Calcium en magnesium tegen slapeloosheid*
Volgens verschillende studies blijken een tekort aan calcium en
magnesium de belangrijkste reden te zijn voor
slapeloosheid, na een paar uur slaap wakker worden en moeilijk of niet weer in kunnen slapen. Magnesium tekorten staan al lang bekend als veroorzaker van
slaapproblemen. Calcium helpt de hersenen om met het aminozuur tryptofaan de neurotransmitter serotonine en hieruit melatonine aan te maken. Melatonine zorgt voor een betere slaap. Dit verklaart ook waarom zuivelproducten die doorgaans tryptofaan en calcium bevatten goed zijn voor het slapen gaan.
Insomnia: Studies Confirm Calcium And Magnesium Effective
According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), almost six out of ten Americans report having insomnia and sleep problems at least a few nights a week. Insomnia is defined as "An inability to fall asleep or remain asleep long enough to feel rested, especially when the problem continues over time." In an effort to combat this, as many as 25 percent of the people in the United States use medications to help them sleep.
Most sleeping pills, especially when taken over long periods of time, can have multiple side effects. The drugs stay in the bloodstream, give a hangover effect the next day and beyond, and can increase the risk of car and work accidents. They also impair memory and performance on the job and at home.
From a nutritional perspective, several research studies have shown certain minerals to be effective natural sleep aids that help people fall asleep and stay asleep through the night. James F. Balch, M.D., author of Prescription for Nutritional Healing, writes: "A lack of the nutrients calcium and magnesium will cause you to wake up after a few hours and not be able to return to sleep."
Calcium is directly related to our cycles of sleep. In one study, published in the European Neurology Journal, researchers found that calcium levels in the body are higher during some of the deepest levels of sleep, such as the rapid eye movement (REM) phase. The study concluded that disturbances in sleep, especially the absence of REM deep sleep or disturbed REM sleep, are related to a calcium deficiency. Restoration to the normal course of sleep was achieved following the normalization of the blood calcium level.
William Sears, M.D. writes: "Calcium helps the brain use the amino acid tryptophan to manufacture the sleep-inducing substance melatonin. This explains why dairy products, which contain both tryptophan and calcium, are one of the top sleep-inducing
foods."
In magnesium deficiency, chronic insomnia is one of the main, central symptoms. Sleep is usually agitated with frequent nighttime awakenings. On the other hand, a high magnesium, low aluminum diet has been found to be associated with deeper, less interrupted sleep. This was proven in a study done by James Penland at the Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota. The study was titled "Effects of trace element nutrition on sleep patterns in adult women." It's important to note that a balanced ratio of calcium and magnesium is important to overall health, and these two minerals should be taken together for best
results. (Oktober
2009)
