In the last of our Men’s Health features for #Movemeber and to contribute to the war effort against issues like Testicular Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease, we decided to shed some light on a couple of supplements which are great for protecting against issues more commonly found in men. In part 1 of this 2-part series, we take a closer look at Magnesium.
Magnesium is a mineral which is utilised by every organ in the body especially the heart, kidney and muscles. It’s like the N’Golo Kante of the mineral and vitamins squad – one of the unsung heroes of cell regeneration and organ health, doing a lot of the hard work whilst the Hazards and Costas of the supplementation world – the Vitamin C and Calcium – get all the credit for keeping you in tip top shape. Importantly, it’s been linked to keeping us men and our gentlemen vegetables in decent working order.
What does Magnesium do?
It contributes to energy production, muscle repair and helps to police the body’s levels of Vitamin D, Potassium, Zinc and Calcium. Not produced naturally within the body, it can be consumed naturally through eating a wide range of meat, vegetables and fruit. A lack of Magnesium usually indicates a low intake of fruit and vegetables in a daily diet. Magnesium has also been linked to the prevention of lifestyle diseases
Why are my Magnesium levels low?
Because your day to day diet is a car crash probably. You can lie to your mates about it eating clean and look genuinely confused when those abs aren’t popping through that gut, but Magnesium levels generally tell the truth about your diet. Refined food, alcohol, sugary drinks and food can decrease the body’s ability to absorb it effectively, meaning that you’re missing out on the accelerated muscle recovery after that punishing leg session. Stress and Caffeine can also strip your body of Magnesium, so limited those pumpkin-spiced lattes and chill out where and when you can…
Why should I care about keeping my Magnesium levels high?
It’s not just a case of maximising your body’s health by consuming enough. Not having enough of it in the tank can be a serious problem. Signs of low Magnesium are low blood pressure, irritability, anxiety, restless leg syndrome, sleep disorders (including insomnia), abnormal heart rhythm, muscle cramps. Through keeping healthy levels of Magnesium present in the body, we can reduce the chances of developing lifestyle-induced conditions such as blood pressure, cardiovascular health and Type 2 Diabetes.
Protect your Walnut with Magnesium: Prostate health matters!
Importantly, Magnesium may also prevent or reduce your chance of developing prostate cancer. Approximately 1 in 8 men in the UK (rising to 1 in 4 for men of African and Caribbean descent) will develop Prostate cancer in their lifetime. Your Prostate is a gland which sits below your bladder. It surrounds part of the urethra, which transports urine from the bladder. The Prostate 
makes some of the fluid found in semen. For all its important reproductive work, it assumes the appearance of the humble walnut. A US-based study found that test studies who had higher Magnesium intakes had lower incidents of Prostate cancer.
How do I take Magnesium?
There are two methods, with results of absorption varying per the individual. Orally, in a tablet form is the most popular. The RDA sits at around 300mg. Secondly it can be purchased in a suspended oil format and rubbed into the skin. This method however can be affected by the skin coming into contact with clothes before absorption, take the time to let it dry!
