One Supplement That Really Seems to Work

Our assisted living residents take a lot of supplements. The supplement industry is enormous and growing. And that is a good thing. It means people are turning to natural remedies versus pharmaceutical solutions.

At the same time I’m convinced a lot of supplements don’t do much. Definitely a buyer beware situation.

There is one supplement I really believe in for our assisted living residents. And for myself. Magnesium. Specifically Magnesium Glycinate.

Another form that might be good - especially for elderly people is Magnesium L-Threonate. Threonate is supposed to help brain function and cognitive health. Many of our residents take it.

However, our residents take a lot of supplements for brain health. It’s hard to pick out the specific intervention that helps them improve.

With Glycinate I can see improvements very quickly. Giving our residents 400-800mg of magnesium at night before bed really helps them sleep. Their moods seem to be a lot better as well. It absorbs very well into the body and our residents tolerate it very well.

Some of our residents come to us on prescription sleeping pills. Many of those pills are more sedatives than sleep aids. They basically numb the brain. While you are sleeping, the medication prevents your brain from performing all the restorative functions it does when you sleep normally.

Maybe that’s why scientists are finding people on sleeping pills are twice as likely to die as people who are not on those pills.

Back to Magnesium Glycinate. Not only does it help our residents sleep and improve their mood. It also helps you absorb other vitamins.

Vitamin D for example. Practically all our residents are on a Vitamin D supplement. As your body uses more vitamin D, it burns through magnesium. You need magnesium to help direct calcium into your bones.

Same with Vitamin B1. We have been working with Elliot Overton who is a nutritionist specializing in therapy with Vitamin B1.

There seems to be link between cognitive decline issues like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s and Vitamin B1 deficiency.

Elliot’s protocol includes giving our residents lots of Vitamin B1. We’re currently at 3600mg/day. And supplementing it with magnesium glycinate.

Once again the body burns through magnesium as it uses the Vitamin B1.

Some people can tolerate more magnesium. You will probably know if you’re taking too much if you start having diarrhea.

As always talk to your healthcare provider about the right dose to take.

There are foods that have magnesium. However, magnesium has been depleted from our soil so you may not have enough from food alone:

• Fish such as salmon and mackerel

• Meat

• Dark Chocolate

• Leafy greens

• Nuts

• Avocados

People with diabetes also lose more magnesium than people without diabetes. Supplementation becomes more important.

I’m not a fan of pushing lots of supplements. I am a fan of pushing things that work. And I’m a big fan of magnesium.