Magnesium & Pregnancy (the most important mineral?)

Did you know it was also customary for midwives to prescribe epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) baths throughout pregnancy?!

As is now supported by current scientific literature, magnesium was previously touted, in ancient times, to treat conditions such as gout, skin ulcers, depression, vertigo, heartburn, worms, kidney stones & jaundice. 

Even though 25+ other conditions are outlined in the book The Magnesium Miracle (or as featured in my stories this past week) as related to magnesium deficiency, more common subclinical signs & symptoms you can look for are muscle cramping, muscle spasms, tight clenching in the neck, grinding your teeth, or craving chocolate. Do any of these resonate with you? For me, the chocolate cravings and muscle spams used to be common, but have now dissipated (mostly) because of 1) supplemental use 2) MG food awareness and 3) a far less consumption of sugar and processed foods that rapidly deplete MG stores.

Yes, it’s crazy that for every 1 molecule of glucose (aka SUGAR) you consume, it takes 54 molecules of MAGNESIUM for your body to process it! In a society naturally inclined to be carb-heavy (in the form of processed carbs), and magnesium deficient even if you didn’t consume such products, we need repletion!

The unfortunate part of obtaining this ever important mineral is that our soil has become starved – even organic and locally grown produce do not have the same density of magnesium in the vegetables vs. 100 years ago. Now, don’t get me wrong, local farms around you may have better mineral density and thus pass on more magnesium to the vegetables grown in them, but it’s still not enough for you to obtain an adequate amount. If your currently pregnant or plan to be, take a look below at my favorite supplements, foods & other ways to nourish yourself more deeply with magnesium.  

Speaking of pregnancy, the need for this mineral raises significantly. It has been shown that, especially when calcium levels are high, magnesium deficiency can predispose women to preeclampsia and other vascular complications (2) Additionally, adequate MG can help bring down high blood pressure and pregnancy-induced hypertension. In women with magnesium deficiency, it was shown they’re 19X more likely to have PCOS. 

More amazing benefits of magnesium:

• Improves insulin resistance! This means that insulin (the hormone that lowers blood sugar) is not as effective at lowering blood sugar as it needs to be to keep your blood sugar at normal levels. Sometimes this has been going on BEFORE you were pregnant (undiagnosed prediabetes), and other times changes in diet, activity level, or hormones can contribute to this. Blood sugar matters because it can cause problems for your fetus during development and later in life. To learn more, head on over to watch Lily Nichols free video here.
• Relieves stress and improves anxiety! Magnesium is the FIRST mineral to become depleted when we are stressed. This minerals calms our nervous system, thus reducing nervousness, anger, heart palpitations, anger and insomnia. As pregnant is a wonderful and exciting time, it can also increase anxiety as a new baby uproots our current lifestyle, among other worries. Mg can certainly help.
• Helps reduce inflammation (and swelling)! That feeling of being “puffy” or retaining water (know as edema), can cause uncomfortable symptoms or co-exist with other pregnancy related issues. Since our blood volume increases by 50% when we’re pregnant, magnesium may be able to help balance out a potential need for this mineral (alongside potassium and calcium)
• Has been shown to reduce nausea, giving way to less morning sickness. Wahoo!

Magnesium Rich Foods for Pregnancy

The unfortunate part of obtaining this ever important mineral is that our soil has become starved – even organic and locally grown produce do not have the same density of magnesium in the vegetables as it was 100 years ago. Now, don’t et me wrong, local farms around you may have better mineral density and thus pass this on to the vegetables grown in them, but it’s still not enough for you to obtain an adequate amount. If your currently pregnant or plan to be, take a look below at my favorite supplements & other ways to nourish yourself more deeply. 

So, how do you quell the spell of MG deficiency? Here are foods to consume in adequate amounts.

Seaweed (like kelp and dulse), leafy green veggies, brazil nuts, chia seeds, sesame seeds, almonds cashews, avocados, unsweetened cocoa powder (or cacao – the raw form of cocoa) and herbs such as chives, cilantro, dill, parsley, mint, sage, basil.

Additionally, if you are curious at other sources and specific mg amounts of magnesium per 100 grams, take a look at this blog post.

Magnesium Supplements for Pregnancy/Breastfeeding

The form/type of magnesium matters as well – MG glycinate is best absorbed white MG citrate seems best for helping to relieve constipation. Don’t forget that we can absorb magnesium through our skin, as I mentioned above, and warm (not hot!) epsom salt baths are a cost effective & stress-reducing way to soak up this amazing mineral. If you take or want to take a MG lotion or other MG oil topically, double-check the ingredients to make sure it’s pure and  doesn’t contain any harmful additives.

Take a look at your prenatal – does it include at least 300mg of MG/day? It you haven’t started a supplement, or want to work up to this amount, ideally start at about 100mg/day and work up to this. Work with a healthcare professional if you want to increase this amount due to other current or previous health concerns.

My favorite supplement is Dr. Carolyn Dean’s ReMag. It’s different than the forms above (forms in other supplements and prenatal’s). The difference is that it’s created from a pure source of magnesium chloride and delivers more stable magnesium ions directly to the cell. I’ve personally been taking it for over two years, and throughout my pregnancy with my now 17-month old son. I’ve taken it diluted in water throughout breastfeeding, and have even seen drops in cravings for chocolate (and I LOVE chocolate), the need to urinate (which was pretty frequent, looking back), decrease in depression& anxiety, and an increase in mental clarity & total mental health.* It is highly absorbable because of its ionic nature – you dilute and take with water. I also add some baja gold sea salt (a pinch up to 1/4 tsp) to help balance out ReMag with other minerals. It does not cause diarrhea, either. (Also, this post is not sponsored, I just really have had great results with this magnesium!)

Why Is Magnesium the ‘Most Important Mineral’?

It’s underrated. Vitamin D & calcium get a lot of attention, but I believe magnesium should have a great importance in everyones lifestyle too. It helps the body digest and absorb fats, proteins and carbs. (1) It helps insulin get into cells & be utilized. (1) Since our thyroid is stressed and depleted with every pregnancy, it’s wise to support it with Magnesium (and other minerals). If you want to get your levels checked, Dr. Carolyn Dean suggests a Magnesium RBC test.

I truly hope this helps you become familiar with magnesium, and provides some security in your pregnancy decisions. Questions or comments? Let me know below!

*my health improvements were also alongside the addition of other supplements, but MG was a big part of these results 🙂

1. The Magnesium Miracle by Dr. Carolyn Dean
2. Real Food for Pregnancy by Lily Nichols