May 29

May 29 Brain Fog Part 4: Magnesium

Magnesium, Brain Fog, and What to do About it (scroll to bottom for action steps)

This might sound dramatic or overly serious, but the body will not function properly or heal from chronic illness if one is deficient in magnesium. Like an old blue truck missing its steering wheel and three of its tires, without magnesium, the cells lose their foundation and direction.

Without magnesium, cells perish.

Each cell's ability to produce adequate energy (ATP) dwindles, so the summation of cellular function that is you begins the steady march towards death.

Magnesium is beyond important: it is ESSENTIAL.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Perhaps you’ve been feeling ragged for a while now.

You experience what they call “chronic fatigue,” and mysterious joint pain, have hypothyroid issues, can’t lose weight, insulin resistance, always feel cold, bizarre food sensitivities, and it feels like your brain only clicks into gear on good days.

On most days, your brain might even feel broken.

You slug down your mug of coffee, avoid eating too many sweets, and carry on because #thisisamerica.

Or, maybe you’ve noticed odd symptoms piling up like dirty dishes after a dinner party: twitching, tremors, muscle cramps, insatiable thirst, physical and mental exhaustion, sleep troubles, digestive imbalances, and overall feeling crumby. You’ve been following a strict gut-healing diet but you’re still more bloated than ever.

These seemingly mysterious symptoms tie together with the basic mineral magnesium at the center. It isn’t just the overly stressed (Pt. 1) , the overtrained (Pt. 2), the mold-exposed (Pt. 3) but the magnesium deficient that too begin to notice impaired brain function and chronic brain fog.

The overlap is not a coincidence, by the way. The same biochemical pathways are disrupted from the myriad threats to the organism.

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY:

Dr. Norman Shealy states that, "Every known illness is associated with a magnesium deficiency" and that, "magnesium is the most critical mineral required for electrical stability of every cell in the body. A magnesium deficiency may be responsible for more diseases than any other nutrient." (1)

Let that sink in.

My goal is never to scare you, of course! But, to bring your attention to the overly dismissed and extreme importance of nutrition on the functioning of the organism. When looking at symptoms, it’s easy to blame this and demonize that, take this Rx to treat x, y and z, when in fact a missing link in the chain could be instigating the problem.

Furthermore, Dr. Mark Sircus reminds us,

“After oxygen, water, and basic food, magnesium may be the most important element needed by our bodies; vitally important, yet hardly known. It is more important than calcium, potassium or sodium and regulates all three of them.” [1]

The list of processes relying on magnesium seems to grow with every new study, but so far we know that magnesium “is involved in many biochemical pathways of key importance, including the degradation of macronutrients, oxidative phosphorylation, DNA and protein synthesis, neuro-muscular excitability, and regulation of parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion.” [2]. Without magnesium, energy production suffers, DNA does not get produced, aging accelerates, and with that, your life span shortens.

ENERGY:

When we zoom in to appreciate the function of the cell,

“One critical task performed by our cells is energy production. This task is a complicated one and involves dozens of chemical reactions, all intimately related and flowing in a very special sequence. Unless these chemical reactions can take place in the exact needed order, we don't get the energy production that we need from our cells. Within this energy production sequence, magnesium plays an important role. Many of the chemical reactions cannot take place unless magnesium is present as "cofactor" for the enzymes that allow energy production to occur.” (3)

A study titled, "3,751 magnesium binding sites have been detected on human proteins," indicates that a deficiency of magnesium might impact a far wider range of biological structures than the already 600+ identified enzymes relying on and activated by magnesium(4).

In summary, the presence or absence of adequate levels of this humble mineral might epigenetically alter the expression and behavior of the proteins in our body. With these changes, the portrait of health, disease, or somewhere on the spectrum is painted.

That being said, the importance of magnesium might be greater than the medical profession has previously preached. A deficiency triggered by even a day, weekend, month, or life of eating magnesium deficient foods, burning it up with stress, on top of impaired absorption and gut issues could literally change your DNA. In doing so, you unknowingly shift your genetics, that of your children, and for generations to follow. Giving respect where it's due, magnesium could be viewed as a power tool.

Based on magnesium's role in energy production within our cells, low levels can be one of the potential contributory factors causing fatigue, inflammation, and mental sluggishness.

If enzymes are not activated, energy isn’t being produced, how can anything, especially your brain, be expected to function?

THINKING CREATIVELY:

When we think of memory and learning, most people imagine a complex soup of neurons, chemicals, and electrical connections. This draws a highly active, energy dependent state, creating pathways and carving paths with every incorporation of experience. The brain and the heart contain the highest concentrations of magnesium in the body, due to their high need for electrical energy. As such, they are both especially vulnerable to magnesium insufficiency.

Dr. Perlmutter teaches us that:

“Synapse formation is dependent upon a variety of factors that have been well studied including insulin, ghrelin, various trophic hormones, and, as we have now learned, the ion magnesium.”

Without magnesium, the physiological events fundamental to the processes of learning and memory are placed on hold. Survival is deemed more important. Creativity and brain function are not [5].

INFLAMMATION:

When issues of inflammation take hold, investigating conditions favoring excess or deficiencies for likely causes proves wise.

On top of assisting energy production, repair, and detoxification, magnesium could be classified as an anti-inflammatory mineral that might be more important than choosing so-called anti-inflammatory foods. (Move over turmeric and ginger, we need to look even further upstream). Levels of magnesium in the body are inversely correlated to levels of inflammatory markers like CRP and IL-6, which seem to rise in cases of metabolic dysfunction, high levels of free fatty acids, chronic stress, infection, and chronic disease of all varieties.

When magnesium is intentionally depleted in studies, inflammatory markers rise. At the same time, other vital minerals decline in conjunction with increased levels of toxicity, loss of oxygen, and cell death:

“Feeding rats Mg-depleted food led to a nearly 3-fold increase in plasma IL-6, a significant increase of fibrinogen and other acute phase proteins and a significant reduction in Zn [6].

The deficient diet not only led to inflammation but seemed to deplete other vital nutrients, as if responding to the stressor required using the next best substitute. (Out of magnesium? better turn to zinc, thinks the cell). Zinc depletion could then lead to recklessly burning through other brain-critical nutrients, as zinc influences the absorption of all fat-soluble vitamins . When brain fog is concerned, the thorn at the bottom of the chain, blocking absorption and utilization of vitamins A, D, E, and K, continually leads back to the humble yet majestic, MAGNESIUM.

In some ways, the standard american diet and even seemingly nutrient-dense plant-based diets mimics the diet fed to these rats, as magnesium concentrations in “health” foods have dramatically and significantly declined with the decimation of our soils. Our cells seem to be starving, no matter how much or how perfectly we eat [7].So many people feel terrible, despite eating organic, local, drinking green juices, wheatgrass shots, and eating sprouted grains, and our highly lacking food supply might be contributing.

In terms of poisoning from within and bacterial byproducts, “Mg deficiency also amplifies endotoxin-induced lethality in rats, which was correlated with increased TNFα production,” suggesting that magnesium mitigates the unavoidable inflammatory processes in our guts [8]. In rat models, Mg deficiency led to an increase in thromboxane (TBX2) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), markers of distress highlighting the pro-inflammatory cascades directly triggered by inadequate diets” [9].

[As I write this, I’m giddily anticipating my magnesium foot soak this evening. Would you like me to throw in an extra scoop of epsom salts for you?]

DEPRESSION & STRESS:

Depression has been misunderstood and stigmatized as a mental illness caused by “chemical imbalances.”

Nowadays, it is more recognized as a symptom of systemic inflammation: a system under attack. As brain function depends on magnesium showing up to the gathering, the low moods and despair associated with improper functioning seem less like a disease of laziness and more like a cell crying out for minerals! Magnesium appears to antagonize the effects of stress, or the stress-response: It is essential in breaking down cortisol, adrenaline and adrenochrome, pumping the breaks on any unnecessary catabolic damage that these stress hormones might place on the cell.

Clearly, what we ingest interacts with and dictates the energetic potential within us. An increasing number of studies continue to confirm the epidemiological relationship between low dietary Mg intake and the risk of developing depression [10].

Other studies show that:

“Oral administration of Mg to animals produced antidepressant-like effects that were comparable to those of antidepressant drugs.”

“Intravenous and oral Mg protocols have been reported to rapidly terminate major depression safely and without side effects.”
“Cerebral spinal fluid Mg has been found to be low in suicidal treatment-resistant depression”
“Brain Mg deficiency reduces serotonin levels, and antidepressant drugs have been shown to have the action of raising brain Mg [11].
“Chronic oral administration of high- dose Mg leads to considerable reductions in cortisol and lowered stress responsiveness”[12].

While one might suggest taking an antidepressant to clear up a chronic case of the blues, what has prevented us from addressing the root cause and rebuilding the foundation with minerals as the first step?

How convenient for pharmaceutical companies to push SSRIs, MAOIs, anti-psychotics, sleep medications, and opiates-ripe with side effects and lasting impairments-- before correcting basic nutritional deficiencies

What grounds does psychiatry have as a medical practice if it chooses to overlook basic biology and instead introduce foreign, lab-synthesized chemicals to someone’s complex ecological microcosm?

IMMUNITY:

The immune systems ability to handle invaders can dictate the inflammatory load that is then circulated to the brain. Boosting and supporting immune system function is often talked about as if the immune system is separate from us. The supplement industry likes to preach that with a squirt of lab-made Vitamin C, we will be safe from all forms of disease and viruses. This misleads us to over-simplify factors that influence immunity. Can we really take massive doses of vitamin C and cover the foundation? What if you’re supplementing with all the immune-boosters but missing the building blocks, therefore impeding your ability to even use the boosters?

We swallow all the trendy (and expensive) supplements, but our brains still feel clouded.

Magnesium regulates antiviral immunity by utilizing intracellular free magnesium, which is about 1% of the total magnesium stored within the body. Intracellular free magnesium controls how well our immune system can seek out and kill virally infected cells [13].

When viruses like Lyme, Bartonella, Babesia, Epstein-Barr, or even SARS viruses overpopulate an organism, the inflammation from their presence and activity is enough to impair brain function: their toxins directly fog up the brain.

Simply taking Vitamin C--while important--ignores the root cause.

Low intracellular free magnesium sheds insight into the worse outcomes for people with Type 2 diabetes (characterized with low intracellular magnesium but normal serum levels ) and viruses, such as COVID-19 [13].

AGING & DECLINE:

One of the most important contributors to deficiency of magnesium is high blood sugar, as is seen in diabetes. It’s a two-way street, as low levels of magnesium are closely linked with insulin resistance, which directly leads to elevations in blood sugar. What might be going on here?

According to Dr. Carolyn Dean, when the ratio of calcium to magnesium is too high

“Calcium in extracellular fluid. . . can decrease the permeability of cell membranes. This makes it increasingly difficult for glucose (a large molecule) to pass through the cell membrane to be converted to ATP in the cells’ mitochondria. High glucose levels created by excess calcium may be misdiagnosed as diabetes” [14]

[High blood sugar=High metabolic stress=High need for magnesium]

In this situation, the cell is basically starving, wasting magnesium in the process. As cells starve, brain function plummets: voila, brain fog, served on a nice porcelain platter.

While natural aging is just part of life, accelerated aging can be directly triggered by magnesium deficiency [15]. We see this fast-paced decline in the context of long space-flight missions where low magnesium levels are associated with cardiovascular aging over at a rate of 10 times faster than on earth [16]

As Dr. Carolyn Dean explains:

“Research indicates that ample magnesium will protect brain cells from the damaging effects of aluminum, beryllium, cadmium, lead, mercury and nickel. We also know that low levels of brain magnesium contribute to the deposition of heavy metals in the brain that heralds Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s” [14].

GUTS & BOWELS:

The ability of the smooth muscle (e.g. the colon) to relax following a contraction depends partly on the presence of magnesium: it acts as a natural calcium channel blocker and is responsible for relaxation, countering calcium’s contraction-effects.

Anyone experiencing impaired contraction of smooth muscles as seen in constipation might suspect a magnesium deficiency. The buildup of feces in the body then heightens the need for even more magnesium to detoxify from the fermentation byproducts, build up of estrogen, and bacterial load. One meta-analysis found for every 100 mg increase in magnesium, colorectal cancer decreased by 13% [16].

Furthermore, irritable bowel syndrome, leaky gut, candidiasis and other gut disorders can severely limit the amount of magnesium that the body will be able to absorb. Someone taking plenty of magnesium supplements and eating their weekly, 17 cups of steamed leafy greens might not be absorbing as much as they need. Part of why healing from complicated gut disorders is so non-linear could be explained by the analogy of trying to patch a bike tube riddled with holes that is missing half its rubber. A more direct approach would be starting with a fresh tube entirely.

ABSORPTION:

Most people are not getting nearly as many vitamins and minerals as they think, which means our brains are not getting as much fuel as they need.

Absorption of magnesium from our intestine depends not only on the health of the intestinal lining, the amount of magnesium that is consumed, but also on the amount of calcium ingested. To add to the conundrum, severe magnesium deficiency can result in low levels of calcium in the blood (hypocalcemia). Magnesium deficiency is also associated with low levels of potassium in the blood (hypokalemia), setting the stage for depletion of other vital building blocks.

In practical terms, these circumstances suggest that our diet needs to be balanced in terms of magnesium, calcium, and the ratio of these two minerals.

Partly fermentable fibers and non-fermentable fibers as well as plant toxins like phytates and oxalates impair absorption of magnesium further. Given that most people are loading up on spinach, almonds, whole wheat, and tofu, hoping to meet their magnesium needs raises the question: how much are they actually absorbing? It is a little bit silly to notice that foods celebrated for containing high amounts of magnesium also contain high amounts of anti-nutrients that block its absorption, such as spinach (high in oxalates) and whole grains (high in phytates)[17].

To increase absorption, studies suggest spreading out the dose of magnesium, pairing magnesium sources with proteins, medium chain triglycerides (like those found in coconut oil and grass fed butter), and indigestible carbohydrates, such as:

oligosaccharides: onions, asparagus, garlic
inulin: jerusalem artichokes and chicory
mannitol: mushrooms, watermelon, cauliflower
lactulose: heated milk products [18]

In general, more magnesium tends to reduce phosphorus absorption. This is actually ideal, since the average American diet does not correspond with phosphorus deficiency but an excess. In fact, most people end up having too much phosphorus in relation to other vital minerals, especially calcium.

Calcium will not be properly absorbed or metabolized if magnesium is missing.

Instead, it ends up deposited in soft tissues, as opposed to the bones and teeth. When it comes to utilizing the nutrients from sun exposure, magnesium is responsible for converting vitamin D to the active form that allows calcium to be absorbed.

If it feels like I’m painting a balancing act of nutrition, I am. Mindful eating can be treated like any art form requiring some attention.

Most people are dangerously low in magnesium, with a calcium to magnesium ratio as high as 15:1. For proper metabolic function, closer to a 2.5:1 ratio of calcium to magnesium would equate to 1000 mg Ca to 400 mg Mg. That being said, studies show that a “daily intake of 370 mg, the absorption rate of Mg2+ in the intestine ranges from 30-50%” [3]. Perhaps, a 1:1 calcium to magnesium ratio might be more pleasing to our cells.

SOURCES OF MAGNESIUM:

Now that we’ve unveiled the profound importance of magnesium to supporting cellular and therefore brain health, let's get creative with boosting our sources and maximizing absorption.

H2O: Drinking water used to be surprisingly rich in magnesium, but the magnesium content of water varies dramatically. Generally speaking, water that percolates through magnesium-rich soil and rock can pick up a large amount of magnesium. Some bottled mineral waters provide over 100 milligrams of magnesium per liter, equating to about 25% of the Daily Value (DV) in one liter bottle of water! [3]

Some studies suggest that Mg bioavailability from mineral water is enhanced when the water is consumed with a meal, perhaps because of a slower gastrointestinal transit time or the presence of other food constituents, as mentioned above [20]

SPARKLING WATER: Those fancy glass bottles sitting on the shelf in the juice aisle? Those bubbly treats are often rich with magnesium bicarbonate: a highly absorbable form of magnesium. Magnesium is often found in the form of dissolved salts like magnesium chloride or magnesium sulfate in water from wells or from volcanic sources. However, most filtered water is completely void of magnesium, or conversely, rich in magnesium and microscopic plastic particles, which likely increase your need for magnesium further.

[Mixing magnesium hydroxide with sparkling water is a simple way to make a highly bioavailable magnesium bicarbonate at home, while avoiding the fillers, excipients, and preservatives overly used in most supplements . You can also dissolve magnesium chloride flakes in water to drink if you enjoy a subtly salty, refreshing, elixir.]

GREENS: In plant foods, Mg often occurs as part of the chlorophyll molecule. The green color is a potential clue of a high magnesium concentration. Sources cite greens, like spinach, swiss chard, and beet greens as being “excellent” sources of magnesium. In the case of french beans, spinach, and kale, researchers found a 20-30% loss of magnesium due to boiling for 2-3 minutes: the magnesium leached into the water [3]. Another study demonstrated that Mg absorption from an oxalate-rich spinach meal was significantly lower compared to the kale meal [19]. so: why not avoid all of the magnesium antagonists in the plants and drink the water after boiling the greens?

[Try a blend of your favorite greens (swiss chard, kale, beet greens) and any herbs you fancy. Boil for 10 minutes or pressure cook for 5 minutes. Add some salt and a squeeze of lemon for extra enjoyment. This works well as an iced-magnesium tea. The boiled greens can still be eaten if you enjoy them mushy like I do, but they also work well as compost-food].

COFFEE & RAW CACAO: The reasons to adore coffee and chocolate keep growing. A strong espresso can provide up to 24 mg of magnesium in 1 fluid ounce, while raw cacao can provide 272 milligrams per 100 grams (or about 40 mg per TBSP). Again, we don’t know how much of the magnesium is actually being absorbed, especially in the presence of anti-nutrients and an impaired gut lining.

[Err on the side of caution and enjoy these foods liberally! Need permission to start a daily mocha ritual? Granted!]

TEAS & BROTHS: Making magnesium rich teas can be a gentle way to prime the system for sleep and soften up a stress-ridden body. Boiling nettles can provide an impressive 860 mg of Mg per 100 grams, while boiling sea lettuce can offer 105 mg per 7 grams. Even bone broth is rich in magnesium, on top of its anti-inflammatory amino acid profile that will help mitigate stress-induced brain fog.

[I like making savory bone broth teas to enjoy hot or cold, with a meal, or even to cook white rice in. Experiment to see what works for you.]

BATHS & SPRAYS: Epsom salt baths, also known as magnesium sulfate, provides a luxurious means of absorbing magnesium without eating it. Unless you have genetic mutations that impact your ability to process sulfur--as seen in those with CBS up-regulation and MTHFR issues-- I encourage you to get the largest bag of epsom salt you can find and make baths or foot soaks a regular part of your routine. Magnesium chloride, often sold as flakes, can also be used in baths or dissolved in water to make a magnesium rich body “oil”. It is more easily assimilated and metabolized, and so less is needed for absorption.

[Tip: Adding 1/4-1/2 cup of baking soda to the bath can help increase Mg absorption]

SUPPLEMENTS: As some research shows, a special form of magnesium known as magnesium threonate has the unique ability to permeate the brain and enhance the receptors that are involved in learning and memory. One study demonstrated significant enhancement in learning abilities, working memory, short and long-term memory, and even improved the duration and depth of sleep while taking magnesium-threonate [21].

Magnesium oxide and magnesium citrate are often used for their laxative effect, as they draw water into the colon. However, it is unclear how much of the magnesium is actually being absorbed. Some studies suggest that magnesium oxide has a meager 4% absorption rate. Studies measuring the absorption of Mg supplements show that “the in vivo Mg bioavailability was not related to the Mg content of the supplements, but rather to the in vitro solubility and bioaccessibility.” Furthermore, “Organic Mg salts were slightly more available than inorganic Mg2+ salts, whereas Mg2+ gluconate exhibited the highest Mg2+ bioavailability” of the supplements studied [22].

Another review discusses how the “relative Mg2+ uptake is higher when the mineral is ingested in multiple low doses throughout the day compared to a single, large intake of Mg2+. The type of Mg2+ salt appears less relevant than is often thought.” Some studies demonstrated a slightly higher bioavailability of organic Mg2+ salts compared to inorganic compounds under standardized conditions, whereas other studies did not [20].

[Based on personal experience, magnesium glycinate has been very helpful in terms of relaxation and minimal gut discomfort. According to Dr. Morley Robbins, it has about an 80% absorption rate, right up there with magnesium malate. Glycine is the smallest amino acid commonly found chelated to magnesium, and therefore highly absorbable. It also helps balance the pro-inflammatory amino acids methionine, cysteine, and tryptophan that characterize meat-centric diets.]

However, most supplements are riddled with fillers, preservatives, and questionable ingredients sourced from unmarked locations, or synthetically made, like magnesium citrate. I choose my mineral waters, baths, sprays, and magnesium rich treats when I can, and encourage you to do the same. Roughly 5mg per pound of body weight, spread throughout the day, seems to be ideal. The higher the cortisol throughout the day, the more we need magnesium to account for the “burn rate” and to make sure we are providing the building blocks for these thousands of essential processes to unfold successfully.

In the name of banishing brain fog, I raise my mocha to you as I head to the bath.

[1] https://drsircus.com/magnesium/magnesium-deficiency-symptoms-diagnosis/

[2]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5652077/#r2

[3]http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=75

[4]http://www.magnesium.ca/how-magnesium-works/

[5]https://www.drperlmutter.com/magnesium-threonate-powers-brain/

[6]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10838183/

[7]https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889157516302113

[8]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507265/#

[9]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507265/#

[10] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507265/#

[11]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507265/