Your goal, just as mine, is to get healthier, increase cognitive function and help out our body as often as we can. More than 75% of US adults report taking supplements in order to further their energy levels and boost their immune systems. Moreover, 50% of them use them regularly.
Things are not different here, in the Southern hemisphere. Around one in three Australians took a dietary supplement in 2023 alone, and when it comes to the elderly, there are surveys that suggest a 74% usage in their age bracket. We live busy lives, we try to protect our bodies as much as we can, and for this reason, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium supplements, for many of us, have transformed into a reality of daily living. But not all supplements are the same.
Are you, for example, trying to improve your cardiovascular health, give a boost to your immune system, improve your metabolic rate and also potentially get less agitated in high-stress situations? Well, in such a case, there is emerging evidence that supports the long-term benefits of magnesium taurate, a compound of magnesium and taurine that could be just right for you.
Something I Have First-Hand Experience With
I can personally attest to the positive effects of magnesium supplements. A couple of years ago, when I was still in college and trying to finish my Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and European Studies, I started suffering from mild panic attacks and palpitations that, at the time, I thought were caused primarily by a lack of sleep, stress, and the overuse of caffeine products. Now, was I completely wrong? Probably not. But as it later turned out, I was also dealing with a persistent deficiency of electrolytes, especially when it came to magnesium.
Fatigue, weakness, nausea, muscle cramps, unusual heart rhythms and tremors should all have been the warning signs I needed in order to get myself checked out. But I didn’t. I was studying too hard at the time; I didn’t have any time for myself, and I was fully focused on finishing my bachelor's thesis. This was a mistake, however, as one morning, after getting my daily shot of espresso, I experienced what I can only describe as the worst panic attack in my life, something that actually managed to put me in the hospital.
You Should Never Neglect Your Health
As it turns out, my serum levels of magnesium were at 1.23 mg/dL, which was borderline dangerous. Granted, because I had Ulcerative Colitis, magnesium deficiency was something I was always at risk of. That said, it was still a shock. I only really felt better after being put on high doses of magnesium supplements and fixing my diet.
Yet, out of all the magnesium supplements I was put on, magnesium taurate had, I think, the most profound effect on my well-being. Granted, not everyone will be admitted to the hospital with a serum magnesium level of under 1.4 mg/dL. My situation was a bit special. However, around one in three Australians don’t get enough magnesium in their diet, which is a problem, as Mg is listed as a cofactor in no less than 600 enzymes with a direct impact on our bodily functions.
Magnesium taurate can help regulate heart rhythms in individuals suffering from tachycardia and there is evidence that supports its role as an efficient compound for blood pressure reduction. Moreover, taurine is known to improve vascular flexibility, especially in individuals who suffer from PAD, and when combined with magnesium, it’s often prescribed as a supplement for improving cardiovascular health.
That’s Not All, However
When combined with gamma-aminobutyric acid, taurine acts as an inhibitory compound in the central nervous system, and there is strong evidence that shows it can help reduce nervous tension, support sleep and induce relaxation. Plus, magnesium inhibits NMDA receptors and enhances GABA-A receptor activity.
Therefore, the effect compounds. Magnesium supplements can help with anxiety, are a good way to mitigate the bodily effects of stress-related muscle tension, support neurotransmitter balance, and there is also strong evidence that showcases their role in improving glycaemic concentrations, especially in fasting and postprandial states.
Magnesium can reduce systemic inflammation markers such as CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α, and it also supports proper muscle function. In fact, if you ever feel particularly sore after an intensive workout session, a supplement containing magnesium taurate can be one of the most effective ways to reduce your cramps and enhance recovery.
What Is the Science Between It?
As previously mentioned, magnesium is a cofactor in more than 600 enzymes, while taurine is a neuromodulator molecule that can stabilise cell membranes and modulate the influx of calcium in nerve cells. Magnesium blocks NMDA receptors while taurine can lower excess neurotransmissions, which in turn, should improve sleep initiation, reduce anxiety, and eliminate muscle twitching. They can also improve cell energy production.
Magnesium is necessary for ATP production and it has a key role in the ETC chain. Taurine, on the other hand, can reduce ROS inside cells, and it improves the integrity of mitochondrial membranes. In other words, they support energy metabolism by working on the same cellular processes and complementing each other. Magnesium taurate stabilises heart rhythms, expands the availability of nitric oxide, improves endothelium robustness, and has a supportive role in the normalisation of contraction-relaxation cycles of the heart muscle.
Who Should Take Magnesium Supplements?
Magnesium should be taken by pretty much anyone. While it’s unlikely that you have serum magnesium levels that put you at risk of hypomagnesemia, magnesium is needed for healthy muscles, bone health and it has a key role in the steadiness of your heart rhythm. When combined with taurine, magnesium can help with stress-related tachycardia, reduce mildly elevated blood pressure, and reduce nervous system overreactions.
So, magnesium taurate is particularly useful for individuals who occasionally deal with unpleasant palpitations, or for highly stressed people who suffer from physical anxiety. Likewise, this form of magnesium is useful for active people prone to muscle overstimulation and for individuals with prediabetes.