Magnesium May Not Reach Your Brain, Despite Supplement Label Promises
This article examines the scientific limitations of magnesium supplements, noting that many products fail to effectively deliver magnesium to the brain. It warns that marketing claims often rely on animal studies and that cheaper forms of magnesium may primarily act as laxatives.
Why it matters
It helps consumers navigate the often misleading supplement industry by distinguishing between scientific evidence and aggressive marketing.
But just because our cells—and especially our neurons—need magnesium doesn't mean that extra magnesium will make them function any better. Not only that, but ingesting more of the element doesn’t mean it’s reaching your brain or really any specific part of your body.
In supplement pills, magnesium isn’t just on its own but part of a compound usually called a “magnesium salt.” This must dissolve to release Mg²⁺, the ionic version that our bodies use. How much of this actually gets into your system—versus gets excreted—depends on a variety of factors including the dose, your stomach contents, and how much magnesium is already in your body. In other words, the higher the dose, the less magnesium gets absorbed.
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