Magnesium
I add magnesium to many of the skin care products because after researching how beneficial it is and the fact it is absorbable through the skin, made it an essential ingredient to try. Magnesium has been extremely helpful in maintaining my skin health from psoriasis symptoms. Magnesium has a major impact on our health, especially for women. “Magnesium is an essential mineral, which means that we need it to function but we cannot synthesize it on our own. In other words, we must get this mineral from the food we eat,” explains clinical nutritionist, Tara Coleman. “Magnesium plays a role in hundreds of functions in the human body.”
It is a major mineral in our bodies and is mainly found in our bones. “We only have about 1 ounce of magnesium in the body of a 130-pound person. Over half of the body’s magnesium is in the bones, which essentially serve as the reservoir/bank for magnesium withdraws, to ensure that some magnesium will be on hand for vital reactions despite dietary intake,” says registered dietitian, nutritionist and certified holistic chef, Elizabeth Brown, MS, RDN. She adds that magnesium is also used in more than 300 enzymatic reactions throughout our body, which in other words means that magnesium makes chemical reactions easier.
“Magnesium is especially important for making protein, creating and maintaining bone integrity, and for energy metabolism. Magnesium is part of the cell’s membrane transport system which helps exchange sodium and potassium across cell membranes in order to facilitate essential bodily functions such as regulating blood pressure through the kidneys, heart rhythms, muscle contractions, and conduction of nerve impulses,” Brown says.
Low intakes or excessive loss of the mineral due to certain health conditions (like Crohn’s disease or cystic fibrosis), alcoholism, or even the use of some medications can lead to a magnesium deficiency. When that happens, it’s common to experience nausea, loss of appetite, or vomiting. If it continues, symptoms can escalate to numbness and tingling, muscle contractions and cramps, seizures, abnormal heart rhythms, and even personality changes. Seriously. So getting enough magnesium into your system is key.
Other than improving your muscle function and energy levels (and avoiding all of the negative side effects mentioned above), magnesium keeps your skin looking glowy, says Joshua Zeichner, M.D., director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. “Magnesium is necessary for maintenance of a healthy skin barrier and has been shown to help fight off dry, damaged skin.”
Since 30 to 40 percent of dietary magnesium you consume gets absorbed into your body, the best way top get your fill of the skin-and workout-boosting nutrient is through green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and Swiss chard, says Cullen. Nuts, legumes, seeds, and whole grains are also good sources, and the NIH says that, in general, if a food has a lot of fiber, it likely has a decent amount of magnesium in it too. Lastly, Cullen says dark chocolate and avocado are solid sources.
Some health professionals suggest topically applying magnesium onto your skin. “Creams and lotions with magnesium can help,” says Dean. They may not deliver the highest dose but they can be an effective way to help get the recommended amount of magnesium about 310 – 320 mg per day, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health.
Additionally, magnesium’s benefits for your skin are very extensive as well as the benefits for your health. Magnesium helps improve your skin’s overall appearance, reducing acne and other skin disorders by lowering cortisol levels, stabilizing hormonal imbalances, and improving cellular processes,” says Dendy Engelman, a dermatologist in New York City. Always check with your dermatologist first on different options for getting supplemental magnesium.
We include Magnesium in the below products:
- Elderberry & Coffee Face Mask
- Turmeric & Moroccan Red Clay Face Mask
- Skin Balancing Toner
- Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum
- Elderberry & Coffee Body Scrub
- Body Cream
- Sensitive Skin Bath Soak
- Soul Soothing Soak
- Energy Grounding Bath Soak