Magnesium

Fighting baby brain through supporting enzyme reactions throughout the body.


Magnesium NRV:

The NRV recommends 375mg of magnesium per day, Her.9 contains 57.6mg, 16% of the NRV (this amounts to roughly 28g of Buckwheat).

 

Major Functions:

  • An important electrolyte that plays a role in hundreds of enzyme reactions in the body
  • Has benefits for cognitive function, muscle contraction and energy levels
  • Contributes to increased bone density for strong and healthy bones

Benefits:

Magnesium is an essential mineral required to regulate body temperature, nucleic acid, and protein synthesis with an important role in maintaining nerve and muscle cell electrical potentials.

In pregnancy, supplementation is associated with a reduced risk of foetal growth retardation and pre-eclampsia. Additionally, magnesium plays a role in the cell division and growth of an embryo.

In the late stages of pregnancy, it is important that the unborn child is supplied with magnesium as in the last three months of pregnancy, the embryo stores up to 7 mg of magnesium in the growing bones and muscles.

Although Magnesium is found in many foods most of us still do not get the recommended amount of magnesium form our diet. During pregnancy, more magnesium is excreted through the urine as a result of hormonal changes and therefore dietary requirements increase. Since life can be pretty hectic during pregnancy and in the months that follow childbirth, any extra support for new mothers can go a long way. This makes magnesium the ideal postpartum partner, contributing to normal psychological function and helping to reduce feelings of tiredness and fatigue.

 

Food Sources:

  • Nuts
  • Seeds
  • Dark chocolate
  • Tofu
  • Whole grains
  • Bananas

           

          References:
          • The Importance of Magnesium in the Human Body: A Systematic Literature Review. (2016). Advances in Clinical Chemistry, [online] 73, pp.169–193.
          • Zarean E, Tarjan A. Effect of Magnesium Supplement on Pregnancy Outcomes: A Randomized Control Trial. Adv Biomed Res. 2017;6:109. Published 2017 Aug 31. doi:10.4103/2277-9175.213879