Magnesium deficiency

If you’re on a low carb diet you should determine whether or not you have low magnesium levels. Check to see if you have any of these symptoms:

General

anxiety, lethargy, weakness, agitation, depression, dysmenorrhea, hyperactivity, headache, irritability, dysacusis, low stress tolerance, loss of appetite, nausea, sleep disorders, impaired athletic performance

Musculature

muscle spasm, cramps in the soles of the feet, leg cramps, facial muscles, masticatory (chewing) muscles, and calves, carpopedal spasm, back aches, neck pain, urinary spasms

Nerves

nervousness, migraine, depression, nystagmus, paraesthesia, poor memory, seizures, tremor, vertigo

Gastrointestinal tract

Cardiovascular

Electrolytes

Metabolism

increased blood triglycerides and cholesterol, decreased glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, increased risk of metabolic syndrome, resistance to vitamin D

Misc

asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome, osteoporosis, hypertension, altered glucose homeostasis (pre-diabetes)

If you think you need to increase the level of magnesium in your body, try to implement these solutions (the more the better):

Dietary – nuts (almonds, cashews, brazil, peanuts), seeds (especially pumpkin), dark chocolate (you might be craving this because your body is asking for magnesium), avocado, cooked spinach, sea vegetables, mineral water
Supplements – ask your doctor (you don’t want to imbalance electrolytes)
Topical – one of the most efficient and safest ways is through magnesium oil. The reasoning is that it might be able to get into the lymphatic system beneath the dermis and enter the circulatory system, bypassing the regulation through the GI tract and hereby increasing serum magnesium. The most popular brand is Ancient Minerals Magnesium Oil Spray. It worked for my leg cramps within days. You can read their guide to applying it here.
Homeopathic – mag phos is a nerve and muscle relaxant. It’s especially effective for those with prolonged magnesium depletion because it opens shut down receptor sites. Magnesium is directly added to your blood and gives instant relief from twitching. It’s also been reported that it helps you to ‘feel comfortable within your body’.

Conserve your existing magnesium stores by:

For further reading: The Magnesium Miracle by Carolyn Dean.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me as I’ve been through magnesium deficiency myself.