Rachael, founder of Mighty Kids Supplements, likes to say, “Is it safe for children NOT to take magnesium?”.
Low magnesium levels have been identified in children who have been diagnosed with ADHD, Autism, Chron’s Disease, Type 2 Diabetes, and children who presented with anxiety and depression. Adequate magnesium levels have also been shown to treat depression and other mental health disorders where a deficiency was present. To be clear, this means that if low magnesium levels are contributing to symptoms, improvements will often occur when adequate minerals are restored – it is not to suggest that low magnesium causes a certain condition.
Here are some of the symptoms of low magnesium, as well as some of the more serious health effects of an ongoing depletion in this vital nutrient, from the National Institutes of Health:
“Early signs of magnesium deficiency include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and weakness. As magnesium deficiency worsens, numbness, tingling, muscle contractions and cramps, seizures, personality changes, abnormal heart rhythms, and coronary spasms can occur. Severe magnesium deficiency can result in hypocalcemia or hypokalemia (low serum calcium or potassium levels, respectively) because mineral homeostasis is disrupted.
Habitually low intakes of magnesium induce changes in biochemical pathways that can increase the risk of illness over time…in which magnesium might be involved: hypertension and cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and migraine headaches.”
We refer to magnesium as the ‘Master Mineral’. It is required for over 300 enzymatic responses in the body and we do not make it in the body, so adequate amounts must be obtained through diet and supplementation. Later in this post we will look at why dietary sources alone can rarely suffice for adequate intake.
Read this post for more detail about why most of us require supplementation for optimal wellness, particularly for children who may have limited diets.
THE ANTIDOTE TO STRESS
One of the most important roles magnesium plays is its ability to calm the central nervous system. It is well documented that kids are under STRESS and stress is the biggest source of depletion for magnesium.
“Among micronutrients, magnesium plays a critical role in brain function and mood since it is essential for optimal nerve transmission and it is involved in the formation of membrane phospholipids. For this reason, it plays a fundamental role in the correct functioning of the central nervous system”.
Adequate magnesium levels are incredibly supportive for managing stress and reducing the physical and psychological effects of it. This results in improved mineral balance- specifically Calcium and Vitamin D absorption and regulation, behaviour, sleep, relaxation, focus and concentration, and more!
SHOULD I TEST MY CHILD BEFORE SUPPLEMENTING WITH MAGNESIUM?
Magnesium is stored mainly in the bones, then in the soft tissues and only a small amount in the blood. Many people ask if they should have their child tested for magnesium deficiency before supplementing. This is entirely up to you, but it is worth noting that LESS THAN 1% of the body’s magnesium is stored in the blood, which is what will be looked at in a routine test. This is strictly regulated by the body and it will pull magnesium from the bones and tissues to keep that amount regulated in the blood so a blood test could show normal levels but the mineral stores in the bones/tissues may be severely depleted.
An RBC (red blood cell) test is the more accurate way to see magnesium levels in the body.
IS THERE A RISK OF OVERDOSE IF TOO MUCH MAGNESIUM IS TAKEN?
Magnesium toxicity is very rare, and requires extremely high dosage intakes for long periods of time before this occurs. The body strictly regulates levels and so if there is too much, it is simply processed through the kidneys and eliminated through urine. Magnesium intake will move through the body within 24 hours, with the body taking what it can process in that time period to first regulate blood levels, and then deposit some into bones and soft tissues as needed. The body does not, however, absorb or use 100% of intake from food or supplements each time, which is why daily supplementation is necessary for balanced, optimal mineral levels. With Mighty Kids Magnesium, the dose is kept far below even the daily intake levels, not only allowing for additional sources of intake (food, formula, etc), but taking into account the increased power provided by the liposomal delivery system. It would take a very large amount of magnesium, consumed over a long period of time before risk of toxicity would be reached.
CAN YOU DEVELOP A DEPENDANCY ON MAGNESIUM?
For the same reasons as above, there is no risk of dependancy or any reason you would need to stop taking magnesium after a certain amount of time or for a period of time. It does not behave like a pharmaceutical drug, or even like melatonin which can force hormonal production. Nutrients (vitamins and minerals) will support the normal and healthy production of hormones, such as melatonin and regulate stress hormones, but they do not mimic hormones or force changes in the body. They simply provide the body with what it needs for healthy, optimal processes.
Dietary magnesium levels have dropped significantly since a lot of the standards were created for how much we need, and how much is available through food. Depleted soils, water, and modern day farming practices, as well as increased transport times and distances, all contribute to food that contains far less magnesium than it used to. Less than 40% of the magnesium in foods can be absorbed by the body, further decreasing intake levels in most populations.
Children especially may struggle to obtain enough as they eat less and often have a less varied diet which does not contain sufficient magnesium-rich foods.
Supplementing with magnesium is not only safe, effective, and helpful- it may even be entirely necessary for adequate levels to be reached.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507250/#:~:text=
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7352515
