Magnesium in pregnancy
During pregnancy, more than ever, emphasis is placed on the intake of all important vitamins and minerals. The most important minerals include calcium, magnesium, iron and iodine. Today we would like to focus on one of them, because you can very easily detect its deficiency yourself and possibly supplement it.
Magnesium is a substance important for optimal functioning of muscles, nerves, glucose metabolism and for proper bone structure. It also reduces 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 in 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 in bananas, nuts, whole grain bread or green vegetables, for example. A balanced and healthy diet usually ensures sufficient intake of natural magnesium and there is no need to supplement. The disadvantage of today is the fact that we consume a large amount of industrially processed foods, in which the magnesium content is very low. Also, for example, by cooking, the amount of magnesium in food decreases. All this is the reason why the population is increasingly showing insufficient intake of essential minerals from food. Another reason for low magnesium levels can be diabetes or cigarette smoking.
So how much magnesium should a pregnant woman consume daily? The Reference Intake (RI) indicates an intake of 310 mg of magnesium per day.
The ideal choice for naturally supplementing magnesium is a diet rich in this mineral. The aforementioned banana contains about 30 mg of magnesium per 100 g, spinach contains even 80 mg per 100 g, and Brazil nuts contain 380 mg per 100 g.
If you decide to supplement magnesium as a dietary supplement, then take into account the bond in which the magnesium appears in the product. There are many forms available on the market and they differ in the absorbability and usability of magnesium itself. The most common ones include citrate, lactate and oxide. If we had to choose from these three, then citrate and lactate are good choices. They are easily available, absorbable and are relatively widely recommended. Unlike oxide, which is a cheap option in multivitamin preparations. However, the usability of magnesium in combination with oxide is very low. Glycinate or bisglycinate are also available on the market, which are ranked among the best forms of magnesium in terms of their bioavailability in the body.
PharmDr. Michaela Houserová
