Magnesium is a mineral found in a wide range of foods and is essential for human DNA production and repair, as well as the preservation of healthy bones, muscles, and neurons. Despite being readily available, the majority of Americans do not consume enough magnesium.

According to the National Institutes of Health, teenage girls and males over the age of 70 are the most likely to have magnesium deficiencies. If you have any of the following 12 symptoms, you should still consider getting your magnesium levels checked.

1. Low vitality

According to functional medicine dietician Alison Boden, “At least 300 different chemical reactions in our body involve magnesium, and many of them have to do with energy production,” she told Reader’s Digest. “Low energy can be an indication of low magnesium.” If a lack of energy is bringing you down, try these 10 simple techniques to boost it.

2. Cramping or twitching

A shortage of magnesium, which is required for muscle relaxation, may result in unintended muscular activation. According to  Ancient Minerals, “Our muscles would be in a constant state of contraction without magnesium.”

3. Frequently occurring headaches

A magnesium deficiency affects neurotransmitter function, blood vessel constriction, and serotonin levels, all of which are associated with headaches, particularly migraines. According to MigraineAgain, magnesium deficiency affects 50% of migraine sufferers.

4. Sleeplessness

Your inability to fall or stay asleep could be due to low magnesium levels, particularly if you are under stress. According to Dr. Ronald Hoffman, stress hormones increase heart rate and blood pressure by depleting magnesium in the body. Sleeping becomes difficult if the body cannot replenish itself with enough magnesium.

5. An irregular pulse

Low magnesium levels might make it difficult for the heart to keep its usual beat. When a patient reports an erratic heartbeat, physicians commonly offer magnesium  supplements.

6. Enhanced noise sensitivity

According to Hoffman, magnesium’s capacity to calm the nervous system decreases when levels are low. This typically leads to hyperflexia, or an enhanced startle reaction.

7. Convulsions.

According to the National Institutes of Health, seizures can occur when magnesium insufficiency severely damages the neurological system.

8. Insufficient bone mass

The bones store the bulk of magnesium in the body, which is required for bone formation. The National Institutes of Health reports that “those who consume more magnesium have higher bone mineral density.”

9. Constipation

When the body does not have enough magnesium, bowel motions often slow. Magnesium is the major component of several over-the-counter laxatives.

10. Elevated blood pressure

Maintaining a healthy blood pressure level needs magnesium; a deficiency will surely result in excessive blood pressure. “People with prehypertension can avoid high blood pressure by eating foods high in magnesium and other minerals,” WebMD reports.

11. Diabetes Type 2

Magnesium also helps the human body break down blood glucose. In accordance with the NIH, “people who consume more magnesium in their diets typically have a lower risk of developing diabetes.” Researchers are currently studying the potential use of magnesium therapy in the treatment of diabetes.

12. Personality changes, bewilderment, anxiety, or depression

Low magnesium levels in the brain can impair neurological function, resulting in a wide range of problems. Research links low magnesium levels to the development of various phobias, including agoraphobia, Dr. Hoffman adds. According to a Psychology Today article titled “Magnesium and the Brain: The Original Chill Pill,” magnesium has long been used as an effective home therapy for comparable symptoms.

Eating magnesium-rich foods is the best way to boost your intake of this mineral. In the rare case that food consumes too much magnesium, healthy kidneys safely eliminate it. This approach is insufficient to remove excess magnesium from supplements, which might cause cardiac arrest