Magnesium is a key mineral in human metabolism, and found in small to medium amounts in many of the World's Healthiest Foods. Vegetables (especially green leafy ones), nuts and seeds, and legumes are your best sources for magnesium.
Not all magnesium supplements are readily absorbed in the central nervous system.Magnesium L-threonate is the salt formed from mixing magnesium and threonic acid, a water-soluble substance. This form is easily absorbed. L-Threonate is a unique amino acid which appears to enhance mitochondrial function, synaptic density, and neuroplasticity on its own. The chelated magnesium to L-threonate appears to demonstrate a chemical attraction to the brain. In fact, there is about 5 more times L-Threonate in the brain than the rest of the body. Research has indicated that magnesium L threonate is one of the only forms of magnesium that reaches and enters the brain efficiently at significant levels through its ability to cross the blood brain barrier. Magnesium is essential for brain health and in various brain processes that help regulate mood, memory function and enhancement of learning abilities (Slutsky et. Al., 2010).
Magnesium Deficiency
Because magnesium is involved with hundreds of enzymatic reactions throughout the body, deficiency can affect every aspect of life and cause a score of symptoms.
What causes Magnesium deficiency?
- Research has shown that magnesium levels are decreasing in most foods. A gradual depletion of nutrients from our soil has left many vegetables with lower levels of magnesium. With the magnesium content decreasing and the increase in the consumption of processed foods, magnesium deficiencies in the population are becoming more prevalent. [Rude, R.K. Magnesium. In Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease, 11th ed.; Ross, A.C., Caballero, B., Cousins, R.J., Tucker, K.L., Ziegler, T.R., Eds.; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins: Baltimore, MA, USA, 2012; pp. 159–175.
- Consumption of soda and foods such as processed meats that contain phosphates. Sugar uses up magnesium and phosphates bind with magnesium to make insoluble magnesium phosphate, which is not absorbed by the body.
- Sweating during sports - while sweating is a healthy biological response to increase body heat and necessary to cool the body down – a lot of electrolytes are lost, especially magnesium. Thus, athletes are at risk of magnesium deficiency as magnesium is excreted through sweat.
- Consumption of aluminum through aluminum cookware, baked goods/baking powder, and deodorant. Aluminum decreases the absorption of magnesium by five-fold in addition to leading to a 41% decrease in magnesium retention.
- Vitamin B6 deficiency leads to increased magnesium excretion.
- Fluoridated water banishes magnesium. Fluoride seeks out minerals such as magnesium and binds with it, making it unavailable to the body. The magnesium fluoride mineral produced is called sellaite which is almost insoluble and ends up taking the place of magnesium in hard tissues like bone cartilage, but its brittleness makes the bone susceptible to fracture.
- Drugs cause magnesium deficiency. The following commonly used drugs can create magnesium deficiencies:
a. Diuretics
b. Bronchodilators such as theophylline
c. Birth control pills
d. Insulin
e. Digitalis
f. Tetracycline
g. Corticosteroids (for asthma)
h. Cocaine
i. Nicotine
j. Statin
Low levels of magnesium have been associated with a number of chronic diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, insulin resistance and type-2 diabetes mellitus (Fig 2), hypertension, cardiovascular disease (e.g., stroke), migraine headaches, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and osteoporosis.
Role of Magnesium in Health Support
- Supports healthy memory and cognitive function
In a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled trial in 44 adults (age 50-70) with cognitive impairment, Magnesium L-threonate showed significant improved cognitive ability (Liu et. al., 2016) - Create and Maintain Bone Integrity
About 50 to 60% of a person's magnesium is stored in the bone, and as such, it plays a key role in bone metabolism. Researchers have found that even a mild ongoing magnesium deficiency can lead to a significant amount of bone loss. - Enable Energy Production
One critical task performed by our cells is energy production. This task is a complicated one and involves dozens of chemical reactions, all intimately related and flowing in a very special sequence. Unless these chemical reactions can take place in the exact needed order, we don't get the energy production that we need from our cells. Within this energy production sequence, magnesium plays an important role. Many of the chemical reactions cannot take place unless magnesium is present as "co-factor" for the enzymes that allow energy production to occur. - Better Control of Inflammation
A diet low in magnesium has been linked to unwanted increases in the inflammatory process. - Better Control of Blood Sugar
Magnesium is a co-factor for over 100 enzymes involved in the control of blood sugar and glucose metabolism. As such, low magnesium status would be expected to have wide-ranging adverse effects on blood sugar control.
Available Formulation
Magnesium Threonate 700 mg in vegetable capsule (50 caps/bottle).
References:
Slutsky I, Abumaria N, Wu LJ, Huang C, Zhang L, Li B, Zhao X, Govindarajan A, Zhao MG, Zhuo M, et al. 2010. Enhancement of learning and memory by elevating brain magnesium. Neuron. 65(2):165–177. DOI :10.1016/j.neuron.2009.12.026.
Liu G,Weingera J, Lu Z, Xue F and Sadeghpour S 2016. Efficacy and Safety of MMFS-01, a Synapse Density Enhancer, for Treating Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease 49: 971-990. DOI 10.3233/JAD-150538
