Magnesium Boosts Brain Function

A new animal study shows that intake of magnesium¹ above what is traditionally considered the normal dietary amount has a dramatic effect on improving multiple aspects of memory and learning, findings that held true for both young and old.

Magnesium directly improved synaptic plasticity Ability of the connection or synapse between two neurons to change in strength because of either use or lack of use., which I have previously explained as the key to the future health of your brain.  Various regions in the brain associated with learning and memory experienced significant improvements in synaptic function as a result of magnesium dietary supplementation.

“Our findings suggest that elevating brain magnesium content via increasing magnesium intake might be a useful new strategy to enhance cognitive abilities,” explains lead author Guosong Liu, Director of the Center for Learning and Memory at Tsinghua University in Beijing.  “Moreover, half the population of industrialized countries has a magnesium deficit, which increases with aging. This may very well contribute to age-dependent memory decline; increasing magnesium intake might prevent or reduce such decline.”

This data suggests that the daily requirement of 400 mg of magnesium, while adequate for some important functions of magnesium, is not adequate for optimal brain function.  Over the years I have seen significant health improvement in individuals consuming magnesium in the 600 mg – 1000 mg range.  Because magnesium tends to have a laxative effect the amount any one person can consume as a dietary supplement is sometimes limited by bowel function.  However, for those interested in strategies to help maintain optimal brain function higher levels of magnesium intake are likely to be helpful.