Did you know that magnesium is a critical mineral that regulates over three hundred critical metabolic processes in nearly all tissues in our body, and is the fourth most abundant mineral in our body?
Yet most Americans’ diets today are seriously deficient in magnesium, which causes or aggravates many health problems you may not realize could be helped by taking the right amount and type of this crucial supplement. For many years in my evaluations of patients, I have been regularly testing serum (extracellular) and red blood cell (an intracellular magnesium measure) magnesium levels, and then recommending magnesium supplements depending on the patient’s needs and problems. The form of magnesium that is best for a given person depend in large part on the kind of clinical problems that person has, and GI tolerance.
I personally have taken magnesium supplements for more than 40 years for the many benefits I experience. I find that taking magnesium oxide at night is better for maintaining healthy bowel regularity, and I also take magnesium malate in the morning for its benefits to reduce muscle aches and spasms. Magnesium malate is a form of magnesium I’ve used for years in treating patients with fibromyalgia to add to the endocrine balancing I use for those patients.
Magnesium participates in the development and maintenance of bones and teeth; the metabolism of carbohydrates, blood glucose, fats, and proteins; the formation of cells and tissues; and the maintenance of muscle function, including cardiac muscle.
Other specific benefits of magnesium include helping with:
- Blood pressure regulation by regulating the muscle relaxation and contraction of arteries, and facilitating keeping the lining of arteries smooth and elastic
- Maintaining a regular and healthy heart rhythm
- Muscle relaxation, may relieve muscle cramps and spasms
- PMS relief – magnesium with B complex is a huge benefit for this challenging problem women experience in the luteal phase of their menstrual cycle!
- Transmission of nerve signals, overall nerve function and coordination
- Bone formation and maintaining bone density
- Absorption and utilization of calcium and vitamin D
- Regulation of blood sugar levels
- Energy production at the cellular level and overall metabolism
- Mood regulation and anxiety reduction promoting a sense of calm
- Improving sleep
- Reducing frequency and severity of migraines
- Maintaining bowel regularity and relieving constipation
Magnesium’s role in the clinical situations cited above has been well established for many decades. More recent research, however has demonstrated additional critical functions for magnesium:
- support cytokine balance
- decrease sensitivity to oxidative stress
- reduce systemic inflammation, as evidenced by lower levels of the general inflammatory marker, C-reactive Protein (CRP).
- required for multiple processes in energy and steroid metabolism, which includes production of testosterone, DHEA and estrogen in men and women.
An analysis of the results of a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) suggested that children who consumed less than 75% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for magnesium were 58% more likely to have elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. [7]
Magnesium’s role in modulating CRP and supporting the body’s normal response to inflammation may be significant for long term health and reducing risk of chronic disease.
Magnesium is essential to our well-being. But up to 15% of Americans experience a clinical magnesium deficiency, called hypomagnesemia. Yet they may not know it, since doctors today rarely check magnesium levels, and the symptoms are often just attributed to “stress.” Clinically, magnesium deficiency is an electrolyte disturbance defined as low serum magnesium levels below 1.46 mg/dL, however, this condition may go underdiagnosed since the signs commonly don’t appear until levels become severely low (blood levels less than 1.2 mg/dL).
SIGNS OF MAGNESIUM DEFICIENCY include:
- Mild tremors
- Generalized weakness, sometimes with dizziness
- Fatigue or low energy
- Muscle cramping and pain
- Neuromuscular hyperexcitability (often the first clinical manifestation)
- Seizures
- Electrocardiogram (EKG) rhythm changes
- Atrial and ventricular premature systoles
- Atrial fibrillation
- Ventricular arrhythmias
- Cardiac ischemia (inadequate oxygenation)
- Vertical nystagmus (uncontrolled rapid eye movements)
- Apathy
- Delirium
- Depression
- Agitation
- Psychosis
- Delirium
- Coma
- Increased risk of digoxin toxicity
- Hypocalcemia
- Hypoparathyroidism
- Hypokalemia
Magnesium deficiency can result from many causes: poor dietary intake, poor absorption, and excessive losses through urine, stool, perspiration, vomiting, or lactation. People with medical conditions like diabetes, chronic diarrhea, chronic kidney disease, excessive alcohol intake, anorexia nervosa, and celiac disease are at greater risk for magnesium loss. Those who regularly drink “softened” water, or distilled water, both of which have minerals removed, also have reduced magnesium intake that can cause many adverse effects.
Certain drugs cause excessive loss of magnesium, such as Loop and thiazide diuretics, proton pump inhibitors, aminoglycoside, antibiotics, Aphotericin B, Pentamidine, Digitalis, chemotherapeutic drugs, such as cisplatin, cyclosporine, antibodies that bind to epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptors-cetuximab, matuzumab, panitumumab.
Other common causes of magnesium loss are laxative abuse, certain herbs and foods high in tannins in black and green tea, high grain or high protein diets, unfermented soy products, phytates in bran and unsprouted beans, and oxalates found in spinach and leafy greens.
MEDICAL CONDTIONS THAT DEPLETE MAGNESIUM include:
- Acute diarrhea and chronic diarrhea (Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis)
- Acute pancreatitis
- Ethanol withdrawal syndrome
- Gastric bypass surgery
- Treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis by insulin
- Refeeding syndrome (as in anorexia nervosa)
- Correction of metabolic acidosis
- Hungry bone syndrome (an increased magnesium uptake by renewing bone following parathyroidectomy or thyroidectomy, causing a decrease in serum magnesium)
- Genetic disorders
- Acquired tubular dysfunction and post-kidney transplant
Adequate magnesium intake indeed has strong, far-reaching health benefits. Check your dietary sources of both magnesium sources as well as foods that reduce magnesium absorption or increase magnesium loss so you can work to eliminate those “magnesium depleters” in your diet, and increase intake magnesium-rich foods.
FOODS RICH IN MAGNESIUM
- dark chocolate with 65 mg per ounce but choose a product containing at least 70% cocoa solids
- avocados with 58 mg for one medium sized
- nuts especially almonds, cashews, and Brazil nuts with up to 83 mg of magnesium for one ounce
- Legumes: lentils, beans, chickpeas and peas are very rich in magnesium with a cup of cooked black beans containing 120 mg
- seeds, especially pumpkin seeds contain 168 mg in an ounce
- bananas at 37 mg
- leafy greens.
Many healthy foods like greens and whole grains that reduce magnesium absorption due to the fiber content are also quite high as food source of magnesium, so keep eating them! Other ways to increase magnesium levels in your body to achieve the many benefits can be as simple as
- taking a magnesium supplement every day
- bathing in Epsom salt baths
- applying a simple magnesium oil or cream to your feet and legs before bedtime.
Supplements are a convenient way to increase magnesium levels especially if you have any of the symptoms or simply want to benefit from higher levels to ward off migraines, improve sleep, or relax your muscles or mind. There are important pointers to consider in selecting magnesium supplements, and there are many different types with different benefits for different conditions. There is NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL!
FORM Of Magnesium: Magnesium is a difficult mineral for reliable oral absorption, especially if you use hard tablets. It is much better absorbed as a powdered form in a capsule that dissolves quickly in the stomach acid and releases the fine powder to improve absorption. Powdered magnesium in a dye-free capsule is the formulation I take myself and recommend for patients because it just works better and more consistently achieves the clinical goals needed. I don’t recommend either the “gummies” or hard tablet forms of magnesium.
TYPE of Magnesium: There are more than ten different types of magnesium supplements on the market, each with different absorption and different benefits! Your body absorbs certain magnesium supplements more easily while some types may help support specific health issues.
Here are some of the more common types and differences between them to help you choose.
Keep in mind: ALL types of magnesium are hard to absorb orally – and the different types have varying levels of absorption from the gut. You can try different ones to see what works best for your needs. NO ONE TYPE WORKS BEST FOR EVERYONE!
Magnesium Oxide is a salt that combines magnesium and oxygen. This type is not quite as well absorbed from the GI tract as other types, but in my medical experience with thousands of patients over 40 years, magnesium oxide tends to have a better effect to increase bowel motility and better relieve uncomfortable digestive symptoms, such as heart burn, indigestion, and constipation. It also works well to improve sleep and decease muscle aches.
Magnesium Citrate is a form of magnesium that’s bound with citric acid, which helps improve absorption and bioavailability. It helps relieve constipation, and at higher doses is used as a potent laxative to “clean out the bowel” prior to such procedures as colonoscopies or abdominal surgery.
Magnesium Chloride is a magnesium salt that includes chlorine — an unstable element that binds well with other elements, including sodium and magnesium, to form salts. It is better absorbed in your digestive tract, making it a good multi-purpose supplement that can treat low magnesium levels.
Magnesium glycinate is formed from elemental magnesium and the amino acid glycine. It has better oral absorption and is often used for its calming effects to treat anxiety, depression, and insomnia. I find that this form is less effective at relieving constipation compared to magnesium oxide or magnesium citrate.
Magnesium sulfate is formed by combining magnesium, sulfur, and oxygen. It’s commonly known as Epsom salts. This is most frequently dissolved in water and can be used to treat constipation (usually one teaspoon in a large glass of water – check with your physician first) or in a bath (1/2-1 cup) to soothe sore, achy muscles and relieve stress. This form is well absorbed through the skin
Magnesium malate includes malic acid, and is very well absorbed in your digestive tract, making it a great option for replenishing your magnesium levels. It has less benefit to reduce constipation, and therefore is less likely to cause diarrhea as a side effect. I have recommended Magnesium malate for many years to help those patients with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms and other pain syndromes.
Magnesium L-threonate is a salt from the mixing of magnesium and threonic acid which is also easily absorbed. It is reported to have better penetration across the blood-brain barrier and therefore is often used to help manage certain brain disorders, such as depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and age-related memory loss. It may also be beneficial now to help patients with braing fog after COVID or after the COVID injections.
With all these various forms and types of magnesium on the market, I selected TruMagnesium™ because of its unique formulation designed for enhanced absorption as the product for us to carry in the Truth for Health Store, and as an essential part of my Resilience formula.
TruMagnesium™ contains Albion®’s TRAACS® magnesium lysinate glycinate (mineral amino acid chelate) and Albion’s chelated dimagnesium malate.
- Magnesium Lysinate Glycinate Chelate, is a mineral amino acid chelate in which magnesium is bound to two amino acids creating a complex that is more readily absorbed across the intestinal wall. Since the body can efficiently absorb dipeptides (two amino acids linked together), Albion’s TRAACS® magnesium lysinate glycinate is an excellent delivery system for magnesium. In fact, Albion TRAACS patented mineral amino acid chelates are resistant to competitive minerals and do not weaken the action of vitamins.
- Di-Magnesium Malate, the other chelate in TruMagnesium™, contains 69% malate (malic acid). Malic acid (from di-magnesium malate) supports energy production and lactic acid clearance via the Krebs cycle. Malic acid may also support antioxidant systems by enhancing glutathione and antioxidant enzymes.
Each capsule of TruMagnesium™ supplies approximately 400 mg of malic acid. Malic acid was chosen because it forms complexes with magnesium and both play critical roles in energy production under aerobic conditions or when oxygen is lacking. Malic acid also helps reduce muscle aches and spasms, and appears to exert a protective effect by binding aluminum which may help in the reduction of aluminum toxicity – a huge potential benefit in combating environmental assaults we face today.
One or two capsules of TruMagnesium™ daily support many critical functions to improve health and resilience, including:
• Supports Cardiovascular Health*
• Supports Healthy Muscle Function/Healthy Nerve Conduction*
• Supports Bone Health*
• Supports Energy Production*
• May Support Healthy Glucose Metabolism*
I feel strongly that most people will benefit from a basic level of magnesium supplementation. The majority of Americans have inadequate magnesium intake in their diets and as many as 15-20% of people are clinically deficient. If you have tried other types of magnesium in the past, and had diarrhea side effects, or saw no real benefit, I encourage you to try our high quality, cGMP unique patented formulation, TruMagnesium™ because you may be quite surprised at the difference it makes to have this patented, more absorbable, “easier on the gut” formulation.
And to insure optimal health, I encourage you to turn to our natural medicines with our top quality, cGMP-compliant professional formulas for TruImmune™Boost, TruNAC™, TruImmunoglobulin,™ TruC with BioFlav™ (Vitamin C with complete Bioflavonoids), Tru BioD3™, TruZinc™, TruMitochondrial ™Boost and TruProBiotic™ Daily to replenish critical bifidobacteria depleted by COVID shots, viral illnesses, and antibiotic therapy.
To Your good health and improving resilience!
Dr. Vliet
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