The Big Brain Mineral
If you want a stronger, faster, sharper brain, you need more of this mineral than the RDA recommends.
Bigger is better, especially when it comes to your brain. A buff brain can solve problems more easily, process faster, plan better, learn new skills more rapidly, and retain more memories. A bigger brain is also a stronger, younger brain. It's more resistant to cognitive decline and disease, handles stress better, and ages more slowly.
We've always known magnesium plays an important role in brain health, but a newer study tells us that we've been undershooting the amount we need daily.
The Study
Researchers wanted to explore whether the amount of magnesium people get is linked to better brain health, specifically larger brain volumes (indicating more brain tissue) and fewer white matter lesions (small areas of damage linked to cognitive decline, stroke risk, and depression).
They studied 6000 people over the age of 40 using diet questionnaires and MRI brain scans. Here's what they found:
- Higher magnesium intake was linked to larger brain volumes overall: larger gray matter and hippocampal volume.
- Higher magnesium intake was associated with fewer white matter lesions.
How Much Magnesium Are We Talking About?
The RDA for magnesium is roughly 350 mg per day – about 50 mg more for men and a little less for women. However, the people with the biggest, healthiest brains in this study were consuming more, with some getting closer to 550 mg per day. They had less brain shrinkage and fewer damaged spots. This tells us that for brain health, we need more than the RDA.
What foods have the most magnesium? Pumpkin seeds, almonds, spinach, dark chocolate, and black beans are good sources. But it can be tough to hit 500+ mg daily to get the big-brain benefits. It's wise to supplement.
Chelated magnesium is the best absorbed, particularly those supplements using the Albion-chelated method. Biotest Elitepro Vital Minerals (Buy at Amazon) contains 400 mg of Albion-chelated magnesium.
Elitepro also contains 30 mg of zinc, 200 mcg of selenium, 200 mg of chromium, and 100 mcg of vanadium, covering all of your mineral needs for optimal health.
Reference
- Alateeq, Khawlah, et al. “Dietary Magnesium Intake Is Related to Larger Brain Volumes and Lower White Matter Lesions with Notable Sex Differences.” European Journal of Nutrition, vol. 62, no. 5, Aug. 2023, pp. 2039-51