3 Convincing Reasons You Should Be Taking Magnesium

I try to minimize the supplements I take and that my patients take.

Magnesium, however, is one supplement I have consistently recommended to most of my patients for the past 20 years. 

Magnesium (Mg) is a crucial mineral required for over 300 biochemical reactions in your body.  Unfortunately, most of us are not getting enough magnesium due to soil depletion, consumption of processed foods, underlying health conditions, medications, etc.  And, the typical lab blood test that measures serum magnesium is a poor predictor of magnesium status, since 99% of total body Mg is found within cells and not in our blood. So, it’s likely that many of us are walking around with a magnesium deficiency and are unaware of it because we don’t show any outward symptoms.  

Some of the best food sources of Mg include avocados, spinach, pumpkin seeds, almonds, dark chocolate, figs and legumes.  Recent research indicates we need 600-720 mg/day of Mg for optimal health and prevention of chronic disease. Below are three good reasons to take a supplement if you are not achieving those levels with your diet.

TO HELP PREVENT CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

Magnesium deficiency has been correlated with high blood pressure and atherosclerosis.  Magnesium helps relax the vascular smooth muscle, regulates the ion levels in our cells, and helps prevent injury of our blood vessel walls.

TO HELP PREVENT OSTEOPOROSIS

Magnesium works as a partner with calcium, vitamin D3 and vitamin K2.  We need the right amounts of each of these minerals for strong bones and teeth.  If these minerals are imbalanced, it can cause health problems such as osteoporosis and, as stated above, hardening of our blood vessels that can damage your heart.

TO HELP PROTECT YOUR BRAIN

Magnesium is neuroprotective.  Recent research published in The Journal of Neuroscience shows it may effectively treat memory loss and cognitive impairment associated with Alzheimer’s Disease.  Magnesium L-Threonate has been shown to cross the blood brain barrier, thus increasing brain magnesium levels and improving brain function.