BY STEVE BORN
Magnesium is an undisputed wellness superstar. Is there anything it CAN'T do? Involved in over 300 biochemical processes in the body, more than any other mineral, magnesium plays a crucial role in:
- Maintaining normal muscle and nerve function
- Keeping heart rhythm regular
- Normalizing blood pressure
- Support strong bones
- Regulating blood sugar levels
¦ And so much more! Recent research suggests that we can add one more benefit to the long list attributed to magnesium: potential increase in longevity.
A study published in late 2016 reveals that supplementation with magnesium mimics a primary mechanism of calorie restriction, which is considered to be one of the most effective ways to help slow down the aging process. Calorie restriction has been shown to increase the lifespan in species ranging from yeast to worms to mice, with newer research showing that its benefits extend to monkeys, obviously much larger animals.
Though there is the very real possibility of extended lifespan with calorie restriction, the main problem is that it requires significant reductions in food intake, severe enough for most people to embrace, let alone follow (as one science writer states, Permanently reducing calorie intake by 25 to 50 percent or more sounds to many like a way to extend life by making it not worth living.) The good news is that the cells supplemented with magnesium produced the same beneficial R-loop suppression result that is a primary mechanism of calorie restriction. Best of all, magnesium accomplished this completely independent of calorie restriction, which, as mentioned earlier, is such a severe lifestyle change that most people are unwilling and/or unable to follow.
Thanks to this exciting study, the claim by one nutritional scientist that magnesium is the key to health and life appears to be more valid than ever. Magnesium supplementation is an easy and inexpensive way to support and enhance so many areas of athletic performance and human health. Being a key player in potential life extension may be its best benefit of all.
Essential Mg contains five forms of highly bioavailable magnesium. It is an ideal way to ensure that you're receiving optimal amounts of this all-important, health-benefiting, and potentially life-extending mineral.
