Today, I want to talk about the incredible impact that one simple mineral can have on your entire body. That mineral? MAGNESIUM.
Magnesium’s efficacy for improved sleep quality is well documented and widely known. But did you know that over 300 essential processes in your body also rely on magnesium? I didn’t until Inside Tracker educated me on this mighty mineral.
According to InsideTracker, magnesium supports healthy blood pressure and blood sugar levels, strengthens the immune system, and assists in muscle contraction and relaxation. Adequate levels of magnesium also improve muscle strength and increase the time to muscle fatigue during short, intense bursts of exercise. Optimal magnesium levels are also associated with improved sleep quality, mood, blood sugar, blood pressure, and heart health.
Wow, right?
There’s also exciting emerging research that magnificent magnesium can support cognitive health too. So many wins with magnesium. The issue? Most of us aren’t getting enough. I wasn’t… and I had no idea. Until I started using InsideTracker a couple of years ago.
So how do you get magnesium?
We ingest it from many foods like whole grains, beans, leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and seafood. We can also use supplementation of magnesium to ensure optimal levels. I strive to get the magnificent mag with a combination strategy of food during the day and supplementation in the evening. I use Momentous Supplements for their quality and purity.
How much do you need? How do you know if you’re getting enough?
The only foolproof way is to take a look inside and get regular blood tests to measure. When I got my first InsideTracker blood test, I was shocked to see how low my magnesium was. I learned that athletes and active individuals require more due to sweating demands. I also learned that RBC (red blood cell) magnesium is a more precise measurement than serum magnesium because if there’s a deficiency in the blood, the body will pull magnesium from the red blood cells to compensate.
InsideTracker gives you both biomarkers (RBC Magnesium and Magnesium) so you can see your own trends and know if the diet changes and supplementation are helping you hit optimal levels.
Magnesium Group is a combo measurement of Magnesium (the amount of magnesium in the blood) and RBC Magnesium (the amount of magnesium carried on the red blood cell). This is relevant because blood will remove magnesium from bones if it’s not getting enough in your dietary intake. So blood levels may look in optimal range even though the blood is stealing magnesium from the bones to get what it needs.
The proof
Here’s a look at my personal timeline. It compares a test taken in February 202 to my most recent test April 2023. Each of the dots/measurements across these graphs corresponds with dates of InsideTracker blood draws spaced about 3 or 4 months apart.
I’ve included my graphs below of my historical magnesium markers from InsideTracker. It’s a great snapshot of how I started (very low), then a normalization period achieved by the very next blood test, and then a maintenance period with optimal levels for a year.
But then? Whammo. I had a huge excursion into the red zone! This was due to a highly stressful time of moving and working and training. After that blood test you can see the huge dip in magnesium. The good news? I had the tools to build awareness and knew that I needed to pay more attention. Because of this, I was able to snap it back up to optimal levels again.
Without InsideTracker, I wouldn’t have known how important magnesium is to so many bodily functions. I also wouldn’t have known my own personal markers or learned how to adapt them with nutrition and supplementation.
THE BIG PICTURE
All of us can proactively take control of our health and vitality. Education, tools, and personalized recommendations are at your fingertips via InsideTracker. They do the research, parse the information, and present it simply, understandably and all in one place. Better yet, they explain how all aspects of your health are interrelated. Do yourself (and your future self!) a favor and take this positive step to control how you feel, act, sleep and perform!
Resources:
InsideTracker Magnesium video (2 minutes! An awesome resource on magnesium and what it does and how it’s measured in the blood.)