Mighty Magnesium

Magnesium is a crucial mineral for our health and it’s unfortunately one that almost 1/2 of Americans do not consume enough. The amount of magnesium naturally found in whole foods has gone down over the years due to poor soil. And if you process these whole foods, you can lose up to 80% of the magnesium!

So let’s learn why we care about magnesium so much, what magnesium-rich foods you can eat, and if you decide to supplement, what to look for.

Magnesium is a mineral

A mineral (pulling from my geology background) is a naturally occurring solid, inorganic material with a defined chemical composition and internal crystal structure. Often times magnesium is bonded with other elements to create compounds that our body digests and absorbs (we don’t eat straight magnesium, it’s a rare metal). Magnesium is also considered a major mineral in nutrition, meaning we need to consume over a 100 mg per day.

A mineral with many roles

Magnesium has a lot to do. It is involved in over 300 enzyme reactions in the body.

Magnesium is an electrolyte so it helps with the movement of water in and out of cells. This is why magnesium is a common supplement used for constipation because it helps draw water into the large intestine helping to “move things along.”

When we are stressed, magnesium helps to promote calmness and relaxation by inhibiting neurotransmitters that excite and promoting neurotransmitters that calm the nervous system. It also helps reduce hormones that signal the release of cortisol, thereby helping to decrease levels of cortisol. It is important to note, when you are stressed, you use more magnesium. So if you are in a state of chronic stress, your body is going to be needing a lot of magnesium!

The calmness and relaxation promoted from magnesium is also why it is a common supplement to help with sleep. And I can attest to the more restful affects magnesium can have on your sleep.

Magnesium is also crucial for the function of muscles. Magnesium is a part of enzyme reactions for protein synthesis. The movement (shortening and lengthening) of muscles also relies on the presence of magnesium. Magnesium therefore helps with cramping, including menstrual cramps. Breathing is affected by magnesium (you use muscles to fill those lungs). Even blood pressure is a muscular function where magnesium can help relax blood vessels.

Bone health is something many are concerned about as they age, especially women. It’s not just calcium that plays a role in bone density and strength, magnesium is a big part of it too. Magnesium helps activate vitamin D. Vitamin D then promotes the absorption of calcium into the bones. This is why many supplements promoting bone health contain (or should contain) calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D.

The list is extensive of what magnesium does for your body. Here are a few more: blood sugar regulation, energy production, hormone synthesis, reducing inflammation, detoxification.

Mg whole foods

Dark leafy greens go on the “must eat” list for many nutrients, and magnesium is one of them. So load up on your spinach, kale, arugula, and Swiss chard. Fun fact: magnesium is a component of chlorophyll which is why these greens are a good source.

Beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, mushrooms, and dark chocolate are also your go-to sources for getting your daily magnesium fix. Sprinkle some pumpkin seeds and chia seeds on your dark leafy green salad. Mix in some almonds into your whole grain oatmeal. Enjoy beans and rice. Have that square of dark chocolate for dessert.

You can consume some things that lower your magnesium. Refined sugars can reduce absorption by up to 85%. Drinking alcohol lowers concentrations of magnesium by causing the body to excrete more in the urine.

Which Mg supplement?

Magnesium is one of those supplements where certain forms can be better for certain issues. Below are some of the common supplement forms for magnesium.

Magnesium citrate - The go-to if your constipated.

Magnesium glycinate - Good absorption without the laxative affect. This is probably the best all around form of magnesium good for sleep, stress, cardiovascular health, and bone health.

Magnesium L-threonate - Also good for sleep. Can cross blood-brain barrier and may be good for brain health

A note on supplements

When you go to buy any supplement, it is important to look at the supplement facts label and ingredient list to see what forms the different nutrients are in. The form matters because some forms are not easily absorbed by the body and therefore, pretty much a waste of money. Many supplement brands you find in big box stores unfortunately have these poorly absorbed forms because they are also cheaper to make.

A simple way to look for good forms of minerals:

Oxides, carbonates, sulfates - not well absorbed

Glycinates, taurinates, citrates, malates, gluconates - better absorbed

Quality, quality, quality. Supplements are all about quality and it’s unfortunately on us, the consumer, to look out for quality.

Avoid purchasing from big box stores as the brands there typically use poorer quality forms of nutrients.

Avoid purchasing on Amazon because you don’t know where or how long the supplement has been sitting (i.e. a 100-degree warehouse for the past 6+ months).

Look for third-party certifications like NSF, NSF Certified Sport, or USP.