for many, taking an interest in changing eating practices for the better.
Take the small steps to get eating practices in place that will support your health, performance and longevity in a way that no supplement protocol can ever match. Consider the DASH diet and its eating practices to increase magnesium (and other micronutrient) intake. And, perhaps a single multivitamin and mineral pill (probably including some magnesium) can support you further on you journey to health.
In the next news cycle we will undoubtedly be advised that there is another missing competent to our micronutrient stats. Given the fundamental role that hypertension has in society's ill health, perhaps blood pressure lowering potassium (considered as a nutrient of public health concern in the US Dietary Guidelines 2015 to 2020) should be a worthwhile place to look... fortunately it is also found in many of the foods listed above.
For most people, improving health is about finding motivation and prioritising self-care with an ultimate goal of taking action. If you want to take effective and targeted steps that fit into your unique lifestyle, The Whole Health Practice is here to help.
Whether your interest is healthspan and longevity, to beat chronic illness or to enhance your mental health and well-being, our consultations and programs deliver results that are tailored to your needs.
Our foundational Whole Health Consult identifies and prioritises the key factors - known and unknown - that affect health and wellbeing. It provides targeted recommendations tailored to you, the individual, and your unique lifestyle.
Stay Healthy,
Alastair
Join me, or scroll down to contact us and learn more about our services:
Achieve your Health Goals
Your health, physical – mental – social - is complex and affected by multiple factors within and outside of your control. Our consults and programmes address the whole person, the root causes of ill health and maximising your health, performance & vitality.
Take the first step and arrange an introductory call. Contact us, by phone or WhatsApp, to discuss how we can support your journey to health. We are based in Singapore and work with clients globally.
Book a Whole Health Consult to assess, identify and prioritise key factors (known and unknown) that affect your health. And receive personalised recommendations on how to address them.
Want to put recommendations into action? Learn more about our programmes for individuals or teams.
Related Resources
NIH Magnesium, Fact Sheet for Consumers
NIH Magnesium, Fact Sheet for Health Professionals
NIH Potassium, Fact Sheet for Consumers
Kiani AK, Dhuli K, Donato K, Aquilanti B, Velluti V, Matera G, Iaconelli A, Connelly ST, Bellinato F, Gisondi P, Bertelli M. Main nutritional deficiencies. J Prev Med Hyg. 2022 Oct 17;63(2 Suppl 3):E93-E101. doi: 10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2022.63.2S3.2752. PMID: 36479498; PMCID: PMC9710417.
US Preventive Services Task Force; Mangione CM, Barry MJ, Nicholson WK, Cabana M, Chelmow D, Coker TR, Davis EM, Donahue KE, Doubeni CA, Jaén CR, Kubik M, Li L, Ogedegbe G, Pbert L, Ruiz JM, Stevermer J, Wong JB. Vitamin, Mineral, and Multivitamin Supplementation to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMA. 2022 Jun 21;327(23):2326-2333. doi: 10.1001/jama.2022.8970. PMID: 35727271.
Fiorentini D, Cappadone C, Farruggia G, Prata C. Magnesium: Biochemistry, Nutrition, Detection, and Social Impact of Diseases Linked to Its Deficiency. Nutrients. 2021 Mar 30;13(4):1136. doi: 10.3390/nu13041136. PMID: 33808247; PMCID: PMC8065437.
Razzaque MS. Magnesium: Are We Consuming Enough? Nutrients. 2018 Dec 2;10(12):1863. doi: 10.3390/nu10121863. PMID: 30513803; PMCID: PMC6316205.
Comments