The Surprising Reason Why Magnesium, the Unsung Mineral for Beauty and Health, Is So Important

This past summer didn't just break heatwave records across the country; the sweltering heat lingered well into October. Amid these harsh conditions, a growing number of people have reported issues like leg cramps, which can be linked to mineral deficiencies caused by excessive sweating.

"I believe a key reason for this is that the importance of magnesium isn't widely understood," explains Takatoshi Kamata, CEO of Organic Science, the company behind the magnesium-infused skincare cream 'Mgbalm'. We sat down with him to discuss the vital and often overlooked role magnesium plays in our health and, surprisingly, in our beauty routines.

According to Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the recommended daily intake of magnesium is approximately 340-370 mg for adult men and 270-290 mg for adult women [1]. However, the "National Health and Nutrition Survey" (National Health and Nutrition Survey) [2] reveals a different story: the average actual intake is only about 242 mg for men and 220 mg for women. The reality is that most people are not getting enough.

4 Key Reasons Why Magnesium Is So Important

Magnesium plays four crucial roles in maintaining both physical and mental well-being.

1. It helps muscles relax

Have you ever heard that people prone to leg cramps might be low on magnesium? There's a reason for that. Magnesium helps reduce muscle inflammation and promotes relaxation. While calcium is responsible for contracting muscles, magnesium helps them relax. Therefore, muscle cramps can be a sign of an imbalance between these two minerals.

"The balance between magnesium and calcium is said to be crucial for the body's smooth functioning," Kamata notes. "When you're deficient in magnesium, calcium becomes dominant, which can negatively impact your body's overall condition."

Magnesium's influence extends to involuntary muscles, like the smooth muscles that make up the walls of our gastrointestinal tract and blood vessels. A deficiency can therefore disrupt the function of internal organs and blood vessels. A link has also been pointed out between magnesium deficiency and migraine headaches.

2. It supports quality sleep

Serotonin and melatonin are two hormones well-known for their deep connection to sleep quality. Sunlight exposure boosts serotonin production, which then converts into the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin at night, paving the way for a restful sleep. Magnesium is involved in numerous enzymatic reactions and is believed to indirectly support the production of these sleep-related substances.

Research also suggests that magnesium is involved in the production of GABA, a neurotransmitter that calms the brain, eases stress and tension, and improves sleep quality.

"Magnesium is gaining attention for its role in relaxation and rest, with a growing body of research exploring its connection to sleep," Kamata adds.

High-quality sleep is essential for the health of both your skin and mind, making magnesium a mineral worth noting from a beauty perspective as well.

3. Helps Produce Energy

Magnesium plays a vital role in sustaining life by acting as a coenzyme in hundreds of bodily reactions that help produce energy.

"A deficiency can slow down your energy metabolism, making you feel tired and more prone to weight gain. It can also create a vicious cycle where you crave sweets to compensate for the lack of energy."

4. Supports Healthy Skin

Deeply connected to blood flow, magnesium is believed to affect skin health through the capillaries. This has led to recent research into its potential as a beauty ingredient, and various new products are now hitting the market in Japan and grabbing the spotlight.

"Magnesium is a key mineral for maintaining healthy skin."

Health Issues Caused by Magnesium Deficiency

Since magnesium is essential for so many bodily functions, a deficiency has been linked to various health issues. During intense summer heat, we lose more of it through sweat. What's more, high stress can weaken its reabsorption by the kidneys, causing 20-80% of our magnesium to be flushed out in urine. So, what's the best way to prevent a deficiency?

"The fundamental way is to get it from your diet. Mushrooms, seafood, seaweed, and whole grains are rich in magnesium."

However, with modern dietary shifts in Japan, many people don't get enough. This makes finding ways to integrate magnesium into our daily meals and routines a key challenge.

This is where topical skincare creams have started to gain traction. For localized issues like muscle cramps and pain, direct application to the skin is said to be more efficient, with some clinical trials reporting positive results.

"It's not yet common in Japan, but many products are already available in Europe and the US. However, when you consider the amount needed to supply magnesium to cells throughout the body, topical application alone is not enough. Oral intake through diet is still essential."

Magbalm: A Favorite Among Athletes and Runners

Driven by a desire to spread awareness about the importance of magnesium, Kamata launched Magbalm in 2020.

"Creams are mainstream in the West, so initially, I intended to develop a cream. However, when I tried to make it with naturally derived ingredients safe enough for a child to lick, the magnesium became unstable and would inevitably separate. Through trial and error, I discovered that a balm could solve this problem."

Since its launch, Magbalm has gained strong support from athletes, runners, and yoginis who push their bodies to the limit, as well as from pregnant women, whose recommended intake is higher than that of the average adult woman. This year, it was updated, reflecting feedback from many users.

"The biggest new feature is that it's now liposomal. I believed we had stabilized the magnesium in the original product, but we discovered it was separating due to factors like changes in atmospheric pressure, which led to many customer complaints.

For that reason, we had been conducting various research, such as adjusting the ingredients, since the launch, but we couldn't quite solve it. Then, we tried making it liposomal, and strangely, the separation stopped. We had also received feedback that the balm was too hard, but the liposomal encapsulation made it softer and easier to apply."

The liposomal encapsulation makes the molecules smaller, allowing for better absorption into the skin.

"In the future, magnesium-based skincare will likely become mainstream," says Kamata.

"When we launched, there were barely any similar products on the market, but now we're starting to see more. We don't see them as competitors, though. We view them as allies in spreading the word about magnesium's importance. I hope to see lots of magnesium products come out so we can collectively teach more people how vital it is."

Magnesium is a key mineral that not only keeps your body in good condition but also impacts skin concerns like firmness and dullness. To strike a balance between beauty and health, it's worth finding smart ways to incorporate it into your daily routine.