The Essential Supplement For The Busy Life

There are as many health products in the world as there are opinions about which ones to take. How do you, the dedicated wellness wayfarer, navigate the landscapes of the supplement industry to discover what you actually need to live life to the fullest? This one supplement will help with 

• Reducing inflammation

• Hormone optimisation

• Stress reduction

• Muscle contractility and recovery

• Metabolism and fat loss

• Bone density

• Immunity

• Nutrient absorption

• And so much more!

 I know, it sounds too good to be true. But it’s not. Carefully selected and properly used supplements can really give you the edge when it comes to complete wellness. However, there’s one supplement that is nearly always overlooked, and it may, in fact, be the most important supplement of all... 

Magnesium is King 

From the ancient heroes of Homer’s Greek Odyssey to Ponce de León’s legendary supposed discovery of the “Fountain of Youth”, magnesium baths have long been thought as a key health support system. The ancient practices of salt bathing most likely came from the relaxing benefits of magnesium.  Magnesium has a potent destressing effect by reducing the stress hormone cortisol. It is especially effective immediately after exercise for reducing the cortisol spike typically seen during physical activity and stress. By reducing this cortisol spike efficiently post-workout, we initiate the recovery mechanisms and reduce post-exercise inflammation. This can be an effective method for building lean muscle, boosting fat loss, reducing DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness) and also the risk of chronic injury1. 

Good Magnesium, Good Night 

Magnesium also makes a powerful sleep-inducing agent. 400-800mg of magnesium taken 3-4 hours before bed can significantly reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and also improve your quality of sleep2. If you often find yourself in a stressed state or have trouble shutting off at night, you likely fit into the 68% of the population who do not meet the government’s recommended daily magnesium intake (310mg to 420mg)3 – which is still much less than our recommendation! Life Extension Magazine proposes, “If this population who are magnesium deficient took corrective action, the need for many of these prescription drugs would be reduced.”(3) 

Optimize Sex Hormones 

Magnesium supplementation reduces cortisol by actually boosting the hormone dehydroepiandrosterone or DHEA (4). DHEA is the master steroid hormone and is the most abundant steroid hormone in the body. It’s produced by the adrenal glands (attached to your kidneys) and has an enormous set of functions including being a precursor to testosterone and estrogen. With optimal DHEA levels, we buffer cortisol effectively while also regulating optimal testosterone and estrogen levels. An enormous number of men experience the unwelcome symptoms accompanying testosterone deficiency while the majority of women could benefit from better regulation of their monthly cycle. Synthetic estrogens in environmental toxins and a high-stress lifestyle mean we need to supplement our body wherever we can; a magnesium supplement is a very effective, broad-scope everyday attack on these ills. 

Throw Out Your Ibuprofen 

Magnesium supplementation reduces inflammation and enhances the body’s ability to handle environmental stress. Specifically, studies have shown that magnesium supplementation can have a powerful effect against inflammation by boosting the immune system in individuals with digestive disorders and metabolic problems5 8. Typical over the counter anti-inflammatory drugs always have adverse effects on your gut and liver.  This is because non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can increase intestinal permeability, which we will talk about later. A magnesium supplement, however, can reduce inflammation throughout the body, boosting the effectiveness of our cardiovascular system and allowing blood flow smoothly through vessels8. 

Stoke The Metabolic Fire

 Insulin sensitivity is very important for optimal health. Being the clever cookie you are, you’ve no doubt guessed that magnesium supplementation can improve this vital component of fat loss for individuals with a deficiency6. Remember, we learned before that you are likely one of those individuals. By allowing better uptake of insulin into the cell we can better utilize the sugars in our food. This means we store less fat, have more energy and reduce our risk of diabetes and other metabolic diseases. 

Build a Resilient Framework 

By optimising calcium absorption, magnesium increases bone density and reduces the risk of fractures, especially as we age. Supplementing with magnesium helps to keep minerals such as calcium in the bony matrix, and has been shown to prevent osteoporosis7. Pair a magnesium supplement with strength training and you have yourself one durable bone structure! 

Rejuvenate Your Nervous System 

This essential mineral is now being understood as a preventative measure for neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.   With over 330,000 Australians suffering from dementia, this is a big issue! An essential component of nerve signaling is… spot the trend... magnesium! It serves as a building block for our neurotransmitters, specifically, dopamine. This means every decision we make and every muscle contraction we have, is influenced by magnesium. Magnesium actually promotes learning and memory as a result of its beneficial effect on synaptic plasticity and density11. Basically, it increases the number and efficiency of the connections of every one of your nerves. So with optimal magnesium levels and superhuman nerve transmission who knows what we are capable of! Along with its beneficial effect on DNA protection, magnesium supplementation maintains the health of every cell in your body. Support your cells. Supplement magnesium. If you’d like any more info on magnesium supplementation (or any supplementation for that reason), have a chat with us and we’ll get you on the path to wellness. 

References:

1. Golf S.W., Happel O., Graef V., Seim K.E. Plasma aldosterone, cortisol and electrolyte concentrations in physical exercise after magnesium supplementation. Journal of Clinical Chemistry & Clinical Biochemistry 1984: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6527092

2. Abbasi et al. The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Journal of Research in Medical Science 2012: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3703169/#sec1-3title

3. Faloon W. How many Americans are magnesium deficient? Life Extension Magazine 2005: http://www.lef.org/magazine/2005/9/awsi/Page-01

4. Mike Mahler. Testosterone is great but is dihydrotestosterone the king of all male androgens? Aggressive Strength. n.d.: http://www.mikemahler.com/online-library/articles/hormone-optimization/dihydrotestosterone-king-of-male-androgens.html

5. King D., Mainous, A.G., Geesy M.E., Egan B.M., Rehman S. Magnesium supplement intake and C-reactive protein levels in adults. Nutrition Research Journal 2006: http://www.nrjournal.com/article/S0271-5317%2806%2900092-3/abstract?cc=y

6. Rodriguez-Moran M. Guerrero-Romero F. Oral magnesium supplementation improves the metabolic profile of metabolically obese, normal-weight individuals: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Archives of Medical Research 2014: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24830937

7. Castiglioni S., Cazzaniga A., Albisetti W., Maier J.A.M. Magnesium and osteoporosis: current state of knowledge and future research directions. Nutrients 2013: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3775240/

8. Kharitonova et al. Comparative angioprotective effects of magnesium compounds. Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine & Biology 2015: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25127069

9. Alessio M. Novel magnesium compound reverses neurodegeneration. Life Extension Magazine 2012: http://www.lef.org/magazine/2012/2/Novel-Magnesium-Compound-Reverses-Neurodegeneration/Page-01

10. Magnesium benefits. Ancient Minerals website. N.d.: http://www.ancient-minerals.com/magnesium-benefits/

11. Jahnen-Dechent W., Ketteler M. Magnesium basics. Clinical Kidney Journal 2012: http://ckj.oxfordjournals.org/content/5/Suppl_1/i3.full

12. Niemn, D.C. et al. (2006). Ibuprofen use, endotoxemia, inflammation, and plasma cytokines during ultramarathon competition. Brain Behaviour Immunology, 20(6):578-84. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159106000328