How to increase magnesium intake?

To increase your magnesium intake, Dr. Rhonda Patrick recommends several strategies:

1. Dietary Sources: The best way to get magnesium is through your diet, especially from dark leafy greens which are rich in magnesium due to their chlorophyll content. Examples include spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and rainbow chard. It's also found in nuts like almonds 1.

2. Supplements: If your diet is not sufficient, magnesium supplements can be used as an insurance to ensure adequate intake. Dr. Patrick notes that magnesium glycinate, malate, and citrate are bioavailable forms of magnesium supplements. However, she cautions that high doses of magnesium supplements can cause gastrointestinal distress and should be taken carefully 2.

3. Cooking for Bioavailability: Cooking magnesium-rich foods can help make magnesium more bioavailable by breaking down food matrices that bind magnesium. This means a combination of raw and cooked leafy greens can optimize your magnesium intake 3.

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     Magnesium Matters

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     Magnesium Importance

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     Magnesium Insights

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4. Testing and Monitoring: Dr. Patrick also suggests getting your magnesium levels tested and adjusting your consumption of magnesium-rich foods and supplements based on the results to maintain optimal health levels 1.

Implementing these strategies can help increase and maintain healthy magnesium levels, which are essential for over 300 enzymatic processes in the body, including energy production and DNA repair.