Eat more magnesium-rich foods to slow brain aging, study suggests

 If you don’t give much thought to magnesium, you should.

A higher intake of this under-consumed mineral, plentiful in spinach, black beans and nuts, helps guard against hypertension, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

Now, new evidence from the Australian National University suggests that significantly upping your daily magnesium

intake can lead to less brain shrinkage as you age, which is linked to better cognitive performance and a lower risk of dementia

• A new study suggests magnesium-rich diets can help brains stay healthier for longer.
• Foods high in magnesium include leafy green vegetables and nuts.
• A nutritionist said to prioritize a balanced diet, not "brain care" supplements, for your overall health

Magnesium L-threonate

Magnesium L-threonate

Magnesium L-threonate is often used for its potential brain benefits and may help manage certain brain disorders, such as depression, Alzheimer's disease, and age-related memory loss.

The National Institutes of HealthTrusted Source recommends the following daily intake of magnesium:

• Children 1-3 years: 80 mg
• Children 4-8 years: 130 mg
• Children 9-13 years: 240 mg
• Teens 14-18 years: boys 410 mg and girls 360 mg
• Adults 19-30 years: men 400 mg and women 310 mg
• Adults 31+ years: men 420 mg and women 320 mg

Magnesium is found naturally in many different foods. Although magnesium deficiency is rare, many Americans don’t get as much of the mineral as they should in their diets. Still, the average adult may only get 66 percent of their daily-recommended magnesium in their normal diet. This could be a result of the amount of processed foods we eat.

The following 10 foods are some of the best natural sources of magnesium. Try incorporating more of these foods into your diet to get a magnesium boost.

1. Whole Wheat

2. Spinach

3. Quinoa

4. Almonds, Cashews, and Peanuts

5. Dark Chocolate

6. Black Beans

7. Edamame

8. Avocado

9. Tofu

10. Cultured Yoghurt

Increased levels of magnesium in the brain have been shown to promote multiple mechanisms of synaptic plasticity that can enhance different forms of learning and memory.

Low levels of magnesium in the bloodstream—due to stress, diet, genetics, or other medical problems—may contribute to inflammation, which could result in chronic migraine headaches. Low magnesium may also spread pain signals by allowing calcium to dock on certain receptors in the brain. A 2016 study in International Clinical Psychopharmacology showed that low serum concentration of magnesium was an independent risk factor in migraine attacks.

"People with migraine have lower levels of magnesium in the brain compared to migraine-free people," says Alexander Mauskop, MD, FAAN

High Blood Pressure

Overall, people with the highest magnesium intake have a 10 percent lower risk for stroke than those who consume the least in observational studies, says Dr. Goldstein, who is also interim director of the UK-Norton Stroke Care Network. These studies don't prove cause and effect, but some researchers speculate that magnesium might offer some stroke protection by helping to control blood pressure and blood sugar and by discouraging the formation of blood clots, he says