June 16, 2026 | Health Prepping: We Need More Magnesium

Magnesium is up there with vitamin D on the list of supplements that pretty much every health guru recommends. The reasons for this are many and varied.

Here’s an excerpt from a recent post by Brazil-based medical writer Dr. Mark Sircus:

The symptom list [for magnesium deficiency] is savage.

When Magnesium is deficient, things begin to die. Early signs are subtle: leg cramps, foot pain, muscle twitches, under-eye twitch, neck and shoulder tension, headaches, fatigue, anxiety, and insomnia. As it worsens: numbness, tingling, seizures, personality changes, abnormal heart rhythms, coronary spasms, hypertension, mitral valve prolapse, constipation, PMS, carbohydrate intolerance, salt cravings. And here’s the savage comment: the symptoms of severe magnesium deficiency are the same as those of diabetes.

Extreme thirst, frequent urination, slow-healing sores, blurry vision, unusual tiredness, tingling in hands and feet. Many people have diabetes for 5 years before intense symptoms show, and by then, eye, kidney, and nerve damage is done. Magnesium deficiency is a predictor of diabetes and heart disease. People with diabetes need more Magnesium and lose more Magnesium. Yet doctors treat the diabetes and ignore the mineral that regulates insulin sensitivity

The consequence

Dr. Norman Shealy said, “Every known illness is associated with a magnesium deficiency,” and “magnesium is the most critical mineral required for electrical stability of every cell”. When magnesium levels are topped off, body physiology hums along like a racecar.

There is a gaping hole in modern medicine around Magnesium. Millions of Americans suffer needlessly or have symptoms treated with expensive drugs when they could be cured with Magnesium medicine. There is talk of making America healthy again, but no mention of Magnesium.

“Every known illness is associated with a magnesium deficiency” sounds hyperbolic until you understand the biochemistry. Magnesium is required for:

• ATP function (every energy-dependent process)
• DNA replication and repair (every cell division)
• RNA synthesis (every protein made)
• Ion channel regulation (every nerve impulse, every muscle contraction)
• Insulin signaling (every glucose molecule metabolized)
• Glutathione synthesis (every antioxidant defense)
• Calcium regulation (every heartbeat, every neurotransmitter release)
• When a single ion is required for essentially everything cells do, its deficiency will manifest in essentially every system.

Magnesium deficiencies are worsening over time. Why? Modern agriculture strips Magnesium from the soil through monocropping, excessive nitrogen fertilizer use, and the lack of crop rotation. Crops today have less Magnesium than they did decades ago. Highly processed foods dominate diets and contain virtually no magnesium, while sugars and additives increase the body’s need for it while providing none.

Common pharmaceuticals make it worse: proton pump inhibitors, diuretics, antibiotics, birth control pills. All drains Magnesium over time. Stress and constant screen time activate the sympathetic nervous system daily, depleting magnesium reserves. Demand is skyrocketing while supply collapses. That’s why up to 70% of Americans don’t meet the RDA — and the RDA itself is too low.

Read the rest of this article here.

Start With Diet

The place to start when addressing a “nutrient shortage” issue is the foods that contain the substance. With magnesium, the list is encouraging. From an AI summary:

Nuts, seeds, legumes, leafy greens, and whole grains are the most concentrated dietary sources of magnesium. Pumpkin seeds provide the highest amount per serving, offering approximately 150–160 mg in a 1-ounce portion, followed by chia seeds (111 mg) and almonds (80 mg).

Leafy green vegetables like cooked spinach and Swiss chard are also excellent sources, providing 57–78 mg per half-cup serving. Legumes such as black beans and kidney beans contribute 35–60 mg per half-cup, while whole grains like brown rice and fortified cereals offer 36–42 mg per serving.

Dairy products and fatty fish provide moderate amounts of magnesium. Milk contains roughly 24–28 mg per cup, and yogurt provides about 42 mg per 8-ounce serving. Salmon offers approximately 26–30 mg per 3-ounce cooked portion, while other fruits like avocados and bananas provide 22–32 mg per serving.

The Supplement Story Is More Complicated

Magnesium comes in nearly a dozen varieties, each with its own pros and cons. A good summary is: 10 Types of Magnesium (and What to Use Each For).

There’s also a new “liposomal” variant that sounds interesting. I just ordered a bottle:

Clear This With Your Doctor

As always with supplements, bounce the idea off a medical professional to make sure you’re not taking things that cancel each other out or combine in dangerous ways.

John Rubino June 16th, 2026

Posted In: John Rubino Substack

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