__________________________
Gary:
I am always delighted to have feedback about products and services, so thanks Randy for writing.
Magnesium deficiency is almost universal in athletes. Magnesium has many important functions in the high performance body. Just two are discussed here:
1: Magnesium powers the adrenals
The adrenals produce steroidal hormones. It is these hormones that have the heart thumping in anticipation as you wait for the gun to fire. It is these hormones that mobilise the fats and sugars to keep you going strong well after your opponents begin to tire. It is these hormones that regulate inflammatory (healing) responses during and after the punishing competition. Without strong adrenals, an athlete is "burned out".2: Magnesium regulates muscle tension
Muscles require large amounts of magnesium in order to relax. Lack of magnesium is associated with muscles that cramp without warning and muscles that are hard and tense. Smooth muscle is found in the heart, the blood vessels and in the intestines.Lack of magnesium is associated with colitis, heart palpitations and migraines. Tell-tale signs of magnesium deficiency are red cheeks, especially when stressed such as during exercise. This is because the tiny blood vessels in the cheeks go into spasm, causing the blood to pool. This pooled blood deoxygenates and consequently goes a dark red. Most children are severely magnesium deficient; hence the predominance of rosy cheeks.
How do you test for magnesium?
 |
| The hair tissue analysis shows not only cellular levels of nutrient, but also their complex relationship with others. |
How much magnesium does an athlete need daily?
That's the subject of much debate. To a large degree the amount is determined by how much an individual can absorb, intake of other nutrients such as calcium (Excess calcium causes a relative deficiency of magnesium) and loss through stress, exercise, sweat and tissue damage.Which magnesium supplement is the best?
MagnaPower is one of the best, if not the best. It contains magnesium in a form that is most effectively assimilated into the cells where it works its magic. The MagnaPower formulation also contains cofactors such as pyridoxine, zinc and vitamin C. If these, especially pyridoxine, are lacking in the body, then the body's ability to uptake the magnesium is compromised. So, its important to have these cofactors otherwise the magnesium supplementation may be mostly a wasted effort.The MagnaPower powder is intended to be added to the Super Smoothie. For most athletes, or individuals who have low magnesium levels the usual is one scoop of MagnaPower to one scoop of the Super Smoothie per day.
Which foods are the best sources of magnesium?
Whenever there is a deficiency, supplements may be needed to effect a successful catch-up and then to compensate on an ongoing basis for the high demands of modern life and sport. In addition, the modern diet is low in magnesium, as compared to the diets of our Grandparents. It can be difficult indeed to get enough magnesium to sustain good health nowadays.Eating a wide variety of legumes, nuts, whole grains, and vegetables will help you meet your daily dietary need for magnesium. When you read the list below you will quickly conclude that few people will ever get near to 700mg magnesium per day, or do so consistently. Selected food sources of magnesium are listed as follows:
| Food | Milligrams (mg) | %DV* |
|---|---|---|
| Wheat Bran, crude, ¼ cup | 89 | 22 |
| Almonds, dry roasted, 1 ounce | 80 | 20 |
| Spinach, frozen, cooked, ½ cup | 78 | 20 |
| Raisin bran cereal, 1 cup | 77 | 19 |
| Cashews, dry roasted, 1 ounce | 74 | 19 |
| Soybeans, mature, cooked, ½ cup | 74 | 19 |
| Wheat germ, crude, ¼ cup | 69 | 17 |
| Nuts, mixed, dry roasted, 1 ounce | 64 | 16 |
| Bran flakes cereal, ¾ cup | 64 | 16 |
| Shredded wheat cereal, 2 rectangular biscuits | 61 | 15 |
| Oatmeal, instant, fortified, prepared w/ water, 1 cup | 61 | 15 |
| Peanuts, dry roasted, 1 ounce | 50 | 13 |
| Peanut butter, smooth, 2 Tablespoons | 49 | 12 |
| Potato, baked with skin, 1 medium | 48 | 12 |
| Blackeye peas, cooked, ½ cup | 46 | 12 |
| Pinto beans, cooked, ½ cup | 43 | 11 |
| Rice, brown, long-grained, cooked, ½ cup | 42 | 11 |
| Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, ½ cup | 36 | 9 |
| Vegetarian baked beans, ½ cup | 35 | 9 |
| Kidney beans, canned, ½ cup | 35 | 9 |
| Chocolate milk, lowfat, 1 cup | 33 | 8 |
| Banana, raw, 1 medium | 32 | 8 |
| Yogurt, fruit, low fat, 8 fluid ounces | 32 | 8 |
| Milk chocolate candy bar, 1.5 ounce bar | 28 | 7 |
| Milk, lowfat or nonfat, 1 cup | 27 | 7 |
| Raisins, seedless, ½ cup packed | 26 | 7 |
| Halibut, cooked, 3 ounces | 24 | 6 |
| Bread, whole-wheat, commercially prepared, 1 slice | 23 | 6 |
| Avocado, cubes, ½ cup | 22 | 6 |
| Chocolate pudding, ready-to-eat, 4 ounces | 19 | 5 |
*DV = Daily Value. DVs are reference numbers developed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help consumers determine if a food contains a lot or a little of a specific nutrient. The DV for magnesium is 400 milligrams (mg). Most food labels do not list a food's magnesium content. The percent DV (%DV) listed on the table above indicates the percentage of the DV provided in one serving. A food providing 5% of the DV or less per serving is a low source while a food that provides 10–19% of the DV is a good source. A food that provides 20% or more of the DV is high in that nutrient. It is important to remember that foods that provide lower percentages of the DV also contribute to a healthful diet. For foods not listed in this table, please refer to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Nutrient Database Web site.
_______________________________________
