You’ve heard of magnesium. It’s that mineral that you know you probably need a little more of, but you can’t seem to eat enough nuts and seeds to get your 300 or 400 recommended milligrams a day, depending on whether you’re female or male. If you’re not tracking how much magnesium you’re getting, look for subtle signs of low magnesium, such as fatigue, low appetite, or muscle spasms.
While a magnesium deficiency is relatively rare if you’re healthy, people who are over 65, have type 2 diabetes, or have alcohol use disorder may have low levels of magnesium in their bodies. They may need to take a magnesium supplement to boost their health. Yet, one type of magnesium may be more beneficial to your brain.
Magnesium L-threonate has the ability to increase magnesium levels in the brain, according to a 2019 study in Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. The study found that mice with brain damage related to Parkinson’s disease had reduced inflammation and less brain damage after taking magnesium L-threonate.
How magnesium affects brain health
Magnesium is essential for hundreds of chemical reactions that keep your cells functioning and in balance. One of its key roles is helping to stabilize ATP, which is the main source of energy that your cells rely on to do their jobs. In the brain, magnesium helps regulate specific receptors (called NMDA receptors) that are involved in learning and memory. If these receptors become overactive, they can damage brain cells and contribute to neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. According to a 2024 review in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, magnesium deficiency is linked to sporadic Parkinson’s. Despite this connection, magnesium isn’t currently used as a treatment, and about half of all people still don’t get enough magnesium in their diets.
(Read about other conditions magnesium supplements may help.)
Magnesium L-threonate may support brain health by improving the gut. Because past studies found that this special form of magnesium helped with memory and learning in mice with Alzheimer’s, a 2024 study in Neural Regeneration Research explored how it affects gut bacteria. People with Alzheimer’s often have an unhealthy balance of gut bacteria that can damage the brain. In this study, Alzheimer’s mice treated with magnesium L-threonate showed a healthier diversity of gut bacteria, a stronger gut lining, and less inflammation.
Why magnesium L-threonate is different
It can be confusing to buy magnesium supplements because they come in many forms. Magnesium is usually combined with other elements to produce different effects. Some magnesium supplements have more of a laxative effect, while others may help you meet your magnesium needs (yet be careful of these hidden side effects of too much magnesium). Magnesium L-threonate is a relatively newer form developed to boost magnesium levels in the brain. A 2010 study in Neuron compared this form of magnesium against magnesium citrate and magnesium chloride and found that magnesium L-threonate did a better job of increasing magnesium levels in the brains of lab animals. This increase in brain magnesium improved learning and memory and strengthened brain signaling.
Adding vitamins B6, C, and D to your routine may help your body absorb magnesium more effectively and support brain health. A 2022 study in Nutrients tested a magnesium L-threonate complex that included these vitamins to see how it affected cognitive function. The group taking the supplement showed improvements across five different memory and thinking tests, with the greatest gains seen in older adults.
