Goodbye, Tension!

Feeling tense? The hectic pace of daily living and pressures of juggling a demanding job, family and social life can leave you physically and emotionally drained. At some point in your life, you may experience tight muscle, anxious or disrupted sleep at night.

These issues often come and go but if they persist for long periods, your body may be missing out on one of the most essential minerals – magnesium!

Are you getting enough magnesium?

Despite its role in over 300 biochemical reactions in your body, magnesium remains one of the most overlooked minerals. Modern life robs you of magnesium. Stress is a big magnesium thief, in addition to your woeful magnesium-deficient diets.

Magnesium deficiency can cause a range of symptoms such as:

  • Irritability
  • Headaches
  • Muscle tension
  • Sleeping problems
  • High blood pressure
  • Fatigue
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Weakened immunity

Why magnesium matters

Magnesium status is highly associated with stress levels. Stress increases magnesium loss and can lead to a deficiency, and in turn, magnesium deficiency enhances the body’s susceptibility to stress, resulting in a vicious circle.

Magnesium, the fourth most abundant mineral in the body, is naturally present in many foods such as whole grains, leafy vegetables, beans, seeds and nuts. Yet, magnesium deficiency is relatively common. Modern diets tend to be high in processed and refined foods which contain scant amounts of this mineral. Excessive consumption of alcohol, stress, ageing, intense physical activities, certain medical conditions and prescription medications can also deplete your body of magnesium.

How to relax your body and mind?

If you frequently find yourself feeling weary, it is time to take action to deal with stress in healthy ways before these issues become a big problem. Healthy magnesium levels can help combat the effects of stress.

Think of magnesium as the relaxation mineral. It relaxes anything that is tight, tense, and stiff – whether it is a body part or a mood.

Fights anxiety
Magnesium is known to be an antidote to stress. It helps lower levels of stress-causing cortisol naturally. Increasing magnesium intake may alleviate anxiety and stress. The mineral also helps lift mood by raising levels of the mood-boosting neurotransmitter serotonin.

Relieves headaches
Headaches are more likely to occur when you are stressed. Magnesium has been widely used to reduce the frequency, intensity and duration of headache or migraine attacks.

Improves sleep quality
Stress can keep your mind busy and affect your sleep. Magnesium increases the production of GABA, a neurotransmitter in the brain which is responsible for calming the nervous system and encouraging sleep. Healthy magnesium levels help improve sleep quality and shorten the time it takes to fall asleep.

Relieves muscle tension
When your body is stressed, your muscles tense up. As a superb relaxation mineral, magnesium relaxes your muscles and controls their contractions. Increasing magnesium in the body is a great way to reduce twitches, spasms, tremors and muscle cramps.

Increases energy levels
A prolonged stress response can drain your energy. Magnesium is required for energy production. It generates energy by activating adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the fundamental unit of energy within the body’s cells.

Regulates blood pressure and heartbeat
Chronic stress, if left untreated, can also lead to higher blood pressure and palpitations. Getting enough magnesium may help regulate your blood pressure and heartbeat. It aids in blood vessel relaxation and keeps your heart rhythm steady.

How to choose the right magnesium supplement?

You can consider taking magnesium supplements to protect against the myriad risks linked with magnesium deficiency. Not all magnesium supplements are the same. Look out for the chelated form which is attached to organic compounds such as amino acids. With superior bioavailability, it is more readily absorbed by the body. It is also less likely to cause side effects such as stomach upset, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Combining magnesium with vitamin B2, coenzyme Q10 and L-theanine offers a promising alternative for enhanced health protection. Vitamin B2 helps convert food into energy. Coenzyme Q10 boosts the body’s antioxidant protection in addition to its role in supporting energy metabolism. L-theanine, a predominant non-protein amino acid naturally found in green tea leaves, can induce a relaxed yet alert mental state through a direct influence on the central nervous system without causing drowsiness.