Wellness Matters

One of the Easiest Ways to Avoid Cancer

David Roberts
Jun 02, 2026
5 min read

If there were a low-effort, high-impact way to lower your long-term cancer risk, it would be this: stop living in a chronic micronutrient deficit. That means getting enough vitamins and minerals—ideally from real food, and realistically from a smart multivitamin on top.

I used to take a multivitamin every day, but when I had coffee this week with my good friend Mike, I realized that I had stopped. Over coffee, Mike and I were comparing the supplements we take. I noted that the multivitamin wasn’t on his list, so I asked him. Indeed, he was not taking one.

Most people obsess over macros (protein, carbs, fat) and completely forget about micronutrients—the 40+ vitamins and minerals your cells need to make energy, repair DNA, and keep your immune system scanning for early cancer cells. When those micronutrients are low, your body cuts corners in ways that increase your risk of disease over time.

Why micronutrients matter more than you think

Your body can store some micronutrients, but it can’t make them. If they’re not in your food (or your supplements), your cells simply go without.

We see the extreme version of this in kids with vitamin A deficiency: even a “mild” deficiency dramatically raises mortality and can cause blindness—problems that reversed when children received just two large vitamin A doses per year. That’s how powerful a single nutrient can be.

In adults, deficiencies are usually subtler, but the consequences add up. Biochemist Bruce Ames, PhD (UC Berkeley), proposed the Triage Theory: when micronutrients are limited, your body diverts them to short‑term survival (things like basic energy and staying alive today) and robs long‑term functions like DNA repair, mitochondrial maintenance, and anti‑cancer surveillance.

This means:

You feel “okay” in the short term.
But in the background, you’re under‑funding the systems that prevent cancer, heart disease, and neurodegeneration.
Over years and decades, that trade‑off can look like: more DNA damage, more oxidative stress, more chronic inflammation, and less efficient immune surveillance—all core ingredients in cancer development.

Why modern diets set you up for risk

Most modern diets are:

Macronutrient rich: plenty of calories from refined carbs and processed fats.
Micronutrient poor: low in organ meats, seafood, colorful vegetables, and mineral‑rich foods.
You can hit your calorie needs and still run a long-term “micronutrient deficit.” You won’t see the problem in a week or a month, but over time it’s like running a complex lab on a bare‑bones budget: things slip, corners are cut, quality control drops.

That’s exactly the environment where precancerous cells are more likely to slip through the cracks.

One of the easiest “anti-cancer” habits: a real multivitamin

A high-quality multivitamin is one of the simplest, most realistic ways to stop starving your long‑term defense systems.

A good multivitamin helps:

Fill in gaps from even a “healthy” but imperfect diet.
Support DNA repair enzymes, antioxidant systems, and methylation.
Provide adequate B‑vitamins, zinc, magnesium, selenium, and fat‑soluble vitamins that many people miss.
Lays the groundwork for your body to efficiently utilize any other supplements or lifestyle factors you add.
Quality is key:

Look for formulas built around whole‑food–based nutrients or well‑studied forms (e.g., methylated B‑vitamins, chelated minerals).
Be cautious with brands that have had labeling or heavy‑metal issues, or rely heavily on cheap synthetic forms without good absorption data.

Examples mentioned in the original story:

Food‑forward options like Bio‑Avail Multi (designed to be paired with organ‑meat concentrates), or whole‑food–based multis from reputable brands.
Avoiding products that have faced lawsuits over heavy metals or major label inaccuracies.
The exact brand matters less than this: you consistently get enough micronutrients so your body doesn’t have to choose between “survive today” and “protect me from cancer over the next 30 years.”

The most nutrient-dense “superfoods” to prioritize

A multivitamin is a great backstop, but you can do even more by building your diet around genuinely nutrient-dense foods. These are the foods that deliver the most vitamins, minerals, and protective compounds per bite:

1. Organ meats (especially liver)

Extremely rich in vitamin A, B‑vitamins (including B12 and folate), iron, copper, and choline.
Supports detox pathways, methylation, and red blood cell production—all central to cellular health and resilience.
In a recent podcast I recorded with James Barry, we did a deep dive on beef liver, but let’s face it: beef liver smells bad, tastes horrible, and is not very easy to source. James has created a spice called Pluck that contains freeze-dried organ meats and offers the benefits of high nutrient density without the bad taste associated with most organ meats. If you want to try it, you can use MARA10 to get 10% off your order.
2. Shellfish (oysters, mussels, clams)

Some of the highest natural sources of zinc, copper, selenium, B12, and iodine.
These minerals are critical for antioxidant enzymes (like glutathione peroxidase) and thyroid function, both of which influence cancer risk.
3. Fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring)

Provide omega‑3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA), vitamin D, selenium, and high‑quality protein.
Omega‑3s help regulate inflammation, while vitamin D and selenium play roles in immune function and DNA protection.
4. Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower, cabbage)

Rich in glucosinolates that can be converted into sulforaphane and related compounds.
These support Phase II detoxification, Nrf2 activation, and the clearance of carcinogens—all directly linked to cancer risk modification.
5. Colorful plant foods (berries, beets, leafy greens, peppers)

Dense in polyphenols, carotenoids, vitamin C, and fiber.
Polyphenols act as signaling molecules that modulate inflammation and oxidative stress; fiber supports a healthy gut microbiome, which influences estrogen metabolism, immune function, and toxin elimination.
6. Pasture-raised eggs

Provide choline, vitamin A, vitamin D, B‑vitamins, and high‑quality protein.
Choline is key for methylation and cell membrane integrity, both important for preventing DNA damage and supporting healthy cell division.
7. Fermented foods (yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi)

Support gut diversity and barrier integrity.
A healthier gut microbiome helps metabolize potential carcinogens and modulate systemic inflammation.
You don’t need perfection. You need density and consistency: building most of your meals around these foods instead of ultra‑processed calories.

Putting it all together: a realistic anti-cancer foundation

A practical, science‑aligned foundation looks like this:

Eat nutrient‑dense foods (especially organ meats, shellfish, fatty fish, crucifers, and colorful plants) most days of the week.
Layer in a high‑quality multivitamin to cover inevitable gaps.
Remember Bruce Ames’s insight: when micronutrients are low, your body triages away from long‑term cancer protection. Don’t force your body into that corner if you don’t have to.
You can’t control everything about cancer risk. But you can control whether your cells have the raw materials they need to repair damage, clear toxins, and keep early cancer cells from becoming a problem.

And that is one of the easiest, most overlooked ways to avoid cancer.

Men’s Health Month

Overcoming the Anaerobic Barrier: A New Approach to Probiotic Manufacturing
May 12, 2026

Over the years, probiotic formulations have typically relied on oxygen-tolerant bacteria like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, largely because these strains can survive the standard manufacturing process. While they commonly offer clinical benefits, these strains alone do not fully reflect the types of bacteria that characterize a healthy, stable gut microbiome.

Many of the bacteria most consistently associated with a healthy, resilient gut microbiome are considered keystone commensals. These organisms play important roles in maintaining microbiome stability through functions such as short-chain fatty acid production, mucin support, and metabolic cross-feeding with other beneficial microbes. Several keystone commensal species, including Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (F. prausnitzii) and Roseburia intestinalis (R. intestinalis), are obligate anaerobes, meaning they cannot survive in the presence of oxygen.

Standard probiotic manufacturing involves processes such as fermentation, harvest, freeze-drying, and encapsulation, all of which expose bacteria to oxygen at some point. While oxygen-tolerant organisms can generally survive this process, obligate anaerobes such as F. prausnitzii and R. intestinalis cannot survive when exposed to oxygen and become inviable during probiotic manufacturing. As a result, commercially available probiotics have historically excluded many keystone commensal organisms that help provide a more complete and resilient gut ecosystem.

This manufacturing barrier has important clinical implications. Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Roseburia intestinalis are often found at lower levels in people with inflammatory, metabolic, and neurological conditions. At the same time, large microbiome studies have shown that these bacteria are common and stable components of a healthy gut. Until recently, there has not been a practical way to include them in a shelf-stable probiotic product. However, a patent-pending anaerobic manufacturing platform, Microbial Ecosystem Therapeutics (MET), is now beginning to address this limitation.

From FMT to MET

F***l microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a procedure that transfers stool from a healthy donor into the gut of someone with a disrupted microbiome. It was one of the first approaches to show that restoring a full community of microbes, including oxygen-sensitive anaerobes, could help rebalance the gut. This has been especially effective in treating recurrent Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection. At the same time, FMT comes with important limitations, as it relies on donor stool, which can vary from sample to sample, and raises safety and regulatory concerns that make it difficult to standardize for broader use.

These limitations led to the development of Microbial Ecosystem Therapeutics (MET). Instead of transferring whole stool, MET isolates specific anaerobic strains from a single, rigorously screened donor and cultures them under oxygen-free conditions. This results in a reproducible formulation that avoids many of the downsides and safety concerns associated with FMT. In early clinical studies, MET has demonstrated the ability to resolve recurrent C. difficile infection in patients who did not respond to standard therapies. As a result, MET follows the same ecological approach as FMT while using cultured, standardized bacterial strains instead of relying on repeated donor stool transfers.

What MET Technology Does

The key advancement behind MET is the ability to culture and manufacture anaerobic bacteria under controlled, oxygen-free conditions throughout the entire production process. The finished product uses packaging designed to limit exposure to moisture, oxygen, and light, helping to maintain viability without refrigeration.

Beyond oxygen control, MET also focuses on selecting organisms that function together. Instead of combining unrelated strains, these formulations are built around bacteria involved in cross-feeding networks and metabolic activity. This more closely reflects how these organisms behave within a healthy gut ecosystem.

Why These Organisms Matter

One of the most notable outcomes of this approach is the ability to include keystone commensal organisms that have not previously been available in probiotic products. Faecalibacterium prausnitzii typically accounts for approximately 5% of the gut microbiota in healthy adults. Considering that the gut microbiome contains thousands of different microbial species, this percentage represents a substantial presence within the gut ecosystem. It is a major producer of butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that plays a central role in supporting gut barrier integrity and immune regulation. Reduced abundance of this keystone species has been observed across conditions including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), type 2 diabetes, major depressive disorder, and Parkinson's disease.

Roseburia intestinalis is another keystone commensal probiotic that represents roughly 2% to 5% of the adult gut microbiota and is similarly recognized as a butyrate-producing keystone species. It is reduced across a range of inflammatory and metabolic conditions, including ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. These organisms have been extensively studied, but until now, could not be incorporated into probiotic formulations due to their oxygen sensitivity.

With MET-based approaches, these keystone species can now be combined with other keystone commensal organisms such as Akkermansia muciniphila, Bifidobacterium longum, and Bifidobacterium adolescentis. These organisms participate in complementary metabolic pathways and cross-feeding relationships that help support overall microbiome stability.

Summary

Many of the keystone commensal bacteria most strongly associated with a healthy, resilient gut microbiome have historically been excluded from commercial probiotics due to their sensitivity to oxygen. Advances in anaerobic manufacturing, particularly through MET, now allow for the reliable production and delivery of these organisms, including species such as F. prausnitzii and R. intestinalis that were previously unavailable in probiotic formulations. This represents a larger shift toward incorporating clinically relevant anaerobic strains that previous manufacturing methods could not support.

Learn more about keystone commensals and the gut microbiome:

The Gut Ecosystem: Why Biodiversity Matters

What Are Keystone Probiotic Species?

The New Way to Support Gut Health: Keystone Commensal Probiotics

Not All Probiotics Are Created Equal

By Jesse Martin, M.S.

Shared! Encouragement for today!

YOU HAVE VAST RESOURCES YOU AREN'T USING...
Sadly those who really need this Post the MOST are probably the ones who are too lazy and unmotivated to read anything longer than a few paragraphs. And THAT apathy is usually the very reason they remain STUCK and STAGNANT year after year.😭😢 But for those who are HUNGRY, and for those who have a holy discontentment, knowing that there is MORE to the Christian life than what they are now experiencing, well, then THIS is for YOU HUNGRY ONES:
In Christ, you ALREADY possess EVERYTHING needed for TOTAL victory. You fail to experience it only when you do not truly believe in your identity and power in Him. One of the clearest statements is: "My grace is sufficient for you: for My strength is made perfect in your weakness." — 2 Corinthians 12:9 On a side note: the verse before that clearly and specifically says Satan sent that harassing demon—not God. And contrary to nonscriptural opinion, the phrase "thorn in my side" is a well-known historical term throughout literature of that day, which NEVER meant sickness --- historically that term ALWAYS meant an opponent sabotaging a mission. Anyway, when Paul prayed for relief, God said He had ALREADY supplied Paul with the empowerment he needed to have total victory over the opposition! Like Paul, you face trials, but God has ALREADY given YOU the power, authority, and victory over every one of them – and you will EXPERIENCE that victory WHEN (and ONLY when) you believe Him and then in faith you put ACTION to that belief. So the question is NOT “do I have the victory” but instead the question is: do I actually believe that --- because your words and actions pour forth from your beliefs!
Stop begging God to DO what He has ALREADY given you; simply receive it by faith
"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; so that you ALWAYS have ALL SUFFICIENCY in ALL things (being self-sufficient in His sufficiency!), so you will ABOUND to every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:8) Notice the repeated "all": ALL grace, ALWAYS, ALL sufficiency, ALL things, EVERY good work… Paul's language is comprehensive! Nothing is left out!!!
"But my God shall supply ALL your need according to His limitless riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19) God guarantees victory over every material, physical, mental, and emotional need. No struggle is excluded WHEN we abide in Him, believing!
God has ALREADY given us EVERYTHING necessary for everything we might encounter in life -- so that we might walk AS CHRIST on this earth -- "His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness..." (2 Peter 1:3). Godliness literally means being like God. God is completely free from sickness, lack, depression, anxiety, addiction, shame, grief, and fear. Through Him, you already have absolute victory over all of these things and more. However, you will NEVER experience these gifts without genuine, deep revelation and subsequent belief. Do you truly KNOW and BELIEVE what He says?
Peter proclaims that God has ALREADY provided everything to EVERY believer IN Christ. You lack NOTHING! His free gift in Christ, and His express Plan and Will is your supernatural empowerment, success, prosperity, and good health in EVERY area of life (3 John 1:2).
Christ SUPERNATURALLY strengthens us for WHATEVER we face! "I can do ALL things through Christ which empowers me." (Philippians 4:13) The Greek word for "empowers" LITERALLY means "I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace." Please --- stop and re-read that!!! The context includes victorious abundance and victory over lack, hardship, temptations, trials, and suffering. Victory, not peacefully coexisting with darkness!!! Paul's confidence is in Christ's supernatural empowerment for victory, not his own human ability!
"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives LIBERALLY and without reproach" (James 1:5). When trials require SUPERNATURAL insight, understanding, and divine perspective rather than mere human observations, human logic, human reasonings, or human intellect, God PROMISES to supply His own Wisdom—not man's—to whosoever asks in genuine, unwavering faith! He gives FREELY, holds nothing back, and never reproaches those who seek Him. Believe, and you shall RECEIVE it!
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want" (Psalm 23:1). Father isn’t saying every fleshly lust will be satisfied, but that God's shepherding care supplies every GOOD thing that truly BLESSES and PROSPERS our whole being—body, soul, and spirit. Our loving Heavenly Father withholds no good thing from those who love Him! ❤
"He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increases strength" (Isaiah 40:29). "He gives power to the faint" (Isaiah 40:29). God supplies DUNAMIS power—supernatural, irresistible, and always victorious power—specifically to the weak! When Moses pleaded inadequacy, God promised only, "I will be with you" (Exodus 3–4). For 40 years, God provided SUPERNATURAL victory over EVERY trial. That was our EXAMPLE of how He supplies EVERYTHING needed, exactly when needed, for whosoever believes today!
"Be bold and of a courageous... for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9). Just as with Joshua, God’s power is not found in OUR efforts or OUR strength but in His MANIFEST PRESENCE as we live in intimacy with Him. Through a DAILY LIFESTYLE of intimate TWO-WAY conversation and communion with Holy Spirit, we discover He is not merely WITH us—but He is IN us! In Christ, He has ALREADY provided supernatural (not natural) victory for EVERY situation we face!
"For it is God who works in you to will and to do His GOOD pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). Remarkably, God supplies BOTH the DESIRE ("to will") and the SUPERNATURAL POWER ("to do") for His GOOD will! His callings are IMPOSSIBLE for you to fulfill by your own human efforts and intellect! You need His SUPERNATURAL POWER to accomplish what He has called you to! And He SUPERNATURALLY generates the very WANT-TO and also gives you the SUPERNATURAL EMPOWERMENT to succeed in whatever He has ordained!
Jesus' promise concerning the supernatural equipping and power for ministry: Jesus said, "Listen CAREFULLY: I am sending the Promise of My Father [the Holy Spirit] upon you; but you must remain in the city [of Jerusalem] (do not go anywhere or do anything) UNTIL you are clothed (fully equipped, supernaturally) with SUPERNATURAL POWER from on high.” — Luke 24:49 And THEN you will receive supernatural POWER AND ABILITY when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and THEN you will be My true witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
The Great Commission isn’t just about telling people about Jesus – NO! It describes a SUPERNATURAL DAILY LIFESTYLE of signs, wonders, healings, and casting out demons, working miracles… doing the ALL of the SAME WORKS that Jesus did, and even greater works! This supernatural authority and supernatural power over physical and spiritual realms flows SOLELY from the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Without the power and revelation that comes ONLY through praying in tongues, believers CAN NOT fully live the SUPERNATURAL life that RE-presents Jesus on earth!
God has ALREADY provided for EVERY need. It is AGAINST HIS WILL for you to coexist with the things of darkness—sickness, depression/anxiety, lack, fear, disability, addiction, pain, shame/grief, oppression… In Christ, you have TOTAL VICTORY over ALL the enemy’s works! There is NO REASON to endure these things except your own unbelief. Are you an unbelieving "believer"? These victorious realities are SUPERNATURALLY REVEALED and ACTIVATED through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit as you daily meditate on Scripture and pray in tongues!
I pray you will read and then deeeeeeeply ponder the following passage from 1 Corinthians chapter 2 (one of my favorite chapters in all of Scripture). Corinthians is ALL ABOUT walking by the spirit in intimate communion with Holy Spirit through the Baptism of Holy Spirit and regularly praying in tongues, without which the Born Again Believer will not experience the mind-blowingly supernatural Normal Christian Life:
"Among the mature, however, we speak a message of wisdom—but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of the mysterious and hidden wisdom of God, which He destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it. For if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
What is that saying? It’s saying that throughout history, even the most educated scholars, with lifetimes of deep Scripture study, even memorizing entire books of the Bible --- all their intellect and effort ONLY ATTAINED POWERLESS HEAD KNOWLEDGE of God’s Word—they gained INFORMATION without REVELATION. The natural mind is of the flesh, and has ZERO CAPACITY to understand ANYTHING of the Spirit! As Jesus said, "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63). The Word IS spirit and can ONLY be revealed BY Holy Spirit! Without intimate personal communion with Holy Spirit, man only has mere head knowledge of the WRITTEN Word but remains blind to the LIVING Word -- no matter how much he knows about the written text (1 Corinthians 2:14).
Let's continue with that passage:]
Rather, as it is written:
“No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no heart has imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love Him.
But God reveals it to us by the Spirit."
Beloved, do not blow past this! You can be Saved, read the Bible cover-to-cover, and memorize entire books, yet never experience the Divine Revelation required for the Normal Christian Life—the supernatural life Jesus lived, filled with nonstop power, signs, wonders, and miracles! Without daily intimacy with both Scripture and the Holy Spirit through praying in tongues, you will experience very little of this reality. True supernatural living flows only from this daily union!
But let's continue with the next verse: "The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him? So too, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words."
Oh beloveds!!! Consider what is being said there because you might miss the MAGNITUDE of it!!! Just as no human knows YOUR deepest thoughts except YOU, no one knows the thoughts of God except His Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:11). With our natural human mind and abilities, God’s mind is IMPOSSIBLE for us to know! But the Father SO DEEPLY DESIRES deeeeep intimacy with you, and THAT is why He offers every believer the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Through praying in tongues, God Divinely Reveals His deep mysteries, feelings, nature, character, Word, and mind — truths the natural mind CAN NOT comprehend. Offering you this incredible gift of tongues SO YOU COULD PARTAKE OF HIM --- that shows how MUCH He wants you to know Him and walk in daily INTIMACY with Him!!!
Let's continue with verse 14:
"The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they seem confusing, impossible, absurd, and like foolishness to the natural human mind -- he CAN NOT understand them, because they are [ONLY] spiritually discerned! The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment. For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him? BUT WE HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST!!!!!!!" (1 Corinthians 2: 6-16)
This truth is too VAST for one post! True revelation will come to you through prayerful, intentional DIGGING DEEP into Scripture and meditating deeply on every word. You NEED the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and you NEED to pray in tongues daily. ONLY THEN will you fully comprehend these mind-blowing mysteries and step into the mind-blowingly supernatural Normal Christian Life that God intends for EVERY believer! .
God already HAS provided EVERYTHING you will EVER need --- in ABUNDANCE, so that you truly LACK NOTHING. But beloved, you will NEVER EXPERIENCE that overflowing and powerful supernatural life if you are trying to attain it through your own human reasonings of Scripture. It can NOT be attained that way. You NEED the supernatural Divine Revelation that comes ONLY through Holy Spirit as you daily meditate on Scripture in conjunction with daily praying in tongues!

You can tell a lot about fish oil just by looking at it.

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That color comes from naturally occurring compounds like astaxanthin, not artificial additives.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Information provided by this website or this company is not a substitute for individual medical advice.

Magnesium Deficiency: How It Relates to Poor Mood and Mental Health

The role of magnesium in the brain

Magnesium is required for over 300 enzymatic reactions in the human body, positively supporting neurological, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal health. Regarding brain health, magnesium is needed for optimal ionic homeostasis, normal nerve signal transmission, and major excitatory/inhibitory neurotransmission pathways. Magnesium is required to maintain the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which protects the brain against toxins and pathogens and bidirectionally controls the passage of molecules from the blood and the central nervous system. Magnesium may also promote the normal function of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which contributes to neuronal plasticity and is required for normal learning and memory. Furthermore, magnesium may lower the adverse effects of oxidative stress and promote healthy inflammatory responses in the brain.

Due to magnesium’s pivotal role in brain health, magnesium is suggested to support a more balanced mood and mental health. This may help to explain why a systematic review and meta-analysis of six observational studies (n = 19,137) concluded that individuals with magnesium deficiency (hypomagnesemia) had an overall 1.3-fold increased risk of depression.

What causes suboptimal magnesium status?

According to epidemiological studies, magnesium intake in the U.S. has significantly decreased from 500 mg to a range of 175 mg to 225 mg per day. Individuals who follow a Western‑style diet consume less than 30% to 50% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for magnesium, which is 320 mg to 420 mg daily for adults. Magnesium insufficiency is common in the U.S. due to the wide use of demineralized water and soil and the increased consumption of processed foods. Magnesium is also depleted by stress, excessive alcohol consumption, gastrointestinal disorders, diabetes, and certain medications.

Magnesium deficiency, or hypomagnesemia, is characterized by serum magnesium levels below 1.46 mg/dL (normal levels are between 1.46 and 2.68 mg/dL). Hypomagnesemia is reported to have a prevalence of 2.5% to 15% in the general population. However, it can be under-recognized or under-reported, as it is typically asymptomatic until serum magnesium concentration is less than 1.2 mg/dL. Signs and symptoms include mild tremors, generalized weakness, cardiac ischemia, and may result in death.

Magnesium and certain medications

A variety of medications can cause magnesium loss or hypomagnesemia, including proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). PPIs can be prescribed or taken over the counter and are used for individuals with occasional or chronic heartburn. PPIs are designed to lower gastric acidity, resulting in an unwanted outcome of reducing the absorption of essential vitamins and minerals, including magnesium. The authors of a cross-sectional study (n = 16,881) proposed that one potential hypothesis for why they found an association between PPIs and depression in adults is due to PPI-induced hypomagnesemia.

PPIs are intended for short-term use of 14 days, up to three times per year. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated there is little risk of hypomagnesemia when PPIs are used according to the directions on the label. However, studies show that 40% to 60% of PPI use is inappropriately misused or overused for unnecessarily long periods. A systematic review of global trends and practices identified 28 million PPI users in 23 countries, indicating that nearly one-quarter of adults worldwide use a PPI. Among those taking a PPI, 25% used PPIs for over one year, and 28% used PPIs for over three years.

Clinical insights

According to the FDA, hypomagnesemia has been reported in adult patients taking PPIs for at least three months, but most cases occurred after PPI use for one year. One-quarter of cases required discontinuing PPI treatment under medical supervision plus magnesium supplementation to reestablish healthy magnesium status. Once discontinuing the PPI, the median time required for magnesium to normalize was one week. Interestingly, if the individual restarted the PPI, the median time to develop hypomagnesemia again was two weeks. (Note: If you are concerned about your magnesium status with certain medication use, talk with a healthcare provider immediately. Do not discontinue the medication without medical supervision.)

It is well known that magnesium can help support balanced mood and mental health due to its various roles in the brain. In addition to promoting magnesium status through supplementation or dietary sources (green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains), one may want to consider what other lifestyle or dietary factors may cause magnesium insufficiency or deficiency.

Learn more about magnesium:

The Link Between Magnesium Status and Healthy Cognition

The Connection Between Magnesium and Vitamin B6 to Support a Normal Stress Response

Explore Magnesium Status and Cardiometabolic Health

Magnesium for Healthy Blood Sugar Support

By Danielle Moyer Male, MS, CNS, LDN