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Magnesium , the essential mineral that has been overlooked for long, is finally having its moment. From providing better sleep to boosting cardiovascular health, magnesium plays multiple roles. When the diet falls short, people turn to magnesium supplements . But guess what? Most of us are taking magnesium supplements the wrong way, says Dr. Amy Shah, a double-board-certified doctor and wellness expert trained at Cornell, Harvard, and Columbia, who specializes in food allergies, hormones, and gut health. She has explained the different types of magnesium supplement and their benefits.

Magnesium is back in vogue

“There’s a lot of interest in magnesium these days,” says Dr. Shah.

“Why the interest? Well, there have been recent studies that looked at brain health in women being better with a 41% increase in magnesium levels over baseline,” she explains, in a post shared on Instagram.

The recommended daily amount of magnesium is 320 milligrams (mg) a day for women and 420 mg a day for men.

Some of the key roles of magnesium in the body include:

• Energy production
• Muscle function
• Maintains healthy brain function
• Strengthens bones
• Balances blood sugar
• Supports heart health
• Reduces inflammation
• Helps in protein synthesis
• Aids DNA and RNA production
• Supports electrolyte balance

Types of magnesium and their uses

Magnesium glycinate

Good for: Stress, anxiety, and potentially sleep
Used for: Decreasing cortisol, reducing anxiety, and improving sleep
Absorption: High
Best for: Women in perimenopause, people with anxiety, stress, and those needing relaxation support
Dr. Shah reveals that she takes one magnesium glycinate every night.

Magnesium 1-threonate

Good for: Brain function, attention, memory
Used for: Improving memory, focus, and cognitive function by crossing the blood-brain barrier
Absorption: Very high
Best for: People looking to support brain function and memory

Magnesium sulfate (salts)

Good for: Muscle relaxation, detox, stress relief
Used for: Reducing muscle soreness, relieving stress, and detoxifying the body
Absorption: Low when ingested, higher when topical
Best for: Relieving sore muscles and stress, not great to be taken in oral form

Magnesium taurate

Good for: Heart health, blood pressure regulation
Used for: Supporting cardiovascular function, regulating blood pressure, and calming the nervous system
Absorption: Moderate
Best for: People with cardiovascular concerns or those who want blood pressure regulation

Magnesium citrate

Good for: Constipation, muscle cramps
Used for: Promoting bowel movements (mild laxative), relieving muscle cramps
Absorption: Moderate
Best for: People with digestive issues looking for occasional constipation relief

Magnesium malate

Good for: Energy production, muscle fatigue, fibromyalgia
Used for: Boosting energy levels, reducing muscle pain, and managing chronic fatigue
Absorption: High
Best for: People with muscle fatigue, fibromyalgia, or those looking for an energy boost

Magnesium oxide
Good for: Constipation, digestive health
Used for: Primarily as a laxative and for relieving digestive issues like acid reflux
Absorption: Low
Best for: Short-term digestive relief, less useful for addressing magnesium deficiency

The best way to get magnesium

Dr. Amy Shah also spoke about the best way to get adequate magnesium in your body. And guess what it is? Diet. “The key factor I want to drive home is that you want to increase your magnesium levels in your diet first and foremost. Everything else is a bonus after that,” she said. You can add nuts, seeds, leafy greens, whole grains, and beans to your diet to get sufficient magnesium.

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