Morley Robbins, founder of the magnesium-driven Root Cause Protocol, made a shocking discovery in researching hundreds of scientific studies: Magnesium deficiency, or insufficiency, was at the center of… common modern health issues due to its central role in activating 3,751 proteins, and thus thousands of enzyme systems.* This is why the extensive utilization of magnesium throughout the body is undeniable.  

In addition, magnesium is not manufactured in the body and therefore, the retention is extremely low. And low magnesium intake is linked to chronic inflammation, one of the drivers of premature aging, being overweight and chronic health conditions.*  

Studies suggest that about 48% of the U.S. population gets less than the recommended daily amount of magnesium. 

Nuts, leafy greens, beans, seeds, avocado (and, yes, unprocessed dark chocolate!) are all high in this mineral. But your diet may be limited. And even when we eat these magnesium-rich foods, they still can fall short.  

Due to a depletion of soil minerals, many foods do not deliver the nutrients they once did. That’s why in addition to a whole foods, nutrition-conscious folks often choose a premium magnesium supplement like Smidge® Evening Magnesium. 

Lots of goodies. In general, foods containing dietary fiber contain magnesium. Check out the list below for your favorite nutritional sources of magnesium (RDA means recommended daily allowance).

• Pumpkin seeds: 46% of the RDA in a quarter cup (16 grams) 
• Spinach, lightly steamed: 39% of the RDA in a cup (180 grams) 
• Swiss chard, lightly steamed: 38% of the RDA in a cup (175 grams) 
• Dark chocolate (70 to 85% cocoa): 33% of the RDA in 3.5 ounces (100 grams) 
• Black beans: 30% of the RDA in a cup (172 grams) 
• Quinoa, cooked: 33% of the RDA in a cup (185 grams) 
• Halibut: 27% of the RDA in 3.5 ounces (100 grams) 
• Almonds: 25% of the RDA in a quarter cup (24 grams) 
• Cashews: 25% of the RDA in a quarter cup (30 grams) 
• Mackerel: 19% of the RDA in 3.5 ounces (100 grams) 
• Avocado: 15% of the RDA in one medium avocado (200 grams) 
• Salmon: 9% of the RDA in 3.5 ounces (100 grams)

It’s also important to note that many commercially available grains are processed in ways that remove the nutrient-rich germ and bran, lowering magnesium content substantially. 

Magnesium is not manufactured in the body, but we need it for virtually every system in the body to work smoothly. So many opt to get it from food or clean supplements. Each person burns magnesium at different rates. Factors contributing to low magnesium retention include stress, age (the older you are, the less you retain), exposure to aluminum and the body’s excretion of magnesium through urine and sweat glands. 

Here’s how. 

Under physical and emotional stress, the body produces stress hormones that cause a cascade of physical effects, all of which consume, block and eliminate magnesium. This is called “magnesium wasting” or your “magnesium burn rate.” 

Chronic stress is a magnesium thief. It causes magnesium to be excreted during urination at a rapid rate. 

The good news is that supplementing with premium magnesium and eating magnesium-rich foods, especially while under physical and emotional stress can help end the cycle of chronic cortisol production.* 

Being exposed to certain substances and foods can also affect how much magnesium you absorb or burn through:

• If you’re taking prescription drugs, you may be more likely than others to need magnesium supplementation.*
• Processed foods, caffeine, pharmaceutical medications like antacids, PPIs, diuretics, ant-depressants, antibiotics, ACE inhibitors, blood pressure lowering drugs, statin drugs, birth control pills, and more.
• Alcohol.

Smidge® Evening Magnesium uses magnesium combined with the amino acid glycine to create magnesium glycinate — a unique compound that’s highly bioavailable and well-tolerated by even the most sensitive individuals. To take it a step further, we add magnesium oxide, which helps your body utilize the magnesium your intestines have absorbed.  

Here’s the nitty-gritty on this special chelated form of magnesium (another name for it is chelated magnesium bisglycinate):  

It gives you the most concentrated form of magnesium in an easy-to-absorb form, as noted above. 

It buffers the pH in the intestines, allowing for more magnesium to be absorbed via the passive pathway of magnesium absorption.* 

It reduces the hydration shell that usually surrounds elemental magnesium. This helps with absorption and seems to help limit magnesium's potential laxative effect.* 

It allows some of the magnesium to be absorbed via the amino acid active pathway, thus providing two ways for the body to use it.  

In addition: 

• Magnesium glycinate saves your body from attaching amino acids to the magnesium for active absorption because they're already chelated onto the magnesium. 
• The glycine occupies active receptors on the magnesium, interfering with phytate and other nutrients that can attach to magnesium and inhibit absorption. 
• Glycine also seems to help you sleep more deeply and feel more alert throughout the day. 

So you can soak it all in! 

You can take Smidge® Evening Magnesium about a half-hour before going to sleep. You can also experiment and see what works best for you, as every individual responds differently to different types of magnesium. 

It helps to take this supplement with food, as it’s for magnesium absorption and digestive comfort. (Who doesn’t love snack time?) If you can, take it with an easy-to-digest, nutrient-dense food, as Smidge® supplements work best with a clean, real food diet :)

And for those with low stomach acid, try some lacto-fermented veggies or apple cider vinegar with food about a half- hour before taking your Evening Magnesium. (You can also try Smidge® HCl + Enzymes for low stomach acid production.)

Definitely! Evening Magnesium and Morning Magnesium are designed to work together, so they complement each other beautifully. That’s why many of our customers take one upon waking and one before their sweet dreams. This way, you can enjoy five different types of magnesium that work in synergy to supply your body throughout your precious 24-hour sleep and wake cycles — the optimal way to manage your magnesium levels. 

Yes! You can take Smidge® Evening Magnesium as powder if you open the capsule. It works best mixed with a smoothie or something blended, as it may not dissolve as well in just plain liquid. 

Or you can take it under the tongue and then quickly chase it with a sip of fresh juice or spring water. 

Smidge® Evening Magnesium is sourced and produced in the U.S.

Keeping your magnesium level adequate may ensure proper GABA functionality and help restore emotional balance. Magnesium achieves this feat by binding itself to and stimulating the GABA receptors of the brain, the neurotransmitter that also promotes sleep. Magnesium also aids in the conversion of tryptophan to serotonin, which may support a calm, positive mood.* GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid) is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that lessens a nerve cell’s ability to receive, create or send chemical messages to other nerve cells. 

At Smidge®, we obsess over ingredient integrity, crafting minimal products with zero additives and rich nutrients meticulously sourced from around the world. For select products, we’ve also chosen the Informed Choice certification to give athletes and active individuals added confidence and trust in our supplements, which are already simple and clean by design. This is because products certified by Informed Choice demonstrate one of the dietary supplement industry’s highest levels of commitment to quality assurance.

Here’s more information about Informed Choice:

Informed Choice is a global quality assurance and third-party testing program, designed to minimize the risk of dietary supplement products being inadvertently contaminated with prohibited and potentially harmful substances. It was established in 2007 by one of the world's leading anti-doping laboratories, LGC.*

Products carrying the Informed Choice logo have been rigorously tested for more than 285 banned substances by LGC’s anti-doping labs, using ISO 17025-accredited methods. The program implements a step-by-step dietary supplement testing process to ensure the highest level of batch testing has taken place, before being accepted for certification. Once a product is certified, Informed Choice continues to regularly purchase samples from retail outlets to identify potential risks of banned substances and impurities — giving athletes and consumers confidence in the supplements they choose for training.