Obesity and metabolic syndrome are associated with a low magnesium status. Magnesium directly affects metabolism via the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) by mitochondria. Low magnesium means less electrical energy. Think of magnesium as your power point. ‘Are we plugging into enough magnesium?’ is the question.
If you think that a person becomes obese by eating too much you could be wrong. A CDC report from 2013 found: “Between 1999–2000 and 2009–2010, the prevalence of obesity increased among boys, but not among girls.” The same study found: “Among children and adolescents aged 2–19, the caloric intakes decreased for most age groups between 1999 –2000 and 2009–2010.” (10) This shows that the prevalence of obesity is not necessarily caused by a larger consumption of energy calories.
Many factors contribute to the obesity epidemic including the consumption of processed foods laden with sugars and chemicals, lack of adequate water consumption, too much stress, not enough cardiovascular exercise and very importantly – not enough magnesium in the diet. Magnesium status is directly related to metabolism. Chronic magnesium deficiency has even been linked to diabetes type II. [3]
In the beginning were the parents
Healthy children are made before conception. It’s one thing to abuse the cells of your own body as young adults and think you are invincible and that you can bounce back from any kind of self-abuse. However it’s an entirely different matter to pass the negative consequences of this cellular damage onto your future offspring and leave them to have to deal with correcting the gene settings to a healthier expression. Being a responsible adult first means taking the best care of yourself to give your genetic expression the best opportunity for optimal wellness before you decide to have children and pass on your ‘seed’.
Pregnancy
When magnesium is in short supply there is a trend for more difficulties in pregnancy and a higher chance of birth complications. A woman will experience much higher magnesium demands to grow a baby in the womb, which can be very debilitating if she is not adequately replenishing nutrients.
Symptoms of low magnesium can be a feeling of ‘wiggly’ or loose teeth in the gums by the third trimester of pregnancy, involuntary muscle twitching and cramps, restless sleep, excessive back pain, oedema (swollen feet or ankles), as well as pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure).
“Blood pressure increase is related to the urinary excretion of magnesium. In pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia the magnesium homeostasis is different from normal pregnancies. Supplementation with magnesium has shown beneficial effects on high blood pressure and infant conditions.” [4]
Stress symptoms
When magnesium is low, stress responses are more acute and we can feel easily overwhelmed by the simplest of things.
When a child is born to a magnesium-deficient mother, both mother and child have a more difficult time managing stress. A baby can be more prone to symptoms of cholic, not settling or sleeping well, and keeping Mom awake too long at night, which leads to more stress and even lower magnesium levels for both: A downward spiral.
This can result in symptoms of depression, chronic fatigue and irritability in the mother, as well as failure to thrive in the child. Adequate magnesium in the right nutritional protocol can solve such issues naturally and turn the experience around into what it should be: a loving, exhilarating and enriching experience of mothering a happy, responsive, thriving and playful child.