Why Do We Need Magnesium? 7 Key Benefits

Magnesium is an essential mineral the body needs to stay healthy. Magnesium supports the activity of over 600 enzymes by acting as a cofactor and is involved in most major biochemical and metabolic pathways in our cells. These roles make magnesium crucial to the function of every single tissue and organ of the human body [1].* The benefits of magnesium to human health are numerous, but let’s take a look at some of the most significant ways magnesium can support our well-being.

7 Key Benefits of Magnesium

Supports Metabolic Health

Magnesium is a cofactor that supports the activity of all enzymes that use and many that synthesize ATP, the cell energy molecule that powers cellular activities. In fact, ATP is biologically active only if it is bound to a magnesium ion, forming a MgATP complex. Consequently, magnesium has a central role in cellular metabolism and energy generation pathways, including not only the production of ATP but also the production of NAD+, a core molecule of cellular energy and health (which is why we included magnesium in Qualia NAD+).* Magnesium is also essential for all cellular activities that require ATP, such as those involved in cellular division and growth, including building molecules such as DNA and proteins and building cellular structures such as mitochondria [1]. Magnesium is therefore a core element of cellular energy-generating processes. Anything that requires cellular energy in every single organ of the human body is supported by magnesium.*

Supports Healthy Brain Function

There are many roles and benefits of magnesium for brain health: it is fundamental for neurotransmitter synthesis, neuronal signal transmission, neuroplasticity, and neuroprotection [2]. All of these processes are essential for maintaining healthy brain function and supporting cognitive processes such as learning, memory, and executive function [2,3].* Furthermore, like in every other organ, magnesium is essential for cellular energy generation, which given the brain’s massive energy requirements, is one of the most important roles of magnesium in the brain. If brain magnesium levels are insufficient, you may experience feelings of low mental energy, difficulty concentrating, distraction, and lack of motivation—often called brain fog. By helping the brain meet its energy needs, magnesium helps to support even the most demanding and energy-draining cognitive tasks such as sustained attention, maintaining focus, holding and manipulating information, reasoning, and decision-making.*

Magnesium plays a key role in preserving cognitive health but aging is associated with lower brain magnesium levels that may contribute to age-related effects on cognitive health [4–6]. Therefore, maintaining adequate brain levels of magnesium may be especially relevant as we age. In humans, clinical studies that investigated the role of magnesium in cognitive health have indicated that people consuming diets rich in magnesium may be more likely to maintain optimal brain and cognitive health throughout life [7–9].* 

Supports Mental Well-Being and Stress Management

By supporting brain function and health, magnesium may support not only healthy cognitive function, but also healthy mood and stress responses. Magnesium has a number of functional roles that interact directly with stress [10]. It’s a cofactor needed to make several important neurotransmitters and neurohormones involved in a healthy stress response. Magnesium also helps maintain healthy GABA signaling and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which are two important elements in mood regulation and stress responses [2,3,11]. Furthermore, part of the body’s immediate response to stress is to shift magnesium from inside to outside cells. This is a healthy adaptive response to stress, but, if stress is extended, it can slowly drain cellular magnesium stores. And low magnesium status seems to reduce the tolerance to stress, while contributing to an exaggerated response to some forms of stress [12]. Not surprisingly, magnesium has been used for stress support for decades. Preclinical studies have shown that magnesium supports a balanced release of stress hormones and healthy behavioral and physiological responses to stress [11,13–16]. Likewise, clinical studies have shown that magnesium supports mental well-being [17,18].*

Supports Sleep 

Magnesium’s action in the brain also contributes to sleep support, primarily through upholding healthy GABA signaling, which plays a key role in promoting sleep [11,19]. Magnesium also supports the activity of an enzyme (serotonin N-acetyltransferase) involved in the day/night rhythmic production of melatonin from serotonin [22,23]. Melatonin is the “darkness hormone” that helps to synchronize circadian rhythms and maintain healthy sleep-wake cycles [20]. Through these and other actions, magnesium is able to support sleep physiology [21]. Accordingly, clinical studies have shown that magnesium supports optimal sleep quality and healthy EEG and neuroendocrine responses during sleep [22–27].* 

Supports Healthy Muscle Function

Magnesium balances the activity of calcium in skeletal muscle, which has an important role in muscle contraction. When magnesium levels are low, muscles may contract excessively, resulting in temporary muscle cramps and twitches. Furthermore, because magnesium forms a complex with ATP, magnesium is also essential for the activity ATP in the process of muscle contraction [1,28,29]. In clinical studies, magnesium supplementation has been shown to support optimal muscle strength and performance in both younger and older individuals [30,31].*

Supports Cardiovascular Health

Magnesium plays an important role in heart and vascular function. First off, magnesium is essential for metabolism and energy generation in the cells of the cardiac muscle (myocardium). But magnesium also regulates cardiac muscle contraction by influencing the intracellular calcium levels (similarly to skeletal muscle). Furthermore, magnesium supports healthy immune signaling and antioxidant defenses in the heart and blood vessels and promotes healthy vasodilation. Through these activities, magnesium supports vascular tone, cardiac output, and cardiac and vascular health and performance [1,28].*

Supports Bone Health

Around 50–60% of the total body magnesium content is stored in bone bound to hydroxyapatite crystals that form its mineralized matrix. Magnesium supports the proliferation of osteoblasts, which are the cells that synthesize bone, as well as adequate bone calcium levels and hydroxyapatite crystal size and formation, which promotes healthy bone structure and bone strength. Adequate magnesium levels are therefore essential for upholding healthy bone formation and maintaining healthy bone mass. Optimal magnesium levels also support immune signaling in the bone, which helps to maintain healthy bone remodeling, i.e., balanced levels of bone resorption and production that are essential for maintaining healthy bones as we age [1,32].* 

Sources of Magnesium

Dietary Sources

Magnesium is an essential nutrient, which means it must be obtained from dietary sources to maintain good health. The U.S. Food and Nutrition Board recommends a daily magnesium intake of 320 mg for women and 420 mg for men [2]. Foods high in magnesium such as seeds, nuts, legumes, and whole grains can help you reach your recommended daily magnesium intake goal. Learn more about good dietary sources of magnesium in our article on Magnesium Rich Foods. Some mineral waters can be good sources of magnesium, while others are not, so check the labels [33–35].

Magnesium Supplementation

Because of magnesium’s essential functions, it’s important to ensure you supply adequate amounts of magnesium to your body. A healthy diet with plenty of magnesium rich foods is the obvious first step. But unfortunately, industrial farming methods and food processing have led to a decline in magnesium content in fruits and vegetables over the last decades. Food processing alone can lead to losses of up to 80% of magnesium in food [36,37]. Water purification processes can also reduce the mineral content of bottled water, which could otherwise be a good source of magnesium [33–35].

The consequence of food processing and soil nutrient depletion is an insufficiency of magnesium in the diets of the majority of people in Western countries [1,12,38,39], resulting in low magnesium levels in their bodies. Low magnesium levels are particularly common in older adults due to age-related effects on intestinal absorption of magnesium and an increase in its urinary elimination due to reduced kidney function [4,5]. 

Therefore, magnesium supplements can be a great option to complement magnesium-rich foods in your diet and get all the magnesium you need every day.* 

The Role of Magnesium in Integrative Health

Impact of Low Magnesium Levels on Overall Health

Magnesium is indispensable for healthy cells and general health and well-being. Low dietary magnesium intake levels can result in a gradual reduction in cellular magnesium levels that may impact several aspects of cellular function. For example, low magnesium levels are linked to mitochondrial dysfunction, gene expression changes that affect genetic stability and cell division and growth, impaired cellular metabolism and metabolic health, impaired cellular ability to degrade and recycle damaged molecules and cellular structures, and even cellular senescence [40–48]. These effects are particularly detrimental as we age and can contribute to an acceleration of the aging process [49].* 

Long-Term Health Benefits

Ensuring you meet the adequate daily intake of magnesium, either through foods or supplementation, may help to resist these changes and contribute to optimal physical and mental well-being. As we’ve seen, maintaining an adequate daily magnesium intake is associated with several benefits, including supporting healthy cardiovascular and metabolic function, muscle and bone health, brain health, mood, and sleep [17,18,21–32,50–52].*

Incorporating Magnesium into Your Lifestyle

Maintaining adequate daily intake of magnesium is one of the simplest actions you can take to support your health. This can be done by making healthy lifestyle choices and incorporating magnesium rich foods and waters in your diet. But unfortunately, foods that are theoretically healthy don’t always meet our nutritional expectations. And, many bottled waters have removed most of the magnesium during purification. A way to safeguard that you get all the magnesium you need is through magnesium supplements.* 

Coming Soon: Qualia Magnesium+™, featuring 9 forms of magnesium and 70+ minerals. Join the Qualia Magnesium+ waitlist to be notified when it’s available.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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