Certain cooking methods can lessen the negative impact of phytates and oxalates on absorbable magnesium. For example, traditional diets commonly include sprouted and fermented grains and legumes.

Scientists have now recognized the ability of these techniques to reduce the ability of phytic acid to bond with magnesium. Cooking reduces oxalic acid, and in one study a diet of cooked spinach was found to have higher absorption than a diet of raw spinach.

In addition, it generally follows that foods with diuretic properties, such as coffee, tea and alcohol, tend to reduce available magnesium in the bloodstream, due to the action of these foods to increase the excretion of fluids by the kidneys.

In some studies Vitamin D has been shown to increase magnesium absorption, but the results are not definitive. Given that Vitamin D is one of the nutrients most deficient in industrialized nations, however, it may be worthwhile to combine Vitamin D intake with magnesium as extra assurance, particularly during winter months when Vitamin D supplies tend to be low in the body.

Minerals are generally known to have an antagonistic or competitive effect when it comes to absorption. Thus high intake of any of the following minerals could potentially reduce magnesium bioavailability:. In one study, addition of to mg of calcium to the diet decreased magnesium absorption significantly in participants consuming an average of of dietary magnesium daily.

Particularly of concern are diets that contain both high calcium and phosphate. Studies have shown that in diets high in both calcium and phosphate, insoluble magnesium-calcium-phosphate complexes are formed, impairing absorption. High intake of sodas have placed many members of the population at risk for magnesium deficiencies.

One example of a diet high in minerals found to impair magnesium bioavailability would be one high in both milk and phosphorous-containing carbonated beverages, such as colas. For those with a regular daily intake of carbonated beverages, it may be wise to find additional sources of magnesium to supplement intake and prevent deficiency.

Researchers have noted that high intake of sodas have placed many members of the population at risk for magnesium deficiencies. Consuming these beverages with food, as well as common drinks such as coffee and tea, ultimately reduces the amount of magnesium available to the body.

As has been discovered recently by modern medicine — and practiced by traditional healers for centuries — the digestive tract is not the only avenue of delivery for therapeutic substances.

The advantages of transdermal magnesium overlap the advantages of the common transdermal drug-delivery mechanisms available today, such as transdermal nicotine and birth control systems. In addition, topical magnesium has been known to have secondary benefits to health due to its application on the skin.

These include benefits toward eczema and psoriasis, as well as muscle cramps and pain. Transdermal magnesium is currently available in four forms: a spray-on magnesium oil , magnesium bath flakes , magnesium lotion , and a magnesium gel , convenient for massage applications.

Ultimately, a great number of individual factors affect magnesium bioavailability in the individual, including factors such as nutrient filtration by the kidneys, and varying levels of absorption caused by age, stress, certain diseases and individual differences.

So levels of magnesium in the body are not determined simply by choosing the best-absorbed magnesium among dietary sources. Though a person with healthy kidneys is adept at handling excessive magnesium intake — making magnesium toxicity a truly rare phenomenon — the body appears less adept at coping with a magnesium deficient state.

A small amount of magnesium storage is available in the bones, yet deficiencies can occur after as little as one week of insufficient intake. And influences on magnesium bioavailability are particularly a concern in cases of low dietary intake, according to Dr.

Anton Beynen of the Utrecht Department of Human Nutrition at the State University, Netherlands. At low magnesium intakes, differences in magnesium absorption may be expected to influence magnesium retention and thus can either induce or abolish magnesium deficiency.

For some people with issues that hinder magnesium absorption in the gastrointestinal tract, no amount of dietary or oral magnesium can compensate.

One promising avenue that bypasses common digestive issues lowering magnesium absorption is that of transdermal magnesium. Therefore I began researching and then advising people to put supersaturated magnesium chloride-called magnesium oil on their skin to bypass the intestines; stimulate DHEA production that occurs in the skin; use it in baths and foot baths for muscle aches, joint pain, and foot pain and neuropathy.

Magnesium intakes in industrialized nations are on a downward spiral, and medical studies linking deficiency to a range of conditions are growing. Transdermal magnesium presents a new form of magnesium that bypasses absorption problems in the GI tract and side effects of oral magnesium, bringing the ability to achieve adequate magnesium levels within reach for the millions of people worldwide whose intake is insufficient.

See detailed information on combining magnesium sources, vitamins and minerals to improve total magnesium. Read more: Read about transdermal magnesium therapy , supplementation that bypasses the GI tract. Learn about magnesium supplementation and types of magnesium supplements.

More information: Are you at risk for magnesium deficiency? Take our online magnesium assessment to find out. Do you suffer from diarrhea and magnesium intolerance? Learn about transdermal magnesium , a new way to supplement magnesium with no digestive issues. See also: Need to know the most absorbable form of magnesium?

Read about Types of Magnesium Supplements. See a list of foods high in magnesium. Want to know more? Learn more about how transdermal magnesium works. Watch the videos: Transdermal Magnesium, What the Experts Say. Related Articles. Answers to commonly asked questions on how magnesium is absorbed through the skin.

Divalent Cation Metabolism: Magnesium. In: Schrier R, series editor. Atlas of Diseases of the Kidney. Volume 1. Wiley-Blackwell; 4. Improving Magnesium Absorption and Bioavailability. Geriatric Times. Accessed February 10, The Nutrition Notebook. Accessed January 21, Calcium and Magnesium in Drinking Water: Public health significance.

Cultured yogurt is a nutrient-rich food that has 30 mg of magnesium per cup and is a great source of protein. Not to mention it contains omega-3 fatty acids, many vitamins and minerals, and gut-healthy probiotics.

Phytic acid, the storage form of phosphorus in seeds, nuts, beans, legumes, and grains can bind to magnesium in the GI tract, making it less available to our bodies.

To reduce the anti-nutrient effects of phytic acids in foods, try the following:. A recently published study investigates the link between both high and low magnesium serum levels and the risk of developing dementia.

A new study investigates the link between low levels of serum magnesium and the risk of bone fractures in a large-scale, long-term study. Many automatic processes in the body run on small electric currents, and electrolytes provide this charge. Electrolytes are present throughout the….

Magnesium is essential for bones, metabolism, and heart health. This article looks at magnesium for health, sources, symptoms of deficiency…. Magnesium supplements can help support general health and well-being.

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Medical News Today. Health Conditions Health Products Discover Tools Connect. Ten foods high in magnesium. Medically reviewed by Katherine Marengo LDN, R. Whole Wheat 2. Spinach 3. Quinoa 4. Almonds, Cashews, and Peanuts 5.

Dark Chocolate 6. Black Beans 7. Edamame 8. Avocado 9. Tofu Share on Pinterest. Whole Wheat. Almonds, Cashews, and Peanuts. Dark Chocolate. Black Beans. Cultured Yoghurt. Be Wary of Phytic Acids. How we reviewed this article: Sources. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations.

We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles.