Magnesium and Vitamin D work together for weight loss success

Magnesium is a mineral that is essential to all cells of all known living organisms. Without magnesium the body cannot properly use the nutrients we get from food every day. The body requires magnesium to absorb proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Magnesium activates hundreds of enzymes in the body to help you get most out of the food, that you eat. This way you are satisfied with the amount of food, you genuinely need. If the body is not absorbing properly those nutrients, it will crave more food in order to obtain them.

A key factor in maintaining a healthy weight is controlling the blood sugar levels. Strongly associated with obesity are conditions, such as diabetes and insulin resistance. If there is sufficient amount of magnesium in the body, insulin can function properly and the glucose in the blood is used for energy. On other side, if there is a magnesium deficiency in the body – this leads to poor insulin functioning, high blood sugar and fat storage. Magnesium is necessary for insulin to open cell membranes for glucose.

A magnesium deficiency makes you eat more and you get less from the food, you eat

The more energy you get from food, the less you have to eat – the less food will fill you up. For optimal insulin function and to extract energy from food, your body needs magnesium. It is a co-factor of many enzymes, involved in glucose metabolism. Magnesium activates enzymes in the body, contributes to energy production, and helps regulate levels of calcium, copper, zinc, potassium, vitamin D, and other important nutrients.

In order to utilize vitamin D properly, the body needs magnesium. It is the most important co-factor for absorbing vitamin D in the body. Magnesium deficiency is actually a common reason for rising of vitamin D levels in the body and for problems supplementing with vitamin D.

A research, published in the Journal Of Pakistan Medical Association shows that low serum magnesium levels can be raised by injections of Vitamin D. Supplementation of 2000 mg. of vitamin D, daily also reduces incidence of type 2 diabetes. 27% of obese women and 15% of non obese women, who participated in the research were magnesium deficient. Vitamin D injection caused a significant increase in magnesium concentration in obese subjects but not in non obese subjects. Their conclusion is, that low magnesium concentration in obese individuals can be modified by vitamin D injection.

Foods rich in magnesium

Among the foods rich in magnesium are fish, beans, avocados, whole grains, nuts, dried fruits, dark chocolate, bananas, yogurt, and dark leafy greens.

Foods rich in Vitamin D

The most of vitamin D, about 80% to 90%  in the body is obtained through the sunlight. However, it can also be found in small amounts in some foods, including butter, egg yolk, mushrooms, mackerel, sardines. Vitamin D, as well as magnesium can also be bought as a supplement.

Recommended daily intake of magnesium for adults

The body’s needs for magnesium increase during pregnancy, recovery from surgery and illnesses. Consult your doctor to help you determine your needs of magnesium.

Magnesium helps prevent obesity genes from expressing themselves

The relationship between stress and obesity cannot be overlooked. According to a study from Deakin University, Australia – chronic life stress seems to be associated with a greater preference for energy and high in sugar and fat foods. This is so called emotional eating and it happens when you delegate to the food rights to fight stress and other emotional conditions.

The model of Emotional eating

In response to stress the chemical cortisol is released in the body. It functions to increase blood sugar, suppress the immune system, and to aid in the metabolism of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. The levels of neuropeptide Y (NPY) increase as well, which also causes growth of fat tissue. The “satiety hormone”- leptin, which helps regulate the energy balance also increases, resulting in an inability to detect satiety in the cases of obesity. Magnesium can effectively neutralize the effects of stress.

As previously noted, magnesium is required in the metabolic pathways that allow insulin to usher glucose into cells, where it produces energy for the body. If magnesium is deficient, the doorway into the cells does not open to glucose, resulting in elevated glucose levels. Glucose is getting stored as fat, the excess glucose gets attached to certain proteins, leading to diabetic complications, kidney damage, neuropathy, blindness. Heart disease and hypertension are also connected with magnesium deficiency.

Vitamin D is used by the body for heart and blood vessels, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol. It is also used for diabetes, obesity, muscle weakness, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, bronchitis, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and tooth and gum disease.

Taking vitamin D can raise the level of magnesium in people who have low magnesium and low vitamin D levels. In people with normal magnesium levels, this doesn’t seem to happen.

Vitamin D helps regulate hunger and appetite

When talking about weight loss, this is a very important role ot vitamin D, that can help you get rid not only of the stress, but also of the excess weight without many worries. A Iranian study in Nutrition Journal found that supplementation with vitamin D was associated with a 7% decrease in fat, and another study from the University of Minnesota found a relationship between higher levels of vitamin D and fat loss, especially in the belly area.

This doesn’t mean that vitamin D and magnesium are your one stop shop for miracles, when we talk about fat loss, but they can help you in the journey and are very important for the proper functioning of the organism. 15 minutes in the sun per day are enough to get your daily dose of vitamin D. Especially in winter it is important that you get your daily recommended values of it. If needed you can take it as supplement.

Vitamin D Deficiency Contributes to Weight Gain in Older Women

A study in which participated more than 4,600 women aged 65 and older, shows that low vitamin D levels can contribute to mild weight gain. In a previous research it has already been shown, that obese individuals tend to have low vitamin D levels. Women who had insufficient levels of vitamin D gained about two pounds extra, compared to those with sufficient levels of vitamin D in the blood, during this 4,5-year long study. Those with insufficient levels also weighed more at the outset of the study.

Useful Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium#Biological_roles
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/Other-vitamins-minerals.aspx#magnesium
http://jpma.org.pk/full_article_text.php?article_id=1682
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17869482
http://www.foodaddictionsummit.org/documents/StressEatingandtheRewardSystem.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22731629
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortisol
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuropeptide_Y
http://fatorwhat.com/emotional-eating/