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Magnesium deficiency is one of the key factors in increasing the risk of cognitive disorders, including Alzheimer's disease and various types of dementia. Magnesium is a crucial micronutrient for neurological function, playing a fundamental role in synaptic communication, calcium balance, and cellular energy production. When magnesium levels in the blood drop, neurons become more vulnerable, increasing the likelihood of neuroinflammation and the gradual degeneration of brain tissue. This is the mechanism identified in recent cohort studies as the link between magnesium deficiency and the heightened risk of Alzheimer's disease. Which supplements are actually worth taking for preventing dementia and Alzheimer's disease? Recent findings suggest that individuals with the lowest serum magnesium levels have a higher risk of dementia and Alzheimer's compared to those with normal levels. Researchers attribute this effect to the combination of several factors: increased oxidative stress, accumulation of toxic proteins like beta amyloid, and damage to brain blood vessels. There is also evidence that chronic magnesium deficiency disrupts synaptic plasticity regulation, a process critical for learning and memory. Therefore, low magnesium levels can create a cycle that begins with memory decline and progresses toward full blown dementia. Clinically, these findings are significant because magnesium deficiency is relatively common, especially in older adults, patients with diabetes or cardiovascular diseases, and those with unbalanced diets. For this reason, specialists emphasize that magnesium screening and addressing its deficiency could be a simple and cost effective tool for reducing the risk of Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

Source: Serum magnesium is associated with the risk of dementia. Brenda C.T. Kieboom, MD, MSc, Silvan Licher, MD, Frank J. Wolters, MD, MSc, M. Kamran Ikram, MD, PhD, Ewout J. Hoorn, MD, PhD, Robert Zietse, MD, PhD, Bruno H. Stricker, MMed, PhD, and M. Arfan Ikram, MD, Neurology,

https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000004517

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