The Essential Role of Magnesium in Health

This chapter highlights the essential functions of magnesium in the body, particularly its impact on vitamin B1 and D metabolism. It also discusses magnesium's role in calcium regulation and provides supplementation advice while warning against nutrient deficiencies from refined starches.

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Find out why refined starches are the #1 vitamin-depleting food in the world. In this podcast, I’ll explain the critical role of vitamin B1 in the metabolism of refined starches. Learn to spot the signs of a vitamin B1 deficiency before they wreak havoc on your life!

Refined starches include rice flour, tapioca flour, corn flour, modified corn starch, maltodextrin, and modified food starch. Certain nutrients are required to metabolize refined starch and turn it into energy. Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is vital to this process.

Refined starches are much higher on the glycemic index (GI) than sugar—this scale tells you how fast a food can raise blood sugar. Sugar is a 74 on the GI, while refined starches like maltodextrin are 180!

Vitamin B1 is not stored in the body in large amounts, so consuming refined starches can quickly cause you to become deficient.

Symptoms of vitamin B1 deficiency include:

•Fatigue

•GI problems (slow digestion, bloating, constipation, nausea)

•Low stomach acid

•Low bile

•Stress

•Nervous tension

•Insomnia

•Frequent mood swings

•Muscle twitches

•Breathing problems

Much of the refined starch broken down into glucose in the body can not be used as energy, so it’s converted into lactic acid. This decreases oxygen in the body and makes it more acidic, which can cause hyperventilation and restless legs syndrome.

Along with diet, the following factors can also contribute to vitamin B1 deficiency:

•Alcohol

•Tea

•Coffee

•Raw fish

•Gut issues

•Metformin

•Excessive exercise

Meat, especially pork, is the best food source of vitamin B1. Liver, eggs, and sunflower seeds are also good sources. Refined grains are often fortified with synthetic B vitamins, which you should avoid.

If you want to supplement vitamin B1, look for the natural form called allithiamine. Benfotiamine is also a good supplement form of vitamin B1.

Magnesium is an important cofactor involved in turning starches into energy. If you don’t have enough magnesium, vitamin B1 won’t work.

Magnesium helps control calcium in the body. Symptoms of low magnesium include:

•Muscle spasms

•Calcium buildup

•Kidney stones

•High blood pressure

•Palpitations

•High cortisol

•Trouble sleeping

•Tremors

•Muscle weakness