Magnesium is an important mineral to include in your diet – and yet it's not something you hear about on a regular basis. You are probably aware of the importance of calcium or iron for your health, however you might not realize that adequate magnesium levels are crucial for brain, cardiac and muscle function, as reported recently by Natural News.

According to Ancient Minerals, magnesium is vital; without it we would not produce energy, our muscles would be in a permanent state of contraction, and we could not adjust the levels of cholesterol produced and released into the blood. Magnesium is also needed, along with silica and Vitamins D and K, to promote bone health.

According to Life Extension, a shocking 68 percent of Americans do not consume the recommended minimum daily requirement of magnesium. And a staggering 19 percent do not even consume half of the government's recommended daily intake.

[Note from Adams: I just completed ICP-MS testing of the nutritive minerals for 15 of the top-selling protein powders and superfood supplements. I found that Living Fuel Ultimate Super Berry and Super Greens products contained 400% higher magnesium than the average of all the other brands. I'll be publishing these results in a future science journal issue, but for now, Living Fuel superfoods are laboratory proven to be a very high source of magnesium, zinc and other nutritive minerals.]
 

The warning signs that you aren't getting enough

Ringing in your ears or hearing loss

Otherwise known as tinnitus, a constant, high-pitched ringing in your ears is a common symptom of magnesium deficiency, as reported by Natural News. According to various studies that examined the relationship between ear health and sufficient magnesium levels, it has been found that sufficient quantities of magnesium will actually prevent the formation of free radicals that can lead to hearing loss.
 

Muscle cramps or tremors

Your muscles function because of magnesium; without it, your body would be in a state of convulsion and your muscles would be unable to relax. Lack of sufficient magnesium can cause facial tics, muscle cramping and twitching of the feet while trying to sleep.
 

Depression

There is a long established link between low levels of magnesium and depression, and for over a century, doctors have used it to treat mental health disorders. A recent study in a psychiatric hospital in Croatia found that many attempted suicide patients had severely low levels of this crucial mineral. Of course, the benefit of treating depression with magnesium is that it doesn't have the side effects associated with chemical medications.