I’m Considering Taking Magnesium Supplements What Are My Next Steps
First and foremost, give the doc a ring. Generally, adding magnesium-rich foods like fish and almonds to your diet is harmless, Keatley says, but stresses that you should always talk to your doctor before starting a supplementation routine. Gannon agrees, adding, Your best bet is to talk with your doctor if youre thinking could help you.
First, a physician can do a full medical history, physical exam, and order any necessary tests to help you figure out if theres a serious underlying health issue going on. Second, a doctor can advise of any possible contraindications with regard to other health issues or medications youre taking. For example, magnesium can cause poor absorption of antibiotics and bisphosphonate .
It could interact with other supplements youre already taking too. Iron and zinc fight for the same receptors in the intestine to enter the bloodstream, so if you’re taking iron, zinc, and magnesium at the same time you may be causing a big fight for space that results in deficiencies in all three, Keatley explains.
And as for dosage, going above the maximum recommended amount for adults 350 milligrams, according to the NIH is a bad idea, because it can cause cramping, nausea, and diarrhea. Taking way too much can even cause an irregular heartbeat or heart attack.
Read more about supplements:
How Magnesium And Hair Growth/loss Relate
Magnesium does a lot for your body including reducing fatigue, stress and weakness among others such as ensuring proper functioning of the heart, muscle and the kidneys. Any surplus is normally stored in the bones for use at a later time.
The relation between magnesium deficiency and hair loss is indirectly related to calcium deposition. It is calcium deposition on the bones of the skull that leads to calcification and further knitting over a long period of time. This calcification in the bones result in the closure of the skull sutures over time. It also leads to narrowing of the blood vessels that ramify the scalp and the follicles.
Therefore, the dermal papillae of the scalp and the follicle bed are deprived of nutrients and minerals that are essential for the proper growth of hair follicles . Direct deposition of calcium on hair follicles also leads to hair loss.
Now that you understand the pathology of hair loss through calcification, it is important to keep your calcium in check all the time. How is this done? Keeping off excess calcium from your tissues relies on magnesium. You will learn more about calcium shortly.
Are You Having Problems With Thinning Hair Or Hair Loss
If so, it could be because you have too much zinc in your diet. There have been many studies that show how too much zinc can lead to hair loss and other issues. Why is this? Even though we need to have a certain amount of zinc in our diets, there are many problems that can arise, including hair loss, if we have too much.
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Excess Calcium And Magnesium
Magnesium deficiencys causes can also include supplementation of other competing vitamins and nutrients. Today many people, especially women, supplement with calcium to prevent bone loss and osteoporosis.
Calcium cannot be effectively utilized or absorbed without adequate magnesium.
Yet widespread knowledge of the need for calcium is, unfortunately, not accompanied by a widespread knowledge of the need for magnesium. As a result, many are actively depleting their magnesium stores without realizing itthrough their supplementation with calcium.
An overabundance of calcium increases the bodys need for magnesium. And calcium cannot be effectively utilized or absorbed without adequate magnesium.
It is commonly recommended to take calcium and magnesium supplements at a 2:1 ratio. However, according to several magnesium experts a 1:1 ratio can sometimes be advisable, especially when certain conditions or illnesses or present, or when the diet is skewed excessively toward calcium intake, as is the case with many American diets. 1112
Hair Loss And Other Symptoms Of Magnesium Deficiency
Magnesium deficiency is a major biochemical cause of hair loss in women. It affects the thyroid, metabolism, the heart, nervous system, muscular-skeletal system, digestive system and more. Magnesium deficiency is call, Hypomagnesia. Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include:
- Hair turning gray or white, especially prematurely.
- Thinning of the hair.
- Severe PMS.
- Vertigo.
Note: You may not suffer from all of these symptoms, but if you have one or two symptoms as well as any type of hair loss, a magnesium deficiency could be the culprit.
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What Are Magnesium Benefits
As a macro-mineral, magnesium plays a crucial role within our cells in maintaining hundreds of proper body functions.
What is magnesium good for? Some of these roles include balancing our immune system, strengthening bones, regulating blood pressure, synthesizing protein, producing energy, regulating muscle and nerve functions, and creating DNA and RNS in the body.
In other words, we need magnesium in order to stay healthy .
Here is a list of magnesium benefits:
How Does Magnesium Help Grow Thick Hair
Even though our hair is dead outside, theres a lot of work going on inside the hair follicles to build hair. Since magnesium takes part in making protein as well as the growth of cells, adequate supply of magnesium ensures that our hair is growing stronger and thicker and theres no interruption in the hair cycle to cause premature hair fall.
Moreover, magnesium is beneficial for the health of the blood vessels. It helps to relax and dilate the arteries and also reduce its calcification . Thats good news for the entire circulatory system of our body. And for our scalp too. This means that the small, tiny blood vessels of our scalp work better. And bring essential nutrients to the hair follicles and remove harmful waste from them.
Besides, magnesiums calming role is also very beneficial in reducing hair loss.
Stress can wreak havoc in our body. It brings about hormonal surge to make us ready to fight or flight. So if you get super stressed over an argument with a friend or a work deadline, your body reacts just as strongly as if youre facing a real life-or-death situation which is rarely the case. Frequent episodes of stress stimulate adrenal glands to produce more cortisol and androgens. And too high levels of androgens are harmful to our hair. They can trigger inflammation of hair follicles, causing them to shrink over time. And shrunk follicles will produce thin, weak hair that will fall out easily.
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Recommended Doses Of Vitamin D
Its recommended that you get at least 600 IU or 15 micrograms of vitamin D a day starting at the age of 1. Babies younger than 1 should receive 400 IU of vitamin D. For people over the age of 70, the suggested intake jumps to 800 IU . If youre concerned about your vitamin D intake, ask your doctor about checking your vitamin D levels. When you get the recommended daily amount of vitamin D, youre able to maintain hair growth, bone health, and normal calcium breakdown.
Research shows that a lack of vitamin D in your body can lead to hair loss. One role vitamin D plays is stimulating new and old hair follicles. When there isnt enough vitamin D in your system, new hair growth can be stunted.
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to alopecia, the autoimmune condition that causes bald patches on the scalp and other areas of the body. Both men and women can experience alopecia. Another study found that women 18 to 45 years old who experienced alopecia or other types of hair loss had low levels of vitamin D.
Reasons for insufficient vitamin D levels include spending more time indoors, wearing a lot of sunscreen, and not eating foods packed with the nutrient.
Selenium Deficiency Hair Loss
Selenium is an essential nutrient that is not made in the body but can be found in foods like spinach, eggs, chicken, and yellowfin tuna. Selenium contributes to the health of your joints, eyes, reproductive system, and immune system. It is also required as a cofactor in certain enzymes for hair growth.
Selenium also has antioxidant properties, which means it helps reverse some of the damage to cells and tissues caused by free radicals. In combination with zinc, selenium supports healthy hair growth by maintaining healthy hormone levels, metabolism, and the production of hair.
Your body only needs a trace of selenium, as too much can cause brittle nails, hair loss, skin rashes, fatigue, and irritability.
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Critical For Energy Production
Adenosine Triphosphate is the energy currency of the whole body. It powers every single cell function.
The process of ATP production, called the Krebs Cycle, is a multi-step process that involves a myriad of enzymatic and chemical reactions. One of these reactions is the production of ATP from ADP. Magnesium is a co-factor in the conversion of ADP to ATP .
Magnesium is also required for ATP to be biologically active. Without it, ATP cannot provide energy to the body.
The Krebs Cycle takes place in the mitochondria, a small cellular organelle. The importance of magnesium-dependent mitochondrial ATP production is evidenced in one relatively new animal study .
In this study, rats were genetically programmed to have the genetic material needed to assemble the mitochondrial ATP production system. These rats exhibited marked reductions in ATP production.
Interestingly, researchers found that these rats started to lose their hair and develop wrinkles. When their mitochondrial function was restored, the researchers were able to reverse the visible signs of aging.
Although this was an animal study, mitochondrial dysfunction has been associated with signs of aging in humans.
These findings suggest that improving mitochondrial function and energy production may help reverse hair loss associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Considering that magnesium plays a critical role in ATP synthesis, it may help support mitochondrial function and reverse hair loss.
Benefits Of Magnesium Oil For Hair
- Aides in protein production: If your body is lacking magnesium, protein synthesis, or production, is hinderedand protein is essential for all living beings. Magnesium is essential in helping your body create protein, which helps with hair growth.
- Regulates calcium movement and buildup: Calcium deposits in the hair follicles can cause hair loss, and magnesium oil dissolves the calcium deposits and buildup that can occur due to hard water.
- Anti-inflammatory: As a mineral, magnesium is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties.
- May trigger hair growth: A German medical study showed that applying magnesium oil may aid in hair growth, with participants showing a 59.7% increase in hair growth.
- Prevents hair loss: Using magnesium oil in scalp massage helps increase blood flow and can prevent hair loss.
- Reduces dandruff: Calcium salt deposits can dry out the scalp, which can result in dandruff. Applying magnesium oil can help break down those calcium deposits.
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Mood Regulation And Depression
Though the science is a bit limited, the data suggests there is a link between magnesium deficiency and depression. This mineral has been found to calm down the excitatory NMDA receptor in the brain. Without magnesium, calcium and glutamate can easily activate the receptor, which has been found to be directly associated with depression and anxiety. Magnesium plays a role in many neural pathways, hormones and neurotransmitters that are involved in mood regulation. In a recent meta-analysis of 11 studies on magnesium and depression, the studies found that people with the lowest intake of magnesium were 81 percent more likely to be depressed than those with the highest intake, says Alissia Zenhausern, N.M.D., a naturopathic physician at NMD Wellness of Scottsdale. Clinically, I have used magnesium glycinate in patients with depression and anxiety and have seen significant improvement in their symptoms as well as a reduction in their current antidepressant.
Taking Magnesium For Hair Growth
Magnesium is found in a lot of the foods we normally eat. Meeting your daily intake requirements is very achievable if you know what to eat.
A good rule of thumb: foods high in fiber usually have high magnesium content as well.
Everyday foods like beans, seeds, rice, seafood, dark leafy greens, and nuts are great sources of magnesium. Even desserts like dark chocolate can be a good source of magnesium. Note that a high-fat diet may inhibit your bodys ability to absorb magnesium, and cooking can reduce the magnesium content in food.
There are also a number of supplements that supply the recommended daily amount of magnesium. And many calcium supplements also supply magnesium to aid in calciums absorption.
Theres no doubt that getting magnesium through your diet and with supplements is practical, but it might not be the most efficient way to deliver the mineral to your follicles. In fact, magnesium is surprisingly inefficient at being absorbed when consumed orally.
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How Much Chromium Do I Need
Around 25 micrograms of chromium a day should be enough for adults. A microgram is 1,000 times smaller than a milligram .
The word microgram is sometimes written with the Greek symbol followed by the letter g .
You should be able to get all the chromium you need by eating a varied and balanced diet.
What Is Link Between Iodine And Hair Loss
You cant be looking at the relation between iodine and hair loss without mentioning thyroid health. Physiologically, thyroid gland relies on iodine from its stores to make hormones. Some of these hormones are involved in the growth and development of healthy hair.
According to a study published in the Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology, & Leprology , there were findings that iodine treatment of the patients with alopecia had hair regrowth in a good number of them.
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Magnesium Deficiency May Contribute To Osteoporosis
Magnesium is essential for bone formation and maintenance. As noted earlier, slightly more than half of our bodys total magnesium is stored in our bones . Magnesium also regulates the bodys levels of parathyroid hormone and the active form of vitamin D, both of which work to maintain bone structure and integrity.
Research shows that magnesium consumption aids in maintaining bone mineral density and preventing osteoporosis in both men and women . Women with osteoporosis tend to have lower serum magnesium levels . These and other findings indicate that magnesium deficiency is a risk factor for osteoporosis .
Promisingly, increasing magnesium intakes from food and/or supplements appears to help increase bone mineral density. For example, one short-term study found that daily supplementation with magnesium citrate for 30 days in 20 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis suppressed bone loss . Along with taking magnesium supplements, its advisable to supplement with vitamin D3 and K2 to naturally build bone density .