March 24, 2024

#087 The Science of Magnesium and Its Role in Aging and Disease | Found
My Fitness With Dr. Rhonda Patrick

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Key Takeaways
Magnesium is an essential mineral required for more than 300 metabolic reactions in the body but
almost half the U.S. does not have sufficient levels (partly because of poor diet)

One theory of aging: when we have suboptimal dietary intake, our body sacrifices the long term for
Premiumthat accelerates aging
the short term, producing insidious damage overtime
 Stress will lower magnesium levels, even for days after stress passes

Flaws of supplement and nutritional study design: randomized controlled trials are the gold
standard for pharmaceutical interventions, but, nutritional studies need to consider individual
nutrition and improve study design at the outset with consideration for baseline levels of
participants if we want real answers

Most studies are also observational so you can’t infer causality

Micronutrients also often work in conjunction with one another – for example, magnesium is
necessary for the conversion of vitamin D into its most stable form

Most of the positive benefits of magnesium come from studies on dietary magnesium not
supplementation

Confounding: magnesium is found in leafy greens, legumes, nuts, fish – and healthier foods; it
may not be solely the magnesium that’s improving health

Introduction
Dr. Rhonda Patrick (@foundmyfitness) has a Ph.D. in biomedical science and is an expert on
nutritional health. She has dedicated her research career to finding proactive and preventive solutions
to aging and longevity.
In this episode of Found My Fitness, Rhonda Patrick takes a deep dive into magnesium: what it is, why
it’s vital for our health, the positive and negative effects of magnesium supplementation, and more.
Host: Dr. Rhonda Patrick (@foundmyfitness)

4:27 – Why Magnesium Is So Important For Overall

Health ▶
Magnesium is required for about 300 metabolic processes

Magnesium affects crucial biological processes like DNA repair, replication, and transcription

There is a potential link between insufficient magnesium and accelerated brain volume loss which
can speed up dementia

Dietary sources of magnesium: dark leafy greens, legumes, nuts, fish-like maceral

But, dietary absorption is only about 50%

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 You can increase the bioavailability of magnesium by activating phytase (such as by cooking
leafy greens, and sprouted grains)

Almost half of adults in the U.S. are deficient in magnesium

As a note, excessive supplemental zinc (higher than 120mg/day) can also hinder the
bioavailability of magnesium; it’s ok to take higher zinc when sick or fighting cold but not
chronically
Causes of increased magnesium excretion: diabetes, alcohol consumption

6:47 – Magnesium Levels & Insufficiency ▶

Adult women need about 310-320mg/day

Pregnant women need about 360mg/day

Adult men require about 400-410mg/day

Athletes and those with high levels of physical activity (or daily sauna use) need about 10-20%
above their daily allowance because of sweat

Remember: recommended daily allowances are based on the minimum amount needed to fight off
disease, not for optimal health

Magnesium helps regulate the body’s balance of electrolytes which help maintain nerve muscles
and regular heart pumping

Magnesium levels are assessed in plasma, but will likely only capture magnesium deficiency and
are not particularly helpful

Magnesium is pulled from bone into plasma

Tip: track the magnesium in your diet for the most accurate assessment of where you stand – it’s a
good idea to get a magnesium plasma test to rule out severe deficiency but not to use as a guide to
whether you have sufficient or optimal levels

15:14 – Magnesium Supplements ▶

Premium (dietary is more tolerable): 350mg/day

Daily upper recommended level from supplementation
 Diarrhea is the most common sign of excess magnesium supplementation
Tip: divide magnesium-dose into smaller, most spaced-out doses

Organic salt forms of magnesium are more bioavailable: try magnesium citrate, magnesium
glycinate, magnesium taurate, magnesium malate

Organic means the presence of carbon, not agricultural standard

Magnesium threontate: gained attention for potential positive cognitive benefits but studies have
been on small sample sizes, confounding variables, and industry-funded which raises some flags;
only a very small portion of magnesium crosses the blood-brain barrier

This is not the best form for hitting magnesium goals because it contains a low amount of
elemental magnesium; take it for potential brain benefits but also consider supplementing with
organic forms and dietary
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Tips for magnesium supplementation: divide into smaller doses throughout the day; stick to
organic forms

Cautions: do not exceed 350mg per day to avoid GI side effects

What Rhonda Patrick uses: Magnesi-Om by Moon Juice, magnesium glycinate by Pure
Encapsulations

26:04 – Effects Of Stress & Lifestyle On

Magnesium ▶
Stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol can lead to reduction or depletion of magnesium
levels in the body

Decreased magnesium levels can remain diminished after stress subsides

Short-term and long-term sleep decreases magnesium in red blood cells

Increased anxiety increased urinary magnesium excretion (meaning it’s not absorbed in the body)

Exercise can temporarily spike magnesium levels but push too hard and the initial elevation fades
and may drop below-resting levels
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 Mental & physical stress decreases magnesium because preparation involves preparing the body
for action which requires energy, mobilizing magnesium which ends up getting depleted

Stress also triggers hormones that can affect magnesium balance in organs and absorption

Magnesium & sleep

Adults with higher dietary magnesium report better sleep but this could be healthier living
overall
Studies are very mixed, with some showing there is no benefit of magnesium improving sleep

Caveat: randomized controlled trials are the gold standard in pharmaceutical studies – but
– about half of U.S. adults don’t have adequate magnesium at the start of the study so trials
are starting with some bias, making it difficult to truly assess

Magnesium has been related to the progression and development of various brain disorders –
higher levels improve plasticity and reduce degeneration

There is more evidence that magnesium (in high levels, 600mg/day) plays a role in preventing
migraine

Individuals who suffer from migraines have been shown to often have low magnesium
How? Magnesium prevents widespread cortical depression

46:41 – The Role Of Magnesium In Aging, DNA,

Disease ▶
Triage theory: our body has developed a mechanism to prioritize certain biological processes over
others when our resources are limited, setting the stage for damage over time

Though nothing will be felt immediately, mutations over time can become harmful and even
cancer-causing

Subtle long-term effects of micronutrient inadequacy can contribute to the aging process and
development of disease

Cancer & magnesium

Magnesium plays a crucial role in DNA replication & repair which has implications for cancer
As we age, DNA repair mechanisms slow down – if we’re low in magnesium, it’s like throwing
gas on the fire Premium
 In some studies, men with the highest magnesium levels had lower all-cause mortality and a
decrease in cancer death; these are observational studies but we can infer some patterns

For each 100mg per day, there was a 6% reduction – note, this is a dietary source of
magnesium
Magnesium supplementation did not have robust results

Magnesium and osteoporosis: when dietary magnesium is insufficient, the body compensates by
pulling magnesium from bone; over your lifetime this can contribute to osteoporosis

Magnesium early in life (adolescence) is crucial for building strong bones

1:01:14 – Interplay Of Vitamin D & Magnesium ▶

Vitamin D is important for magnesium absorption and bone health

Magnesium is a co-factor for several enzymes that metabolize vitamin D

Micronutrients often work in concert which is another reason studies on isolated micronutrients
might not show as much benefit

The benefits of higher vitamin D on cardiovascular disease and cancer are more significant in
individuals with above-average magnesium

Magnesium aids with conversion of vitamin D into a more stable form (25-hydroxy-vitamin D)

1:06:36 – Magnesium For Hypertension & Other

Health Outcomes ▶
Cumulative exposure to high blood pressure can lead to damage to blood vessels in the brain and
lead to dementia and cognitive decline

Magnesium for hypertension: magnesium supplementation (studies indicate ~368mg/day) can

boost the production of substances that relax blood vessels and improve cardiovascular health; aid
in widening of blood vessels and protect against damage

Magnesium & muscle cramps show a very mixed bag of benefits – not all studies check if
participants are deficient at the start of the study, muscle cramps have varied causes
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 Data is not strong in support of magnesium supplementation for muscle cramps

Epsom salt baths: magnesium from Epsom salt baths can’t be absorbed but the bath might feel
good; dead sea salt can improve skin function

Found My Fitness - Rhonda Patrick : health, life, magnesium, micronutrients, supplements

Notes By Maryann

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