Magnesium and Exercise - part II

General Requirements for Magnesium:

When we think of nutrient requirements it is easy to assume that we are getting sufficient amounts if we adhere to the RDA's (recommended daily amounts). However, RDA's nutrient intake guidlelines simply refer to the amount of a nutrient you require to prevent symptoms of deficiency. They do not recommend levels for optimal health and vitality. RDA's were the standard measurement from the 1940's to 1989. This system is now replaced by the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI), and although it is the language of mainly academic research scientists, nutritionists, and nutritional therapists, it is yet to become a household word. RDA's still exist, and with limits set so low it is very likely that most of us fail to obtain sufficient amount of magnesium to achieve optimal health.

Read on for more info:

Age	Children	Men	Women	Pregnancy	Lactation
1-3	80mg
4-8	130mg
9-13	240mg
14-18		410mg	360mg	400mg	360mg
19-30		400mg	310mg	350mg	310mg
31 plus		420mg	320mg	360mg	320mg

The RDA for magnesium can also be expressed in mg/kg and is roughly estimated to be 6mg/kg body weight. However many magnesium experts would argue that the RDA for magnesium should be increased. They estimate that 300mg per day is required just to counteract daily losses of magnesium, and that those suffering from mild to moderate stresses, physical injury, emotional upsets or athletic exertion require higher amounts. Studies on magnesium requirements for the normal adult suggests that an average good diet may supply approximately 120mg magnesium per 1000 calories, totalling an estimated daily intake of 250mg. This obviously falls short of the 300mg required to counteract daily losses. While supplementation has a place in achieving optimal amounts of magnesium, so too has a diet focused on meeting optimum magnesium intakes; with the added bonus of increasing other micro nutrients at the same time.

Eating for Optimimum Magnesium Intake:

Good nutrition provides the raw materials for a healthy body, and for the optimal functioning of all bodily processes. The basis of this is protein, carbohydrates, essential fats, mineral and vitamins.

Our staple diet of processed refined foods, high in saturated fat is devoid of nutrients; magnesium not being an exception. However, unlike other nutrients magnesium is never replaced as some other nutrients are in fortified foods. The refining process not only removes the bulk of magnesium from our food, but so too does it remove other critical nutrients such as B6 and vitamin E which are vital for the adequate absorption of magnesium.

To rectify this situation takes attention and knowledge of magnesium rich foods. The following table shows statistics from the USDA data. This gives an idea of how some commonly chosen foods may contribute (or not) to magnesium requirements.

Foods containing 400mg of magnesium per serving in ounces:

Food	Portion containing 400mg
Rice bran	1.8
Wheat bran	2.3
Pumpkin seeds	2.65
Brazil nuts	3.9
Peanut butter	3.9
Kellogs All Bran	3.9
Almonds	5.1
Potatoes	21.7
White pasta	22
White bread	25
Brown sugar	48

Dietary Steps to Increase Magnesium:

Increase daily consumption of green vegetables especially kale, spinach, curly leaf lettuce. Herbs such as coriander and dandelion are especially high in magnesium.

Include a variety of wholegrains: brown rice, buckwheat, oats, rye, millet and quinoa. Many of these can be used as a refined cereal substitute. Avoid using white bread and pasta, use their wholegrain alternatives.

Have beans, legumes, nuts and seeds, tempeh as a vegetarian source of protein daily. Alternatively fish, shellfish, organic chicken, meat, turkey or eggs once a day as rich animal proteins sources.

Use organic cold pressed oils for your cooking; extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil and sesame are the best to use. Avoid hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats. These are also found in most processed foods from pastries to crisps. Alternatively use organic butter in moderation.

Use plenty of dried and fresh herbs in your cooking, and lots of garlic. Buy several bunches of herbs and add in at the end of cooking. Parsley, coriander and mint are particularly versatile.

Avoid refined and processed sugars, alternatively use fruit as a natural sweetner. Avoid artificial sweetners, MSG, and chemical preservatives.

Substitute coffee, black tea and decaffeinated coffee with organic herbal teas, or natural spring, distilled or filtered water. Use fresh herbs to make herbal teas.

Limit diary to organic butter, organic live yoghurt and organic eggs.

Aim to eat more raw foods, as consuming too much cooked and refined foods will increase the amount of magnesium required.

Introduce sea vegetables such as kelp, nori,arame, wakame, kombu, hijike and dulse. These are all very high in magnesium. Alternatively choose to eat in Asian restaurants and experiment with dishes that have these ingredients. It shall also give you ideas as to how to cook and use these foods.

Use a mineral rich sea salt to season your food.

Buy organically grown produce wherever possible.

Sample Magnesium Rich Daily Menu:

Breakfast:

Porridge oats/quinoa/ flaked millet, soaked overnight and cooked gently the next morning. Add a selection of fruit and ground flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds. You can also add almonds, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, organic yoghurt. Use soya/ rice milk. For extra magnesium sprinkle on some wheatgerm (keep in the freezer to avoid it becoming rancid).

Lunch:

Soup with added sea vegetables, leafy green salad and sprouted seed bread. Alternatively try rye sourdough bread.

Fish with green leafy vegetables such as spinach, swiss chard, beetroot greens, brown rice and salad.

Dinner:

Stirfried brown rice and vegetables. Include tempeh/ pulses/ organic chicken

Rice or spelt pasta with pesto, tomato sauce and green vegetables

Snacks:

Dried fruit- especially figs and prunes.

Raw, unsalted and unroasted nuts and seeds.

Raw vegetables.

Drinks:

Pure, clean water.

Herbal teas,

Fruit juices diluted with half water.

Kukicha (roasted twig tea), dandelion and nettle tea are especially high in magnesium.

Below you shall find a list of commonly known foods and their magnesium content. The quality of the soil from which these sources were taken is unknown, therefore use these figures as a guide to making wise food choices.

Food	Magnesium (mg) content per 3 ½ oz (100g/10tbsp)
Kelp	760
Wheat bran	490
Wheat germ	336
Almonds	270
Cashews	267
Molasses	258
Brewers yeast	231
Brazil nuts	225
Dulse	220
Peanuts	175
Wheat grain	162
Rye	115
Tofu	111
Brown rice	188
Figs dried	171
Apricots	62
Prawns	51
Sweetcorn	48
Cheddar cheese	45
Sunflower seeds	38
Bananas	33
Beef	21
Milk	13