The Peter Attia Drive - #282 - AMA #54: Magnesium: risks of deficiency, how to correct it, supplement options, potential cognitive and sleep benefits, and more

#282 - AMA #54: Magnesium: risks of deficiency, how to correct it, supplement options, potential cognitive and sleep benefits, and more

12/11/23 • 20 min

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In this “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) episode, Peter tackles essential questions about magnesium, beginning with the important roles it plays in the body and why maintaining proper levels is crucial. Peter discusses the harms of magnesium deficiency, how to determine if you're deficient, potential causes of deficiency, and how diet and supplementation can be used to increase magnesium levels. Peter unravels the confusion surrounding magnesium supplementation, discussing the optimal forms and recommended daily intake while addressing concerns about excess consumption. He also explores the potential cognitive and sleep benefits associated with magnesium supplementation. Finally, Peter concludes with a look into his recent experimentation with new exercises to serve as benchmarks to assess his progress and fitness levels as he navigates the aging process.

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We discuss:

The important roles of magnesium in the body [2:45];
How to determine if you might be deficient in magnesium [10:15];
Addressing migraines related to low magnesium [14:45];
The prevalence of magnesium deficiency [16:30];
Various conditions and drugs that can negatively impact magnesium levels [21:30];
Magnesium-rich foods and factors that impact absorption of magnesium [24:30];
Daily targets for magnesium supplementation and whether it’s possible to take too much [30:15];
The different forms of supplemental magnesium [34:00];
How absorption of magnesium from food compares to absorption from supplements [36:15];
Choosing the right magnesium supplements for optimal absorption [37:15];
The unique ability of magnesium L-threonate to increase brain magnesium concentration [40:15];
Potential cognitive benefits of magnesium [43:00];
Potential sleep benefits of magnesium [48:45];
Takeaways on magnesium and a look into Peter’s personal protocol [53:15];
Peter’s new benchmarks related to exercise and age [58:30]; and
The potential impact of hearing loss on brain health and neurodegeneration [2:04:30]; and
More.

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View the Show Notes Page for This Episode

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We discuss:

The important roles of magnesium in the body [2:45];
How to determine if you might be deficient in magnesium [10:15];
Addressing migraines related to low magnesium [14:45];
The prevalence of magnesium deficiency [16:30];
Various conditions and drugs that can negatively impact magnesium levels [21:30];
Magnesium-rich foods and factors that impact absorption of magnesium [24:30];
Daily targets for magnesium supplementation and whether it’s possible to take too much [30:15];
The different forms of supplemental magnesium [34:00];
How absorption of magnesium from food compares to absorption from supplements [36:15];
Choosing the right magnesium supplements for optimal absorption [37:15];
The unique ability of magnesium L-threonate to increase brain magnesium concentration [40:15];
Potential cognitive benefits of magnesium [43:00];
Potential sleep benefits of magnesium [48:45];
Takeaways on magnesium and a look into Peter’s personal protocol [53:15];
Peter’s new benchmarks related to exercise and age [58:30]; and
The potential impact of hearing loss on brain health and neurodegeneration [2:04:30]; and
More.

Connect With Peter on Twitter,

Previous Episode

#281 ‒ Longevity drugs, aging biomarkers, and updated findings from the Interventions Testing Program (ITP) | Rich Miller, M.D., Ph.D.

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Richard Miller is a professor of pathology and the Director of the Center for Aging Research at the University of Michigan, as well as a previous guest on The Drive. In this episode, Rich provides an update on the exciting work of the Interventions Testing Program (ITP), an initiative designed to assess potential life-extending interventions in mice. Rich covers the notable successes like rapamycin, 17⍺-estradiol, and acarbose as well as notable failures like nicotinamide riboside, metformin, and resveratrol, providing valuable lessons about the intricacies of the aging process. Rich delves deep into aging biomarkers and aging rate indicators, unraveling crucial insights into the science of geroprotective molecules. Additionally, Rich discusses some surprising successes of recent molecules tested by the ITP and concludes with an optimistic look at future frontiers, including bridging the gap from mice to humans.

We discuss:

An overview of the Interventions Testing Program (ITP) [3:45];
How the mice used by the ITP are superior for research relative to mouse models used in most research [11:15];
Design of ITP studies, outcomes tested, and metrics of interest [19:00];
The process and challenges of drug formulation for mice [30:00];
Four drugs identified by the ITP that extends the lifespan of mice [36:30];
The success of rapamycin and what it tells us about the biology of aging [43:15];
Other measures of healthspan evaluated by the ITP in stage 2 studies [50:45];
Distinguishing aging rate indicators from biomarkers of aging [57:30];
Aging rate indicators identified through the examination of slow-aging mice [59:15];
Why proteomics are essential to understand changes in the cell [1:12:15];
Unraveling aging rate indicators: dose-effect, duration, and future frontiers [1:21:45];
A closer look at aging rate indicators: bridging the gap from mice to humans [1:27:00];
What do laboratory mice die from? [1:38:45];
Distinguishing between a drug that improves an age-sensitive outcome and a drug that improves all aspects of aging [1:42:00];
The ITP study of 17⍺-estradiol: mechanisms of life extension and surprising sex differences [1:43:30];
Unsuccessful drugs studied by the ITP: resveratrol, metformin, and nicotinamide riboside [1:51:30];
Over-the-counter successes in the ITP: meclizine and astaxanthin [2:01:00];
A senolytic drug, fisetin, fails to extend lifespan [2:07:00];
Can targeting senescent cells slow aging? [2:13:00];
Optimism about future findings [2:16:30]; and
More.

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Next Episode

undefined - #283 ‒ Gut health & the microbiome: improving and maintaining the microbiome, probiotics, prebiotics, innovative treatments, and more | Colleen Cutcliffe, Ph.D.

#283 ‒ Gut health & the microbiome: improving and maintaining the microbiome, probiotics, prebiotics, innovative treatments, and more | Colleen Cutcliffe, Ph.D.

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Colleen Cutcliffe is an expert in molecular biology and co-founder of Pendulum Therapeutics, a company working to develop treatments for a variety of diseases by targeting the microbiome. In this episode, Colleen delves into the complexity of the microbiome, how it is tested, and how it changes over time. She explores how probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics affect the gut and makes a compelling case that well-developed products have the potential not only to enhance gut health but also to positively influence overall metabolic well-being. Colleen emphasizes the significance of a high-fiber diet in sustaining a thriving gut microbiome, shares insights on minimizing microbiome damage during antibiotic use, provides tips for fostering and preserving a healthy gut, and much more.

We discuss:

Colleen’s background and current focus [4:45];
The basics of the microbiome [7:15];
The study of the human microbiome [15:15];
Categories of bacteria, and the implications on health of the rapid evolution of bacteria [19:45];
Methods for measuring and understanding the microbiome, and key indicators of microbiome health [28:30];
The important role of fiber for promoting gut health through the production of butyrate [38:30];
The case for manipulating gut bacteria via fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) [45:00];
Dynamics of the microbiome: the gut-brain connection and how antibiotics, nutrition, stress, and more impact the microbiome's diversity and function [50:15];
Factors that influence the vaginal microbiome [55:15];
The effect of gut microbes on obesity and challenges with fecal transplants in people [58:45];
Beneficial strains of gut bacteria and strains commonly found in probiotics [1:01:15];
The difference between a probiotic and prebiotic, and how CFUs are a measure of the “active ingredient” [1:09:45];
Considerations about how probiotic strains are produced, and more on the meaning of CFU [1:14:15];
Mitigating the effect of antibiotics on the microbiome [1:22:30];
What do we know about the effect of artificial sweeteners on the gut microbiome? [1:30:00];
Why Akkermansia is a keystone strain with implications for metabolic health and an individual’s response to dietary interventions [1:36:15];
The essential steps necessary to develop a robust probiotic for optimal health support [1:45:45];
How Akkermansia helps control blood glucose, and potential implications of Akkermansia in weight loss, diabetes management, and more [1:48:45];
Pendulum Therapeutics’ commitment to rigorous product develop [2:06:30];
Details about the probiotic “Glucose Control” and other probiotics developed by Pendulum Therapeutics [2:13:00];
Further studies of Akkermansia that have been proposed or are underway [2:20:30]; and
More.