Magnesium is a mineral that’s essential for human health, playing a crucial role in more than 300 enzymatic reactions in your body. Magnesium is necessary for muscle and nerve function, blood glucose control and protein synthesis. It also supports a healthy immune system, keeps your heartbeat steady and plays a role in bone health. Unfortunately, magnesium is also one of the most prevalent micronutrient deficiencies.

Nearly 45% of the U.S. population doesn’t get enough magnesium, primarily due to insufficient consumption of dark leafy greens. Magnesium is found in chlorophyll that gives plants their green color.

Magnesium deficiency can have serious consequences, impacting essential biological functions such as DNA repair, replication, and transcription. When magnesium levels are inadequate, these processes may be hindered, potentially leading to the formation of mutations that could contribute to cancer development.

Furthermore, recent research suggests a possible connection between low magnesium levels and increased brain volume loss, which may contribute to a faster decline in cognitive function and an earlier onset of dementia in aging individuals.

The RDA for magnesium is around 310 to 420 milligrams (mg) per day depending on your age and sex, although some researchers believe we may need as much as 600 to 900 mg/day for optimal health. Some believe many may benefit from amounts as high as 1 to 2 grams (1,000 to 2,000 mg) per day.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for magnesium only represents the minimum amount needed to prevent severe deficiency-related diseases. So, meeting the 300 to 400 mg daily requirement only provides the basic level necessary for bodily functions, rather than optimal health.

Magnesium is crucial for maintaining proper electrolyte balance and preventing dehydration. It regulates electrolytes, which are essential for nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, and maintaining a healthy heart rhythm. A magnesium deficiency can disrupt this balance, potentially leading to dehydration and associated complications.

The primary reason why so many people have magnesium insufficiency or deficiency is due to the typical standard American diet, which is low in micronutrients like magnesium. However, certain health conditions and lifestyle factors also play a role by increasing magnesium excretion. Diabetes is one example, as is alcohol consumption.

Alcohol consumption can accelerate magnesium loss from the body, even when gut absorption remains normal. This occurs because alcohol acts as a diuretic, stimulating increased urine production. As a result, more magnesium is filtered out by the kidneys and excreted in urine, rather than being retained and used by the body.

This diuretic effect leads to a higher rate of magnesium excretion, potentially depleting your magnesium stores. Sleep deprivation and your stress levels also affect magnesium, and chronic or even intermittent stress may lead to a decrease in magnesium levels.

Intriguing research suggests higher dietary magnesium intake is linked to better brain health, particularly in women. One study of 6,001 people revealed that higher dietary magnesium consumption of about 550 mg per day was associated with larger gray matter and hippocampal volumes in the brain than the average intake of about 350 mg per day.

Higher magnesium intake may result in larger brain volumes, potentially slowing brain aging by up to one year compared to those with lower magnesium consumption. Research has associated magnesium with the onset and progression of various age-related brain disorders. Elevated cerebral magnesium levels have been shown to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation while enhancing pro-synaptic plasticity.

Additionally, magnesium also helps counteract other mechanisms that contribute to neurodegeneration. For example, a systematic review and meta-analysis of 21 studies also revealed that individuals with Alzheimer’s disease have significantly lower plasma magnesium levels compared to those without. These effects collectively suggest that maintaining adequate magnesium levels could play a role in preserving brain health and function as we age.

Source: articles.mercola.com The Science of Magnesium and Its Role in Aging and Disease