Magnesium is ingested through eating leafy green vegetables, peas, soy beans, wheat germ, whole grains, cornmeal and molasses, as well as animal proteins such as shrimp, clams, oysters, crab, liver, beef and pork. Though found in these foods, only 50% is typically absorbed while you digest these foods.
Despite being present in these foods, having low levels of this mineral can be more common than you think. Magnesium can be lost through the use of some drugs/medicines; fasting, stress, disease, sweat, excess fibre consumption; alcohol, diuretics and vomiting. Drugs toxic to kidneys, gluten intolerance, inflammatory bowel diseases or short bowel syndrome, hormonal disorders, corticoid-steroids and heart drug ‘digitalis’ all can also create or put you at risk of deficiency.
You can also be at risk of low magnesium during particular stages of life or due to relatively normal behaviours and situations. If you are on a low-calorie diet, doing regular & strenuous exercise, are pregnant, elderly or a diabetic, you’re more likely than the average person to be low on magnesium.
Magnesium salt (such as ColoZone) can be used as a supplement to improve your magnesium levels if you have causes that may reduce your levels.