IMPORTANT UPDATE: I originally published these Magnesium supplement recommendations in 2012. And I still stand by them. But since 2012, my research of the peer-reviewed scientific literature from around the world (and private consultations with 4,500+ clients) has lead me to realize that yes, for most people, supplementing Magnesium on a daily basis does amazing things! BUT for many, Magnesium alone isn’t enough!! They also need to increase the amount of “bio-available” Copper in order to decrease the amount of excess, “unbound” Iron, which is the root cause of inflammation in the body. And unfortunately, you can’t fix this by simply taking a Copper supplement. So I highly encourage you to learn more at my new website, TheRootCauseProtocol.com A votré sante! -Morley Robbins, Jan 11, 2018

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I am often asked, “So how much magnesium do I need to take daily?”

It’s a great question.  And like most great questions, the answer is, “It depends.”

There are actually a few points to consider:

1) Increased S*T*R*E*S*S = Increased MBR

First, please know that stress consumes magnesium (Mg) — it’s how we’re wired as a species.  The more “Stress!” you’re under, the more magnesium your body burns. I call this the “Magnesium Burn Rate”, or MBR.  It’s the metabolic price we pay for all that pressure and tension we feel.

Take an inventory of your dimensions of stress… food allergies, dependence on processed food, exposure to heavy metals, use of prescription drugs, and the granddaddy of them all — mental and emotional stress, to name but a few of the “stressors” that deplete our magnesium stores.  

At the root of it all is iron-induced stress created by iron being stored in tissue rather than kept active and available in the body. This is brought about as a result of low bioavailable copper and gives rise to system-wide inflammation and mineral depletion that robs our body of the energy potential to manage the challenges of all other stressors.

Take whatever steps you can to mitigate these issues in order to lower your MBR.  When you feel your “Stress!”/MBR increasing, know that your body will be craving more magnesium.

2) What is your current magnesium status?

The most efficient and cost-effective way to get a reading on your current magnesium status is to order the MagRBC blood test (available from Request a Test).

This simple test costs $49 and you’ll usually have results emailed to you within 2-4 business days.

The current reference range is 4.2 – 6.8 mg/dL, but know that in 1962 (before every 1/3 person was obese or diabetic) the reference range was 5.0-7.0mg/dL. Based on this latter range, any score below 6.0 mg/dL is a clear signal of magnesium deficiency.

If you have many magnesium deficiency symptoms, an even less expensive option is to just start increasing your magnesium intake. See the next step.

3) Protocol for Restoring Magnesium — A “full-court” press…

• Diet – Start eating more magnesium-rich foods: seafood, especially kelp and oysters;  whole grains, especially buckwheat, millet and wild rice; leafy greens, especially collards, beet greens, mustard greens, spinach and kale; nuts and seeds, especially cashews, almonds, and pistachio nuts, as well as pumpkin seeds. And everyone’s favorite, chocolate!  But, only dark chocolate with a high content of cacao, 80% or more is great!

NOTE: Because of mineral depletion in the soil and modern food processing methods, I’ve determined that it’s basically impossible to get enough magnesium from food alone, so please continue reading.

• Magnesium rich mineral drops – Add mineral drops to your drinking water — minerals are the other reason why we drink water!
• Magnesium baths or foot baths – Use either magnesium chloride flakes or Epsom salts, with recipes found here.  If you can’t take one daily, try to get at least 2-3 times per week to replenish extreme magnesium deficiency rapidly. Alternatively, there are many magnesium rich topical products such as those found in our product directory. 

But if “slowing down” isn’t in your vocabulary, continue reading. 

• Magnesium supplements – Take a magnesium supplement every day. Two of the most easily absorbed forms that I confidently recommend are magnesium malate and magnesium glycinate. Please refer to the RCP Handbook for more details and the product directory for suggested products.

The Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) of magnesium is 400mg.  I believe the optimal daily dose is 650mg for women and 850mg for men, but please feel free to vary it based upon your current daily Magnesium Burn Rate. Another rule of thumb is to take 5X your body weight in mgs of Mg (e.g. If you weigh 100 lbs, take 500 mgs Mg).  Again, the focus here is on “optimum” dosing, not daily “minimum” intakes.

4) One Last Thing…

OK, now this last part is quite difficult, so please pay close attention. I’d like you to do this degree of Mg supplementation each and every day – air, water, magnesium – it’s that important!

When you start increasing your magnesium intake, you’ll be fueling your body with the Master Mineral that powers all 100 trillion cells, especially the largest muscle in your body, your non-stop beating heart.

5) And, there’s MORE! Magnesium’s cofactors… plus electrolyte balance.

• Vitamin B6 helps get magnesium inside the cell (We recommend getting B6 and all B vitamins from foods only, not from a bottle! Good sources are bee pollen, beef liver, stabilized rice bran and nutritional yeast). 
• Boron helps keep magnesium inside the cell.  Mineral drops contain much needed trace minerals such as boron. You also have the option of taking a dedicated boron supplement or use Borax in a magnesium foot soak/bath. 
• Bicarbonate helps get magnesium inside the mitochondria ( learn how to make and drink magnesium bicarbonate water).
• And, the adrenal cocktail helps keep magnesium in balance with the other electrolytes.

Check out adrenal cocktail recipes here.

Trusted and recommended sources of supplements can be found in our product directory

For more information, see the Magnesium Fact Sheet.

A votre sante!…

Morley Robbins