The Magnesium Mistake: Why Your Supplement Isn't Working

Summary

The common 350 to 420 milligram dosage on magnesium supplements is likely too low to offer therapeutic benefits, as it's based on the Recommended Daily Allowance, designed merely to prevent deficiency diseases, not optimize health. This RDA was established in 1997 for lighter individuals and doesn't account for increased demand due to factors like caffeine, sugar, acid reducers, or higher body weights. Many studies showing magnesium's benefits used doses from 600 to over 1400 milligrams daily, often for extended periods. Furthermore, a major issue is the form of magnesium commonly used, magnesium oxide, which has a low absorption rate of only 4%, leading to GI distress rather than effective absorption. A better option is magnesium glycinate, which boasts 80% absorption and also aids in calming the nervous system. Low magnesium can lead to overexcited neurons, mimicking symptoms of high cortisol like anxiety and insomnia, but unlike cortisol issues, this overexcitation can respond to magnesium within hours. Diagnosing magnesium deficiency is also difficult, as most is stored intracellularly, making blood tests unreliable. For those experiencing symptoms, increasing magnesium intake, particularly magnesium glycinate, to therapeutic doses spread throughout the day is recommended.