Why People Who Are Deficient Of This Mineral Struggle To Lose Weight

Losing weight is more than just working out regularly and cut out junk food. If you really want to lose weight quickly (and healthy), maintaining a balanced diet rich in nutrients is essential. In addition to getting enough protein, carbohydrates, and fiber, you also need to make sure you’re getting all the vitamins and nutrients your body needs to function properly. And it turns out that there is a vital mineral that many people underestimate: magnesium.

To learn more about the importance of magnesium in weight loss and how you can make sure you’re getting enough, we spoke with registered dietitian Catherine Gervacio, a nutrition writer for live.fitand registered dietitian and nutritionist Krutika Nanavati from Clinicspots. Read on for all their expert insights!

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Magnesium

While magnesium can sometimes take a backseat to minerals like iron, zinc and potassium in the wellness conversation, experts agree that getting plenty of it is essential, especially when trying to lose weight. weight. “Magnesium is very important for weight loss because it is involved in many bodily functions including blood sugar regulation, energy production and nerve function, among others,” says Gervacio, adding that “one of the key approaches to weight loss is maintain or improve metabolism and magnesium is a mineral that is needed for that.” Nanavati agrees, noting that “a magnesium deficiency can make weight loss difficult for a number of reasons.”

One of the main things to keep in mind about magnesium is the fact that it plays an important role in energy production and metabolism, which means that if you’re not getting enough of it, you could become fatigued and even not be able to burn enough. calories to lose weight

Another important role magnesium plays in our bodies is regulating blood sugar levels, which means that, as Nanavati explains, “a deficiency can cause cravings for sugary and carbohydrate-rich foods.” And we all know that when you give in to those cravings, you’re much less likely to keep up with your weight loss goals. In fact, to make matters worse, she notes that “a deficiency can lead to increased fat storage,” since one of magnesium’s jobs is to help the body store less fat. Overall, making sure you get plenty of this dietary mineral is an important key to losing weight.

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How to prevent a magnesium deficiency

Okay, so now we know how important magnesium is for weight loss, but how can you make sure you’re getting enough of it in your diet? Nanavati suggests eating magnesium-rich foods like green leafy vegetables, nuts, and seeds. If he’s worried about not eating enough of these things, he might as well add a magnesium supplement to the mix.

Another important thing to keep in mind is that calcium helps your body absorb and use magnesium, which means increasing your calcium intake is another great way to keep your magnesium levels up. “You can take a vitamin D supplement and get enough vitamin K in your diet,” recommends Nanavati. “Some sources of vitamin K include beef and chicken liver, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, soybeans, and dark leafy greens like spinach and kale.” I understand!

Other minerals that help the body absorb and use magnesium are phosphorus, copper, and zinc. “Some sources of phosphorus are fish, beef, chicken, pork, beans, nuts, seeds, and dairy products. Copper can be found in liver, oysters, lobster, crab , whole grains, mushrooms, green leafy vegetables, and avocados. Zinc can be found in beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains,” Nanavati lists.

Finally, Gervacio tells us that if you want to optimize your magnesium levels, “it is best to reduce alcohol and caffeine intake as they compete with magnesium absorption.” Instead, she recommends drinking freshly squeezed fruit juices and vegetable smoothies.

At the end of the day, true magnesium deficiencies are pretty rare and probably not something you need to worry about. However, if weight loss is what you’re after, it definitely doesn’t hurt to increase your intake of magnesium-rich foods. Who knows, it could just be the push your body needs to reach your goal weight!

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