Magnesium and Bone Health

Magnesium is a mineral that’s crucial to the body’s function. It helps keep bones strong.

Magnesium is necessary for bone health

Magnesium is necessary for bone health and 67% of the body’s stores for this mineral are found in your bones. Most people think that calcium is the most important factor in bone health and vitamin D is also a necessary component. However, without magnesium, the body cannot convert vitamin D into its active form for calcium absorption and activate an enzyme required for new bone to form.

Multivitamin for Men ReviewMagnesium stimulates the hormone calcitonin, which helps to preserve bone structure by drawing calcium out of the blood and soft tissues back into the bones. This action also helps lower the likelihood of osteoporosis, some forms of arthritis, heart attack, and kidney stones.

Magnesium keeps calcium dissolved in the blood. Obviously, adequate magnesium is essential for the absorption and metabolism of calcium. It reported that even mild magnesium deficiency is a leading risk factor for osteoporosis.

Magnesium also has a role to play, together with the thyroid and parathyroid glands, in supporting bone health: stimulating the thyroid’s production of calcitonin, which acts as a bone-preserving hormone, and regulating parathyroid hormone, a function of which is to regulate bone breakdown in a number of ways

Magnesium lowers the risk of fracture

According to JENNIFER BOWERS Ph.D., RD, while previous research had revealed that magnesium supports bone growth, no study had tied the mineral to the risk of bone fractures. Tapping into over 20 years of data on 2,245 men, investigators in Britain and Finland compared the men’s magnesium blood levels to their risk of fracture. They discovered that the higher a man’s magnesium, the lower his risk of fracture.

Magnesium works with bone-building cells (aka osteoblasts). Also, it works in conjunction with vitamin D and parathyroid hormone to keep calcium levels normal and fracture risk low. Medical factors affecting magnesium absorption include inflammatory bowel disease (or other chronic diarrhea problems), kidney insufficiency, or certain medications.

Magnesium plays an important role in maintaining bone health. It contributes to increased bone density and helps prevent the onset of osteoporosis. Most people do not get enough magnesium in their diets. Especially if they eat large amounts of processed foods in which much of the magnesium is removed. You can increase your intake of magnesium by eating magnesium-rich foods. Make sure they include Brown rice, Corn, Dark green vegetables, Nuts (almonds, cashews, brazil), and wheat germ/bran.

If you’re at elevated risk for osteoporosis or fracture talk to your physician or a registered dietitian. You may need to take magnesium supplements or a daily multivitamin that includes magnesium to keep your bones healthy.

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