Magnesium is an essential nutrient for health and regulates nervous system functions, muscle movement, helps form proteins and is essential in the composition of DNA. Another important effect of magnesium is to help process sugar and prevent the early onset of diabetes and osteoporosis. Its deficiency is a risk factor for heart disease and high blood pressure. One third of human beings are deficient in magnesium, a proportion that is higher in adolescents and elderly people, in whom the figure exceeds 50%. Many people who suffer from migraines and headaches are deficient in magnesium.
