Magnesium supplements are always available on store shelves, but do you need to buy them? A functional medicine practitioner in Toronto would likely explain that increasing magnesium levels – via diet or supplements – could provide numerous advantages to your daily life, especially for a personalized medicine plan.

When patients from our private practice learn about magnesium, they’re surprised by how magnesium deficiencies have led to health issues, such as insomnia, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, chronic conditions – this list can go on and on. Clearly, magnesium plays a role in the attainment and maintenance of optimal health.

Magnesium: The Naturopathic Functional Medicine Approach

So what should Toronto patients know about magnesium? We’ve highlighted some facts to help you understand the importance of magnesium:

1. Ninety-nine percent of magnesium levels in the human body are found in muscles, soft tissue (non-muscular), and bone.
2. Magnesium is required for cellular and energy production, especially for supporting the functioning of nucleic acids. In particular, ample magnesium levels are in the mitochondria, the “power houses” for cellular health. Magnesium helps synthesize ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is the “carrier” of energy to cells. ATP must attach itself to magnesium ions to be activated for use.
3. Magnesium has shown to help treat and prevent numerous medical conditions, such as migraines, diabetes, asthma, PMS, cardiac arrhythmias, constipation, and preeclampsia. “Magnesium may also be considered for prevention of renal calculi and cataract formation, as an adjunct or treatment for depression, and as a therapeutic intervention for many other health-related disorders,” explains a Scientifica journal article.
4. Several chronic diseases are related to magnesium deficiencies. This includes type-2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, migraines, cardiovascular disease, and ADHD.  A lack of magnesium can naturally occur from some health conditions, too, such as taking certain medications and having chronic alcoholism.
5. A magnesium deficiency can lead to insomnia, thyroid concerns, feeble bones, and fatigue. In many cases, a magnesium deficiency may be overlooked.
6. A Toronto functional medicine practitioner would likely explain that magnesium-rich foods could aid in improving magnesium levels. Magnesium-rich foods include hemp seeds, flax seeds, brown rice, boiled spinach, farmed Atlantic salmon, and raw carrots. But sometimes supplementation is necessary.
7. If you’re unsure which magnesium supplements to take, consult with a naturopathic functional medicine practitioner. This is to ensure that the type of supplement is fit for you (i.e. magnesium sulfate, magnesium glycinate, etc.) and to avoid possible medication interactions.

Truly, magnesium is crucial for our daily lives. Many health care practitioners will agree that a myriad of patients already have insufficient magnesium – so let’s start embracing magnesium today.

Become a patient at our center for functional medicine

How should you add magnesium to a bespoke health care program? Let’s help you understand magnesium to encourage optimal health.

The Toronto Functional Medicine Centre is accepting new patients for virtual and in-person visits. Our functional medicine practitioners have an integrative approach to care for patients, with a focus on naturopathic and allopathic/western medicine.

Some of our integrative medicine treatments may include naturopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, eastern medicine, acupuncture for pain relief, clinical nutrition, medically-supervised IV therapy, and functional medicine testing. Our integrative care and evidence-based approach can be applied to the following conditions, among others: chronic disease symptoms, pain management, hormone imbalances, infertility, understanding lifestyle factors, and anti-aging concerns.

Start upgrading your daily life with energy! Call (416) 968-6961 to become a patient at our functional medicine clinic in Toronto.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. Consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website.

Suggested Reading: 3 Must-Know Facts About Tryptophan: A Quick Guide for Toronto Functional Medicine Patients

References:

Abbasi B, Kimiagar M, Sadeghniiat K, Shirazi MM, Hedayati M, Rashidkhani B. The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Res Med Sci. 2012;17(12):1161-1169.

Fawcett W. J., Haxby E. J., Male D. A. Magnesium: physiology and pharmacology. British Journal of Anaesthesia. 1999;83(2):302–320. doi: 10.1093/bja/83.2.302.

Firoz M, Graber M. Bioavailability of US commercial magnesium preparations. Magnesium Research. 2001 Dec;14(4):257-262. PMID: 11794633.

Gerry K. Schwalfenberg, Stephen J. Genuis, “The Importance of Magnesium in Clinical Healthcare”, Scientifica, vol. 2017, Article ID 4179326, 14 pages, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/4179326

Jahnen-Dechent W, Ketteler M. Magnesium basics. Clin Kidney J. 2012;5(Suppl 1):i3-i14. doi:10.1093/ndtplus/sfr163

Kim YS, Won YJ, Lim BG, Min TJ, Kim YH, Lee IO. Neuroprotective effects of magnesium L-threonate in a hypoxic zebrafish model. BMC Neurosci. 2020;21(1):29. Published 2020 Jun 26. doi:10.1186/s12868-020-00580-6

Long S, Romani AM. Role of Cellular Magnesium in Human Diseases. Austin J Nutr Food Sci. 2014;2(10):1051.

Schuchardt Philipp Jan,Hahn Andreas, “Intestinal Absorption and Factors Influencing Bioavailability of Magnesium- An Update”, Current Nutrition & Food Science 2017; 13(4) . https://doi.org/10.2174/1573401313666170427162740

Slutsky et al. Enhancement of Learning and Memory by Elevating Brain Magnesium. Neuron, 2010; 65 (2): 165 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2009.12.026

Walker, Ann F. et al. “Mg citrate found more bioavailable than other Mg preparations in a randomised, double-blind study.” Magnesium research 16 3 (2003): 183-91.