Where did cavemen get their magnesium. I take 400-800mg every night and it makes a huge difference in the way I feel. I would love to get enough to feel this good in my diet instead but I can't figure out where such a huge amount would come from. Do you think I need more because I eat some dairy ?
Does dairy make you require more for some reason?

Magnesium naturally occurs in dark leafy vegetables, nuts, beef, pork, poultry, fish, seeds, some fruits (figs are great sources of mineral), some neolithic vegetables, cereals and legumes, cocoa, shellfish, and, I'm told, dairy.

Probably from water. They didn't drink the ultra-purified stuff we do. They drank of lakes and streams that contained rocks, composed of minerals, which eventually degrade.

what form of Mg do you take?

I take something from Swanson's called Triple Magnesium Complex, each capsule is 400 mg. It's the only kind I've ever tried and it seems to really work for me.


Nancy, I bet you're right about the water. I hate taking supplements but maybe in this case it's the only thing I can do considering our water is not at all the same as caveman's. I can't imagine eating enough foods to get as much magnesium as I need to feel good. I would be chewing greens all day like a chimp.

hmm, I wonder if homemade green veggie juice would be a good substitute for mineral rich water

Priiya, what is blood paleo? Did you get a little too into the Twilight saga?

Ha ha. Cute.

He he... based on the signature in her previous post above, I would guess it's based on Dr. D'Adamo's blood (and/or genotype) diet(s). He authored the book Eat Right 4 Your Type.

o duh Now it makes sense.


I was not aware that magnesium oxide doesn't get absorbed properly. What is the best type then? aspartate, citrate ...
I think I may try the oil next time I order

This contains 350mg magnesium oxide 40mg magnesium citrate, 10mg magnesium aspartate.
While it is good to hear this works for you, MOST people will find the over-reliance on magnesium oxide means only 4% of the 350mg will be available to them.

Krispin suggests that Albion Patent Mineral Chelates are the most reliable source
Here are a couple of examples from IHERB
Doctor's Best, High Absorption Magnesium,
Bluebonnet Nutrition, Chelated Magnesium
Swanson's are very good for
Magnesium Oil

Mg chloride and Mg L-aspartate in combination with vitamin B6 caused statistically significant compensation of magnesium deficit.

these are also worth considering as they are also well absorbed.
Magnesium Citrate

Magnesium Malate

More details here about transdermal magnesium

Iherb $5 discount code ~~~~~~ UK readers keep order value under £18 or pay VAT + £8 handling charge. Pity Swanson's have such expensive shipping to UK compared to IHERB.

Recipe for Magnesium/Bicarbonate Water
As my tap water is fine and I have a soda stream this is very easy and cheap for me to make. Tastes OK and has raised the PH of my previously acid urine to normal. In fact it's very nice to drink and I'm now drinking more water than before and have much improved the specific gravity of my urine showing I'm now better hydrated.

I think the big difference in magnesium status between modern human and paleo folks is because magnesium is water soluble and it's been washing off the land, into the rivers and then into the sea for so many thousands of years. Also modern farming methods have accelerated the rate of washout.
Evidence of decreasing mineral density in wheat grain over the last 160 years.The concentrations of zinc, iron, copper and magnesium remained stable between 1845 and the mid 1960s, but since then have decreased significantly, which coincided with the introduction of semi-dwarf, high-yielding cultivars.

great question as I use magnesium oil I have researched this and in my opinion it came from the oceans and probably streams, rivers and rain waters. Magnesium is water soluble and third most present mineral in sea water. Humans have started as sea creatures after all and human blood is similar to sea water chemically speaking so it's essential for us to swim in the sea water to really replenish Mg and few other minerals

I must admit, the idea of it starting to rain outside, me putting on a bathing suit (or even stripping ), running out into the garden to have a magnesium shower is appealing

There won't be any magnesium in the rain. The rain falls onto the land. The magnesium in the soil being hygroscopic absorbs water, becomes a saturated solution and flows out into the rivers and ultimately into the sea. Over the years the magnesium concentration in seawater has risen and the magnesium status of the land has declined. It's a very slow process.
The changes in our current veg and grain supply is MORE to do with modern shorter, faster growing wheat varieties and modern crop growing techniques.

Declining Nutritional Value of Produce Due to High Yield Selective Seed Breeding

Hey Pilili,

Looks like you better have a mud bath instead and just leap naked into the flower beds...

They tolerant in your part of Belgium???

amanda