Aidan:
Hello and welcome to the Ideal Nutrition Podcast. My name is Aidan Muir, and I’m here with my co-host, Torwen Eerkens. This is Episode 221, and we are talking about magnesium. This is our first proper episode together. We chose a topic that is broadly relevant. Magnesium fits because it is involved in many body processes.
People also commonly consume suboptimal amounts. We will cover areas where magnesium is relevant. We will discuss food versus supplements. We will also cover deficiency versus suboptimal intake.
Torwen:
A deficiency on a standard blood test is rare. Serum reflects about one percent of total body magnesium. The body regulates magnesium tightly. Measuring intracellular magnesium is difficult, particularly in Australia.
Aidan:
As far as I know, it is not possible here. It is at least extremely difficult. That rules it out in practice.
Torwen:
Suboptimal intake is very common. The RDI is 400–420 milligrams per day for men. It is 310–320 milligrams per day for women. Food sources include pumpkin, chia, sunflower, and poppy seeds. Tofu, almonds, and grainy bread also help. What are your thoughts on food versus supplements?
Aidan:
Starting with food, think of magnesium like fibre or potassium. It is less about single “magic” foods. It is more about overall volume of magnesium-rich foods. For fibre, we might aim for 30 grams per day. No single food gives you 30 grams. For vitamin C, one orange can reach 100 percent of the RDI. I view magnesium more like fibre.
Regarding supplements, they help when food intake falls short. If most people miss targets from food, supplements make sense. We can still improve intake through food.
Torwen:
For acute effects, supplementation can help. Timing at certain parts of the day matters. We will go through specific reasons and timing.
Aidan:
Sleep is where timing likely matters most. We lack definitive research in healthy people. We mostly have clues. Higher magnesium intake from food links to better sleep. Research on magnesium for insomnia looks positive. We do not have heaps of studies. The available research suggests it helps. Anecdotally, people with wearables report improvements. Placebo control is lacking there. There are gaps, but potential upside and little downside.
Torwen:
In practice, many people report better sleep. They fall asleep faster and sleep deeper. That alone can have value.
Aidan:
If someone wants a stand-alone magnesium, that is fine. My usual pick is a multi-ingredient sleep product. Several ingredients may help to a similar level. There is no downside, with possible upside. A consistent pre-bed routine also helps. You take it 30 to 60 minutes before bed. Sleep usually improves.
Torwen:
Research does not identify one best product. Doses and timing are not fixed. Magnesium glycinate is commonly recommended for sleep. Typical dosing is 200–400 milligrams, 30–60 minutes before bed.
Aidan:
Let’s move to bone health.
Torwen:
Magnesium is a component of bone. About 60 percent of body magnesium is stored there. It supports bone formation and density. It helps via parathyroid hormone and vitamin D regulation. Higher dietary magnesium links with greater bone mineral density. Lower intake links with lower density and higher fracture risk.
Aidan:
Supplementation in older groups increases bone mineral density. I still lean food first for bone health. People can improve diet quality meaningfully. That often raises potassium, calcium, and other helpful nutrients.
Torwen:
Some groups face higher osteoporosis risk. Menopausal women are one example. Address dietary intake first in those groups.
Aidan:
Next is cramps. Magnesium plays a theoretical role in cramping. Deficiency would likely increase cramping. However, deficiency is rare. Does suboptimal intake meaningfully change cramping?
Torwen:
A review examined skeletal muscle cramps across eleven trials. Magnesium did not significantly reduce cramp frequency or intensity. Reported benefits were not significant overall. Gastrointestinal upset occurred in 11–37 percent of participants. Diarrhoea was common.
Aidan:
A company once added high-dose magnesium to gels. I searched for research supporting cramp reduction. Athlete research did not show benefits. Anecdotally, many people still report help.
Torwen:
It might be worth trying if there are no side effects. Use a lower dose and consider the form. We will talk forms later.
Aidan:
Athlete anecdotes can be misleading. Neuromuscular fatigue changes cramp likelihood over time. Week one cramping is more likely than week four. You might add a supplement and cramps stop anyway. Training adaptation could explain the change.
Aidan:
Let’s talk mental health. Recent reviews show benefits for depression and anxiety. Magnesium helps on average. It is only one variable among many. Average improvements can still be small. I do not want to overhype it.
Torwen:
It will not fix everything in isolation. There is evidence for some disorders. We have not seen benefits for ADHD, OCD, or schizophrenia. It is not the complete answer.
Aidan:
When holding a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Nutrition often works that way. You can hyper-focus on certain areas. Gut health and mental health show a large link. Individual nutrients also show links. They are one component of a bigger picture. Let’s cover gut-related topics.
Aidan:
This is your area. I noted magnesium citrate helps with constipation. Neither of us often uses it with clients. It is still an option. Do you use it?
Torwen:
I use it as a secondary option. Magnesium citrate is an osmotic laxative. It draws water into the bowel. It eases stool passage and softens stool. I suggest it if other osmotic options fail. It can cause diarrhoea and GI symptoms. Use it with some caution.
Aidan:
I have seen diarrhoea at 400 milligrams per day. That was with general magnesium. It is the first thing I remove.
Torwen:
For chronic constipation, I might use 300–400 milligrams. That is for someone struggling to move their bowels. If diarrhoea occurs, I remove it.
Aidan:
Now, magnesium and muscle recovery. Magnesium may act as a natural muscle relaxant. It also plays roles in protein synthesis and inflammation. Magnesium levels drop during exercise. The importance of that drop is unclear. Supplementation might offset the drop. What does the research show? A 2024 systematic review found four studies.
Magnesium reduced delayed onset muscle soreness. Performance recovery improved in general. There was a protective effect on muscle damage. Doses ranged from 300 to 500 milligrams. The authors recommended 10–20 percent higher intake for intense exercise. Losses during exercise likely contribute. If supplementing, take it about two hours before training.
Torwen:
Do you dose before training in practice?
Aidan:
I have thought about it but do not do it. I am more open to dosing before sleep. People often take magnesium for recovery anecdotally. I have not seen people take it before training for this. I learned recently that levels drop during training. Does that drop matter? The review suggests soreness reductions.
How meaningful is the difference? If you train hard, you will be sore sometimes. Fish oil can reduce soreness. Tart cherry has been discussed as well. I do not recommend everything to everyone. Costs add up and stacks become large. For recovery, I prefer food first. I know timing complicates that view.
Torwen:
Supplementation might help sleep and then recovery. Better sleep could drive better recovery. People may then double up on doses. How much are they taking overall?
Aidan:
Anything else to cover? If not, let’s discuss supplement types. We touched on magnesium citrate. I would only use it for constipation. I would avoid it otherwise due to GI risks. Magnesium glycinate suits most other aims. There are benefits in relation to the blood-brain barrier. It seems a safe bet with few GI issues. Many studies do not mention the form. Glycinate still looks like the safest choice to me.
Torwen:
I recommend glycinate most of the time.
Aidan:
This has been Episode 221 of the Ideal Nutrition Podcast. We have discussed magnesium. If this resonated, consider reviewing your magnesium intake. Consider supplementation if appropriate. I would love a rating or review. We are pushing this during the relaunch phase. Your support would mean the world.