It’s time to check in on your energy levels – is your life busy and stressful, either at work or chasing after the kids? No matter how much sleep you get, are you feeling exhausted before you even start the day?
It may be because you are missing out on magnesium and essential B vitamins.
Unless you are eating the equivalent to a whole bag of spinach in green leafy vegetables a day, I guarantee that you won’t be getting enough magnesium in your diet. If you suffer with migraines, tension headaches, fatigue, aching tired muscles or even have an insatiable craving for chocolate, it may be that you are lacking in magnesium. Magnesium is what we like to call the spark of life here at Goodness Direct – it is so vital on a cellular level for energy that without it our bodies simply will not function properly.
Magnesium uses on a cellular level – the science-y bit!
This vital mineral is needed for 100’s of different biochemical functions in the body including regulating blood glucose levels, bone health, heart functions, normal nerve and muscle functioning, aiding natural sleep and supporting the immune system. Today we will focus on its importance in producing energy.
Our bodies need energy to function, and on a cellular level Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is our energy currency. ATP is used in the synthesis of macromolecules, active transport of minerals across the cell wall and muscle contractions etc. We have around 5kg of ATP in our body at any given time, with ATP being broken down and rebuilt multiple times a minute. However, this molecule, which is broken down from glucose and other such substrates through numerous enzyme-catalysed stages (you may remember the krebs cycle from school), needs magnesium. Without magnesium we simple do not get enough energy to our cells, and eventually we start to show signs of chronic fatigue. Each cell in our body simply needs magnesium to do its job!
The B-vitamins are widely known as the energy vitamins. Thiamine (B1), nicotinic acid (B3) and Pantothenic acid (B5) are all required for ATP production. Deficiency in thiamine has been linked to impaired mental function with severe cases including psychosis and senile dementia. Low levels of B5 is uncommon as it is readily available from our diet, however research suggests that women taking oral contraceptives are more likely to become deficient after extended use. Symptoms may include insomnia, irritability and fatigue.
Riboflavin (B2) functions in important enzymes (ie Flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) which is needed for energy production (especially in the blood vessels in the brain). It is particularly noted for its ability to help reduce migraines in regular suffers (up to 68% overall improvement).
This is so me – but how can I be sure I’m getting enough magnesium and B Vitamins?
Fortunately, we can find all these in our diet from avocados, brown rice, sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms, nuts, oats, fruit, broccoli, and green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale. If you are a meat eater, beef, lamb and liver are great sources of B vitamins.
It is worth bearing in mind that B vitamins are water soluble and therefore it is important to consume foods rich in these vitamins daily. Viridian, an ethical supplement company that produce the purest supplements on the UK market (that we know of so far anyway!), have created a magnesium and B vitamin complex especially for mum’s and stressful business men and women alike, who may not always have the time to make sure that their diet is rich in magnesium and vitamin B.
The simply truth is, our lifestyles often effect our diet and health. Getting into us the needed nutrients through the right supplementation can be a convenient and simple way to keep our bodies out of too much trouble.
