Magnesium
It’s a War About Magnesium.
Do you really need it, even if you eat healthy?
Is it a waste of money?
Honestly, I used to think Magnesium was BORING.
But now that I’ve read hundreds of research papers on it, I’ve changed my mind and these Mag Wars have got me fired up to respond.
Today I want to drop 3 Truth Bombs about this mineral for what it really is… a smart investment in your health
1: Most People Need More Magnesium
Yep, even if you eat a healthy diet.
Here’s why…
Researchers think at least 50% of the US population is deficient in magnesium.
The sad truth is Big Ag farming has stripped many minerals and nutrients out of the soil, so even if you eat healthy, our food just isn’t very high in magnesium anymore.
Plus other lifestyle factors like stress, smoking, alcohol, excess sweating, and sugar can cause you to “dump” extra magnesium and deplete your levels even more…
And you’re at an even higher risk if you have any gut issues.
If your digestive enzymes or stomach acid are low, your gut is inflamed, or your bacteria is off, you absorb even less magnesium from your food or supplements.
I believe magnesium deficiency is a 50/50 coin flip... you don’t want to risk it.
I could list all the things Magnesium does but it’s a lot… it’s required in 600+ chemical reactions.
Just know that without magnesium, your body can’t do basic things like sleep well, think clearly, heal from injuries, or just have enough energy to make it through the day.
It’s a super important mineral and not something you want to mess around with if you want to be healthy…
But what many don’t realize (and what got me interested) is that magnesium is also needed for healthy gut function.
Magnesium is in charge of things like:
Motility (regular & easy pooping)
Digestive enzyme production (digesting food & absorbing nutrients)
Stomach acid levels (preventing against acid reflux & heartburn)
Gut-brain-axis (calms stress-related gut issues like IBS)
Gut microbiome (good balance & diversity of bacteria)
So yes, I do think everyone could benefit from more magnesium, even if you already eat healthy foods.
It’s such an important mineral and the chances of being deficient are already really high.
2: Magnesium Testing is Basically Useless
Some practitioners are in the “Test Not Guess” camp and think everyone should do a blood test to see where your mag levels are before supplementing.
I’m not so sure I agree…
A 2018 Review published in Nutrients (top journal in the world) looked at 55 other studies on different types of magnesium testing.
Here’s what the Researchers concluded:
First, the average body stores 24,000mg of Magnesium… but less than 1% of that is in our blood.
Plus your blood levels are tightly controlled and not necessarily tied to any other organ’s status.
So in other words, any magnesium found in your blood is going to be a tiny percentage of the overall picture, and it’s not going to change much either…
That’s why the Researchers concluded that any blood serum testing (even magnesium RBC) isn’t a reliable marker of your overall Magnesium status.
What about urine tests?
Nope, they end up concluding that urine testing is useless too. The reason is we excrete magnesium every day via urine, and just like the blood, it has no relation to stored levels in other organs.
The Study ended up concluding that most of the testing on the market is kind of a waste of money and time because they don’t actually measure organ storage of magnesium (which is what actually matters).
A patient's health history, symptoms, and risks of deficiency are more likely to indicate an issue than a test.
Things like…
Diseases Risks for Mg Deficiency: Diabetes, Heart Disease, Osteoporosis, High Blood Pressure, Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome
Diet Risks: Soda, Alcohol, Sugar, Coffee, Protein, Processed Foods
Medication Risks: Oral Contraceptives, Diuretics, Antacids, Antibiotics
Clinical Symptoms: Gut Problems, Rest Leg Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Sleep Disorder
If you check any of these boxes – you don’t need a test to tell you.
Chances are VERY high that you’re Mg deficient and supplementing is a smart move.
But if you want to test it’s your choice – just make sure you get multiple magnesium tests, and you ideally want to be in the upper 75% of the reference range (but again that guarantees nothing).
#3: Magnesium “Bioavailability Advantage” Doesn't Matter That Much
I used to think that Magnesium Glycinate had a higher absorption rate by the body.
But recently I found this Radioisotope study where they attached radioactive isotopes to Mg compounds and then they gave them to people and measured where the magnesium went in the body (a little risky if you ask me but it’s the scientific “Gold Standard”).
What’s fascinating is they found that most forms of magnesium – oxide, glycinate, citrate, taurate – were absorbed around 24-25%.
To me this suggests that there’s really no “bioavailability advantage” to different kinds of magnesium.
But don’t get me wrong, that doesn’t mean certain forms of Mg don’t have specific uses or benefits…
It all comes down to the compound the magnesium is bound to:
Magnesium Oxide = Mg + oxygen
Magnesium Citrate = Mg + citric acid
Magnesium Glycinate = Mg + glycine
Magnesium Threonate = Mg + threonic acid
Personally, I’m mostly interested in the benefits of magnesium for gut health – especially easing constipation.
Some people will turn to Magnesium Oxide for stuck poos, but the extra Oxygen molecules can actually produce an “explosive” effect in the gut…
Sure that could be the result you’re looking for, but not everyone wants to deal with the pain and loose stools.
That’s why I’m a bigger fan of Magnesium Glycinate for constipation for daily use and citrate for just the first flush.
It’s much gentler on the gut and won’t cause stomach discomfort like others can.
Plus glycine provides even more benefits:
Helps to protect intestinal cells from damage
May help restore glutathione levels for better detox and digestion
Helps the liver produce bile acid to digest fats, and keeps bad bacteria from overgrowing
May support more rested and energized mornings
Other forms of magnesium aren’t bad, they just have different effects.
If you have a sensitive gut OR want your magnesium to double as gut-healing support, Mg Glycinate is the way to go.
I know now you will ask me what supplements i’m taking so I’ll list it below with discount code
Magnesium HP (apply holisticallywithmk for a great discount) is the ultra-pure magnesium glycinate created for high standards and sensitive tummies.
To Summarize These Important Magnesium Truths…
Yes, pretty much everyone can benefit from more magnesium.
Testing for magnesium is probably unreliable and you don’t need them to tell you if you’re deficient. If you have any gut conditions, you probably are.
Most forms of magnesium are absorbed at basically the same rate. But they do produce different benefits and effects depending on what the Mg is bound to. (Magnesium glycinate is my choice for gentle gut support.)
I love that Magnesium is getting more hype and attention… but not at the cost of people feeling better.
Scientists, Doctors, and Nutritionists pretty much all agree…
Daily Magnesium really is one of the highest ROI investments you can make in your health. Period.
Share the blog with others
Comment LIKE, if you like this kind of blogs and you want more of this
