Both of my parents died of Alzheimer’s, so brain health isn’t just something I research—it’s personal. I’ve spent decades diving into the science of cognitive function, longevity, and prevention.
And when I came across this 2023 study, it completely changed the way I think about magnesium.
👉 Study: Alateeq, Khawlah, Erin I. Walsh, and Nicolas Cherbuin. Dietary magnesium intake is related to larger brain volumes and lower white matter lesions with notable sex differences. European Journal of Nutrition (2023)
This study from European Journal of Nutrition found that higher magnesium intake was associated with larger brain volume, particularly in regions responsible for learning and memory.
Researchers found that people with higher magnesium levels had brains that appeared nearly a year younger by midlife.
Even more striking?
Women saw even greater benefits than men.
One possible explanation is that women tend to have lower baseline magnesium levels, making them more vulnerable to deficiency.
Additionally, hormonal fluctuations—especially during menopause—may impact magnesium absorption and utilization, making consistent intake even more critical for brain health.
Translation: If you want to protect your brain, get your magnesium in check.
Researchers tracked magnesium intake over time in men (left) and women (right).
Notice the blue group (“Low Increasing”) started with low magnesium but increased their intake over time—and they were the group that had larger brain volumes and fewer white matter lesions over time, both signs of better brain health.
🔎 Big takeaways:
1) Increasing your magnesium intake now could help protect your brain for years to come—especially for women, who, as we discussed above, saw the biggest benefits in the study.
2) People in the study who had higher magnesium intake tended to have bigger brain volumes and fewer white matter lesions (which are linked to brain aging).
3) People with low magnesium intake also tended to have higher blood pressure, while those who increased magnesium saw better results.
The study also showed that increasing magnesium intake earlier in life can set you up for better brain health down the road.
The best time to start? Yesterday. The second-best time? Today.
Why Does Magnesium Protect the Brain?
Magnesium plays a crucial role in…
- Neuroplasticity – The brain’s ability to adapt and grow
- Reducing inflammation – Chronic inflammation accelerates brain aging
- Preventing hippocampal shrinkage – The hippocampus is critical for memory and learning
- Regulating neurotransmitters – Magnesium helps balance GABA (calming) and glutamate (excitatory), preventing neurotoxicity
- Supporting stress resilience – Magnesium helps regulate cortisol and prevents stress-induced brain aging
🔎 Are You Low in Magnesium?
Signs of magnesium deficiency that show up in the mouth…
- Dry, cracked lips
- Burning sensation on the tongue
- Canker sores on the tongue and inside cheeks
- White spots on the tongue
- Swollen, inflamed gums
- Difficulty swallowing
- Bad breath
- Taste buds that feel “off”
If you said yes to even one of these, you could be low in magnesium.
🥦 Best Sources of Magnesium
I always recommend getting as much as possible from whole foods first:
- Pumpkin seeds (I love these as a snack and to add to salads)
- Dark chocolate (yes, really!)
- Leafy greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard)
- Avocados
- Almonds & cashews
But our soil is far more depleted than it used to be, making it harder to get enough magnesium from diet alone.
TIP: Soaking nuts and seeds reduces phytic acid, which can improve magnesium absorption. Phytic acid is an anti-nutrient that can bind to minerals like magnesium, calcium, and zinc, making them harder for the body to absorb. It’s also better for your teeth! Phytic acid can interfere with tooth remineralization, which is your body’s natural process of repairing enamel.
What’s the right magnesium to take?
I get this question a lot. Here’s my thinking…If I’m going to go through the expense and the trouble of taking a supplement every day, it better be good! Why limit to just one or two types of magnesium when it’s such a critical mineral for over 600 processes in the body?
If you’re going to supplement, make sure it contains multiple forms, not just one or two.
Each type has different benefits…
✅ Glycinate – Brain function, relaxation
✅ Taurate – Heart health
✅ Orotate – Energy & performance
✅ Malate – Chronic pain & muscle recovery
✅ Citrate – Digestion & metabolism
✅ Chelate – Muscle recovery
✅ Sucrosomial – Bone health & immune function
Consider checking your magnesium supplement right now to check…
âť“Does it contain more than one or two forms?
âť“Does the company invest in third-party testing for purity and potency?
âť“Are you getting glycinate, the form linked to brain health in the 2023 study above?
Most people are still deficient, even when supplementing, because they’re missing key forms. When you get the full spectrum, that’s when the magic happens—better sleep, stronger cognition, improved heart health, and more.
⏩ Grab my personal recommendation HERE. Code ASKTHEDENTIST will get you 10% off. They’re a newsletter sponsor, but I’d be taking this supplement every day regardless; It’s the only one I’ve found that includes all seven critical forms of magnesium (plus an eighth form only in the lemonade powder version, which my grandkids take since they’re too young for pills—scroll down on the link above, or click the link above and search the page for “lemonade” and you’ll see it.)
As always, I love to hear from you. Which study or topic should I do a deep dive on next?
P.S. Have you noticed a difference in your sleep or cognitive function since taking magnesium? Hit reply and let me know!