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Magnesium for the Mind

Magnesium is an essential nutrient required for over 300 biochemical processes throughout the body and is well known as the “relaxation mineral.” It plays an important role in supporting healthy sleep, promoting muscle relaxation, and ensuring normal electrolyte balance.1 It works in conjunction with calcium to aid in bone health and helps in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. However, did you know that magnesium plays a vital role in brain health?

Magnesium has an important function in areas of the brain that influence memory, learning, and other cognitive processes. It regulates both the structure and function of neurons, influences their ability to send and receive signals by increasing the number of synapses (the density of neuronal connections), and helps neurons change and strengthen their connections over time (plasticity).2 Magnesium also acts as an antioxidant, helping to protect neurons against cell death.3,4 Many cognitive changes that occur because of aging, such as memory and executive processing, are linked to low blood magnesium levels. Without enough magnesium, brain neural function becomes unbalanced, leading to inflammation and degeneration of brain neurons.5

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Not all forms are created equal

Not all forms of magnesium are equal in terms of direct cognitive support. Taking magnesium oxide, which is known for its laxative effect, will not encourage magnesium to enter the brain but may encourage you to enter the bathroom! In fact, the absorption of most forms of magnesium into the brain is typically very low. However, when combined with the compound L-threonate, which occurs naturally in the cerebrospinal fluid, magnesium L-threonate crosses the blood-brain barrier and elevates cerebrospinal fluid levels.2,6 One specific form of magnesium L-threonate, Magtein®, has proven this in double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials.

The Magic of Magtein®

Magtein is an MIT-developed form of magnesium that is highly effective in crossing the blood-brain barrier, where it can then support synaptic density and keep the brain working optimally. In one study, supplementation with Magtein magnesium L-threonate for 12 weeks led to a 20% improvement in executive function, impulsivity, visual search, visual attention, and motor speed. Additionally, there was a 13% improvement in working memory after six weeks, equating to a nine-year reduction in brain age.2,7 Based on clinical research, the daily recommendation to support brain health is to take 2000 mg of Magtein magnesium L-threonate per day in three divided dosages.

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Brain support for all ages

It’s never too early to support your brain, and health experts agree that taking additional steps to protect cognitive health earlier in life may help delay the progression of cognitive changes. But if you’ve already entered your later years, the good news is that magnesium L-threonate appears to benefit older individuals the most. Another double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that the effect of a Magtein-based formula on improving memory and cognition was greatest in older participants compared to young adults.8

You might not be getting enough

Many North Americans are deficient in magnesium as a result of the depletion of the earth’s topsoil, and ultimately, in the food we eat. Furthermore, psychological stress, aging, and high sodium, caffeine, and/or alcohol intake can all deplete magnesium from the body.9 Maintaining an adequate magnesium intake through diet or supplementation is an important step toward protecting cognitive health, especially in older age. It is important to support magnesium levels with magnesium-dense foods like avocados, leafy greens, nuts and seeds, legumes, and the ever-popular dark chocolate, but to provide your brain with the magnesium it needs, consider supplementing with magnesium L-threonate.

 

  1. Ismail AAA, Ismail NA. Magnesium: A mineral essential for health yet generally underestimated or even ignored. J Nutr Food Sci. 2016; 6(4):523.
  2. Liu G, Weinger JG, Lu ZL, et al. Efficacy and safety of MMFS-01, a synapse density enhancer, for treating cognitive impairment in older adults: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Alzheimers Dis. 2016; 49(4):971-90.
  3. Al-Ghazali K, Eltayeb S, Musleh A, et al. Serum magnesium and cognitive function among Qatari adults. Front Aging Neurosci. 2020; 12:101.
  4. Tang YP, Shimizu E, Dube GR, et al. Genetic enhancement of learning and memory in mice. Nature. 1999; 401:63-9.
  5. Maier JAM, Locatelli L, Fedele G, et al. Magnesium and the brain: A focus on neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Int J Mol Sci. 2023; 24:223.
  6. Hewlings SJ, Kalman DS. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, comparator trial evaluating Magtein® magnesium supplement on quality of life as related to levels of stress, anxiety, fear and other indicators. EC Nutrition. 2022; 17.3:7-14
  7. Tombaugh TN. Trail Making Test A and B: Normative data stratified by age and education. Arch Clin Neuropsychol. 2004; 19(2):203-14.
  8. Zhang C, Hu Q, Li S, et al. A Magtein®, Magnesium L-Threonate, -based formula improves brain cognitive functions in healthy Chinese adults. Nutrients. 2022; 14(24):5235.
  9. Pickering G, Mazur A, Trousselard M, et al. Magnesium status and stress: The vicious circle concept revisited. Nutrients. 2020; 12(12):3672.
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