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A Curcumin Formula for Superior Absorption
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Research has shown that almost 50% of people have a magnesium deficiency, yet it is vital for more than 300 enzymatic reactions in the body. Plus, a magnesium deficiency can cause a number of health issues, including heart, kidney and bone health. In this article we explain some of the top magnesium bisglycinate benefits and how to properly supplement with magnesium.
So, what are magnesium bisglycinate benefits? The benefits of taking magnesium supplements include:
- Maintaining bone health
- Aiding digestion
- Promoting cardiovascular health
- Enhancing sleep and relaxation
- Relieving chronic headaches
- Supporting women’s health
Read on to learn more about magnesium bisglycinate and how supplements can benefit your health. We also advise on dosage and how to take magnesium supplements for maximum results.
What are Magnesium Bisglycinate Benefits?
Magnesium bisglycinate has been shown to have a variety of health benefits, including:
Maintains Bone Health
Magnesium partners with calcium in maintaining bone health. Many individuals supplement calcium without adequate magnesium, leading to ineffective support for bone health. Magnesium is also needed for the proper activity of vitamin D which is crucial for bone health.
Aids Digestion and Elimination
Individuals with low stomach acid or less-than-optimal digestion often lack adequate magnesium since absorption is compromised. Magnesium chelates help restore a healthy magnesium balance when digestion is inefficient and promotes a healthy elimination pattern.
Promotes Cardiovascular Health
Magnesium helps support muscle relaxation and function, which is vital to cardiovascular health since the heart is a muscular organ. Magnesium is also an essential cofactor in several enzymes that support healthy blood pressure.
Enhances Relaxation and Sleep
As magnesium helps muscles relax, it can enhance general relaxation, promote a sense of calm, and support normal sleep patterns.
Helps Metabolise Carbohydrates
Magnesium is critical for the biochemical reactions involved in converting carbohydrates and fats into energy. It may also contribute to the proper functioning of insulin receptors.
Supports Kidney Health
As magnesium balances calcium, it may support kidney health by reducing the risk of abnormal deposits in the kidneys.
Relieves Chronic Headaches
Magnesium supplementation has long been known to reduce the frequency and severity of migraines and milder forms of headaches. Since as many as half of all migraine sufferers may be magnesium-deficient, researchers note that “oral magnesium is warranted in all migraine sufferers.”
Regarding migraine prophylaxis, adequate quantities of magnesium is critical for maintaining the electrolyte balance that contributes to the proper polarisation of neuronal membranes. Overlapping pathophysiologic mechanisms were noted between migraine and epilepsy; abnormalities in neuronal polarisation and excitability may contribute to migraine, as they are known in seizure disorders.
Contributes to Women’s Health
Magnesium deficiency contributes to numerous health issues in women, such as dysmenorrhea, premenstrual syndrome, menstrual migraine, and post-menopausal symptoms. Research determined that supplemental magnesium helps prevent or relieve symptoms in these cases and may also positively impact eclampsia, pre-eclampsia and leg cramps during pregnancy.
What is Magnesium Bisglycinate?
Magnesium is an essential mineral that assists in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It is crucial for energy production, bone and muscle health, physical strength and mobility, neurological health, and metabolism.
As the second most abundant mineral inside cells, magnesium helps convert food (especially carbohydrates) to energy. Over 60% of the body’s magnesium is stored in the skeleton; the remaining portion is primarily housed in your muscles.
Magnesium bisglycinate is made when two separate glycine molecules occupy an active site on each magnesium molecule, leading to superior absorption because of increased solubility – this makes magnesium supplements easy to consume.
Sources of Magnesium
The primary sources of magnesium are food and supplements. Research suggests that ocean seawater also contains high levels of magnesium, perhaps more than food. In this case, the body would absorb magnesium through the skin whilst, for example, swimming. This is particularly beneficial as some people have difficulties breaking down and absorbing magnesium-rich foods in the gut and intestine.
The highest magnesium-rich foods include:
- Dark leafy greens
- Seeds and nuts
- Beans, fish
- Whole grains
- Avocado
- Bananas.
While you can get magnesium from food sources, most people do not get enough; minerals are not stored in the body, therefore, it’s incredibly important to consume an adequate amount every day, which is why including a magnesium supplement in your diet is vital to boost and maintain optimal levels of this essential mineral.
How Much Magnesium Bisglycinate Should I Take?
We recommend that magnesium bisglycinate be taken between your evening meal and going to bed. However, unlike many other supplements, it can be taken on an empty stomach if necessary.
The recommended daily intake for men and women is:
- Women – 2 capsules per day (~300mg)
- Men – 4 capsules per day (~600mg)
Human Performance Hub’s Magnesium Bisglycinate contains highly absorbable magnesium, with each capsule providing 150 mg of elemental magnesium. This product should not cause any unfavourable gastrointestinal symptoms associated with magnesium supplementation due to the very stable chelate formed between two glycine molecules and each magnesium ion via a patented process.
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Further Reading
I previously discussed my top five supplement recommendations, yet people often ask me what supplement I would take if I could choose only one. My answer is always a quality multivitamin – it’s the base supplement for all my clients to ensure a full spectrum of essential vitamins and minerals.
There’s a vast array of supplements on the market today and accompanying marketing lingo vowing to save your health. How do you know the claims are real? As a health-conscious consumer, you want to make sure you’re making the right choices.
Inositol is one of the most important vitamins you may never have heard of! It is often promoted as a general health supplement for women due to its benefits for fertility and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), as well as for relieving symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and anxiety. However, inositol benefits a wide array of conditions in both women and men, and has many other health-promoting effects.
In this article, I’ll talk about why inositol is so essential and how you can boost it in your body.
So, what are inositol benefits? Inositol is beneficial in balancing neurotransmitters, but has a wide range of other health benefits including:
- Promotes quality sleep
- Improves PMS and PCOS symptoms
- Reduces anxiety
- Reduces depression
- Aids weight loss
Read on to learn more about the health benefits of supplementing with inositol, as well as when and how to take it.
What is Inositol?
Inositol is a vital nutrient produced naturally in the body and found in plants and animals. Inositol plays a part in many bodily processes. However, one of the primary reasons we use inositol here at Human Performance Hub is its vital role in balancing neurotransmitters.
Inositol and Neurotransmitters
Neurotransmitters relay messages between the billions of neurons or nerve cells in your brain and affect many aspects of your life, ranging from moods, productivity, stress management, memory and learning ability, sleep, food cravings, addictions, etc.
While all neurotransmitters are essential, the “big four” are:
- Dopamine – impacts energy, drive, focus and motivation
- Serotonin – affects mood, sleep, and immune function.
- Acetylcholine – influences memory and attention span.
- Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)– promotes calmness and contentment, optimal sleep and digestion
All major neurotransmitters rely on inositol to relay the messages between your brain cells. Like your phone needs a signal to work, neurotransmitters can’t do their thing without inositol.
Unfortunately, modern living, with high-stress levels, inadequate sleep, and poor nutrition, can rapidly imbalance your neurotransmitters; to be physically and mentally healthy, you need a good balance of neurotransmitters.
Inositol is an excellent balancer because it’s naturally a part of many brain chemical systems. As such, inositol can help a wide array of health conditions as well as boost good health. It is one of the first supplements I recommend to new clients.
5 Inositol Benefits Backed by Science
Here are five ways that inositol can improve your health and wellbeing.
1. Inositol Helps to Promote Quality Sleep
The great thing about inositol is that it works as an adaptogen – this means it promotes only what your body needs on an individual basis. For example, GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, slows down brain activity and puts your body in a calmer and more relaxed state. Low GABA activity in your body is linked to insomnia and disrupted sleep. Meanwhile, serotonin is another brain chemical that affects how you sleep. If serotonin is low, it can disrupt sleep.
So if you’re low in GABA and serotonin and struggle with sleep, inositol can help bring your levels back up. Alternatively, if you struggle to get out of bed in the morning due to low dopamine levels, inositol can help bring this up instead.
Learn more about how neurotransmitters and brain chemicals affect how we sleep in our blogs, The Brain Chemicals that Boost Sleep and Recovery and The Science and Sensibilities of Sleep.
2. Inositol Helps to Improve PMS and PCOS Symptoms
Inositol helps diminish the mood swings, depression, and anxiety of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and the more severe premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Taking inositol supplements can also positively improve polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) symptoms like menstrual irregularities, infertility, weight gain, high blood sugar, and unhealthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Furthermore, several studies found that daily doses of inositol reduced blood triglyceride levels, improved insulin function, lowered blood pressure, and promoted ovulation in women with polycystic PCOS(3, 4, 5, 6). It supports ovarian function so well that some nutritional supplements specifically designed to encourage fertility contain inositol.
Inositol also shows potential in boosting fertility for men. One study of 194 men showed that inositol supplementation improved sperm quality, sperm count, and fertility after three months.
3. Inositol Helps Lessen Anxiety
Several mental health disorders such as anxiety, panic attacks, OCD, and depression are linked to lower levels of inositol in the brain (8, 9). Inositol affects neurotransmitters and low inositol levels may contribute to decreased serotonin activity in your brain, impacting behaviour and mood. Research on inositol supplementation showed improved symptoms associated with conditions affecting serotonin and the brain.
In some instances, inositol was more effective than the most commonly prescribed medications. For example, one study found that people taking inositol had fewer panic attacks per week compared to those taking SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) anxiety medication.
4. Inositol Helps Reduce Depression
Like anxiety, inositol has benefits for depression. That’s because inositol levels are lower than average in people with depression, however, inositol increases serotonin and creates SSRI effects, similar to antidepressant drugs like Prozac. In one study of 28 people with depression, high doses of inositol (12 g/day) improved mood and all symptoms after four weeks.
These studies suggest that inositol can be as effective, if not more, when compared to SSRI antidepressant drugs for different conditions.
5. Inositol Helps Weight Loss
Inositol can encourage weight loss by improving how the body responds to insulin. Insulin is a critically important hormone for controlling blood sugar levels, and when your body has a problem responding to insulin, the resulting insulin resistance causes blood sugar fluctuations. This can lead to compulsive overeating and cravings for sugary foods in many people.
Inositol helps reduce insulin resistance by improving the body’s sensitivity to insulin. In one study, women supplemented with 4 grams of inositol per day showed improved insulin sensitivity. (14)
Recommended supplementation
It’s best if you build up your inositol levels steadily. I recommend taking 900mg – 3,6 grams every night for at least one month.
The product I prefer is our Myo-Inositol. Each cap serving has 900mg of inositol. Most people find this the most convenient and economical way to take Inositol.
Takeaway
Inositol has tremendous health benefits due to its many roles in the body. It can help with stress, anxiety, hormonal issues, PCOS, acne, trouble with focus and sugar cravings, and metabolic conditions such as diabetes, autoimmune disorders, neurodegenerative diseases and more. If you have any of these issues or want to help prevent them, you should add inositol to your health toolkit.
Consultations
We’re always here to help. If you have any questions or would like advice about supplements, nutrition, or training, please book in for a consultation.
