Dr Rhonda Patrick's in Depth Look at Magnesium

In this 1 hour long presentation, Dr Rhonda Patrick eloquently dives into to the most important learnings about Magnesium and it's important role in ageing and disease.

Why magnesium matters?

Magnesium and Vitamin D: Adequate magnesium intake enhances the body’s ability to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D. Conversely, low magnesium intake may hinder the body's utilization of vitamin D, even if vitamin D intake is sufficient.

Magnesium L-threonate: Not ideal for meeting daily magnesium needs due to its low elemental magnesium content. Its potential brain health benefits are not well-established, and its contribution towards the recommended daily allowance (RDA) should be disregarded. Organic forms like Glycinate, Malate, Taurate are better options in this regard. It's best to take a supplement with many different forms of magnesium salts.

General Importance: Magnesium plays a crucial role in over 300 enzyme reactions, DNA repair, and maintaining healthy electrolyte balance. Deficiency affects crucial biological processes like DNA replication and can lead to mutations and potentially cancer. In deficiency, magnesium is pulled from bones.

Deficiency Prevalence: Nearly 45% of the population has inadequate magnesium intake, mainly due to diets lacking in dark leafy greens.
Daily Requirements: Adult women need about 310 to 320 mg/day, which increases during pregnancy. Adult men require about 400 to 420 mg/day. Athletes and high physical activity individuals may need an additional 10-20% above the RDA.

Sources and Bioavailability: Good sources include dark leafy greens, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. Bioavailability can be enhanced by reducing dietary phytates through cooking, sprouting, or fermentation.

Zinc and Magnesium: High doses of supplemental zinc (above 124 mg/day) can inhibit magnesium absorption. However, short-term high-dose zinc supplementation may be beneficial during illness.

Diet and Supplementation: The average magnesium intake in the US is below the RDA, contributing to deficiencies that can lead to health issues. Supplementation should be considered, especially for those not meeting their RDA through diet.

Magnesium Supplements: The upper safe limit for supplemental magnesium is 350 mg/day. Going above may cause gastrointestinal side effects. However, a higher dose may be needed for therapeutic reasons. Organic magnesium salts like citrate, glycinate, and malate are more bioavailable than inorganic forms. Split the dose up over the day for the best absorption and mitigate the risk of stomach issues.

Magnesium plays a vital role in various bodily functions, including supporting heart rhythm, muscle contraction, and brain health.

Read next: What's the first symptom of magnesium deficiency?