Tag: Science & Research

Sugar substitutes are everywhere: splashed across “zero-sugar” sodas, stirred into your morning coffee, mixed into protein bars and powders that promise taste without the calories.

Whether or not we’ve been aware of these products beyond the diet section of the soda aisle, they’ve been a part of our food system for over a hundred years, and even among some indigenous populations for over a millennium.

Sugar substitutes became common last mid-century, with food manufacturers creating sweet-tasting treats for the diabetic population that wouldn’t spike their glycemic levels and insulin release. But now with the proliferation of keto, low-sugar, added protein, and net-zero carb products lining supermarket aisles, there’s a larger spotlight on alternative sweeteners.

Are these substitutes truly better for us than sugar, or a different route to the same metabolic potholes…or something worse?

Let’s break down the different types of substitute sugars, how they behave in the body, and what recent studies reveal about long-term health, including weight, heart, and cognitive outcomes.

What is a “sugar substitute”?

“Sugar substitutes” are lower or no-calorie compounds that add sweetness to foods and beverages with minimal effect on calories or insulin spikes. (If you’re looking for information on sugar and sweeteners, like table sugar, agave nectar, and honey, be sure to read this post.)

And it’s no wonder these sweet substitutes exist: we love sugary stuff, but it can wreak havoc on our health if we overindulge on sugary sodas, snacks, breakfast items, and desserts, just to list a few temptations.

That’s why about a quarter of U.S. adults use a sugar substitute daily – we want the sweetness, but not the calories and associated health risks.

Are sugar substitutes safe?

All sugar substitute products available for purchase in the United States have been reviewed and approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.

Generally regarded as safe, these products have few reported health risks when ingested, according to FDA guidelines and global regulatory bodies. Any potential adverse effects can be averted by not overusing these products.

However, several reports show some of these sugar substitutes may have health risks of their own, including disruption of the gut microbiome and the gut-brain axis, increased neurological inflammation, and most ironically, weight gain and increased risk of diabetes.

Adding to the roster of health concerns, a recently released Brazilian study garnering worldwide media attention linked cognitive decline with various sweeteners, including aspartame, saccharine, ace-K, xylitol, and erythritol.

But, as cautionary as the health risks might feel, these studies require more research to be conducted as it relates to their causation of underlying health issues, as opposed to correlation – which is what many of these studies are based on. Plus, with any study, it’s important to examine data collection and assessment practices.

For instance, without a control group to isolate its findings, data collection methods for the Brazilian study require some scrutiny. Also, the researchers estimated consumption based on subjects’ indicated sweetener habits, not by measured intake. Because of this, more studies with stringent data collection protocols should be conducted before drawing any causal links, if any.

And lastly, no matter what any study reports or social media claims, not all bodies react the same way. Individual genetics, dietary patterns, predisposition to disease, and gut microbiome all play a role. While these products may not affect many of us, some may incur an unintended reaction due to our body’s particular composition and habits.

Sugar substitute categories

While all sugar substitutes are designed to satisfy our sweet tooth with fewer calories, each type is derived differently. Because of this, consumers often classify sugar substitutes into the following categories:

• Low or no-calorie artificial sweeteners are the most common additives in beverage products because they’re powerfully sweet with little to no energy
• Sugar alcohols are linked to sugar molecules but behave differently in digestion, rendering them lower calorie due to malabsorption
• “Natural sweeteners” are plant-derived or “rare” sugars gaining mainstream popularity

So let’s dive into each category to better understand them…

Artificial sweeteners: Do they help us lose weight?

Artificial sweeteners have been around for years, with saccharine pioneering the sweetener scene at the turn of the 19th century.

Though they’ve been around for a long time, these sweeteners became part of the household during the dieting trends of the 1960s and ‘70s. Since then, more players have entered the market, most notably aspartame, acesulfame-K, and sucralose – America’s preferred sugar substitute.

Though they may look and taste similar, each compound is unique. For instance, aspartame, a combination of two amino acids, gets digested in the small intestine, just like a protein. However, other popular sweeteners like sucralose, saccharin, and ace-K are largely unmetabolized in the body and simply excreted.

As far as using artificial sweeteners to lose weight, the results vary by use. In studies where no-calorie sweeteners replace sugar-sweetened beverages, you can see modest benefits: slight drops in body weight, fat mass, and sometimes improved risk markers.

However, if you swap water for a diet soda or eat a bunch of snacks labeled “sugar free”, there’s little to no evidence that link these sweeteners with weight loss. Worse yet, several studies link the consumption of artificial sweeteners to increased type 2 diabetes risk. Seems counterintuitive, right?

Implications beyond the waistline exist, too. Several studies have shown that sucralose, saccharine, and ace-K can disrupt the gut microbiome, leading to various health risks. But, remember, these correlational studies do not identify these sweeteners as the sole contributor to these health risks.

And these concerns aside, sweeteners can help when used in place of sugar, especially for those consuming high sugar loads.

Sugar alcohols: Is it worth having no sugar spike?

Sugar alcohols, like erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol, and maltitol, have been around for over 100 years, when scientists discovered these ‘polyols’ by hydrogenating traditional sugars, like glucose. This led to a low-calorie product with a pleasant, sweet taste.

In the 1950s, doctors found that these sugar alcohols had no effect on blood glucose and inulin responses. Thus, they were quickly introduced into “diabetic-friendly” food and medical products, like cough syrups and oral suspensions. Doctors also discovered its anti-cavity properties, making sugar alcohols a beneficial addition to dental products and chewing gums. Today, they’ve been added to more trendy products, like net-zero carb protein bars and powders.

What makes sugar alcohols unique is their slow absorption in the small and large intestines. However, they can sometimes cause gastrointestinal distress when consuming more than the FDA’s recommended intake, especially with larger-molecule sugar alcohols like maltitol and isomalt.

Several studies found sugar alcohol’s potential ill effects beyond the gut. A recent paper linked elevated plasma levels of erythritol and xylitol to a greater risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, including stroke and heart attacks resulting from blood clots.  However, an investigative report in the Journal of Toxicology and Regulatory Policy found “no evidence that erythritol causes adverse health effects in humans at exposure levels commonly found in foods and beverages.”

Natural sweeteners: A health halo?

To many, natural sweeteners feel safer, more wholesome, and less processed.

Take a look at stevia: this South American herb has been used by indigenous tribes for more than 1,500 years. However, with its naturally greenish-brown color and bitter taste, Western consumers found it a bit too “natural”. But in the late ‘90s, stevia got a food processing makeover, refining the herb to look like traditional sugar substitutes.

Though not all stevia products are harvested from the herb itself, consumers still find the product widely appealing, boosting it to the #2 spot in sugar substitute popularity. Furthermore, it doesn’t raise blood sugar levels: stevia, like fiber, is digested in the gut, metabolized very little in the liver, and then flushed out of the body.

And now other natural sweeteners are on the rise, including:

Monk fruit

Extracted from a melon in southern China, the rind and pulp of these fruits yield intense sweetness with negligible calories. To reduce its sweetness and make it look more palatable, monk fruit products are often blended with another sugar substitute, like erythritol or allulose. It doesn’t raise blood sugar levels and is digested and excreted, like stevia.

Allulose

This “rare sugar”, occurs in figs, raisins, and maple syrup, and has about 70% the sweetness of table sugar but only 5% of sugar’s caloric load. Allulose is ideal for drinks, baked goods, and as a sweetener. It incurs minimal metabolization in the body, leaving blood sugar levels unaffected. Allulose may have benefits, as well: a study published in Nutritional Neuroscience reported it can alleviate metabolic and cognitive issues in prediabetic rats. However, this is the only study reporting these results at this time.

Tagatose

Another “rare sugar”, tagatose has sweetness similar to sucrose, with a trace presence found in dairy products, apples, oranges, and pineapples. Because it has about 40% of sugar’s caloric load, it doesn’t cause a glucose spike, per se, but will raise blood sugar levels. And because it has more calories than other substitutes, the liver has more to metabolize after it gets absorbed in the gut.

Chicory root

Though this herb is not as sweet as sugar, it’s often used to replace some of the sugar content in food products and may also include other sugar substitutes to further reduce caloric load. Also called inulin, this functional fiber adds bulk, retains moisture, and creates a pleasant mouthfeel to baked goods and shelf-stable snacks. It’s slowly digested in the large intestine, which makes it a great prebiotic and creates a longer-lasting feeling of fullness. But that comes at a price when overconsumed: its high fiber concentration can create notable gastrointestinal distress.

Modifying your Desired Level of Sweetness

The problem isn’t necessarily sugar or sugar substitutes – it’s often that we get used to the level of sweetness these compounds provide.

Making matters harder for us is that many of these sugar substitutes are multitudes sweeter than sugar – I’m talking about 300 times sweeter, like stevia and monk fruit. And when we’re frequently exposed to this level of sweetness, our palate and our brain come to expect it, thus creating a viciously sweet cycle.

What can we do to monitor our sweetness consumption? Here are some practical tips to get you started:

• First, determine how much you’d like to reduce sweet products from your diet. Are you still sticking with one diet soda per day that replaced its sugary counterpart? Maybe you’re all set! Or maybe you’ve started chewing more gum or eating more sugar-free mints since moving to diet soda. Take a good, hard look.
• Next, plan small steps you can take to move in that direction. Are you consuming regular soda? Perhaps consider swapping in diet soda as a short-term goal to reduce your sugar intake. And when you get used to that, start introducing flavored seltzers into your diet. Before you know it, you’ve curbed your desired sweetness level. The same goes for snacks…consider eating fruits and whole foods on occasion instead.
• Consider your personal health concerns. If you have cardiovascular risk, consider stevia. If you’re prediabetic, maybe erythritol is a good option. And if you have digestive issues, try allulose.
• Make a conscious effort to practice moderation. Use sugar substitutes as a tool, not a crutch. Pair them with nutrient-dense whole foods and focus on retraining your palate to appreciate natural sweetness again.

Recent studies show that a diet of high-quality, nutritious foods, like the Mediterranean diet, can slash Type 2 diabetes risk. A healthy diet can boost metabolism even without weight loss, and plant-forward meals in midlife can help you age disease-free.

The bottom line? You don’t need to fixate on the number on the scale: what you eat plays a much bigger role in shaping your future health than you may realize.

Dr. Qi Sun, associate professor at Harvard, summarized the long-term impact of healthy eating: “The foods we choose in midlife set the foundation for how well we live decades later.” In other words, your dinner plate today is an investment in your 70-year-old self.

The Weight-Loss Trap

Let’s face it: most people measure the success of a diet – or their lifestyle – by what the bathroom scale says. Unless one is on a GLP-1 drug, weight loss is notoriously hard to achieve and even harder to maintain. This often leaves people discouraged—assuming they’ve failed when the pounds don’t budge.

Losing weight isn’t the entire goal. New research calls for a shift in thinking: the benefits of nutrition. The food you eat can transform your health at the cellular, metabolic, and cognitive levels. The 2025 studies you’ll soon read about weren’t designed for weight loss—they were designed to unlock sustained health and longevity.

Study #1: Mediterranean Diet + Lifestyle = 31% Lower Diabetes Risk

A major study published in Annals of Internal Medicine (August 2025) tracked adults at risk for Type 2 diabetes who followed a Mediterranean-style diet rich in vegetables, fruits, olive oil, legumes, nuts, and fish. Researchers found that when combined with calorie reduction, moderate exercise, and weight-loss support, participants lowered their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 31% compared to diet alone.

The success of the study was based on blood glucose control, measuring fasting glucose, HbA1c, insulin sensitivity (HOMA-IR), body BMI, blood pressure, and lipid profiles.

Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, emphasized the importance of synergy, stating that “modest, sustained changes in diet and lifestyle could prevent millions of cases of diabetes worldwide.”

The takeaway? Eating better matters. But pairing diet with physical activity and behavior support multiplies the benefits. Small, consistent adjustments in daily life can help stave off one of the world’s most pressing chronic diseases.

Study #2: Diet Improves Metabolism—Even Without Weight Loss

Another Harvard study, published in June 2025, found that those who did lose weight had better health markers than those who didn’t. “ Each kilogram lost was associated with 1.44% increase in HDL cholesterol, 1.37% in triglycerides, a 2.46% drop in insulin, a 2.79% drop in leptin, and a .49-unit reduction in liver fat, along with reductions in blood pressure and liver enzymes.”

Yet benefits exist for those who have a hard time losing those few pounds. Researchers found that nearly one-third of participants improved key health markers despite not losing a single pound. Markers included increased HDL, decreased triglycerides, lowered insulin levels and leptin, decreased liver fat measure via imaging, decreased liver enzymes based on ALT and AST, which are markers of liver function, decreased blood pressure, and reductions in visceral fat levels—despite not losing a single pound.

Lead author Anat Yaskolka Meir reframed what counts as dietary success: “People who do not lose weight can improve their metabolism and reduce their long-term risk for disease.”

The findings show that you don’t have to lose weight for your body to thank you. Positive shifts in blood sugar control, cholesterol, and even hormonal balance can happen just by changing what you eat.

Study #3: Plant-Rich Diets Linked to Healthy Aging

The benefits of diet don’t stop with diabetes prevention or metabolic health. They extend across the entire lifespan.

A Nature Medicine study (March 2025) followed more than 105,000 adults over 30 years. The findings: those who ate plant-rich, minimally processed diets had far higher odds of reaching age 70 free from chronic disease, with stronger mental, cognitive, and physical function.

Specifically, people with the highest adherence to healthy eating patterns were twice more likely to age healthily. This was concluded based on the absence of chronic disease markers for cancers, heart disease, and diabetes; and brain imaging assessments that show memory, acuity, and brain aging, improved mobility, strength, and lower fragility scores, as well as healthy eating pattern indexes.

So what did “healthy eating patterns” actually mean in the study? Researchers used established diet-quality scores such as the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) and the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI).

High scorers consistently ate:

• A variety of fruits and vegetables (especially leafy greens and colorful produce)
• Whole grains instead of refined grains
• Legumes, nuts, and seeds as regular protein and fiber sources
• Lean proteins like fish and poultry in moderation
• Healthy fats, especially olive oil and other plant oils

And they consistently limited:

• Processed meats
• Sugar-sweetened beverages
• Highly processed snacks and packaged foods high in sodium, added sugars, or refined starches

In short, the people who aged best weren’t following a fad or restrictive diet—they were eating a balanced, plant-forward, minimally processed diet over decades.

Marketing vs. Reality: Don’t Be Fooled

Diet products are often promoted as quick fixes—low-carb, sugar-free, “metabolism boosting.” But these studies remind us that the science of nutrition isn’t about gimmicks.

An energy drink won’t make up for a good night’s sleep. A weight-loss shake isn’t the same as building a pattern of balanced, whole foods. And weight on the scale doesn’t capture the cellular, metabolic, and cognitive shifts happening inside your body.

We are certainly not saying that losing weight, when necessary, isn’t an important marker of health, but it isn’t the only marker, and shouldn’t be prioritized over other markers like blood work, digestion, good sleep, focus, improved mood, and cognitive clarity.

Practical Consumer Takeaways

• Don’t obsess over the scale. Track your energy, blood work, digestion, and mood as indicators of success. Be sure to discuss your health markers with your doctor.
• Aim for incorporating plants. Load your plate with vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and whole grains.
• Add, don’t subtract. Instead of fixating on what to cut, focus on adding high-quality foods.
• Pair diet with lifestyle. Even light movement, stress management, and consistent sleep enhance the benefits.
• Think long-term. Your food choices today shape your risk of chronic disease and quality of life decades from now.

Proteins, fats, carbs—nutrition is a web of essential pieces. But 2025 research reinforces a simple truth: it’s not about dieting down, it’s about eating up—quality, variety, and consistency.

From agave nectar and granulated sugar to high fructose corn syrup and molasses, sugar seems to be everywhere and added to everything. Most of us want to cut back on consuming sugar products, but somehow, they still find sneaky ways into many of the foods we eat.

Consider this example: The D2D team’s morning coffee…

I used stevia in my coffee for a long time, but it increased my desire for sweetness throughout the day, so I switched to a few grams of turbinado sugar and found my mid-day sugar cravings reduced.

Another team member carefully monitors glucose levels, relying on a stevia-erythritol product to reduce glucose spikes.

And another member uses a teaspoon of locally-sourced honey. Honey in coffee? Why not, I suppose…

So…which sugar choice is healthiest?  Let’s start with the basics first…

What Is Sugar, Really?

If you ask a chemistry teacher what exactly sugar is, you’d most likely hear these distinct types: monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides.

• Monosaccharides are simple sugars, or single sugar molecules like glucose, fructose, and galactose.
• Disaccharides and polysaccharides are compound sugars, which are two or more simple sugars being bonded together, like sucrose (glucose + fructose) and lactose (glucose + galactose).

In addition to each type of sugar being distinct in chemical structure, they can also differ in processing, taste, and how your body initially metabolizes it. However, they all provide our bodies with energy to keep moving…but we only need so much fuel. If we consume more sugar than our bodies need, the excess will be stored as fat.

Building with Simple Sugars

Monosaccharides are the building blocks of sugar, with glucose being the primary source of fuel in our bodies.

Glucose: What cells use directly for energy

Most foods in our everyday diet break down into glucose. Because of its simple structure, glucose is quickly metabolized in the body, thus immediately causing blood sugar to spike, giving it the highest glycemic index of 100.

Fructose: Requires the liver to process

Before converting to energy, the liver must first metabolize fructose. Because of this, consuming too much fructose can lead to fat accumulation in the liver, raise triglycerides, and contribute to metabolic issues. Often found naturally in fruits and syrups, fructose has a significantly lower glycemic index of 20, despite being almost twice as sweet as glucose.

Galactose: Found in dairy products

The body converts galactose to glucose or uses it in other metabolic pathways. This lesser sweet monosaccharide isn’t in most public health discussions because it’s generally moderated via dairy consumption.

Basic Compound Sugars: Sucrose & Lactose

Disaccharides and polysaccharides require some digestion because of their more complex molecular structure.

Sucrose: Glucose bonded with fructose

Sucrose must be broken down into glucose and fructose before it’s metabolized in your cells and liver, respectively. It has a glycemic index of 60.

Sucrose is a naturally occurring carbohydrate in many fruits, vegetables, and grains. It’s also in processed products, like granulated sugar refined from sugar canes and/or sugar beets (this includes “raw” sugars, like turbinado and demerara).

Lactose: Glucose bonded with galactose

Naturally found in milk and milk products, lactose requires the lactase enzyme for metabolization. If you suffer from lactose intolerance, you most likely have a lactase deficiency, which results in those unpleasant side effects.

Source: Sugar Nutrition Resource Board

Natural Sugar Syrups

Naturally occurring sugar syrups, like agave nectar, maple syrup, and honey, deliver sweetness without the additional processing of other liquid sweeteners and refined sugars.

Because each syrup has varying ratios of glucose and fructose, they affect the body differently so take note if you have diabetes or other health condition.

Honey

Produced by bees from plant nectar, honey contains antioxidants, small amounts of vitamins and minerals, and even has antimicrobial properties. Because of its balanced composition, honey has a similar glycemic index to table sugar at 60.

Maple Syrup

Minimally processed and derived from tree sap, maple syrup is largely composed of sucrose with a little more fructose than honey, putting it at a glycemic index of 55. Maple syrup also has antioxidants and trace minerals, like zinc and manganese.

Agave Nectar

This nectar is almost fully comprised of fructose, resulting in a slower rise in blood sugar with a glycemic index of 20. The low GI is sometimes thought to make it “better,” but excess fructose carries its own risks of liver stress and high triglycerides.

Other natural syrups, like molasses and rice syrup, are often used in refined sugar products, like brown sugar and pancake syrups, respectively.

Processed Sugar Syrups

Processed sugar syrups are made by breaking down starches into a liquid form of simpler sugars. This process includes filtering, clarifying, and concentrating the liquid. Sometimes, processors add enzymes or acids to adjust sweetness and texture, making the syrups easier to blend, preserve, and use in food manufacturing.

Fruit Juice Concentrate

Removing most of the water from fruit juice through evaporation or freezing creates a thick, syrup-like product to be reconstituted later or used as a sweetener in packaged foods and beverages. It has a glycemic index of anywhere from 40 to 70, depending on the fruit used for the concentrate.

Corn Syrup

It’s derived from corn and is composed mainly of glucose. However, depending on how much processing it undergoes, it can also contain small amounts of other sugars, like maltose. It has a GI of 75.

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)

This is a very common sweetener in sodas, drinks, and sauces. Most HFCS has a slightly higher fructose level (~55%) than table sugar. Though not as high in fructose as agave nectar, some research finds that its higher fructose content can stress the liver more than pure glucose or even sucrose.

What Research Tells Us

Research continues to prove that no matter the source – honey, cane sugar, HFCS, organic sugars – too much of any of these products can harm your health.

So don’t be fooled into thinking that cane sugar-sweetened Coca Cola is a healthy alternative to its current high fructose corn syrup form, or that small-batch candy made from organic agave nectar is nutritionally superior to its supermarket counterpart.

And health organizations around the globe concur with these findings. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends less than 10% of our daily calories come from added sugar; and the American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugar to a stringent 6 to 9 teaspoons per day, no matter the sugar’s source.

These limits are set with good intentions given recent findings in added sugar’s myriad ill effects. A 2022 review in Metabolism and Health Impacts of Dietary Sugars pulled together evidence linking high sugar intake with obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.

When it comes to natural sweeteners, not all are created equal. Honey and agave syrup are both often marketed as “better” alternatives to refined sugar, but they behave differently in the body.

Honey has antioxidants and seems to support healthier outcomes on several metrics. In contrast, agave nectar has a lower glycemic index but packs in more fructose, which can work against its benefits, if consumed in excess.

The takeaway? Even with natural sweeteners, moderation matters. But when push comes to shove, honey – whether in your coffee or added to your oatmeal – may be the slightly friendlier option.

How can we reduce our sugar intake?

Here are some quick guidelines as to how, what, and when to consume sugars:

• Understand that all added sugars contribute to caloric load. Overconsuming any sugars – glucose, fructose, honey, corn syrup, and so on – will contribute to weight gain risk, dental issues, insulin resistance, heart disease, and other chronic conditions.
• Limit overall added sugar intake to recommended amounts. Try to stick with the equivalent of no more than 6 packets (or 6 teaspoons) of sugar a day. For example, a 12-oz. can of Coke has almost 10 teaspoons of sugar, and a 20-oz. bottle of Gatorade has 9 teaspoons.
• And limit no and low-calorie sweeteners, too. Many of these products have been shown to have harmful effects on our health. Aspartame, saccharine and sucralose can harm our cardiovascular health and gut microbiome, and xylitol and erythritol can negatively affect cognition and blood clotting.
• Choose whole foods. Fruit, vegetables, and dairy products naturally contain sugar as part of their nutrient profile. Plus, they include all sorts of important nutrients and fiber to improve health and fill you up for longer.
• When you want sweets, pick higher quality options. Natural options, like honey and maple syrup, tend to have antioxidants and trace nutrients. Plus, they aren’t usually consumed in large, concentrated doses, like processed syrups.
• Hidden sugars are everywhere! Read the ingredients list, especially in food products like drinks, snacks, cereals, dressings, breads and sauces. Look out for ingredients ending in “-ose” (e.g., maltose, dextrose), and that organic sugar is still sugar.
• Use flavor-boosting enhancements. Including ingredients like spices like tumeric, citrus, herbs, vinegars and wine to your recipes can help you reduce added sugars without losing taste.

Magnesium is a multitasking workhorse, working behind the scenes to keep the body running smoothly. In fact, its effects are so encompassing that this mineral participates in over 300 metabolic reactions, everything from metabolizing glucose and muscle health to mood and bone strength.

What makes magnesium so special is its role in cellular activity. Mitochondria is the cell’s energy provider, producing ATP (adenosine triphosphate) to fuel cellular processes. However, magnesium is required for ATP to actually work. Without sufficient levels of magnesium, ATP becomes biologically inactive.

Are You Getting Enough?

Unfortunately, many of us don’t get enough magnesium in our diets: roughly half of Americans fall short of the recommended intake. And the effects of low magnesium can be surprisingly debilitating to our health, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, and migraines.

Here is the recommended daily value of magnesium based on our age and gender:

Thinking you might be deficient? Here are some tell-tale signs your body isn’t getting enough magnesium:

• Muscle cramps and twitches
• Chronic fatigue
• Trouble falling or staying asleep
• Anxiety or feeling “wired but tired”
• Headaches or migraines
• Irregular heartbeat
• Chocolate cravings

Some good news is that you can eat your way toward your ideal magnesium level by adding magnesium-rich foods like green leafy veggies, nuts, seeds, and whole grains to your diet.

However, it’s unlikely foods will provide all the magnesium that you need.

And to complicate matters, various forms of magnesium have different effects on our metabolic functioning. But if you take enough milligrams per day overall, you’re on the right track toward healthy cellular activity and metabolic functioning.

This is where supplements come in: they’re an effective way to help bridge the gap while targeting specific concerns with our body.

Understanding Magnesium Compounds

Each supplement form of magnesium behaves a bit differently in the body, which is why we’re breaking down the main types you see on the shelves at your grocery store via their general benefits.

Let’s start with magnesium’s main benefit…

Digestive Issue Relief

Magnesium Citrate:

Magnesium citrate is among the most popular, because it’s a highly absorbable compound that’s easy on the gut. It’s considered an osmotic laxative, which is a natural way for the body to draw water into the intestines without the cramping sensation, unlike other laxatives.

Other uses include boosting low magnesium levels and helping to lower anxiety, though more research is needed.

Sources: You can enrich your diet in magnesium citrate by combining multiple ingredients like magnesium-rich salmon with citrus fruits. This will give you a head start with about 60mg of magnesium per serving, and hopefully improved regularity. (Here’s a delicious recipe for rosemary & lemon salmon to get you on your way.) As a supplement, magnesium citrate is often taken in tablet or liquid form, typically in doses of 100 to 300mg. Due to its laxative effect, start with a low dose and increase as needed.

Magnesium Lactate:

Magnesium lactate is gentle on the stomach and well absorbed, so it’s a good option for people who can’t tolerate other supplements or need higher doses for chronic constipation. Other uses indicate it might help promote a feeling of calm and relaxation, but evidence is limited.

Sources: Magnesium lactate also isn’t found in a particular food, but is used as a food additive in flours and dairy products to fortify foods and regulate acidity. Lactic acid alone is naturally found in fermented foods and some cured meats, so some soy-glazed almonds can provide about 80mg of magnesium lactate.

As a supplement, magnesium lactate is often available in capsule form, with dosages from 80 to 300mg.

Magnesium Oxide:

Magnesium oxide can relieve heartburn and indigestion, and its laxative effect is useful for constipation. Though some people use it to increase magnesium levels, it’s poorly absorbed in the body, making it less effective than magnesium citrate and other magnesium compounds.

Other uses include helping to relieve migraines and reducing high blood pressure. For example, 500 mg daily has been shown to help reduce migraine frequency and lower blood pressure, a finding replicated in small studies.

Sources: Magnesium oxide can only be found in supplement tablets. For constipation, the recommended dosage is 500 mg tablets, taken 2 to 4 times daily, accompanied by plenty of water. Because magnesium oxide can cause loose stools, it’s best to start with a smaller dose.

Boosting Magnesium Levels

Magnesium Chloride:

Magnesium chloride is highly bioavailable and dissolves easily in water. Because of its water solubility, it’s mainly used to raise magnesium levels to recommended levels.

Like other forms of magnesium, other uses include easing constipation or indigestion issues. It’s also common in salt baths to soothe muscles (similar to Epsom salts, or magnesium sulfate), though evidence of skin absorption is limited.

Sources: Since chloride comes from table salt and seawater, you can pair it with some seasoned bitter greens at 75mg, or roasted and salted pumpkin seeds at 150mg. But the most common way to absorb magnesium chloride is via tablets or liquids. Typical doses have 100–300 mg of magnesium.

Magnesium Malate:

Magnesium malate combines magnesium with malic acid. It’s highly bioavailable, making it a quicker fix to correct low magnesium levels than other magnesium compounds, like magnesium oxide.

Other uses include helping to relieve chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia symptoms, but more research is needed. Also, small studies hint it may help with muscle pain and tiredness. This compound also has a mild laxative effect.

Sources: Typical supplements range from 100 mg to 500 mg and can be tolerated up to twice daily without issue. While magnesium malate itself isn’t in foods, malic acid is abundant in fruits like apples and grapes. So consider making a marinated kale, apple, and almond salad, which will naturally provide 125mg of magnesium to your diet.

Brain, Sleep & Emotional Health

Magnesium L-Threonate:

Magnesium L-threonate has been shown to increase magnesium levels in brain cells, which, in turn, supports cognitive function and mood. Reported benefits include improved memory and learning, and relief from mild depression and age-related memory loss.

Sources: Magnesium L-threonate is a synthetic compound derived from vitamin C metabolism (threonic acid). Typical supplements range from 1,000 to 2,000mg, which seems high but yields only 60 to 120 mg of magnesium. Most people prefer taking it in the evening to support sleep and memory.

Magnesium Glycinate:

Magnesium is paired with glycine, a calming amino acid that’s highly absorbable and gentle on our digestive system. Magnesium glycinate is popular for its established relaxation benefits, with studies showing that it can aid in reducing anxiety and improving mood and sleep quality. It’s a good general-purpose supplement when you want magnesium plus a bit of extra calm.

Sources: Glycine is found in protein-rich foods like fish, meat, dairy, and legumes, foods that also tend to have adequate magnesium counts. For supplemental dosing, it’s most widely available in 200 to 400mg capsules. Because it’s so gentle, many people take it nightly to help with their sleep.

Cardiovascular health

Magnesium taurate:

Research on magnesium taurate suggests both magnesium and taurine, an amino acid, support healthy blood sugar and blood pressure levels. Animal studies showed magnesium taurate significantly lowered high blood pressure. Though human data is limited, this form is also touted for promoting heart health.

Sources: Taurine is found in animal proteins, especially in meat and seafood. By eating lean meats, fish, and dairy, you can support your taurine intake. You can couple that with magnesium-rich foods to boost its effects. For supplements, a typical dose is 1,000–2,000 mg of magnesium taurate per day, which provides about 250mg of magnesium.

Crib Notes on Magnesium

Indisputably, we all need enough magnesium in our diets to support the proper functioning of our bodies. For my needs, I find magnesium L-threonate and magnesium glycinate to work well with my diet and health goals for reducing brain fog and getting better sleep. With supplements and eating foods like salmon, lentils, and eggs, I can easily reach my essential magnesium needs of 320mg a day.

But the choice of which magnesium form is yours and your healthcare provider’s decision to make. And here’s a tip: if your stomach or digestive system is sensitive, consider reducing your overall magnesium intake or trying gentler forms like magnesium lactate or glycinate.

Keep these points in mind as you make your supplement selection, but be sure to consume lots of magnesium-rich foods, too.

• Promote digestive regularity with magnesium citrate or lactate
• Effectively raise low magnesium levels with magnesium chloride or malate
• Support heart and blood sugar health with magnesium taurate
• Target the brain and memory with magnesium L-threonate
• Reduce anxiety and improve sleep with magnesium glycinate