Mighty Magnesium: Are You Getting Enough?
In a world of busy schedules, multitasking and everyday stressors, this mind-soothing mineral may hold the key to keeping your cool no matter what comes your way. Magnesium helps calm your mind, boost your mood and relax your body so you can carry on with confidence.1,2
But that isn’t all magnesium is good for. It also supports energy production, healthy bones, muscle function, digestion and more.1,3 It may help you sleep better too! That might seem like a lot, but magnesium supports our health in so many unique ways because it's involved in hundreds of functions in the body.4
Magnesium is one nutrient that you definitely don’t want to be without, and that’s why we developed Mellow Mag—a magnesium powder drink that brings the health-promoting benefits of nature’s most effective calming nutrient to you in an innovative, easily absorbable way. Mellow Mag is available in three delicious flavors: Strawberry Kiwi, Raspberry Lemonade and Orange.
Read on to learn more about the benefits of magnesium and our new magnesium powder drink.
What are the Benefits of Magnesium?
Magnesium may be the eighth most abundant element in the universe, but that doesn’t mean you get enough of it in your diet.4 In fact, most people don’t reach their recommended daily intake of magnesium, which is 300 mg to 400 mg for most healthy adults. And that’s unfortunate because magnesium is an essential nutrient that benefits our body in so many ways.5 Magnesium supplements are most frequently used to promote calmness, soothe tired muscles, support heart health, boost cellular energy and promote cognitive health. A powdered magnesium drink can be a great way to support a healthy magnesium level in the body.
Magnesium Benefits
Supports Mood
Magnesium may significantly improve mood, reduce stress and calm anxious feelings, especially if you have low levels of magnesium, which can amplify anxiousness and your body’s stress response.1,2,6
Calms the Mind
Magnesium supports healthy functioning of nerves and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors, which help calm the mind and reduce tension.5,7
Promotes Cognitive Health
When you’re stressed or anxious, it can be difficult to think clearly. Magnesium’s calming and mood-supporting benefits also help promote cognitive health, plus magnesium boosts cellular energy production so you may feel more energized and alert.
Relaxes Muscles
Magnesium plays roles in potassium absorption (potassium also benefits muscles) as well as healthy muscle function and blood vessel relaxation.5,8
Supports Heart Health
Magnesium is involved in cardiovascular regulation and healthy blood pressure, and studies have linked low levels of magnesium with many heart health concerns.9,10
Benefits Bones
Magnesium is involved in the structural development of bones and the transport of calcium and potassium through cell membranes.5
Energizes Cells
Magnesium is essential for energy production because the primary energy source for your cells (an enzyme known as adenosine triphosphate, or ATP) can’t function without the help of magnesium.11
Promotes Sleep
The relaxing and calming effects of magnesium may also help you sleep better and keep your mind from racing at night. Learn more about how magnesium helps with sleep in the article Magnesium for Sleep.
You can also check out the article Magnesium Benefits & Uses for more information about all the ways magnesium promotes health and wellbeing.
What’s the Best Magnesium Supplement?
If you’ve shopped around for a magnesium supplement, you’ll see that there are many types of magnesium. Why are there so many? Magnesium is abundant in nature but not by itself, it’s always found in combination with other elements, plus scientists have found ways to combine magnesium with other nutrients to improve absorption and provide additional health benefits.4 So, various types of magnesium may benefit your body in different ways. Here’s a list of magnesium supplement types and a summary of their differences.
Magnesium Carbonate–a form of magnesium that is often made into magnesium powder. It’s easily mixed and absorbed and provides a full range of magnesium benefits.
Magnesium Malate–a combination of magnesium and malic acid that supports ATP production and cellular energy.
Magnesium L-Threonate–a combination of magnesium and l-threonate to promote mental sharpness and cognitive health.
Magnesium Aspartate–a form of magnesium and aspartic acid that promotes cellular energy.
Magnesium Taurate–a magnesium salt of taurine, which is often taken for heart health support and also promotes calmness.
Magnesium Orotate–a magnesium salt of orotic acid, which is also used to promote heart health.
Magnesium Lysinate–a form of magnesium and the amino acid lysine used for gastric health.
Magnesium Glycinate–a chelated form of magnesium and the amino acid glycine that is highly bioavailable.
Magnesium Sulfate–a combination of magnesium and sulfur that soothes tired muscles, also known as Epsom salts.
Magnesium Chloride–a combination of magnesium and hydrochloric acid that is available in both pill and liquid form. This magnesium nourishes and soothes skin in oil form.
Magnesium Citrate–magnesium and citric acid, a budget-friendly option that can be supplemented with capsules/tablets, ionic liquid or drink mix.
Magnesium Oxide–magnesium bound with oxygen, a common and inexpensive form of magnesium that provides a strong laxative effect.
The best type of magnesium supplement for you will depend on the benefits you seek, but highly bioavailable forms like magnesium carbonate drinks or chelated magnesium glycinate are great options for replenishing your body’s magnesium levels quickly. For a more thorough review of the various types of magnesium, read What is the Best Magnesium Supplement Form for You?
How Much Magnesium Do I Need?
How much magnesium you need will depend on how much you already get from your food, but there’s a really good chance that you aren’t meeting your daily requirements.5 Most adults need between 300 mg to 400 mg of magnesium per day. But keep in mind that we only absorb 30% to 40% of the dietary magnesium we consume.5 Also, our bodies use up more magnesium when we are stressed.1 That can make maintaining healthy magnesium levels even more tricky.
If you’re like most people, you probably don’t eat enough magnesium-rich foods every single day to meet your needs, and even if you do eat a lot of foods high in magnesium, you may not absorb as much of it as you need.5
Most experts agree that you should get the majority of your nutrients from food sources when you can, but that isn’t always possible or practical. That’s when magnesium supplements can help fill that nutritional gap.
Why Choose a Magnesium Powder Drink?
Magnesium powder drinks are a quick and convenient way to replenish your body’s magnesium stores and get the benefits of magnesium, including relaxation, mood support and stress relief. Powdered magnesium supplements also give you ultimate flexibility when it comes to customizing your magnesium dosage.
Magnesium powders are usually mixed with water or juice to make a magnesium drink. This is a great way to take magnesium supplements because our bodies absorb liquids quickly. It’s also less work for your digestive system since it’s already dissolved before you drink it.
Our innovative Mellow Mag magnesium powder is a combination of magnesium carbonate, along with citric acid and malic acid, providing multifaceted magnesium benefits in a great-tasting and minimally processed drink. Mellow Mag delivers 330 mg of magnesium per serving and 79% of the recommended daily value for magnesium. It's organic, non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, highly-absorbable and contains no added sugar or artificial sweeteners.
Where to Buy Magnesium Powder
Swanson Health offers several magnesium powder options, including our new Mellow Mag drink. Here are a few options below.
Swanson Mellow Mag–A calming magnesium supplement that also supports muscle and bone health, available in three delicious flavors: raspberry lemonade, strawberry kiwi and orange. This easy-mixing magnesium drink provides 330 mg of magnesium per scoop and is a great way to restore healthy magnesium levels, promote relaxation and combat stress every day. In fact, Mellow Mag offers higher levels of elemental magnesium than leading national brands.
Swanson Premium 100% Pure Magnesium Citrate Powder–Our premium magnesium citrate powder is easy to mix and customize, and a great alternative for people who want to take magnesium citrate without swallowing a pill. Each scoop of this unflavored magnesium powder provides 630 mg of magnesium.
Swanson Ultra Albion Chelated Magnesium Glycinate–This magnesium powder supplement utilizes TRAACS® technology to bring you a highly bioavailable magnesium supplement that's gentle on the GI tract. Just one scoop of this flavor-free powder delivers 400 mg of magnesium.
Get a Natural Calm from Magnesium
Magnesium helps soothe your mind and body naturally, promoting everyday calm and overall wellbeing. Replenish your body’s magnesium stores and gain the benefits of magnesium with a quick-acting magnesium drink like Mellow Mag.
About Lindsey Toth, MS, RD
Registered Dietitian, Swanson Health
Lindsey is a nationally recognized registered dietitian and nutritionist with a soft spot for ice cream. She empowers people to take charge of their health by finding the balance between the pleasure and nourishment in food.
Her philosophy is that you should take care of your body because it’s the only permanent home you have. It’s what inspired her to pursue a career in nutrition and, ultimately, led her to Swanson Health.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
____________________________________________________________________________________Sources
1 Magnesium and the Brain: The Original Chill Pill. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201106/magnesium-and-the-brain-the-original-chill-pill (Accessed 1/11/2018)
2 Magnesium Might Boost Mood https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/open-gently/201709/magnesium-might-boost-mood (Accessed 4/10/2018)
3 Magnesium in man: implications for health and disease. PubMed. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25540137 (Accessed 4/10/2018)
4 Facts About Magnesium. Live Science. https://www.livescience.com/28862-magnesium.html (Accessed 4/11/2018)
5 Magnesium Fact Sheet for Consumers: National Institutes of Health. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-healthProfessional/ (Accessed 4/11/2018)
6 Magnesium deficiency induces anxiety and HPA axis dysregulation: Modulation by therapeutic drug treatment. US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3198864/ (Accessed 1/02/2018)
7 Magnesium potentiation of the function of native and recombinant GABA(A) receptors. PubMed. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11447329 (Accessed 4/11/2018)
8 Key minerals to help control blood pressure. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/key-minerals-to-help-control-blood-pressure (Accessed 1/03/2018)
9 Kawano, et al. Effects of Magnesium Supplementation in Hypertensive Patients. AHA Journals. http://hyper.ahajournals.org/content/hypertensionaha/32/2/260.full.pdf (Accessed 4/11/2018)
10 Magnesium helps the heart keep its mettle. Harvard Heart Letter. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/magnesium-helps-the-heart-keep-its-mettle (Accessed 4/11/2018)
11 Chemical mechanism of ATP synthase. Magnesium plays a pivotal role in formation of the transition state where ATP is synthesized from ADP and inorganic phosphate. PubMed. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10506126 (Accessed 4/11/2018)
Updated 2/28/22
