This video explains why magnesium is so important for your body and why many people don't get enough of it. It covers how modern farming and certain medications reduce magnesium levels in our food and bodies. The video also describes nine different types of magnesium supplements and what each type is best for, such as helping with constipation, sleep, brain health, or muscle aches.
Key Takeaways
1
Magnesium is a vital 'master mineral' involved in over 300 body reactions, including muscle relaxation, nerve transmission, and energy production, and most people are deficient.
2
Intensive industrial farming practices, synthetic fertilizers, acid rain, erosion, and herbicides like glyphosate deplete magnesium in soil and make it less available in plants.
3
Magnesium citrate is best for relieving constipation by drawing water into the intestines, but it's not ideal for building cellular magnesium or if you have loose stools.
4
Magnesium glycinate is highly recommended for calming the body and mind, aiding sleep, reducing anxiety, muscle tightness, and PMS, as it is well-absorbed and non-laxative.
5
Magnesium L-threonate (Magtein) is unique because it crosses the blood-brain barrier, making it excellent for improving memory, focus, and cognitive function.
6
Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) are best used topically in baths for muscle relaxation, detoxification, and stress relief, and should not be taken internally regularly.
7
Magnesium taurate is a 'heart protector,' recommended for heart palpitations, high blood pressure, irregular rhythms, migraines, and emotional calming due to its calming effects on the nervous system and blood vessels.
8
Magnesium lactate is a gentle form that fights chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and post-viral fatigue, making it suitable for sensitive stomachs and long-term support for depleted individuals.
9
Magnesium malate is energizing for muscles and mitochondrial function, making it beneficial for fatigue, fibromyalgia, muscle aches, and exercise recovery.
10
It's crucial to choose the right form of magnesium based on your specific needs, and combining different forms, like glycinate for relaxation and malate for energy, can be highly effective.
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0:01
Good morning and welcome to another
0:03
edition of Today's Nutrition, where we
0:05
look at what is new in research, what's
0:07
hot in the news, and most importantly,
0:10
how you can take charge of your health
0:12
starting today. And today, we're going
0:14
to dive into magnesium, one of my
0:17
all-time favorite minerals. In fact,
0:20
it's called the master mineral because
0:21
it's involved in over 300 enzyatic
0:25
reactions in the body. everything from
0:27
muscle relaxation and nerve transmission
0:30
to blood sugar regulation, energy
0:33
production, and detoxification.
0:36
You're not alive without magnesium. And
0:38
because it is so key to relaxation, I
0:42
always think of it for anything tense,
0:45
tight, twitchy, or irritable.
0:49
And the kicker is most people are
0:51
deficient. And there's a really big
0:54
reason for this. Our soils just aren't
0:58
what they used to be. Because of
1:00
intensive industrial farming, we shifted
1:05
away about a hundred years ago from
1:08
regenerative rotationbased practices
1:11
like grandpa did to monocropping
1:14
and synthetic input farming. Year after
1:18
year, the same crops, corn, soybeans,
1:21
wheat planted in the same soil, rarely
1:24
having any cover crop. And without
1:27
proper rotation and replenishment,
1:30
magnesium and other key minerals are
1:34
steadily stripped without being
1:36
replaced. Second thing, synthetic
1:39
fertilizers replace, they don't
1:41
replenish. NPK is typically what you see
1:45
in fertilizers. That's nitrogen,
1:47
phosphorus, and potassium. They're going
1:49
to boost the yield, but they don't
1:52
replenish trace minerals like magnesium,
1:55
and they create an imbalance in soil
1:57
chemistry. Third thing, you've got acid
1:59
rains that cause a soil pH shift, making
2:04
magnesium less available to plants.
2:08
Soil becomes too acidic, magnesium will
2:10
actually bind to other elements and
2:12
becomes insoluble. So even if it's
2:15
there, it may not be bioavailable. Then
2:18
the fourth thing, you've got erosion.
2:20
You've got tillage practices. Top soil
2:23
where most nutrients like magnesium
2:25
reside, they're lost at an alarming rate
2:29
due to erosion and lack of cover crops.
2:34
When the top soil washes away, so does
2:36
the magnesium. Fifth thing, you've got
2:39
over irrigation, tiling, and runoff. So,
2:43
a lot of rainwater runoff is going to
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just carry that magnesium
2:48
right out of it. Especially if it's
2:50
light textured soils, not so much like
2:54
ours. We have clay around here, so that
2:56
helps. But still, over time, a lot of
3:01
the water movement changes the soil
3:03
profile. This next one is a biggie.
3:06
Glyphosate and herbicides. Many
3:08
herbicides like glyphosate act as a
3:12
keelating agent agent. So this means
3:15
that it actually binds to other minerals
3:19
in the soil and that makes them
3:21
unavailable to the plants. That's you
3:24
know basically how it starves the weeds.
3:27
It keeps them from taking up magnesium
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and so they just die because you've got
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to have magnesium. um you know that's
3:38
that is a big problem. So even though
3:41
you can have a healthylook plant it can
3:44
be mineral deficient. Number seven high
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ye high yield fast growing crops. You
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know when they grow fast they may be big
3:52
but they may not have nutrient density.
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Kind of like when a teenager grows
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really fast they going to have more
3:58
problems because you don't have enough
4:00
minerals to keep up with that. So, um,
4:03
anyway, we may be eating great,
4:07
eating magnesium richch foods like leafy
4:09
greens and nuts and seeds and legumes,
4:12
but because our soils are depleted, our
4:15
stress levels are high. And many of us
4:18
take medications that will actually
4:20
deplete magnesium even further, like
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stomach proton pump inhibitors and
4:25
diuretics and birth control pills. A lot
4:28
of us are come, a lot of it's going
4:30
against our magnesium reserves. And
4:32
here's the kicker. Even when you do take
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magnesium supplements, people often
4:38
don't feel better because they're taking
4:40
the wrong kind. So today, I'm going to
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give you a little cliffnote on the nine
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most common forms of magnesium and what
4:50
they're actually good for. So, this is
4:52
going to help you and your loved ones
4:53
choose the right one for the right
4:56
condition. and you're going to feel the
4:58
difference. So, we're going to start
4:59
with the most popular. Magnesium
5:02
citrate. We kind of call it the gentle
5:04
mover. Magnesium citrate is magnesium
5:08
bound to citric acid. So, it's known for
5:11
the ability to help you go, if you know
5:14
what I mean. It's the kind of one that
5:15
you're going to find in colon cleanse
5:17
kits like Natural Calm or our favorite
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one called Gentle Move that Nature
5:23
Sunshine has. It actually corrects
5:26
constipation by generally osmotically
5:29
pulling water into the intestinal tract.
5:32
So, it's just going to make for an
5:33
easier BM. So, if you're someone who
5:36
struggles with constipation, you know,
5:38
if you've got a lot of stress or thyroid
5:40
issues or just sluggage paristalsis,
5:43
magnesium citrate may be a good choice.
5:46
However, it's not the best one if you're
5:48
trying to build up magnesium at the
5:51
cellular level or if you're already
5:53
prone to loose stools. You know, you you
5:55
know, it's just going to make that
5:56
magnesium pass straight on through. So,
5:58
I often will use it as a starter
6:00
magnesium for people that need digestive
6:03
support, but that combine it with other
6:06
forms if you're looking for brain or
6:08
muscle or mood benefits that we're going
6:10
to cover. Okay. Second one, magnesium
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glycinate, the calming companion. Now,
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magnesium glycinate
6:20
is my personal favorite and the one that
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I use for most of my clients and
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customers. You've got magnesium bound to
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the amino acid glycine, which is a
6:30
calming amino acid. this combo really
6:34
well absorbed, gentle on the stomach,
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and it's non-laxative, which is
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important if you're already regular or
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have a sensitive gut.
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Glycinate is good for people that have
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anxiety, maybe insomnia, maybe muscle
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tightness, tension, headaches, and PMS
6:56
related mood swings. tense, twitchy, and
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let's be honest, many of us are dealing
7:02
with chronic low-grade stress, and that
7:05
in itself depletes magnesium. And low
7:08
magnesium is going to make stress even
7:11
worse. So, it's kind of like a vicious
7:13
cycle. So, magnesium glycinate can help
7:16
break that cycle. One I most often
7:19
recommend for women midlife, kids with
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anxiety or sleep issues or even athletes
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that have muscle cramps or that restless
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leg. Perfect form to take at night.
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Calms the body, calms the mind, improves
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deep sleep, relaxes tight muscles
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without being a digestive upset. So you
7:38
can see why it's my favorite. Most
7:40
people need this one. Number three,
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magnesium thrienate. It's called the
7:45
brain booster. It's the newest player of
7:48
magnesium and it really does deserve the
7:51
spotlight because it does what no other
7:54
form will do. It's also called magine.
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So magnesium 38ate or magine
8:00
only form known to cross the bloodb
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brain barrier effectively. This means it
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doesn't just support your muscles or
8:09
your heart. It gets to the brain. So
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it's really good brain fog, memory
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issues, focus problems, age related
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cognitive decline, you know, so it's
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been studied in Alzheimer's, ADHD, even
8:25
depression.
8:27
Magnesium is essential for what we call
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neuroplasticity,
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you know, where the brain is able to
8:34
rewire, repair, and stay sharp. Makes
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those synapses really work well. So
8:40
three and eight may be a little pricier
8:42
than the other forms, but if you're
8:44
working on brain health, recovery from
8:47
long-term stress, cognitive resilience
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as you age, maybe worth looking into. So
8:53
I like to pair 3 and8 with glycinate.
8:55
Calms the body, sharpens the mind. Okay.
8:59
Magnesium sulfate. We call it the detox
9:02
soak. You've probably seen it, used it
9:04
probably even salts is magnesium
9:07
sulfate. Primarily we use it topically
9:10
or in foot foot baths. So it's great for
9:13
tired, achy muscles, um recovering from
9:16
workouts or injuries. Great for gentle
9:19
detoxification and stress relief. A lot
9:23
of people who travel will put this in
9:27
their travel bag because it's great for
9:30
detox and stress relief. So it's
9:33
absorbed through the skin in small
9:35
amounts. So it can help relax the
9:37
muscles and the nervous system and it
9:40
has its own, you know, soaking has its
9:41
own therapeutic value, right? Um you
9:44
don't want to take it internally unless
9:46
an emergency in surgical situations. Uh
9:49
hospitals may use it in that case, but
9:51
we don't want to take it internally on a
9:53
regular basis. But when you're feeling
9:54
sore, wired, toxic, run a bath, add two
9:59
cups of Epsom salts. That is your
10:02
magnesium sulfate. Soak for 20 to 30
10:05
minutes. Oh, and if you've got some
10:07
lavender essential oil, oh my goodness,
10:10
the sand man cometh. Next, magnesium
10:14
oxide. Basically, it's the cheap and
10:16
chalky one. Not one that I would ever
10:19
recommend. You're going to see it in
10:20
drugstores. It's cheap. It's It's the
10:22
least absorbed of all. As little as 4%.
10:26
So, most of it's going to end up in the
10:27
toilet, not in your cells. So, it's
10:29
inexpensive. You know, some people use
10:31
it as an ant acid. I don't really
10:34
recommend it if you're trying to correct
10:36
a magnesium deficiency or support your
10:39
brain or relax your muscles or help with
10:41
stress. It's also kind of irritating the
10:44
stomach for some people. So, you know,
10:46
you might consider it a quick fix, but
10:48
not a therapeutic form. If you use this
10:52
sub, um, you know, might be time for an
10:54
upgrade. Okay. Number six, magnesium
10:58
torate, the heart protector.
11:01
Magnesium combined to torine, the amino
11:05
acid that is vital for cardiovascular
11:08
function, nervous system balance, and
11:11
cell membrane integrity. So it's the
11:14
form I often recommend for heart
11:16
palpitations, high blood pressure,
11:20
irregular heart rhythms like arrhythmias
11:23
or stress induced tension in the neck or
11:26
chest. Both magnesium and torine are
11:29
going to calm down the sympathetic
11:32
nervous system. The one that I talk
11:34
about the fight or flight, you know, it
11:37
can keep your heart racing especially
11:39
during stress. And together torine and
11:43
magnesium are great muscle relaxers
11:47
of the blood vessels. So it can improve
11:51
blood flow and lower what we call
11:53
vascular resistance.
11:56
Torine is also known to modulate calcium
12:00
signaling in the heart. So if you ever
12:03
feel like your heart skips a beat or if
12:05
your doctor says you've got a little
12:06
arhythmia, magnesium to may be worth
12:09
exploring. I also personally would
12:13
recommend it for use in migraines,
12:17
especially if they're triggered by
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stress or barometric changes.
12:23
Incredibly calming, not just physically,
12:27
but emotionally, too. So for anyone
12:30
carrying around a lot of grief, anxiety
12:33
or heartache, they call this the heart
12:36
hug magnesium.
12:38
Okay. Number seven, magnesium chloride.
12:42
It's kind of a detox helper and for the
12:46
metabolism.
12:48
We
12:50
typically find this in topical sprays or
12:54
magnesium oils. really good for
12:56
magnesium replenishment, cell hydration,
13:00
metabolic health, and support in the
13:03
detox pathways. It has excellent
13:06
absorption.
13:08
So, even if you put it on the skin, it's
13:10
going to get in there. Also can help
13:12
regulate stomach acid, the hydrochloric
13:14
acid. So, often you'll see this in
13:17
digestive support products. So, if
13:19
you're dealing with indigestion,
13:22
especially poor protein digestion
13:24
because of low stomach acid, this may be
13:26
a twofor one solution. Also, in the
13:30
summertime here, a lot of people are
13:32
dehydrated. They need electrolytes. Um,
13:34
really good for that. Um, low in energy,
13:38
maybe for a detox protocol. This would
13:40
be a great one to take mid afternoon to
13:43
give yourself a little lift in energy.
13:45
Um, topical sprays can be a little
13:49
stingy on sensitive skin, especially if
13:52
you're low in magnesium. You kind of
13:54
feel that little tingle, that means your
13:56
body really needs it. But, um, go easy
13:59
if your skin is really sensitive. Number
14:02
eight, magnesium lactate. Don't see this
14:05
one very often. We carry it through
14:06
standard process, but it is considered
14:09
the chronic fatigue fighter. Magnesium
14:12
lactate combined with magnesium with
14:15
lactic acid. Usually you think about
14:18
that as what your muscles produce when
14:21
they're under exertion. But this form is
14:24
unique because it is very gentle on the
14:27
digestive tract. And it is a top choice
14:31
for people with sensitive stomachs.
14:34
People that have chronic fatigue
14:36
syndromes like fibromyalgia.
14:38
uh even chronic fatig fatigue syndrome
14:41
or postviral fatigue. Lactic acid plays
14:46
a role in the energy cycle. So it's
14:50
often used in hospital settings for
14:52
people that need longterm support but
14:55
can't tolerate other forms. So,
14:57
magnesium lactate, chronic fatigue,
15:00
chronic exhaustion, electrolyte
15:02
imbalances, even long COVID, it's being
15:06
studied, or mitochondrial dysfunction.
15:09
Not well known in health food stores,
15:11
but I always keep it in my toolkit for
15:14
people that are very depleted, very
15:16
burned out, barely making it through the
15:18
day, especially if they've had trauma,
15:20
illness, or long-term stress. It's a
15:23
good one to take in smaller divided
15:25
doses, maybe a few with each meal. Great
15:28
for people that need slow, steady
15:31
support without dramatic shifts. And
15:34
lastly, we've got magnesium malate, the
15:39
motivational
15:42
magnesium for the mitochondria. So it
15:46
takes malic acid which commonly found in
15:49
apples along with magnesium. Anybody who
15:53
has studied the KB cycles, oh my
15:55
goodness, you remember that malic acid
15:59
is essential for your cells to make the
16:02
ATP which is the ultimate byproduct of
16:06
the Krep cycle. So great form for
16:09
fatigue, fibromyalgia, muscle tightness,
16:13
chronic illness, exercise recovery. So
16:16
if you wake up feeling like you've been
16:17
hit by a truck, you know that sharp
16:19
stabbing pain in the neck, muscle aches,
16:22
low stamina, joint pain, this might be
16:24
your form. It improves energy
16:28
production. And many people with
16:29
fibromyalgia report less pain and better
16:33
physical function when they take it
16:35
regularly. We even have a product called
16:37
fibalgia that uses this specific one and
16:40
it is so popular. I recommend it for
16:42
active individuals as well as anybody
16:45
with low magne or low thyroid or
16:47
adrenal. Adrenal and thyroid both maybe
16:51
feel like they're dragging throughout
16:53
the day. So this kind of will give a
16:56
nice gentle energy boost without
16:58
stimulants. Great if you're trying to
17:00
avoid that caffeine in the afternoon
17:03
because that's going to upset your your
17:04
sleep at night. So, bonus tip, I call it
17:08
the apple a day magnesium because you
17:10
know malic acid from apples and it's
17:14
great detoxifying power. So, final
17:17
thoughts, you know,
17:20
here's a recap because I know it's a
17:22
lot. So, got a pencil and paper. Number
17:26
one, citrate, great for constipation.
17:29
Glycinate, great for calming, sleep, and
17:31
anxiety. Threeinate, brain support, and
17:34
memory. Sulfate, topical, for detox and
17:38
muscle relaxation. Oxide, cheap, not
17:41
very bioavailable. Don't want that one.
17:43
Torate, great for the heart, great for
17:45
stress. Chloride will support hydration,
17:49
stomach acid, and detoxification.
17:52
Lactate gentle gentle great for chronic
17:56
fatigue and the malate energizing for
17:59
muscles and mitochondrial function. So
18:02
really it's not should I take magnesium
18:05
the real question is which form does my
18:08
body need the most? In many cases I'll
18:11
combine two like glycinate for
18:13
relaxation and malate or torate for the
18:16
brain. It's not a one-sizefits-all, so
18:20
you can match the form that you need. It
18:22
will be a gamecher.
18:24
So, that's all for today of today's
18:27
nutrition. As always, if you have
18:29
questions or want some personalized
18:30
guidance, reach out to me or come visit
18:33
us at The Goodear. We've got high
18:35
quality magnesium products that actually
18:38
work and we'll help you find the right
18:40
one for your needs. This is Dr. Dr. Deb
18:43
Ford reminding you, you were designed
18:45
for health, not disease. You were
18:48
designed to thrive, and it starts with
18:50
giving your body what it truly needs.
18:53
Until next time, stay strong, stay
18:56
nourished, and stay magnesium powered.
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Magnesium Matters
Deb Ford DCN RDN
55 views
Jul 23, 2025
19:01
Today, we’re diving into magnesium — one of my all-time favorite minerals. In fact, I call it the master mineral because it’s involved in over 300 enzymatic processes in the body. That’s everything from muscle relaxation and nerve transmission to blood sugar regulation, energy production, and detoxification. And yet — most people are deficient. Not just because we aren’t eating enough magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and legumes, but also because our soils are depleted, our stress levels are high, and many of us take medications that deplete magnesium even further — like proton pump inhibitors, diuretics, and birth control pills. But here’s the kicker. Even when people do take magnesium supplements, they often don’t feel better — because they’re taking the wrong kind.