muscle function.
Severe magnesium deficiency can cause muscle contractions and cramps, weakness, numbness, tingling, and even abnormal heart rhythms.
Good sources include:
Almonds and other nuts
Pumpkin seeds
Beans
Whole grains
Spinach and other leafy vegetables
But taking magnesium isn’t a guaranteed cure for nighttime cramps.
The NIH notes that magnesium may help when a person is deficient, but most muscle cramps have other causes.
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- Calcium — More Than Just a Bone Mineral
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Most people associate calcium with strong bones, but calcium is also necessary for normal muscle contraction and nerve signaling.
This becomes particularly important later in life because maintaining bone strength can reduce the consequences of falls and injuries.
Food sources include milk, yogurt, cheese, calcium-fortified plant beverages, canned fish with edible bones, and certain leafy vegetables.
Calcium and vitamin D work closely together, because vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium.
Rather than automatically taking high-dose
