In the adult body contains about 25 g of magnesium. Its main part is in the bones, as well as in the muscles, brain, heart, liver and kidneys. The daily need for magnesium for women is slightly less than for men (300 and 350 mg respectively). A day in the body should receive about 6 mg of magnesium per kilogram of body weight. During periods of growth, pregnancy and lactation, the dose of this element increases to 13-15 mg / kg of body weight. Thus, for pregnant women, the daily requirement for magnesium is 925 mg, and for nursing mothers - 1250 mg. In the elderly and senile age, magnesium is also required to be absorbed into the body, since during this period of life a man suffers from a deterioration in magnesium absorption. The biological role of magnesium.
To understand why magnesium is needed in the body, we need to consider its significance for various physiological processes.
First of all, magnesium is needed for the normal course of many reactions associated with energy metabolism. The accumulator of energy in the body is adenosine triphosphoric acid (ATP). During the cleavage, ATP gives a large amount of energy, and magnesium ions are extremely necessary for this reaction.
In addition, magnesium is a physiological regulator of cell growth. Also, magnesium is needed for the synthesis of proteins, removal of certain harmful substances from the body, normal operation of the nervous system. Magnesium softens the manifestations of premenstrual symptoms in women, raises the level of "useful" in the blood and reduces the level of "harmful", prevents the formation of kidney stones. Magnesium is needed to regulate the processes of phosphorus metabolism, neuromuscular excitability, stimulation of intestinal wall contractions in the body. With the participation of magnesium, the normal functioning of the contraction and relaxation of the heart muscle is maintained.
Magnesium has a vasodilator effect, which, in turn, leads to a decrease in blood pressure. It was found that in those regions where the magnesium content in drinking water is reduced, people develop hypertension more often. Magnesium is needed in the body to exert the opposite effect on calcium, which causes a contraction of smooth muscles around the blood vessels. Magnesium relaxes these muscle fibers and promotes blood flow.
Since magnesium is necessary for the regulation of many processes in the human body, the importance of magnesium exchange disorders for the development of many diseases becomes apparent.