Magnesium in foods. Where is it located, how to supplement it properly and is it even necessary?
We have some basic facts for you to start with. Did you know that magnesium is one of the most abundant minerals in the human body? At the same time, however, it is the second most frequently deficient miktonutrient – following on the heels of vitamin D. Why is this and what amount is correct?
We should take roughly 300-400 mg per day. By nature, we are used to receiving magnesium in food, but our eating habits are changing and our lifestyle is becoming more and more demanding. The second reason, which may surprise you, is that the amount of magnesium in the soil and therefore also in the diet has been decreasing in recent years.
What will you learn in today's article?
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How much magnesium should we take in daily?
- What is magnesium in and in what quantity
- When is it unnecessary to supplement magnesium in the form of food supplements?
- Magnesium supplementation - how, what, when and how much
How much magnesium to take daily?
It is not possible to say one number that would be valid for everyone. It is necessary to distinguish between age, sex, state of health and the specific daily expenditure of magnesium, for example during increased physical activity.
In general, we can say the basic things that apply to people over 18 years old. For younger people, the recommended income is different, you can find the link in the resources below the article.
- Men should take daily approx 400 mg magnesium
- Women should take daily approx 310 mg magnesium, then 360 mg during pregnancy.
- With increased physical performance would have an income increase by 20% .
Magnesium in foods
Are you interested in what magnesium contains and in what quantity? You are in the right place. We have put together a list of foods and their magnesium content not only in the obligatory 100 g, but also in the quantities in which we usually consume them. Because who has a clear idea of how much 100g is? 🙂
It should be mentioned that magnesium is almost in all the foods we consume. You can find it, for example, in pasta (21 mg per 100 g) and baked goods (22 mg per 100 g), so the amount adds up relatively quickly during the day.
TIP: Online application for determining magnesium content in food.
Does magnesium need to be supplemented?
A little above we say that magnesium can be found in a large number of foods. So why supplement it at all?
You are right, in general it can be said that if you have a balanced diet and do not have extreme physical performance, then supplementation in the form of dietary supplements is not needed.
But! Today's fast times are also characterized by the fact that we do not pay much attention to diet. (We'll be the first to admit that we're a bit of a slacker here.). Even stress, which is actually another term for the 21st century, does not help a possible magnesium deficiency. And so it's time to think - are we suffering from magnesium deficiency? You can easily find out, for example, in our article
And what to expect when you supply the body with the right amount of magnesium? Less fatigue and exhaustion, better quality sleep, easier concentration and also proper muscle activity leading to better physical performance. That doesn't sound bad, what do you think?
How to properly supplement magnesium?
Well, we have already clarified how important magnesium is for our body. We also may have learned that we have room for improvement when it comes to magnesium levels. So - now what? How to supplement well? We don't want to go from mud to puddle, do we?
What to supplement?
In general, organic forms (glycinate, citrate, malate, …) are better than inorganic forms, and magnesium oxide (which is unfortunately still the most common form of magnesium on the market!) is one of the worst.
Although there are a hell of a lot of differences between the forms of magnesium, with our explanation you can do it with the left rear.
Our product Mg 2.0 combines 6 organic forms for maximum absorption. In short, you will get the most out of two capsules!
When to supplement?
The basic rule (especially for higher doses) is to divide the supplementation into several parts – for example before training and before bed. With this simple rule, you will maximize the utilization of the supplied magnesium. We don't just pull these numbers off our sleeves, because the study shows that supplementation just before training and before bed has 7% higher usability!
How much to supplement?
If you love numbers, you'll love the chart below. It contains the recommended daily intake of magnesium. During all this addition and subtraction, be sure to take into account that part of the daily dose will also be received naturally in food.
It is necessary to realize that we always have some amount from food. According to the study, the average man receives 273 mg and the woman 180 mg of magnesium from food, so for the "average population" it is enough to supplement around 150 mg, not the full 375 mg as is often recommended.
However, few of us can fit into any tables. It is always good to tailor magnesium intake to your lifestyle, sports activities, mental performance, etc.
During extreme sports performance, it is good to supply the body with an extra 250 to 350 mg in the form of supplements.
At the so-called superdosing (excessive intake of magnesium to increase physical or mental performance) then 400-500 mg daily in the form of supplements.
Tip for superdosing – if taking higher doses is not good for your digestion, we recommend taking with food.
Tips and tricks
- Do not supplement together with calcium - availability will be reduced
- Make sure you get enough vitamin D - it plays a key role in the absorption mechanism
- Learn how magnesium absorption works and more tips here .
Do you have questions, comments about the article, or want to share another "magnesium food"? Write to us at Facebook or Instagram .
Resources:
- Studies on the amount of magnesium in the soil
- Magnesium and vit D deficiency
- NIH Recommended Daily Intake
- Recommended daily intake considering other factors
- Foods rich in magnesium - app
- Magnesium in foods
- Magnesium in food 2
- Magnesium in food 3
- Magnesium in food 4
- Magnesium in foods per serving
- Average dietary intake of magnesium
- Higher availability at certain times