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The Best Magnesium Supplements

Most Americans are Magnesium Deficient

Dr. Jason Fung
8 min readNov 30, 2023

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Most Americans (50–85%) don’t get the recommended daily intake of magnesium, according to the National Academy of Science leading to magnesium deficiency. This may contribute to diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and neurologic disease. A 2013 meta-analysis finds that lower dietary magnesium intake is correlated to higher risk of heart disease. Eating a daily magnesium supplement is also correlated to a 22% reduced risk of ischemic events. In this article, we discuss why magnesium deficiency is so common and the best supplements to take.

Most supplements have little proven health benefits (as I explained in this article) so I generally don’t recommend many of them. Getting enough salt and getting enough magnesium are two prominent exceptions. I explain why salt isn’t actually bad for you in this video and this video.

Note that this article is NOT sponsored, and I am not recommending any specific brands or selling supplements.

What is Magnesium?

Abundant magnesium deposits were discovered near the ancient Greek city of Magnesia from which the word is derived. Magnesium is a trace mineral and the fourth most abundant cation (positive ion) in the body. Foods contain many micro-nutrients — including the…

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Dr. Jason Fung

Nephrologist. New York Times best selling author. Interest in type 2 diabetes reversal and intermittent fasting. Founder www.TheFastingMethod.com.