Do you need more magnesium? Best sources include greens, nuts, seeds and whole grains

Are you experiencing frequent muscle cramps, heart palpitations, or fatigue? These physical symptoms may seem like the result of an overworked body, but that may not be the reason at all. It could be a lack of magnesium.

Magnesium, a mineral necessary for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body, is essential for good heart health.

According to Dr. Aga Silbert, director of the Women's Heart Health Center at Presence St. Joseph Hospital in Elgin, magnesium helps lower blood pressure, balance the body's cholesterol and regulate heart beats.

"Receptors on heart muscle cells can be stimulated, which causes that feeling of an extra heart beat, or palpitations," Dr. Silbert says. "Magnesium stabilizes these receptors. It is like a sedative for cardiac muscle."

She recommends 400 milligrams of magnesium a day for patients experiencing palpitations or who are at risk for magnesium deficiency. That includes patients who take medications for acid reflux, such as Prilosec, which can deplete the body of magnesium.

The best sources of magnesium are nuts, green leafy vegetables, legumes, seeds and whole grains, Dr. Silbert says. But if you can't get enough in your diet, she recommends supplements.

On the other hand, how do you know if you're getting too much magnesium? Dr. Silbert says loose stools are the primary sign. In addition, some medications may interact with magnesium, so be sure to speak with your primary care physician about your magnesium intake.