If you struggle from constipation and the bloat and pain that come along with it, you know that it can disrupt every area of your life. The persistent discomfort may leave you feeling unmotivated and uninspired to make healthy changes to your lifestyle because nothing you’ve tried has worked.
Maybe you feel distracted at work because of the pain, or maybe you avoid going out because you simply don’t feel up to it physically. The discomfort that is invisible to everyone around you is something you can’t ignore.
Don’t give up just yet! Did you know that magnesium plays a powerful role in your digestive health? It impacts both your digestive lining and muscle movement, helping relieve discomfort and restore function. It may just leave you feeling inspired and equipped to solve your constipation woes after all.
There are many forms of magnesium, all of which support the body in different ways, including your digestive tract. Consuming an adequate amount of magnesium from a variety of foods, such as leafy greens, nuts, seeds, avocado, bananas and potatoes, is ideal to ensure that your total intake meets your body’s needs.
When it comes to digestive health specifically, there are two forms of magnesium that powerfully relieve symptoms: magnesium citrate and magnesium glycinate. These forms target your gut lining and muscles specifically to support calm and healthy digestion. If you eat an array of magnesium-rich foods and still don’t experience symptom relief, supplementing with citrate and/or glycinate may help restore a calm digestive tract.
Whether you are getting your magnesium from food or find yourself supplementing to meet your digestive health needs more specifically, here are five ways this powerful mineral relieves your pain and restores healthy digestive function:
- It exhibits anti-inflammatory effects. Magnesium can help reduce inflammation throughout your digestive tract, reducing your risk of developing more severe digestive disorders. Decreasing inflammation in the digestive tract also allows your gut to do what it does best: digest and absorb food and nutrients.
- It activates enzymes and cofactors. Magnesium plays a powerful role in activating the enzymes and cofactors in our food that help us break down protein, fats, and carbohydrates and decrease gas and bloat while doing so. Without magnesium and these cofactors, we can’t absorb as much of what we eat. Consuming adequate magnesium is essential for optimal nutrient absorption.
- It controls muscle function. Magnesium regulates muscle function (peristalsis) in the digestive tract (and elsewhere). Magnesium is responsible specifically for muscle relaxation, which helps relieve tension, constipation, and bloat. Relief.
- It regulates our nervous system. This role that magnesium plays is connected to our digestive muscle function. Our nervous system is often referred to as “the second brain” of the gut, and it impacts how our digestive tract moves. Adequate magnesium can help to calm the nervous system, ultimately stimulating peristalsis (digestive tract muscle movement) and the secretion of digestive juices, which boost nutrient absorption at meal time.
- It helps maintain the integrity of our gut barrier. Magnesium strengthens the tissue of our digestive tract lining, which boosts nutrient absorption and decreases the risk of developing leaky gut syndrome (when harmful substances leak through the gut barrier into our bloodstream). It also may stimulate the proliferation of different probiotic strains in the gut, possibly reducing gas and bloat while boosting nutrient absorption from food.
Constipation is a literal pain to live with, but magnesium could be just the mineral you need to bring you relief and restore a balanced digestive system.
Lauren Minchen is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist based in NYC and the author of Bariatric Slow Cooker Cookbook. With over a decade of experience in private practice, she prioritizes her clients’ individual needs to help them achieve their own invincible lifestyle. Her specialties include digestive health, autoimmune conditions, and PCOS. To work with Lauren, visit https://www.laurenminchen.com/.
