Magnesium in pregnancy
During pregnancy, the intake of all important vitamins and minerals is emphasized more than at any other time. The most important minerals include calcium, magnesium, iron and iodine. Today we would like to focus on one of them, for the reason that you can very easily detect its deficiency yourself and eventually supplement it.
Magnesium is an important substance for the optimal functioning of muscles, nerves, glucose metabolism and for proper bone structure. In addition, it relieves tension and stress. Its deficiency is often manifested by cramps, irritability, insomnia, poor digestion (constipation). During pregnancy, it plays an important role in the development of the child, for example during cell division.
Because magnesium is such an important mineral for the proper functioning of our body, there are many natural sources that contain magnesium. We can find it, for example, in bananas, nuts, whole grain bread and green vegetables. A balanced and healthy diet usually ensures a sufficient intake of natural magnesium and there is no need to supplement. The disadvantage of today's times is the fact that we consume a large amount of industrially processed foods, in which the magnesium content is represented very little. Also, for example, by cooking, the amount of magnesium in food is reduced. All this is the reason why the insufficient intake of essential minerals from food is increasingly appearing in the population. Another reason for low magnesium levels can be diabetes or cigarette smoking.
So how much magnesium should a pregnant woman take in daily? The intake reference value (RHP) indicates an intake of 310 mg of magnesium per day.
The ideal choice to supplement magnesium naturally is a diet rich in this mineral. The mentioned banana contains about 30 mg of magnesium in 100 g, spinach contains even 80 mg in 100 g, Brazil nuts 380 mg in 100 g.
If you decide to supplement magnesium as a dietary supplement, then take into account the bond in which magnesium appears in the product. There are many forms that are available on the market and they differ in the absorbability and usability of magnesium itself. Among the most common are citrate, lactate and oxide. If we had to choose between the three, Citrate and Lactate tend to be good choices. They are readily available, absorbable and fairly widely recommended. Unlike oxide, which is a cheap variant in multivitamin preparations. However, the usability of magnesium in the bond with the oxide is very low. Glycinate or bisglycinate is also appearing on the market, which is ranked among the best forms of magnesium in terms of its bioavailability in the body.
PharmDr. Michaela Houserová