Magnesium is one of the more chronically depleted minerals that have such a profound effect on our health. In fact, possibly 80% of us in North America are deficient in magnesium. Magnesium (Mg) affects many biochemical mechanisms vital for neuronal properties and synaptic plasticity, including the response of N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors to excitatory amino acids, stability and viscosity of the cell membrane, and antagonism of calcium. Mg levels were found to be decreased in various tissues of Alzheimer’s Disease patients and negatively correlated with clinical deterioration. Moreover, Mg was demonstrated to modulate the trafficking and processing of amyloid-β precursor protein, which plays a central role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease (Chui et al., 2011).
There are different supplemental forms of magnesium, with magnesium threonate being my favourite form for this indication. However, when it comes to testing, magnesium is commonly tested in serum which does not give an accurate reading. Serum levels do not reflect tissue levels. The RBC test is viewed as more accurate than the serum test because when you are deficient in magnesium, your body takes it from cells instead, therefore, making it highly detectable through an RBC.
Interested in testing your magnesium levels? Let’s talk!