Magnesium for women
Magnesium is a vital mineral and women, in particular, often have increased needs.
Magnesium is a vital mineral and women, in particular, often have increased needs.
Magnesium is a multi-purpose mineral that is involved in over 600 different metabolic processes in the body. This power mineral influences the hormonal system, regulates the interaction between muscles and nerves and helps to ensure strong bones, to name just a few examples. Since women go through many stages of life during which can trigger a magnesium deficiency, they should always ensure a sufficient magnesium intake.
Menstrual pain and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) are among the most common gynaecological complaints. PMS symptoms such as fatigue, water retention and hypersensitivity generally occur a few days before the onset of menstruation. The period itself if often affected by acute symptoms such as cramps, pain in the lower abdomen and backache. The medical term for this is dysmenorrhoea. Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function and a normal functioning of the nervous system and also has a vasodilative effect. A continuous magnesium intake can prevent the occurrence of PMS/dysmenorrhoea and alleviate symptoms such as cramps and headaches.
Read more on the subject of Magnesium for PMS.
Pregnancy places incredible demands on the body. It is therefore hardly surprising that pregnant women often suffer from magnesium deficiency. Not only mother’s metabolism changes, causing her to excrete around 25% more magnesium via the kidneys, the growing child also needs increasing amounts of magnesium as the pregnancy progresses.
Find out more on the topic of Magnesium during pregnancy & breastfeeding.
Like puberty and pregnancy, the menopause is a time of change in women´s life. The production of hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone is slowly decreasing in her late 40s. Among other things, this has an effect on the vegetative nervous system which controls our metabolism, our cardiovascular system and the gastrointestinal tract. This can result in typical menopausal symptoms such as increased perspiration, palpitations, constipation, headaches or calf cramps. Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function and a normal functioning of the nervous system and bones.
It is also vital for bone health. In our body over 60% of the magnesium is stored in the bones. Bone-forming cells need magnesium in order to be able to work properly. Magnesium deficiency can result in the bones becoming less stable, thereby creating favourable conditions for the onset of osteoporosis. Adequate magnesium intake is also important for the storage of calcium in the bones, as magnesium is involved in the hormonal control of the calcium balance.
Magnesium is a vital mineral and women, in particular, can experience any deficiency in a number of ways. The German Nutrition Society (DGE) and the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB)* recommend that adults should take between 300 mg and 400 mg of magnesium a day.
Take the test to determine how much magnesium you really need per day.
*Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) at the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies (USA)