Benefits of magnesium and how to get enough
Written by Robb Wolf (opens in a new tab)
Magnesium is a rockstar mineral. It supports over 300 enzymatic reactionsOpens in a new tab 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 lotOpens in a new tab. And when you don’t consume enough, your body notices. Yet 50% or moreOpens in a new tab 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 consumedOpens in a new tab 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 magnesiumOpens in a new tab daily.
All that to say, optimizing magnesium status is low-hanging fruit for health and longevity — though the “big movers” like sleep, nutrition, and exercise are always something you should be considering too when looking to improve your health. Now, 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 arteriesOpens in a new tab (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 healthOpens in a new tab by:
- Relaxing blood vessels to support healthy blood pressure
- Maintaining heart rhythm
- Regulating cholesterol levels
#2: Immunity
Beyond lowering chronic inflammationOpens in a new tab, magnesium supports multiple aspects of immunity. One is apoptosisOpens in a new tab, a process by which cells self-destruct before becoming cancerous. Magnesium also relaxesOpens in a new tab 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 can reduce asthma symptoms.
#3: Bone health
Several observational studies correlate higher magnesium intakes with better bone density.[*Opens in a new tab][*Opens in a new tab] This makes sense, considering 60% of our bodily magnesium is stored in boneOpens in a new tab and that magnesium supports chemical reactions essential for bone formation. Magnesium also helps activate vitamin DOpens in a new tab, a crucial bone-building vitamin. Learn more about preventing osteoporosis and improving bone density hereOpens in a new tab.
#4: Mood and sleep
Magnesium may benefit folks with mood and sleep disorders. Consider the following:
- Low magnesium levels have been linkedOpens in a new tab to higher rates of anxiety, and some clinical dataOpens in a new tab suggest magnesium can help with this mood disorder.
- A randomized controlled trialOpens in a new tab (RCT) found that six weeks of magnesium supplementation improved symptoms in 126 people with mild to moderate depression.
- Another RCTOpens in a new tab 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 benefitsOpens in a new tab.
#5: Strength
A 2017 meta-analysisOpens in a new tab 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-analysisOpens in a new tab 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 hereOpens in a new tab.
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 hereOpens in a new tab. But the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences sets the RDAOpens in a new tab 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/dayOpens in a new tab, 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 deficienciesOpens in a new tab, 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 linkedOpens in a new tab 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 hereOpens in a new tab.
#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 magnesiumOpens in a new tab 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 articleOpens in a new tab to nerd out on electrolyte-rich foods.
#3: Fill in the gaps
If you're not getting the science-backed rangeOpens in a new tab of 400–600 mg/day of dietary magnesium (most folks aren't), you can 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 absorbedOpens in a new tab into the bloodstream than magnesium oxide. In rats, magnesium malate was better absorbedOpens in a new tab 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 MixOpens in a new tab and LMNT SparklingOpens in a new tab each provide 60 mg of magnesium per serving). Read this articleOpens in a new tab to learn more about malate and its many benefits.
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.