By DR. COLIN O’BRIEN, ND
The human brain is truly remarkable in its ability to regulate our many cognitive functions. Our central nervous system is responsible for complex tasks like attention, memory, problem solving, reasoning and planning.
Unfortunately, these cognitive functions tend to decline as we age and there are many factors that may expedite this process.
With this in mind, proper nutrition is foundational for maintaining optimal cognition and magnesium has been identified as a key nutrient in this complex relationship.
Magnesium has risen in popularity over the past few decades as the powerhouse mineral that seemingly helps with everything.
Few in the natural health industry would deny its vast importance in optimizing and maintaining overall health - from sleep, to muscle tension, to mood and all the way to digestion.
It is also well known to often be deficient in the Canadian population due to poor diet, medication depletions and stress. Magnesium’s importance is undeniable.
Instead, the debate of ‘which form of magnesium is best?’ rules conversations.
There is a general consensus that magnesium bisglycinate is one of the most attractive options, with high bioavailability and added nervous system support through the calming effects of glycine.
Magnesium malate, on the other hand, is regarded as being the best option for fibromyalgia sufferers or those with low energy and easily fatigued muscles.
Magnesium oxide is more likely to have a laxative effect, which can be desirable in cases of constipation.
The key point here is that all magnesium’s are not created equal. Magnesium has to be bound to another molecule to be stabilized for delivery and that other molecule can change the fate of your magnesium or be therapeutic in its own right.
When it comes to brain health, recent attention has been drawn to an emerging form of magnesium that can better deliver the mineral into the brain and support cognition in a more impactful way. This form is called magnesium threonate.
Threonate is a metabolite of Vitamin C that aids the transport of magnesium across the blood brain barrier and into the central nervous system.
The thinking here is that even if you are supplementing with high amounts of magnesium, if it cannot significantly enter into the brain then you’re not getting the targeted results that you’re looking for.
Theoretically, magnesium bound to threonate means that you can take a much lower dose and see greater benefits for brain health.
If magnesium can get into the brain, it can help to enhance NMDA receptor expression in the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for memory!
One of the reasons why there has been such an interest in finding a magnesium that best gets into the brain is that accumulating evidence finds lower levels of total and free magnesium in the brain in both acute and chronic neurological diseases.
When researchers examine the brains of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), a lower blood level of magnesium correlates with a worsening severity of their TBI.
Clearly damage to the brain is either changing the way magnesium is used or using more to manage the damage. In either scenario, perhaps magnesium threonate can help?
Healthcare practitioners that recommend magnesium threonate are most commonly using it to improve memory, attention, focus and other cognitive markers or it is being prescribed in cases of TBI and concussions.
The hard evidence for magnesium threonate is still in its infancy, but it seems promising. One animal study found that magnesium threonate improved spatial memory and spatial orientation after 24 days when compared to non-treated subjects.
In addition, a human clinical trial found that 1.5-2 grams per day of magnesium threonate, along with 200 IU of vitamin D and 30 mg of Vitamin C, improved working memory in elderly subjects aged 50-70 at 6 and 12 weeks compared to a control group.
It is worth mentioning that the 1.5-2 grams of magnesium threonate is the total weight of the compounds together - this translates into only 120-160mg of actual elemental magnesium. This is a relatively low dose when compared to many other interventional trials and anecdotal dosages using other forms of magnesium. This would certainly lead us to believe that it is being used more efficiently once it enters the body.
In the interest of transparency, it should also be noted that non-threonate forms of magnesium have demonstrated benefits in cognitive function and mood.
For example, even magnesium oxide has been shown to improve depression markers after 1-2 weeks. Similarly, oral magnesium citrate trials have found benefits in migraine sufferers.
But a positive outcome doesn’t mean that we’ve found the most effective form of magnesium for the brain. These neurological benefits might actually be indirect by reducing inflammation or regulating hormones like cortisol. Magnesium threonate seems to get to the source.
At the end of the day, magnesium is not going to be the silver bullet in all scenarios, if ever. There are a plethora of natural agents that may be beneficial for brain health depending on the situation.
Ginkgo biloba is particularly indicated if poor blood flow and oxygen delivery is the issue. Vitamin B12 is crucial for cognition and brain function, yet it is notoriously depleted by certain antacid medications and poorly absorbed in elderly individuals. It’s going to be different for everyone! Magnesium threonate offers another piece to the puzzle.
No matter what, you should always consult with a health professional that is well versed in your medical history, medications and natural health products before implementing any new supplementation.
Dr. Colin O’Brien ND is a practicing doctor at Sprout Wellness Clinic in Kitchener-Waterloo, ON. He has a strong focus on clinical nutrition and nutritional supplementation within a family medicine context. He continues to fulfill his passion for research, writing and education in his role as the Medical Director for Cyto-Matrix.
