CW Vol 2 Ed. 22 - The Mineral You’re Missing: Why Magnesium Matters
For the job site, the office, and home—magnesium is a powerhouse nutrient you shouldn’t overlook. Whether you’re lifting rebar, managing logistics, or juggling work and family, magnesium plays a critical role in keeping your body and mind functioning at their best. Yet most Americans don’t get enough of it—and deficiency can quietly affect energy, sleep, focus, heart health and even mental health.
What Magnesium Does
Magnesium supports:
Muscle and nerve function (important for job performance and recovery),
Bone strength (especially critical in physical labor),
Heart rhythm and blood pressure,
Mood, stress response, and sleep; and
Cognitive clarity and memory.
Dr. Leigh Erin Connealy, a leading integrative physician, emphasizes magnesium’s essential role in mental wellness, immune strength, and disease prevention. She explains how it:
Regulates cortisol (your stress hormone),
Supports GABA, a neurotransmitter that calms the nervous system,
Fuels your cells with ATP, essential for brain energy,
Plays a role in cancer prevention by maintaining healthy cellular function and DNA repair.
She frequently recommends magnesium as part of a personalized wellness plan, especially for patients with anxiety, poor sleep, or high inflammation.
💧 Bath & Foot Soaks: Natural Stress Relief
Topical magnesium is a powerful and easy way to support relaxation. Dr. Connealy recommends magnesium baths or foot soaks as an effective method to absorb magnesium transdermally (through the skin), particularly for those dealing with stress, muscle fatigue or trouble sleeping.
Try This:
Bath: Add 1–2 cups of Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) to warm water and soak for 20 minutes.
Foot Soak: Add ½ cup to a basin of warm water for a 15-minute calming ritual after a long day.
Magnesium Lotion: Products like Earthley’s Good Night Lotion combine magnesium chloride with soothing ingredients like shea butter and lavender to promote restful sleep and ease muscle tension—especially helpful for construction workers and busy people alike.
Types of Magnesium
And what they are best used for:
Magnesium Glycinate: Anxiety, sleep, muscle recovery. Gentle and calming—great for restful sleep and mental wellness.
Magnesium Citrate: Constipation, digestion. Can have a laxative effect.
Magnesium Malate: Fatigue, muscle pain, energy. Helps with chronic soreness or burnout.
Magnesium Threonate: Focus, memory, brain fog. Crosses blood-brain barrier—supports cognitive health.
Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt): Baths & foot soaks. Absorbed through skin or muscle relaxation and stress relief.
Magnesium Chloride: Topical sprays, soaks or lotions. Absorbed through skin for muscle relaxation and stress relief
How much? Dr. Connealy typically recommends 400–700 mg/day of elemental magnesium, with up to 1,000 mg/day used therapeutically under supervision, especially for patients with cancer, adrenal fatigue, or chronic stress. Higher doses are often split into 2–3 servings to improve absorption and reduce side effects. Her guidelines reflect functional medicine practices and are generally higher than the standard NIH recommendations. Work with your healthcare provider to determine the right amount for your individual needs.
Quality Supplements Matter!
Not all supplements are created equal—some contain fillers, low-quality forms, or inaccurate labeling. That’s where Supp.co helps.
🔍 Supp.co is a science-based tool (currently in Beta) that lets you:
• Check brand purity and potency
• See if a product is third-party tested
• Access user reviews and research links
Try it at www.supp.co—it’s free during Beta testing, as of the date of publication of this Newsletter!
View this Newsletter and links to resources here!
Or use these links to learn more:
How does magnesium help prevent Cancer? Read this.
Great discussion between Dr. Connealy and JJ Virgin on nutritional principles! Listen here.
5/22/2025