Unlock the Power and Benefits of Magnesium
Your Essential Guide to the Different Magnesium Types, Benefits, and Our Top Picks!
In a world filled with nutritional deficiencies and most doctors not testing for them, magnesium stands out as a silent hero that is often overlooked. Magnesium is a crucial mineral that is important for our overall health and vitality.
The Basics
Magnesium is the 4th most abundant mineral in our body and necessary for overall health and wellness. Unfortunately, around 50% of Americans are not getting enough magnesium in their diets.
The lack of Magnesium can be attributed to a variety of factors, including a diet high in processed foods, our mineral-deficient soil, stress, chronic diarrhea, antibiotics, excess sweating, and lifestyle factors like overconsumption of coffee, alcohol, and sugar.
The Relaxation Mineral
Magnesium is involved in more than 300 enzyme reactions. Magnesium can be found in all of our tissues, with the highest concentration in the bones, muscles, and brain. Its absence often manifests as irritability, muscle cramps, and mood imbalances.
Magnesium is involved in regulating heart rate, maintaining bone health, and supporting muscle and nerve function. It aids energy production, weight maintenance, sleep, and vitamin balance. It’s known as the relaxation mineral by calming the nervous system and alleviating anxiety and depression. It is important to get enough magnesium in your diet, as a deficiency can lead to a range of health problems.
Signs of Magnesium Deficiency
A deficiency in magnesium can result in an array of symptoms, such as insomnia, anxiety, high blood pressure, migraines, PMS, chronic fatigue, IBS, Asthma, headaches, constipation, insomnia, muscle cramps, and even osteoporosis.
Incorporating Magnesium into Your Routine
Foods:
There are many foods that are high in magnesium and you can get it from your diet like:
- Leafy green vegetables (spinach, kale, parsley, collard greens, and Swiss chard)
- Nuts and seeds (almonds, cashews, chia seeds, pecans, brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, walnuts and sunflower seeds)
- Whole grains (brown rice, millet, buckwheat, barley, rye, quinoa, and whole wheat bread)
- Legumes (Beans, lentils, and chickpeas)
- Fish (salmon, shrimp and halibut)
- Dairy (Milk, yogurt, and cheese)
- Dark chocolate, avocado, dates, figs
Supplements:
Magnesium is a very well-studied mineral with over 3,500 medical references to support its safety and efficacy as a supplement. When using supplementation, there are many types of magnesium that serve different needs and have different absorption properties.
- Citrate - digestion & constipation
- Glycinate - relaxation, migraines, sleep, & mood /anxiety
- L-Threonate - brain fog, memory, mood, & brain function (easily absorbed and crosses the blood brain barrier)
- Malate - energy, fatigue, & pain relief
- Taurate - blood sugar, migraines, & heart health
- Oxide - constipation & heartburn (even though the most common it is not very absorbable, I avoid this one and choose citrate for constipation)
Topical Magnesium (not to be taken by mouth)
- Sulfate (aka Epsom Salts) - detox, stress relief, & sore muscles
- Chloride - sore muscles & joints
With any supplement, it is important to follow recommended dosages and to speak with your doctor before starting supplementation. For example, individuals with kidney disease may need to limit their magnesium intake, as the kidneys play a role in regulating magnesium levels in the body. Overall, magnesium is considered safe when taken in recommended doses, and has been extensively studied for its numerous health benefits.
Brands we love:
LivOn Labs - Liposomal Magnesium L-Threonate
Cymbiotika - Magnesium L-Threonate
Pure Encapsulations - Magnesium (glycinate)
Pure Encapsulations - Magnesium (citrate), also comes in a powder form
Thorne - Magnesium Bisglycinate (powder)
Thorne - Magnesium CitraMate (citrate & malate)
Designs for Health - NeuroMag (l-theronate)
BiOptimizers - Magnesium Breakthrough
Solimo - Epsom Salts
