Your body requires a wide variety of essential macro- and micronutrients. Not consuming enough daily essentials, like protein, fat, carbohydrates, water, vitamins, and minerals not only jeopardizes your ability to perform and get results but can compromise your health and longevity.
Today, we take a closer look at one of those critical micronutrients -- one that also happens to be one of the most common deficiencies worldwide -- magnesium.
What is Magnesium?
Magnesium is a mineral/electrolyte involved in over 300 essential metabolic reactions, including energy production, nerve signal transmission, muscle relaxation, DNA synthesis, and blood pressure regulation.[1] Approximately 60% of the magnesium in your body is stored in bone with the remainder split between muscles, soft tissues, and various fluids (e.g. blood).[2] while the rest is in muscles, soft tissues, and fluids, including blood
It’s readily found in many foods common to the diet, including nuts, seeds, legumes, and leafy greens. Unfortunately, significant portions of the population do not regularly consume enough of these foods, which is one of the major contributing factors to the high rates of magnesium deficiency.[3,4]
How Much Magnesium Do I Need?
The recommended daily intake for magnesium developed by the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) at the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies is[3]:
- Women 18-30: 310mg
- Women 31-50: 320mg
- Men 18-30: 400mg
- Men 31-50: 420mg
Since many individuals struggle to consume enough magnesium through his/her diet, magnesium supplements have emerged as a convenient and cost-effective strategy.[4]
5 Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
#1 Supports Better Sleep Quality
Ever felt restless or dealt with fits of fidgeting, kicking legs (either yourself or your partner)? Magnesium deficiency may be a factor since it’s involved with muscle relaxation.
Research has noted an association between magnesium status and sleep quality, and other studies indicate that magnesium supplements may improve several sleep markers, including sleep time, sleep onset latency, and early morning awakening.[5,6]
#2 Aids Exercise Performance
Higher levels of physical activity increase the body’s need for many nutrients, including protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Magnesium aids ATP production as well as muscle contraction/relaxation.[7]
Additional studies have found a positive correlation between magnesium intake and performance.[8,9] In other words, athletes that were noted to consume higher amounts of magnesium performed better to those who did not get enough magnesium.
#3 Supports Bone Health
As we mentioned above, ~60% of magnesium in the body is actually found in the bones. Therefore, it stands to reason that if you’re deficient in magnesium, supplementing with it could support bone health.
In fact, a meta-analysis (a “study of studies”) linked increased magnesium intake with increased overall bone mineral density.[10]
Other research documents that individuals with the lowest blood concentrations of magnesium levels had a 3x greater risk of bone breaks compared to those with the highest levels.[11]
#4 Supports a Healthy Mood
Magnesium plays a key role in cognitive function as well as mood. In fact, researchers have documented an increased risk of depression in those with low levels of magnesium.[12] Additional symptoms of magnesium deficiency include anxiety, lethargy, weakness, agitation, restlessness, and headaches.
Various studies have found that magnesium supplements can address low magnesium concentrations and improve mood as well as reduce headaches.[2,13,14]
#5 Supports Cardiovascular Health
It should be clear by now that magnesium impacts numerous aspects of daily and long-term living. It comes as little surprise then that low magnesium concentrations can negatively impact cardiometabolic health.
For starters, low magnesium levels are associated with high blood pressure and elevated blood sugar levels -- both risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
Magnesium supplementation has been noted to decrease levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes.[15] Other research studies have found an association between increased magnesium intake and increased levels of HDL (good) cholesterol) as well as decreased levels of systolic blood pressure, LDL (bad) cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar.[2,16,17]
What to Look For in a Magnesium Supplement
When choosing your magnesium supplement, there are a few key points to consider:
- Amount of magnesium per serving
- What type of magnesium is included?
- Price
- Delivery format (capsules, gummies, powder, etc.)
Certain magnesium supplements are better than others, and we’re not talking strictly about price. Sure, that’s one element to consider when choosing the best magnesium supplement, but you want to pay equal (if not greater) attention to the type of magnesium included.
Some types of magnesium supplements have better bioavailability than others. Magnesium oxide is the cheapest magnesium supplement, but it’s also the one with the lowest bioavailability (~10%).
Superior options (that only cost slightly more) are:
- Magnesium Bisglycinate
- Magnesium Malate
- Magnesium Citrate
The Best Magnesium Supplement
There are hundreds (if not thousands) of magnesium supplements on the market; however, none can match the purity and potency of 1UP Super Magnesium.
Quite simply, 1UP Super Magnesium is the best magnesium supplement on the market, including a novel multi-source, high bioavailability blend of two magnesium, including:
- Magnesium Bisglycinate
- Magnesium Malate
But, that’s not all.
We’ve included two essential vitamins in Vitamin C and D3 and L-Theanine.
Vitamin C plays a key role in immune and antioxidant status, aiding the bodies natural defenses against pathogens and oxidative stress. Vitamin D is necessary for the proper absorption of magnesium in the body as well as countless other processes, including mood, immune function, hormone production, and bone health.
L-Theanine helps with relaxation by promoting the production of certain neurotransmitters in the brain that play a key role in moderating our mood. It is known to boost levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), as well as serotonin and dopamine, which are crucial for mood regulation. These neurotransmitters have calming effects and help regulate emotions, mood, concentration, and sleep.
Every serving supplies 300mg elemental magnesium in an easy mixing and delicious blend to support your performance, recovery, and cardiometabolic health.
Click here to learn more about Super Magnesium and what makes it the best-tasting magnesium supplement!
References
- Al Alawi AM, Majoni SW, Falhammar H. Magnesium and Human Health: Perspectives and Research Directions. Int J Endocrinol. 2018 Apr 16;2018:9041694. doi: 10.1155/2018/9041694. PMID: 29849626; PMCID: PMC5926493.
- Gröber U, Schmidt J, Kisters K. Magnesium in Prevention and Therapy. Nutrients. 2015 Sep 23;7(9):8199-226. doi: 10.3390/nu7095388. PMID: 26404370; PMCID: PMC4586582.
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/magnesium-healthprofessional/
- DiNicolantonio JJ, O'Keefe JH, Wilson W. Subclinical magnesium deficiency: a principal driver of cardiovascular disease and a public health crisis. Open Heart. 2018 Jan 13;5(1):e000668. doi: 10.1136/openhrt-2017-000668. Erratum in: Open Heart. 2018 Apr 5;5(1):e000668corr1. PMID: 29387426; PMCID: PMC5786912.
- Arab, A., Rafie, N., Amani, R. et al. The Role of Magnesium in Sleep Health: a Systematic Review of Available Literature. Biol Trace Elem Res 201, 121–128 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-022-03162-1
- Abbasi B, Kimiagar M, Sadeghniiat K, Shirazi MM, Hedayati M, Rashidkhani B. The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Res Med Sci. 2012 Dec;17(12):1161-9. PMID: 23853635; PMCID: PMC3703169.
- Zhang Y, Xun P, Wang R, Mao L, He K. Can Magnesium Enhance Exercise Performance? Nutrients. 2017 Aug 28;9(9):946. doi: 10.3390/nu9090946. PMID: 28846654; PMCID: PMC5622706.
- Santos D.A., Matias C.N., Monteiro C.P., Silva A.M., Rocha P.M., Minderico C.S., Bettencourt Sardinha L., Laires M.J. Magnesium intake is associated with strength performance in elite basketball, handball and volleyball players. Magnes. Res. 2011;24:215–219.
- Matias C.N., Santos D.A., Monteiro C.P., Silva A.M., Raposo Mde F., Martins F., Sardinha L.B., Bicho M., Laires M.J. Magnesium and strength in elite judo athletes according to intracellular water changes. Magnes. Res. 2010;23:138–141.
- Farsinejad-Marj M, Saneei P, Esmaillzadeh A. Dietary magnesium intake, bone mineral density and risk of fracture: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Osteoporos Int. 2016 Apr;27(4):1389-1399. doi: 10.1007/s00198-015-3400-y. Epub 2015 Nov 10. PMID: 26556742.
- Hori M, Yasuda K, Takahashi H, Yamazaki C, Morozumi K, Maruyama S. Impact of serum magnesium and bone mineral density on systemic fractures in chronic hemodialysis patients. PLoS One. 2021 May 20;16(5):e0251912. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251912. PMID: 34014999; PMCID: PMC8136656.
- Pickering G, Mazur A, Trousselard M, Bienkowski P, Yaltsewa N, Amessou M, Noah L, Pouteau E. Magnesium Status and Stress: The Vicious Circle Concept Revisited. Nutrients. 2020 Nov 28;12(12):3672. doi: 10.3390/nu12123672. PMID: 33260549; PMCID: PMC7761127.
- Tarleton EK, Littenberg B, MacLean CD, Kennedy AG, Daley C. Role of magnesium supplementation in the treatment of depression: A randomized clinical trial. PLoS One. 2017 Jun 27;12(6):e0180067. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180067. PMID: 28654669; PMCID: PMC5487054.
- Rajizadeh A, Mozaffari-Khosravi H, Yassini-Ardakani M, Dehghani A. Effect of magnesium supplementation on depression status in depressed patients with magnesium deficiency: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Nutrition. 2017 Mar;35:56-60. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2016.10.014. Epub 2016 Nov 9. PMID: 28241991.
- Asbaghi O, et al. The Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Lipid Profile Among Type 2 Diabetes Patients: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2021;199(3):861-873.
- Rosique-Esteban N, et al. Dietary Magnesium and Cardiovascular Disease: A Review with Emphasis in Epidemiological Studies. Nutrients. 2018;10(2):168.
- Verma H, Garg R. Effect of magnesium supplementation on type 2 diabetes associated cardiovascular risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2017 Oct;30(5):621-633. doi: 10.1111/jhn.12454. Epub 2017 Feb 2. PMID: 28150351.
