Magnesium is an abundant mineral found in the body and many foods. It's a jack-of-all-trades nutrient, participating in a vital way in many key functions like bone health, and normal protein synthesis.* More on how magnesium multitasks in the body below.

Functions & Benefits of Magnesium

Supports Bone Health*

There are several ways that magnesium supports bone health, including its role as a calcium-helper with vitamin D and contributes to bone maintenance (2).*

Supports Normal Protein Synthesis*

Magnesium plays a key role in helping the body create proteins through normal protein synthesis.* The body is constantly building new proteins. It’s not just what our muscles are made from — protein forms the basis of many of our body tissues. (2)

Recommended Magnesium Intake

Although magnesium is found in many foods, it is easily removed by refining, processing and cooking. Most of us do not get what we are supposed to from our diet alone. In fact, up to 50% of women aged 19-50 are not getting enough magnesium from their diet.* (1) If you fall into that 50%, we’ve got you covered with our Essential for Women Multivitamin which is formulated with 30mg of magnesium to help fill that gap. What about magnesium in a prenatal? For those that are thinking of getting pregnant or already trying, our Essential Prenatal Multivitamin is formulated with 32mg of magnesium to help maintain bone health.*

Recommended intakes differ by gender and lifestage. It is recommended that women get between 310 - 320 mg per day, men get 400 - 420 mg per day, and women who are pregnant should get 350 - 360 mg per day.

Magnesium-Rich Foods

Magnesium is found in a variety of foods, but some of the best whole food sources are nuts, seeds, whole grains, and beans. Smaller quantities of magnesium are found in a wide range of other foods too, like green leafy vegetables, dark chocolate, avocados, and salmon.

Here are some of the top magnesium food sources (2):
• Roasted pumpkin seeds, 1 ounce: 156 mg
• Chia seeds, 1 ounce: 111 mg
• Dry roasted almonds, 1 ounce: 80 mg
• Boiled spinach, ½ cup: 78 mg
• Dry roasted cashews, 1 ounce: 74 mg
• Oil roasted peanuts, ¼ cup: 63 mg
• Soymilk, 1 cup: 61 mg
• Black beans, ½ cup: 60 mg
• Shelled edamame, ½ cup: 50 mg

Ritual’s Form of Magnesium

Ritual's Magnesium is from Dimagnesium Malate (DMM), a non-gmo chelated form of magnesium which is easier-to-work with compared to inorganic salts. Chelated minerals mimic the forms minerals take when inside our cells (which are many and ever-changing). Our magnesium is made through an industrial process. DMM comes from combining malic acid and magnesium. Our malic acid comes from a synthetic source because it’s more affordable and easier to control purity and limit contamination than getting it from a natural source. We’re really using malic acid as a delivery system.

Dimagnesium Malate is an absorbable form of magnesium, with human study evidence. Studies have also shown that Magnesium chelate is easier on our GI system.* (4)

References:

1. USDA, Agricultural Research Service. Usual Nutrient Intake from Food and Beverages, by Gender and Age, What We Eat in America, NHANES 2013-2016. 2019.
2. Office of Dietary Supplements. Magnesium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2022. Available from: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
3. National Institutes of Health. “Office of Dietary Supplements - Magnesium.” Nih.gov, 2016, ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-Consumer/.
4. Weiss D, Brunk DK, Goodman DA. Scottsdale Magnesium Study: Absorption, Cellular Uptake, and Clinical Effectiveness of a Timed-Release Magnesium Supplement in a Standard Adult Clinical Population. J Am Coll Nutr. 2018 May-Jun;37(4):316-327. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2017.1398686. Epub 2018 Feb 9. PMID: 29425476.