Magnesium is a rockstar mineral. It supports over 300 enzymatic reactions that fuel energy production, DNA repair, immune function, bone growth, and many other essential processes in the body.
Safe to say, this electrolyte does a lot. And when you don’t consume enough, your body notices. Yet 50% or more of Americans don’t consume enough magnesium, placing them at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis — not to mention shorter-term symptoms of magnesium deficiency like fatigue, weakness, and muscle cramps.
How much magnesium is enough? Our Paleolithic ancestors consumed about 600 mg of this electrolyte daily from plants, animals, and mineral-rich waters. Human biology hasn’t changed much since then, and the science shows that our ancestors were right on target with their intake — optimal health outcomes occur when we get 400–600 mg of magnesium daily.
All that to say, optimizing magnesium status is low-hanging fruit for health and longevity. Let’s talk about what this mineral does for us and how you can get enough (spoiler alert: you’ll finally have a good excuse to eat chocolate).
Magnesium Benefits
Let’s circle back to those 300+ enzymatic reactions. These reactions use special proteins called enzymes to speed up chemical reactions to build bone, contract muscles, balance chemicals in the brain, and much more. Magnesium accelerates these reactions by binding to the relevant enzymes. It’s like a DIY extraordinaire.
These reactions directly support the benefits we’ll run through below. The goal isn’t to get as much magnesium as possible, but rather to shore up deficiencies — like how topping off a car’s oil keeps it running smoothly and extends its longevity.
#1: Cardiovascular health
Magnesium deficiency is linked to chronic inflammation, which is the state of an overactive immune system that also contributes to plaque formation in the arteries (the central process of heart disease). Being low in magnesium disrupts normal immune function, blood calcium levels, and blood vessel health — and these disruptions can increase the production of pro-inflammatory molecules called cytokines that adversely affect heart health.
Magnesium also supports other aspects of cardiovascular health by:
- Relaxing blood vessels to support healthy blood pressure
- Maintaining heart rhythm
- Regulating cholesterol levels
These functions are central to the development (or prevention) of heart disease, the number one killer globally.
#2: Immunity
Beyond lowering chronic inflammation (and with it the risk of heart disease and other chronic conditions), magnesium supports multiple aspects of immunity. One is apoptosis, a process by which cells self-destruct before becoming cancerous. Magnesium also relaxes smooth muscles in the airways and inhibits the release of histamine (an immune chemical that drives allergic reactions) — mechanisms that may explain why magnesium supplementation reduces asthma symptoms.
#3: Bone health
Several observational studies correlate higher magnesium intakes with better bone density.[*][*] This makes sense, considering 60% of our bodily magnesium is stored in bone and that magnesium supports chemical reactions essential for bone formation. Magnesium also helps activate vitamin D, a crucial bone-building vitamin. Learn more about preventing osteoporosis and improving bone density here.
#4: Mood and sleep
Magnesium may benefit folks with mood and sleep disorders. Consider the following:
- Low magnesium levels have been linked to higher rates of anxiety, and some clinical data suggest magnesium can help with this mood disorder.
- A randomized controlled trial (RCT) found that six weeks of magnesium supplementation improved symptoms in 126 people with mild to moderate depression.
- Another RCT found that older adults with insomnia taking 500 mg magnesium daily for eight weeks fell asleep faster, stayed asleep longer, and had fewer sleep disturbances.
What’s going on here? Higher magnesium levels increase the release of GABA (a relaxing chemical) and decrease levels of glutamate (a stimulating chemical) in the brain. These changes may underpin magnesium’s mood and sleep benefits.
#5: Strength
A 2017 meta-analysis found that magnesium supplements promoted strength gains in people with low magnesium levels. Though if you’re already getting enough magnesium, extra doesn’t seem to help.
#6: Metabolic health
Last but not least, magnesium supports your blood sugar boss hormone, insulin. Properly functioning insulin helps you metabolize carbohydrates more effectively, reducing blood sugar spikes and decreasing diabetes risk. In a meta-analysis of nearly 300,000 people, researchers calculated that the risk of type 2 diabetes decreases by 15% for every additional 100 mg of magnesium consumed daily. Learn more about managing healthy blood sugar levels here.
How to Get Enough Magnesium
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for magnesium is 420 and 320 mg/day for men and women over 30, respectively. It’s a bit lower for younger folks; you can see the research here. But the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences sets the RDA to meet the basic nutritional needs of 97–98% of the healthy population. The science suggests the optimal intake of magnesium may be closer to 400-600 mg/day, around what our Stone Age forebears consumed. Let’s talk through the steps for preventing magnesium deficiency and optimizing your magnesium intake.
#1: Assess your magnesium status
Start by calculating your daily magnesium intake through diet and supplements. Use an app like
Cronometer to input your meals, then see where you land. There’s no better method to know if you’re getting enough magnesium than doing the math.
You can also look for signs and symptoms of magnesium deficiency like muscle cramps, muscle tremors or spasms, irritability, tinnitus, aggression, fatigue, light sensitivity, anxiety, depression, migraines, confusion, cardiac arrhythmias, high blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, and soft tissue calcification. Unfortunately, these symptoms overlap with many other conditions, including other electrolyte deficiencies, so while they can help provide some clues, you’ll want to pair this with some deeper digging like tracking your diet.
Many practitioners recommend blood tests, but understand that normal blood levels of magnesium do NOT prove magnesium sufficiency. When you don’t eat enough magnesium, your body pulls it from your bones to normalize blood levels. This may explain why magnesium deficiency is linked to osteoporosis.
By contrast, low blood magnesium levels (hypomagnesemia) are almost always the result of drugs, illness, or a medical condition that impairs your body’s ability to balance magnesium in the blood. It’s a nontrivial medical condition that can cause serious neuromuscular and cardiovascular symptoms. Learn more about hypomagnesemia here.
#2: Eat magnesium-rich foods
Like with any nutrient, the best place to get magnesium is through diet. As a bonus, magnesium-rich foods contain many other beneficial nutrients like potassium, calcium, and vitamins A, K, and C.
The best sources of magnesium are leafy greens like spinach, beet greens, and chard. Magnesium sits at the center of the chlorophyll molecule, so when in doubt, go green (not an excuse to drink Mountain Dew). Other sources include dark chocolate (in general: the darker the chocolate, the higher the magnesium content), pumpkin seeds, summer squash, sunflower seeds, and black beans. Read this article to nerd out on electrolyte-rich foods.
#3: Fill in the gaps
If you’re not getting the science-backed range of 400–600 mg/day of dietary magnesium (most folks aren’t), use electrolyte drinks or magnesium supplements to make up the shortfall. What form of magnesium should you take? Let’s explore some evidence pitting one form against another.
In humans, magnesium glycinate and magnesium malate were better absorbed into the bloodstream than magnesium oxide. In rats, magnesium malate was better absorbed than magnesium citrate, sulfate, or oxide.
As a whole, the data suggest most forms of magnesium (except magnesium oxide) are likely adequate for correcting deficiencies. You may get an extra absorption boost from magnesium malate, the form used in LMNT (LMNT Drink Mix and LMNT Sparkling each contain 60 mg of magnesium malate per serving). Read this blog to learn more about malate and its many benefits.
You’ll Notice The Difference
You’ll notice the difference when you go from magnesium deficient to magnesium sufficient. You may have fewer cramps, a better mood, higher energy, and more strength in the gym. You may also see improvements in biomarkers of long-term health, like blood pressure and inflammation.
So learn from our less-groomed ancestors and get lots of magnesium. Your body will thank you.
