Is Magnesium The Missing Link to Your Health?

Magnesium is an essential mineral. It is involved in more than three hundred biochemical reactions in the body, which impact our immune system, bone health, nerve and muscle function, energy production, digestion, and stress response, but it’s primarily known for helping us relax. If your muscles are tense, your digestion is not moving, or your thoughts are overwhelming, magnesium could bring relief. 

It is estimated that over 50% of Americans do not get enough magnesium, but I suspect this number is much higher. I run micronutrient tests on all my 1:1 coaching clients and have never had a test come back showing adequate magnesium levels – mine included! 

So why are we lacking this essential mineral? 

First there is an issue of supply. Magnesium is found in foods like greens, seaweed, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains, but levels have decreased as a result of modern farming practices, an overall decline in soil health, and processed food intake, making it hard to get adequate magnesium through food. 

While our intake of magnesium has decreased, our needs for this mineral have increased. Stress, caffeine, sugar, and alcohol consumption, and use of certain medications, including birth control pills, diuretics, antibiotics, and statins, deplete the body of its magnesium stores, so, as I’m sure you can imagine, in our hyper stressed over-caffeinated and over-medicated world, our need for magnesium has soared. Additionally, magnesium is best absorbed alongside vitamin B6, vitamin D, and selenium, so even if we get enough magnesium, absorption could be limited by another nutrient deficiency. 

I normally try to warn people that they might not always feel an immediate difference when starting a supplement routine. Oftentimes we supplement for long term health, not near term benefits, but magnesium can be an exception to this. If you struggle with sleep, anxiety, constipation, brain fog, muscle cramps, or migraines, magnesium can make an immediate impact, improving your health and quality of life. And for everything you feel, there are likely hundreds of behind-the-scenes benefits you won’t even notice. 

Supplementation:

Magnesium supplements are generally safe and well tolerated. I normally recommend a supplemental dose of 300-600mg in addition to dietary intake. There are many forms of magnesium; the most absorbable forms are magnesium citrate, glycinate, taurate, and aspartate, followed by magnesium malate, succinate, and fumarate. If you consume too much magnesium you’ll get diarrhea, but that’s not likely at this dosage. If you experience that, switch to magnesium glycinate. Here are a few of my favorite magnesium supplements in three different forms. 

Moon Juice Magnesi-Om (use the code MIA for 15% off): Mix this powder into water to get 3 bioavailable (meaning highly absorbable) forms of magnesium plus L-theanine, to help with relaxation and calmness. I personally take this every night before bed. I love the berry taste!

Innate Response Formulas Magnesium 300: Contains 300mg of highly absorbable magnesium in pill form, synergistically paired organic spinach.

Pure Encapsulations Magnesium Liquid: An easy-to-swallow liquid with over 200mg of magnesium and B6 to help increase bioavailability. 

Magnesium can be absorbed topically as well. An epsom salt bath is an excellent way to boost your magnesium levels.