Why Is Magnesium L-Threonate the Best Form for the Brain?

Dr. Mike: Hey, Dr. Mike here! Have you ever heard of threonate? Well, it goes with magnesium, and your brain loves it. Stick around to learn more!

Live Foreverish Introduction: You're listening to Live Foreverish, a show dedicated to helping you live just a little longer. Here are your hosts, Dr. Mike and Dr. Crystal Gossard.

Dr. Mike: All right! Welcome to Live Foreverish. I'm Dr. Mike. I'm with my co-host, Dr. Crystal Gossard. And today we're going to talk about magnesium threonate: why that's so important. It’s a little…I don't know, can I call it a little “special” form of magnesium?

Dr. Crystal: Absolutely.

Dr. Mike: Yeah. It's not the normal stuff you find in other magnesium formulas and all that kind of stuff. And to help us understand the importance of magnesium threonate, you know, where it came from, why we have it, what's the benefit, we have an expert!

Dr. Crystal: That's right.

Dr. Mike: Right. Dr. Jennifer Gu. She is a PhD in Experimental Pathology at the University of California, Los Angeles: completed a post-doctoral work at the California Institute of Technology and the Division of Biology. She's published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, including Nature, during her academic life. Dr. Gu holds multiple patents and is a frequent speaker and contributor to nutritional journal articles. She's currently the VP of Research and Development at AIDP, and she's there responsible for new product development, clinical trials, all kinds of stuff. Dr. Gu, welcome to Live Foreverish.

Dr. Jennifer Gu: Hi. Thank you for having me, Dr. Mike, Dr. Crystal.

Dr. Mike: We're excited to talk about this. As you know, brain health, memory, cognition, these kinds of things, brain fog stuff. I mean, people are often talking about helping, you know, to improve brain function. We hear it all the time, so we're happy you're on.

So, to lay the foundation of what we're going to be talking about today, will you share the overall benefits? Let's just start with magnesium first. What are the benefits and why is supplementation important?

Benefits of Magnesium 00:02:03

Dr. Jennifer Gu: Yes. Magnesium is one of the most important minerals in our body. And it's a co-factor for over 300 different enzymes in every part of our biological reactions. So, it is also an important mineral for the brain. It's actually facilitating many of the signaling pathways involved in the memory, cognition, stress, anxiety. All these functions, and magnesium, are helping the enzymes—are working on all these pathways to work properly. So, it is one of the fundamental nutrients of our body.

Dr. Mike: Yeah. So, Dr. Crystal and I always like to talk about food first, right? And so, magnesium, you can find it in leafy greens…

Dr. Crystal: Nuts, seeds?

Dr. Mike: …nuts, seeds, yeah. She's taught me a lot about where you can find magnesium in food.

But we also know that our food supply, food chain, what people actually are eating and not eating. Really, we're not getting enough, right, Dr. Crystal?

So, that's kind of why supplementation, I think, plays a key role…So, that’s magnesium. We're talking about something called magnesium threonate. How is that different? Why did we need to bring that to the market?

How Is Magnesium L-Threonate Different from Other Magnesium Types? 00:03:36

Dr. Jennifer Gu: So, there are many different types of magnesium on the market and a lot of them actually have problems being properly absorbed, okay? So, one of the things you probably noticed is that magnesium oxide was in the formula for laxative, over-the-counter laxative, and that is one of the indicators that it is not well absorbed, okay?

So Magtein^®, which is magnesium L-threonate, is one of the new magnesiums that are well absorbed; it's a bioavailable magnesium source. So, the uniqueness about it is that it's not only bioavailable through the intestine absorption; it is also unique in that it is brain bioavailable.

So, there's research has demonstrated that it is the only one magnesium that can effectively go across the blood-brain barrier to raise the brain magnesium levels, to have a benefit in memory, cognition and many of the brain-related functions.

Dr. Crystal: Yes. And so, when we look at L-threonate—and I do recall that original research and it seemed there were multiple, I guess, many research studies within that one larger study—and the magnesium threonate was compared to other forms.

So, I have two questions. What were those forms in that original research that the threonate was compared to? And can you tell us a little more about threonate: What is L-threonate?

Discovery of Magnesium Threonate 00:05:29

Dr. Jennifer Gu: Very good question. So, let me bring back a little bit about how magnesium L-threonate was discovered, okay? Magnesium L-threonate was actually discovered by a professor, Dr. Guosong Liu from MIT, okay? He was doing the drug screening pathways to look for factors that can increase the neuroplasticity, which is a hallmark for increased, improved memory. So, he set up the tissue system, tried to screen different kind of compounds, and by accident he found out magnesium can effectively increase the neuroplasticity, okay?

So, later on, when he was doing the postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University, he worked with a local biotech company and screened all the magnesium compounds available in the animal model to see which ones actually go across the blood-brain barrier. In his research, he identified that magnesium L-threonate is the only magnesium compound.

I think he compared all the compounds that are available on the market, at that time, about 20 years ago. So, he found out, Magtein^®, magnesium L-threonate, is the only one that can go across the blood-brain barrier, effectively raising the magnesium levels.

Coming back to your question: What is L-threonate? L-threonate is one of the main vitamin C metabolites, okay? So, it is a ligand that is already present in our body and especially in a higher concentration in our brain because we take vitamin C all the time.

So, we have these major metabolites of vitamin C in our body already. And it's actually present in a much higher concentration as it presents in our circulation system. So, it indicates that it does have a special role in our brain.

Dr. Crystal: Now, is it true that the L-threonate is kind of acting as a transporter to get the magnesium into the brain? Is that the understanding?

How Does Magnesium L-Threonate Work in the Brain? 00:07:49

Dr. Jennifer Gu: Yes, it is. Actually, there's published research specifically examining whether it is the actual need as a special carrier to carry the magnesium to the brain. It is not very clear how physically it’s carrying magnesium directly or not, but it is very clear that it is a requirement for the magnesium to go to the brain.

Dr. Mike: Now, you had mentioned briefly in your answer there about brain connections, right?

Dr. Crystal: Plasticity.

Dr. Mike: Plasticity. Can you explain that a little bit for the audience? What exactly is plasticity and why is it so important to cognitive function?

Dr. Jennifer Gu: Yes. If you think about the cellular mechanisms of signal transduction in the brain, you normally have one neuron cells extend an arm and go to the next neuron cells. So, that's forming the connection, okay? And these connections are important for signal transduction between the neurons. And that is where the memory cognition, signaling works. The more of these connections, the more that signaling is going on, the more memory functions are happening, okay?

So, this kind of connection is an indication of neuroplasticity…And that is the indication that your neurons are actively working, are transducing the signals, are forming these connections for the memory and cognition. And that is actually the physical evidence for a good memory and cognitive signaling happening in your brain.

Dr. Mike: And magnesium is important for all that, right? Magnesium plays a role in helping to make those connections, right? Before we had magnesium threonate, not enough magnesium was getting into the brain, probably. But now with this new formula, we can get it in the brain. And we're making those stronger connections. Is that the gist of it?

Magnesium's Role in Brain Connections 00:10:05

Dr. Jennifer Gu: That is very true, Dr. Mike. So, what's happened is that if you recall, over the past decades, we have been emphasizing on taking calcium, okay? Magnesium wasn't a part of the recommended nutrition. But magnesium is so important. We can only get that from the environment, from our food, [and] from our drinks.

Does Magnesium L-Threonate Help with Alzheimer’s? 00:10:26

Dr. Jennifer Gu: Actually, if you look at the food nowadays, the nutrient is much less than we had, let's say 50 years ago. So, if we just eat the normal food, we're not taking the right amount of nutrients that we needed.

And when we take in the calcium: a calcium is important. But sometimes I think we're taking too much calcium because of the advocate for the past, you know, decades. And we are actually changing the balance between calcium and magnesium.

So, we really need to take the proper amount of magnesium, especially when we're older. We’re missing all these minerals. And if we're not taking the right amount, we're not having the proper amount in our brain, in our body.

And it's directly related to how our brain and body functions properly. And that is, in my opinion, a big factor contributing to all these problems like neurodegeneration, Alzheimer's, stress, anxiety—they are truly associated with lacking the proper nutrients, especially magnesium.

Dr. Crystal: Yes. I'm happy you brought that up. And I looked at Dr. Mike when you were talking about the magnesium in the food. He talks about that all the time!

Dr. Mike: Yeah, yeah.

Dr. Crystal: That even an apple from 40 years ago is not the same as today.

Dr. Mike: …is not the same. And that’s research-based.

Dr. Crystal: Right. Absolutely.

Dr. Mike: Rutgers—about ten years ago—did a great study comparing, polyphenol like levels, mineral levels and…yep.

Dr. Crystal: Yep. So, let's transition from the animal research where okay, now we know from animal research that magnesium threonate, it is getting into the brain. It's forming or creating those connections, making them stronger. How does that translate to outcomes in clinical studies in humans? Can you kind of walk us through some of the groundbreaking research that we're seeing in humans?

Clinical Studies on Magnesium Threonate 00:12:37

Dr. Jennifer Gu: Sure. We have done several human clinicals on magnesium L-threonate. So, the first human clinicals were focused on older people that have complained about memory and cognition problems. But they're normal people just complaining about, just like, getting to a certain age, [when] we notice we have problems in proper memory and cognition.

And a randomized, placebo-controlled study using a placebo and a group taking Magtein^®, about 2 g, a 1.5 to 2 g dosage, which actually is only about 120 to 140 mg of elemental magnesium, which is very low compared to RDA, okay? So, it's one-third of the daily recommended dosage of magnesium.

And after six weeks and 12 weeks, people were examed for a cognitive test, which is a computer based cognitive test. It is not just subjective questionnaires: it's an objective test. And it was measured before and after, So, after six weeks of intake of magnesium—four areas of cognition were measured—and they were significantly improved as compared to the placebo.

But most interestingly….the researchers used a composite score, which actually takes into account of all these four different measurements, which is reflection of the overall brain health. It showed an even higher significant difference versus the placebo.

And very interestingly is that if you are using the brain age measurements, okay, which is, you know, measurements commonly used in literature, we find out that the Magtein^® group, which was a certain brain age before and after, is a nine-year reversal. That means that Magtein^® make’s these people’s brain nine years younger by this kind of measurement!

Cognitive Function Measurement 00:15:04

Dr. Mike: OK, now we're listening!

Dr. Crystal: Wow!

Dr. Mike: So, looking at these brain biological age things, there was like four or five years. You're saying that the people in the, magnesium threonate group became younger by nine years compared to placebo. Is that just...making sure we're hearing that right?

Dr. Jennifer Gu: To be more accurate: So, what's happening is that in the old people population that was actually complaining about memory loss, cognition—when they measured their cognitive function, which corresponds to the brain age, okay? And that brain age is not just [something] we invented. It's actually published literature. There is a curve of the measurements of the brain function versus the real age. So, that curve is generated through literature research, okay?

So, when we measured the initial population against that curve, these people, let's say they're 60 years old, but the brain age was around 69 years old, okay? Because they're older compared to their peers—a normal population—so, when they take Magtein^®, they're able to reverse back to [be] comparable to their normal peers. So, it's rejuvenating your brain: it’s making a brain as young as your normal peers’.

Dr. Mike: Right. I love it. Great research.

Dr. Crystal: Has there been any follow up research? Do we know, I guess, do you need to continue to take it to maintain those benefits?

Dr. Jennifer Gu: That's a very good question. We actually tested that idea in animal study. It's hard to do it in humans. But we did test that idea in animals. So, in animals, what's happening is that you take Magtein^®, and after two weeks, you see the benefit, okay? So, if you stop taking it, the benefit disappeared after two weeks; if you retake it, [after] another two weeks, you're going to see the benefits again.

So, that is consistent with our understanding about taking nutrients like magnesium. You do need to take it to maintain the proper levels in your body to have the benefits. But it does take some time to accumulate. And if you stop, it will disappear after, you know, in animal model, it's about two weeks [later].

But interestingly in the human clinicals we have done and in our personal experience of using this product, its benefit is actually very fast. That is very unique about Magtein^®! You can…I mean, in my case as a consumer, I've been taking it over 10 years, and I felt the focus and the benefits within 30 minutes. I know it's not, I mean, we haven't tested scientifically. It's my personal…

Dr. Mike: That's your experience. That's okay!

Dr. Jennifer Gu: Yes. That’s my experience and that's a lot of my colleagues’ and my friends’ experience taking it.

Dr. Mike: So, one of the questions we already get because of this is, you know, people hear about magnesium threonate. They become very interested in it, especially when you hear research like that, right? But they're already kind of taking a magnesium formula. So, then they're confused. Do I still take my general magnesium? Because I was doing that for bone health or whatever.

Dr. Crystal: Right.

Dr. Mike: Metabolic health, systemic, not necessarily for my brain. Can they still take that formula and add magnesium threonate?

Comparing Magnesium Forms 00:19:01

Dr. Jennifer Gu: I actually have reservations about taking Magtein^® with other magnesium products. It could be, you know, because Magtein^®, magnesium L-threonate, is very bioavailable, it's not only good for the brain, it's actually also very good for other parts of the body: for the heart, for the red blood cells, for the bones.

We don't have, in the human clinicals, we haven't really tested [this]. But in the animal studies, the bioavailability is well demonstrated. And it's also where I have a lot of anecdotal data to see the benefits of it in other parts of the systems, okay? So, given that said, I think we shouldn't take too much magnesium anything. We shouldn't take too much, okay? So, I think if you have magnesium in other part of the formula, if you want to take it, you should reduce the amount. Not too much, okay?

Or you take it at different times. You don't take it together.

Dr. Crystal: Now when you when you look at some of the studies, I just want to go back to something you said about its bioavailability. Have we identified a comparison, or have you seen any research with comparing red blood cell magnesium levels, like testing with the different forms versus L-threonate form?

Bioavailability Research 00:20:42

Dr. Jennifer Gu: There’s published the research, not from us, from other people, okay? So, the good thing about magnesium L-threonate, although it was discovered and patented by us, in the literature, there is a huge amount of publications from research groups around the world using magnesium for their own studies.

And so, it has basically demonstrated all the functions we have discovered, okay? So, it's nice to see that it's repeated by other labs around the world.

So, there are publications comparing magnesium L-threonate with all different kinds of magnesium, although it's not specifically down to the brain, it's just comparing with other sources using the traditional methods. Magnesium L-threonate still turned out to be the best bioavailable form. And in terms of how it's bioavailable compared to other sources, one of the things we have to note is that a lot of times when you do the study, you only compare that to the intestine absorption, okay?

Dr. Crystal: Right.

Dr. Jennifer Gu: So, the real bioavailability is really where it functions. For example, whether it goes to the brain. We have that in animal studies: it’s published in neuron compared the Magtein^®, magnesium L-threonate, versus all the organic magnesiums.

As an example, magnesium gluconate plus milk: that was one of the most organic magnesiums tested, put in the figure. And the inorganic magnesium, as an example, is magnesium chloride. It was also the most soluble inorganic magnesium compared.

So those two representatives from all the screenings were produced in that figure, which is figure one on the neuron. [This] demonstrated that only magnesium L-threonate–as compared to the most bioavailable organic magnesium, most viable inorganic magnesium–that is the only one…able to elevate the brain magnesium levels, okay?

So, it's important to look at the end results: the physiological functions to compare the bioavailability.

Dr. Crystal: Yes, I think that's a good point. And we talk about this: the difference between absorption and bioavailability. I think part one is obviously getting it through, you know, in the digestive tract into the bloodstream.

And we do understand that dosing plays a major role with that, as well. You know, the more the actual elemental magnesium that you are taking in at any given time—there's that threshold where the absorption slows down.

And so, I know you mentioned with the dosing that that's typically administered: the 1 to 2 g, there's about 120 or 140 mg of magnesium. So, I know that certainly helps to make sure you're not overloading the system where that magnesium is going to be absorbed.

But I like how you brought out about the bioavailability. It's not only getting in…we're seeing the magnesium threonate getting into the tissues better. Is that what I'm understanding? I just wanted to clarify that point to make sure.

Absorption vs. Bioavailability 00:24:22

Dr. Jennifer Gu: Yes. Dr. Crystal, you said it right. It is not only absorbed to your intestine: it is how it gets into the tissue of function. For example, the brain function: how does it get to brain? The heart: how does it get to the heart, okay?

And for magnesium L-threonate, Magtein^®, has been looked at in the humans for entering the blood cells. So, it's actually able to raise the blood cell’s magnesium levels. And as for a direct comparison in the red blood cells versus other magnesium sources, I haven't seen that. So, I don't think it has been done.

Dr. Mike: I'm going to switch gears just really quickly, Dr. Gu. A lot of people take magnesium because of the kind of calming effect at night, like they use it with melatonin and stuff when they take it. When do you suggest taking magnesium threonate? Can they, you know, if people are taking magnesium at night, can they just switch to magnesium threonate and do that at night before they go to bed?

Timing of Magnesium Supplementation 00:25:31

Dr. Jennifer Gu: You know, that brings out an excellent point. There's, just as you said, a lot of people taking magnesium for calming.

We actually just finished a human clinicals on that specific area of interest. So, we try to investigate how Magtein^®, magnesium L-threonate, works contributing to sleep. We're still submitting for publication. So, these are unpublished results. I'll just, without going into too much detail, I'll give you a peek into the discovery.

So, what we have noticed is that taking Magtein^® at first, it's actually—for a lot of people who are magnesium deficient—it actually makes you very sleepy. But after a while, if you continue taking it, it's …not increase[ing] your sleeping time [and] does not necessarily help you to fall asleep, okay?

But what you experience is that when you wake up, you have a full energy, a clear mind and a very productive day. So, with that understanding, we did a human clinical. It's a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, human clinical with placebo and Magtein^®.

Does Magnesium L-Threonate Help with Sleep? 00:26:57

Dr. Jennifer Gu: So, what we found out is that Magtein^® doesn't…just as we experienced, Magtein^® doesn't really help you to fall asleep too much—doesn't help you stay in bed longer. However, it increased the REM stage and the deep stage, which are the two stages that help to consolidate the memory, help to improve your cognition, help your brain to rest and rejuvenate. That has been already known in literature.

And Magtein^® in those stages to help your brain to recover, to rejuvenate, so you have a better quality of sleep. And the next day people are rested…There's improvement in productivity, there's improvement in mood, there's improvement in clear mental health. There's, you know, the huge amount of improvement in the next day's productivity.

So, that is really what magnesium really does in sleep.

Dr. Mike: Fascinating. Thank you for sharing that. I love to hear that.

Dr. Crystal: Yes. Hot off the press!

Dr. Mike: We talk about that a lot. It's not just falling into sleep. It’s doing something that allows you to go through the stages and cycle through the stages of sleep. So, that's great to hear.

You're listening to Jennifer Gu. She is a PhD in Experimental Pathology from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Dr. Gu, just to kind of wrap things up a little bit, what would be for our audience, our listening audience, what would be your take home message about magnesium threonate?

Take Home Message on Magnesium Threonate 00:28:41

Dr. Jennifer Gu: So, magnesium is an important mineral that we need to supplement [with]. And magnesium L-threonate is the “brain magnesium,” the brain energy, the brain rejuvenator, in my opinion.

And it is a safe ingredient if you take it in the recommended dosage. And, it is a magnesium that not only helps with your brain, actually it helps with many other functions of your body.

So, I have been taking it for over 10 years. I am probably one of the first people to take it. And know I felt the benefit, and most people can feel the benefit, of focus and the concentration very quickly and effectively.

Dr. Mike: Yes, it's nice to know that the investigators and the developers actually take their product, right? It's kind of a good thing. You wanted to clarify one more thing, maybe?

Dr. Crystal: Yes, yes. And so, the trademark form of magnesium L-threonate. You mentioned it a couple of times. This is Magtein^®. Is that correct?

Dr. Jennifer Gu: That's correct. Yes.

Dr. Crystal: And I'd like to say, my mom also takes it.

Dr. Mike: I'm not saying…your mom's sharp!

Dr. Crystal: She is.

Dr. Mike: She is on it!

Dr. Crystal: She is! This is one that when she runs out, she calls me up.

Dr. Mike: That's great. That's awesome. Dr. Gu, thank you so much for joining us today. I think this was a wealth of information.

Dr. Crystal: Yes.

Dr. Mike: And I know our audience is just going to eat this up, right? So, thanks for coming on today.

Dr. Jennifer Gu: Thank you, Dr. Mike. Thank you, Dr. Crystal. Thanks for having me!

Dr. Mike: I'm Dr. Mike. That's Dr. Crystal. Thanks for listening.