Spotlight: Magnesium

Many studies have reported that reduced levels of magnesium are associated with a wide range of chronic diseases.

Dietary data suggest that the average magnesium intake has declined markedly over the last 100 years.

With magnesium being essential to every cell in the human body, deficiency needs to be avoided for optimal health 

The most comprehensive reviews on magnesium requirements suggest that in healthy adults a baseline requirement of around 180mg per day is required to maintain balance.

Subclinical magnesium deficiency is one of the leading causes of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease and should now be considered a public health crisis. Whilst the typical western diet may provide enough magnesium to avoid a frank deficiency, it is unlikely to provide the levels required to maintain normal magnesium levels, leading to an increased risk of coronary artery disease and osteoporosis.

Recent evidence suggests that the current recommended daily allowance (between 300 and 420mg/day) is insufficient to provide optimal health and longevity and that many individuals require an additional 300mg per day in order to lower their risk of chronic disease, which may require the use of supplemental magnesium sources.

There are so many magnesium supplements available, it can be a bit overwhelming. My wife and I really like Bio-Practica’s Diasporal. The taste is amazing, and we both religiously fill our water bottles up and add a sachet of Diasporal to get us through the day. It offers up 400 mg of highly bioavailable magnesium.