Magnesium can help keep your brain younger
By naturopath Margaret Jasinska
Having more magnesium in your diet can lead to better brain health as you age. With age it is normal to experience some brain shrinkage. Getting enough magnesium in your diet can help to minimise this.
A study conducted at the Australian National University in Canberra found that increased magnesium intake may help protect individuals from age related brain decline. The benefits are particularly striking in women.
Scientists looked at data from more than 6,000 individuals aged between 40 and 73 years, tracking their dietary magnesium intake and its effects on brain volume and white matter lesions. People who consumed more than 550 mg of magnesium daily had a brain that appeared almost a year younger by age 55 compared to those with lower magnesium intake.
Interestingly, the study found that postmenopausal women experienced the greatest brain benefits from magnesium.
Magnesium is found in foods such as leafy green vegetables, nuts and seeds. Many people aren’t getting enough magnesium in their diet.
According to lead author and PhD researcher Khawlah Alateeq, from the ANU National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, “Our study shows a 41 per cent increase in magnesium intake could lead to less age-related brain shrinkage, which is associated with better cognitive function. This research highlights the potential benefits of a diet high in magnesium and the role it plays in promoting good brain health. The study shows higher dietary magnesium intake may contribute to neuroprotection earlier in the ageing process and preventative effects may begin in our 40s or even earlier”.
How does magnesium help the brain?
Magnesium makes your mitochondria healthier and more efficient. Healthy mitochondria help to keep your entire body healthier and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
More than a third of a cell’s magnesium is found inside the mitochondria. Magnesium is a cofactor in more than 300 enzyme reactions, including those involved in the electron transport chain in mitochondria, which turns the food you’ve eaten into energy.
A lot of people are not getting sufficient magnesium in their diet. Deficiency is especially common in people with digestive problems, older individuals and those taking proton pump inhibitor acid blocking drugs such as Nexium or Somac.
Magnesium insufficiency can lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, increased oxidative stress/free radical production and accelerated ageing. If you don’t get enough magnesium in your diet, your mitochondria won’t be able to produce as much energy and your overall health can suffer.
Reference:
https://www.anu.edu.au/news/all-news/eating-more-magnesium-each-day-keeps-dementia-at-bay
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