April 10, 2026

MAGNESIUM: An All Around Amazing Supplement for Supporting a Healthy Weight and a Healthy Body

By: Dr. J. Renae Norton

A while ago I shared with you that according to the National Institutes of Health, magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. Additionally, it helps to maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps your heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system, and strengthens bones.

That all makes sense when you think about it, but there also are some other surprising facts about magnesium:

It helps regulate blood sugar levels, promote normal blood pressure, and is involved in the metabolism of proteins that provide energy for the body overall.

Even more interesting, from my point of view, is that magnesium plays a role in preventing and managing disorders such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity because it really helps with blood sugar.

With regard to the latter, I have frequently discussed the alarming number of Americans today who suffer from diabetes and metabolic syndrome that are unaware of how to remedy the situation. Estimates suggest that 7% of the population has diabetes, and more than 20% are affected by metabolic syndrome and don’t even know it.

Recall that according to a research review from Northwestern University, magnesium can address several components of metabolic syndrome by increasing levels of HDL cholesterol, decreasing triglycerides, and favorably impacting glucose levels throughout the day. It also regulates insulin action and secretion. Wow!

Bottom line: Magnesium can really make a difference. To support this, I’ve identified a number of magnesium-rich foods you can incorporate into your diet:

  

  • Tofu
  • Spinach
  • Legumes and seeds
  • Nuts- almonds, cashews, and brazil nuts
  • Peanuts and peanut butter
  • Fruit- bananas, dried apricots, etc

In addition it turns out that magnesium supplementation can be life-saving. In individuals with congestive heart failure — a condition in which a weakened heart muscle is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs — magnesium has proven to be beneficial in enabling the heart to pump enough blood.

Today, we’ll focus on a couple of other conditions that magnesium has been shown to benefit. Besides its impact on metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes (as well as various components like low HDL and elevated blood pressure), magnesium also offers the following benefits, many of which seem unrelated:  

  • Memory and Aging: Magnesium has been shown to significantly improve memory function as we age.
  • Migraines: Magnesium has been shown to reduce the frequency and severity of migraine headaches. In fact, intravenous magnesium is often used to relieve the most acute and debilitating migraine symptoms.
  • Bones: At all stages of life, magnesium is critical for healthy strong bones.
  • Asthma: Magnesium supplementation has been used to address symptoms of asthma in children, a particularly difficult population to treat. Magnesium is far less dangerous than other medications and has been shown to be very effective.
  • ADHD: Magnesium has been shown to decrease hyperactivity in children with ADHD. Using magnesium instead of some of the harsh medications typically prescribed for ADHD is a real step forward, especially when you consider the reduced number of side effects. In fact, there are virtually no negative side effects with magnesium- all the effects are positive.

I recommend magnesium citrate when supplementing with magnesium, though there are many different forms of magnesium supplements available.

Stay tuned for an in-depth look at the various types of magnesium and how each has been shown to support and/or heal various body parts, ailments and emotions in my next article in this series.I have been supplementing with magnesium for over 20 years. Every time I have an xray the doctor comments on the obvious good health and strength  of my bones. Despite a significant skiing accident and dropping a jar on my foot that crushed the sesamoid bones in my foot, they  healed on their own in no time.

Thank you magnesium!