Increase Magnesium And Save Your Memory
This means by increasing your daily magnesium intake 41 percent, you could REVERSE brain aging and STOP dementia before it starts.2 "Our study shows a 41 percent increase in magnesium intake could lead to less age-related brain shrinkage, which is associated with better cognitive function and lower risk or delayed onset of dementia in later life," said lead author Khawlah Alateeq, from the Australian National University (ANU) Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health. "This research highlights the potential benefits of a diet high in magnesium and the role it plays in promoting good brain health."STOP Brain Shrinkage
Experts report that magnesium is so effective against dementia – and the brain shrinkage that can cause it – because the mineral plays a key role in nerve function. This is great news for anyone trying to prevent dementia, especially since Big Pharma has yet to find a way to stop the disease, much less effectively treat it. "Since there is no cure for dementia and the development of pharmacological treatments have been unsuccessful for the past 30 years, it's been suggested that greater attention should be directed towards prevention," reports study co-author Dr. Erin Walsh. And the sooner you get more magnesium, the better for your health. "The study shows higher dietary magnesium intake may contribute to neuroprotection earlier in the aging process, and preventative effects may begin in our 40s or even earlier," Ms. Alateeq said.More Brain Benefits
Other research points to a variety of additional brain benefits from magnesium including –- Providing extra protection against the development of Parkinson’s disease: A study in Japan of older people showed that consuming more magnesium is linked to a lower chance of Parkinson’s disease.3 And scientists in Italy note that magnesium may fend off Parkinson’s by decreasing oxidative stress among neurons, reducing neuroinflammation and keeping cellular signaling operating properly among brain cells. Plus, it increases the supply of BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) which helps neurons survive.4
- Potentially reducing the risk of epilepsy: While not many studies have probed the precise relationship between epilepsy and magnesium in adults, those that have examined the connection indicate that getting more of this mineral may lower the risk of the condition. A study in India discovered that having a fairly low level of magnesium may bring on epilepsy.5 And studies of infants show that when they are drastically deficient in the mineral, they are more vulnerable to epileptic fits.6
- Defending against stroke: When researchers in Asia looked at the relationship between magnesium consumption and stroke they found that the people who consumed the most magnesium were 22 percent less likely to suffer a stroke than people who took in the least.7 Plus, scientists in Spain report that a review of studies on the relationship between magnesium and stroke demonstrates that the more magnesium you consume the lower your chances are of a stroke.8
Eat Your Way to a Better Brain?!
Supplements are widely available, but many delicious foods are also good sources of magnesium. These include:- Pumpkin seeds
- Chia seeds
- Spinach
- Cashews
- Peanuts
- Potatoes
- Bananas
1 https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/ 2 https://www.anu.edu.au/news/all-news/eating-more-magnesium-each-day-keeps-dementia-at-bay 3 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21497832/ 4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9820677/ 5 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7852227/ 6 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28503619/ 7 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22789806/ 8 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5852744/
Meet
The Expert:
The Expert:
Susan Clark is an award-winning, Emmy-nominated journalist and author who has written about nutrition, health, and wellness for 27 years. She has developed content for articles, reports, books, videos, and television news segments featuring some of today’s top alternative and integrative doctors. She earned a bachelor of science in broadcast journalism from Texas Christian University. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two sons, and numerous pets.