There’s no getting around the fact that magnesium is one of the most exciting topics of debate in modern nutrition.
I want to start today’s post by acknowledging the Canadian supplement brand Pure North Naturalswith whom I recently created content on collagen peptides and who are the financial sponsors of this content.
That said, the opinions and science presented in today’s piece remain my own.
Let’s get to the good stuff.
To me, there are two clear reasons why magnesium is so compelling:
Many people do not consume enough
The specific case, a 2021 analysis of Canadian intake data showed that >45% of Canadians have inadequate magnesium intake from the diet.
Magnesium is found in very important but underrated food families, including fish, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, leafy greens, and dark chocolate.
Many of these foods fall victim to misconceptions caused by the confusing world of online nutrition messages via social media.
Not consuming enough has consequences
My clients and regular readers of my content will know that this isn’t the first time I’ve talked about magnesium and it certainly won’t be my last.
In the past I have focused on the metabolic consequences of low dietary magnesium intake, particularly as it relates to increased risk of fatty liver disease and diabetes.
Unfortunately, there are also cognitive costs associated with poor magnesium intake.
Magnesium & Cognitive Health
Long-term cognitive health is a complex topic that will never be summed up in one nutrient, but even so, growing evidence points to the important role of adequate magnesium intake in maintaining brain health.
Recently published data from Alzheimer’s dementia The journal observed that older adults (60+) in America with higher magnesium intake tended to have better cognitive function.
The positive effect of magnesium was more pronounced in those with vitamin D levels ≥50 nmol/L.
Beyond this point, a 2024 study by European Journal of Nutrition found that in a sample of 5,000+ adults aged 40-73, those with higher magnesium intakes tended to have larger brain volumes and lower levels of inflammatory markers [particularly CRP].
Magnesium is considered an anti-inflammatory mineral according to the DII (dietary inflammatory index) and it is possible that the brain health benefits of minerals arise, in part, due to its anti-inflammatory influence.
The Magnesium L-Threonate Study
Given the potential for magnesium to be underconsumed coupled with its seemingly significant influence on cognitive health, the role of supplementation will always be a topic of great interest in this field.
Enter Magnesium L-Threonate (product image will be here) – a unique form of supplemental magnesium that attracted the interest of scientists in 2010 following evidence in animal tests that it has enhanced bioavailability and can transport magnesium into brain cells more easily than other forms.
In 2022 that early excitement came to life in one controlled human trial that provided Magnesium L-threonate to adults aged 18-65 over a 30-day period – testing multiple aspects of memory and cognitive function before and after the intervention.
What Does It Mean
The results were promising, with significant improvements noted in all categories tested with a clear trend showing that the older adults in the trial showed the most significant improvements.
For reference, the supplement provides 144 mg of elemental magnesium which is about 1/3 of the daily RDA for magnesium, so it allows magnesium intake to be boosted without apparent risks of overexposure.
While human research in this area is in its infancy, taking together magnesium’s role in cognitive health and the fact that it remains underconsumed – it is reasonable to suggest that those wishing to use a magnesium supplement for the purpose of improved cognitive health look to L – threaten as a promising candidate.
Pure North Naturals
Pure North Naturals is proudly Canadian made with an emphasis on using only the highest quality ingredients and rigorous third party testing.
Special thanks to their team for further motivating me to pursue my scientific side and explore this important and highly relevant topic in the world of skin health and anti-aging nutrition.
Their magnesium l-threonate productlinked above, offers magnesium in the same form and amount as the cognitive health milestone test I reviewed in today’s post.
I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed preparing it.
Until next time,
Andy De Santis RD MPH
