- Eating more magnesium-rich foods may improve cognitive function and lower dementia risk, according to one study.
- Researchers say that magnesium reduces brain inflammation and may benefit post-menopausal women the most.
- Experts share how to safely increase your daily magnesium intake.
Longevity is one of the hottest research areas in the health world right now. But doctors and scientists are not just trying to figure out how to help people live longer—instead, they’re looking for ways to help you live longer in a healthy way, keeping your body strong and mobile and your mind sharp for as long as possible. One study contributing to this new body of research found that higher magnesium lowers dementia risk, while others are increasing our understanding of the role of magnesium in maintaining optimal brain health.
Here, find out what the research says about magnesium and brain health, plus how to get enough of the mineral from your daily diet.
Meet the experts: Khawlah Alateeq, Ph.D. researcher from the ANU National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health; Melissa Mroz-Planells, D.C.N., R.D.N., national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and member of the Prevention Medical Review Board; Amit Sachdev, M.D., director of the Division of Neuromuscular Medicine at Michigan State University.
The study, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, utilized data from the UK Biobank and analyzed more than 6,000 cognitively healthy participants in the United Kingdom aged 40 to 73. Dietary magnesium was measured using a 24-hour recall questionnaire to estimate the daily amount people ingested and recorded five times over 16 months.
Researchers found that people who consumed more than 550 milligrams (mg) of magnesium each day had a brain age that was approximately one year younger by the time they reached 55, compared to someone with a normal magnesium intake of about 350 mg a day. “Our study shows a 41% increase in magnesium intake could lead to less age-related brain shrinkage, which is associated with better cognitive function and lower risk or delayed onset of dementia in later life,” lead author and Ph.D. researcher Khawlah Alateeq, from the ANU National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, said in a press release.
The study also showed that higher dietary magnesium intake may contribute to protecting the brain earlier in the aging process and preventative effects may begin in your 40s or even earlier, Alateeq said in the press release. “This means people of all ages should be paying closer attention to their magnesium intake.” In addition to these findings, researchers also found that the brain-protective effects of more dietary magnesium appeared to benefit women more than men, and more so in post-menopausal than pre-menopausal women.
While this study came out in 2023, research that has been published since continues to illuminate the role of magnesium in maintaining brain health and staving off dementia. A study in the Journal of Neurorestoratology found that magnesium may block key receptors in the brain to halt the course of Alzheimer’s disease, plus reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which contribute to the development of age-related chronic diseases like dementia.
Magnesium is a mineral commonly found in nuts, seeds, leafy greens, and dairy, said Melissa Mroz-Planells, D.C.N., R.D.N., national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and member of the Prevention Medical Review Board. “Magnesium is necessary for the maintenance of our body tissues, including nerve signaling in the brain and the integrity of the blood-brain barrier.”
In addition to the findings of the above studies, magnesium deficiency has been associated with an increase in brain inflammation and with the development of diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease, explained Mroz-Planells.
Additionally, there is a relationship between magnesium status, intake, and menopause that may account for some differences between men and women, said Mroz-Planells. “High intake of magnesium in post-menopausal women has been associated with lower levels of inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein, [a protein that indicates the level of inflammation in your body],” she explained.
How to get more magnesium in your diet
Adult magnesium needs vary by age and biological sex from 310-420 mg per day, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The aforementioned study found the most brain health benefits in people who consumed 550 mg per day from food—according to the NIH, getting more than the recommended magnesium intake from food is not dangerous because the kidneys will eliminate any excess. However, there are some possible side effects from supplementing with high doses of magnesium, including diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal cramping. For this reason, always check with your doctor or a registered dietitian before adding a magnesium supplement or going over the recommended daily intake.
First and foremost, try to increase your intake of magnesium-rich foods. According to Mroz-Planells, a sample day could include “cereal, milk, and a banana for breakfast, a sandwich on whole wheat bread with 1 cup of bean soup for lunch, 1 ounce of almonds for a snack, and a dinner of salmon, brown rice, and broccoli, providing around 350 mg of magnesium in total for the day.”
The bottom line
Including magnesium-rich foods like whole grains and dark-green, leafy vegetables in your diet are beneficial for brain health no matter your age, said Mroz-Planells. “Eating a healthful diet has a positive impact on your brain health by reducing [brain] inflammation and providing the right nutrients for your brain’s optimal performance.”
Healthy living leads to a healthy brain, affirmed Amit Sachdev, M.D., director of the Division of Neuromuscular Medicine at Michigan State University. While trying to consume enough magnesium is smart, “more common aspects of health, such as blood sugar and alcohol intake, are much more associated with brain health than magnesium,” he said. Making choices in the kitchen and in your daily life that will nourish your body is the best way to protect your brain as you age.
Dietary supplements are products intended to supplement the diet. They are not medicines and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure diseases. Be cautious about taking dietary supplements if you are pregnant or nursing. Also, be careful about giving supplements to a child, unless recommended by their healthcare provider.
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