Magnesium is one of the most abundant elements in the universe. In mineral form, magnesium is crucial for our health and well-being.
Yet, nutritionists have long suspected – and scientists have proven – that most of us don’t get enough of this vital element.
Modern American diets rarely contain enough magnesium to meet recommended daily requirements, and this is difficult to fix with diet alone; the magnesium contents of our crops has decreased by almost a fifth since 1968. Researchers believe that this is due to decreased levels in the soil after years of high rainfall and unbalanced fertilization.
Magnesium: The Magic Mineral
Magnesium performs a myriad of important functions in the human body. As a cofactor in over 600 enzyme reactions, its implicated in your energy creation, protein building, and even the electrochemical signals inside your brain.
A Vital Energy Provider
Your cells’ main energy resource is a molecule called ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Once energy is formed in the mitochondria, it is stored in ATP. However, the ATP needs to be activated before its energy can be used.
When magnesium ions bind to ATP they ignite its activation, enabling the cell to use the energy stored within it to power its regular activity. Each one of your cells stores and uses energy this way – therefore, magnesium plays a necessary role in your body’s overall functioning.
Helping The Building Blocks of DNA and Protein
Magnesium also acts as a cofactor for mechanisms involving purine and pyrimidine nucleotides. This gives it an important role in many cellular protein functions, including DNA replication, RNA transcription and translation, and protein synthesis.
As part of the structure of many nucleic acids, magnesium also interacts with proteins and other ligands within the body, again helping to regulate a wide range of functions and mechanisms.
Enabling Nerve Communication and Protection
Magnesium is particularly strongly implicated in cell signalling and communication. Both the membrane potential and second messenger systems involved in sending and receiving cell signals rely heavily on the role of magnesium.
As a result, magnesium has a critical influence on the balance of your nervous system.
As an example of just one of its functions within the nervous system: magnesium supports the balance of the excitatory glutamate system.
It achieves this by blocking NMDA receptors to prevent them from overfiring. This is an important job, as excessive activation can lead to overexcitation, imbalance, and, eventually, nerve cell death.
Glutamate is a major neurotransmitter found throughout the central nervous system. It communicates with many other neurotransmitter systems – therefore, anything which impacts the glutamate system has widespread indirect effects.
By regulating the firing of nerve cells, magnesium is thought to protect all kinds of neurons from neurotoxicity and apoptosis – earning itself a reputation as “a mineral of intense interest” amongst neurological scientists.
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Stimulating Relaxation
Through similar mechanisms at neuromuscular junctions, magnesium has been found to balance muscle stimulation and stimulate physical relaxation. This has been found to promote relief from muscle tension and associated problems, such as cramps and headaches.
The relaxing effects of magnesium may also lead to better sleep. A meta-analysis involving over 7,500 participants found that observational studies supported an association between adequate magnesium intake and sleep quality.
Protecting Immune Health
Magnesium also supports the immune response by regulating the priming of phagocytes and non-specific immune responses. As a result, sufficient magnesium intake has been associated with reduced risk of chronic inflammation.
Antioxidant activity is also strongly related to the function of magnesium. One of these mechanisms is glutathione: glutathione is one of the body’s most important antioxidants, and studies have shown that magnesium intake may directly increase glutathione levels. This helps the body to build resilience against oxidative stress and supports healthy cells.
Magnesium has also been linked to functions in the microbiota-gut-brain axis, which connects the gastrointestinal tract with the central nervous system. This link provides a bidirectional communication pathway which has been found to regulate glial cells, protecting and supporting your neurons.
Magnesium and You: Discover a New Way of Life
Protecting your neurons keeps your nervous system healthy, optimizing its communication with the rest of your body and the outside world.
With healthy neurons, your brain is able to operate at its best – as we might expect, preliminary research finds magnesium supplementation may lead to improved learning and memory.
Animal studies have found that rats treated with magnesium had higher brain density in areas associated with improved memory, as well as improved synaptic plasticity.
In rats of all ages, this magnesium treatment was found to enhance spatial and associative memory. While studying the brain is more complicated in humans, these animal studies give us clues into the possible mechanisms behind what we see.
Indeed, we have seen these effects in humans: scientists found that American adults aged 60 and older experienced greater cognitive abilities all-around when they had higher magnesium intake.
These findings mirror other studies around the world which have found a direct link between magnesium intake and cognitive abilities.
Supporting Balanced Emotions
A healthy brain is a healthy mind. Studies have shown that magnesium may support emotional balance – in just 2 weeks, study participants taking magnesium experienced a reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety which was maintained for the 6 week study duration.
There is mounting evidence linking a magnesium-deficient diet to signs of depression, including decreased social interaction and anhedonia.
By balancing your neural firing and supporting your nervous system, magnesium may help to regulate neurotransmitters and hormones associated with anxiety and low mood.
Rebalance Your Magnesium
Magnesium supports your body in countless ways, right down to your DNA. Without enough of it in your diet, you may begin to feel tired, unfocused, and tense.
Thankfully, there is plenty of magnesium to go around – even if it’s no longer easily obtainable through our regular diets.
Become part of the movement for more balanced health: explore our range of Awakened.energy magnesium supplements.
