Can more plant protein in your meals help you live longer? Is it too late to start exercising if you’re over 60? And what’s the one form of magnesium that may actually help improve your sleep and next-day memory?
In this “Science You Can Use” episode of 1,000 Waking Minutes, Dr. Wendy Bazilian shares three new research studies that go beyond the headlines and into real life. These studies offer timely, practical takeaways about what’s on your plate, how much you move (even if you’re starting now), and how you sleep and restore. No pressure. Just useful insight to help shape a sharper, more vibrant day.
(1:14) Welcome and what we’re going to cover today
(5:35) Study 1 – Plant Protein and Longevity: What 57 years of global data reveal
(13:36) Study 2 – Movement and the Brain: How even 10 minutes a day can reduce dementia risk
(21:02) Study 3 – Magnesium L-Threonate: A unique form of magnesium that improves sleep and memory
(29:32) 3 Things to Try This Week: Simple shifts to test out in your life
(30:33) Gratitude and a reminder to tune in next time
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A huge thank you to our amazing collaborators including our production and marketing teams and Gabriela Escalante in particular. To the ultra-talented Beza for my theme music, my lifelong friend and artist Pearl Preis Photography and Design, to Danielle Ballantyne, Jen Nguyen, Joanna Powell, and of course, my family and everyone working tirelessly behind the scenes.
The information shared in this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered individual medical or health advice. Always consult with your trusted healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or medical treatment.
Study 1:
Andrews, C. J., Raubenheimer, D., Simpson, S. J., Alhiabi, M. M., & Makarem, N. (2025). Associations between national plant-based vs animal-based protein supplies and age-specific mortality in human populations. Nature Communications, 16, Article 3431. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58475-1
Study 2:
Wanigatunga, A. A., Dong, Y., Jin, M., Leroux, A., Cui, E., Zhou, X., Zhao, A., Schrack, J. A., Bandeen-Roche, K., Walston, J. D., Xue, Q. L., Lindquist, M. A., & Crainiceanu, C. M. (2025). Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at any dose reduces all-cause dementia risk regardless of frailty status. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 26(3), 105456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2024.105456
Study 3:
Hausenblas, H. A., Lynch, T., Hooper, S., Shrestha, A., Rosendale, D., & Gu, J. (2024). Magnesium-L-threonate improves sleep quality and daytime functioning in adults with self-reported sleep problems: A randomized controlled trial. Sleep Med X, 8, 100121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleepx.2024.100121
It's not always the big
Speaker:changes.
Speaker:It's the daily ones that
Speaker:protect our health.
Speaker:In this episode, I'll bring
Speaker:you three new studies.
Speaker:How plant protein may help
Speaker:you live longer.
Speaker:Why short bursts of movement
Speaker:matter more than ever for
Speaker:our brain.
Speaker:And finally, a promising new
Speaker:approach in our pursuit of
Speaker:better sleep.
Speaker:I'll be breaking down the
Speaker:science.
Speaker:Science worth your waking minutes.
Speaker:We experience 1,000 waking minutes
Speaker:on average every day.
Speaker:How are you spending yours?
Speaker:I'm Dr. Wendy Bazilian and
Speaker:you're listening to 1,000 Waking
Speaker:Minutes.
Speaker:I can't wait to connect
Speaker:with you here with practical
Speaker:ways to eat well, move
Speaker:daily, and be healthy.
Speaker:To optimize every waking minute
Speaker:you live for a happier,
Speaker:healthier life.
Speaker:Thank you for sharing some
Speaker:of your waking minutes with
Speaker:me today.
Speaker:Let's get started.
Speaker:I'm saying yes to better
Speaker:days, yes.
Speaker:I'm on my way, yes.
Speaker:It's gonna be okay, yeah.
Speaker:Welcome back to 1,000 Waking
Speaker:Minutes.
Speaker:I'm Dr. Wendy Bazilian and
Speaker:I'm so glad you're here.
Speaker:We're choosing to spend a
Speaker:few of our precious waking
Speaker:minutes each day together.
Speaker:So this is one of
Speaker:our Science You Can Use
Speaker:episodes.
Speaker:These are periodic stops along
Speaker:the way in the podcast
Speaker:when I have identified or
Speaker:bring you a few fresh
Speaker:studies that have recently caught
Speaker:my attention or that I
Speaker:think are worth a closer
Speaker:look.
Speaker:Not in a newsy headline
Speaker:kind of way, but sort
Speaker:of how could this show
Speaker:up in my real life
Speaker:kind of way.
Speaker:And really that's the point,
Speaker:right, for us.
Speaker:We're all trying to figure
Speaker:out how to live well
Speaker:across our waking minutes in
Speaker:our lives toward a well
Speaker:-lived and hopefully long and
Speaker:vital life.
Speaker:Maybe not perfectly, but with
Speaker:more purpose and hopefully a
Speaker:little more joy and more
Speaker:intention.
Speaker:So these episodes are sort
Speaker:of a way for us
Speaker:to get curious together.
Speaker:Maybe some headlines you've heard
Speaker:or seen.
Speaker:So in each of these
Speaker:episodes, Science You Can Use,
Speaker:I call them, we generally
Speaker:draw from the three pillars
Speaker:that guide the podcast, eat
Speaker:well, move daily, and be
Speaker:healthy.
Speaker:And through this lens, we
Speaker:look at real studies, current,
Speaker:relevant, and peer-reviewed science.
Speaker:If I don't bring you
Speaker:peer-reviewed science, I will
Speaker:tell you, maybe it's a
Speaker:poster session at a conference,
Speaker:something compelling that's underway, but
Speaker:I'll always share where the
Speaker:science comes from.
Speaker:And in this science, I
Speaker:try to select current studies
Speaker:that may help shape how
Speaker:we shop or cook, how
Speaker:we move through our days,
Speaker:how we sleep or how
Speaker:we think, how we care
Speaker:for ourselves in this very
Speaker:full, sometimes noisy, but also
Speaker:hopefully beautiful life.
Speaker:So maybe you're listening today
Speaker:while out walking your dog.
Speaker:Maybe you're doing dishes.
Speaker:Maybe you're in your car
Speaker:driving to or from work
Speaker:or between errands.
Speaker:However you found your way
Speaker:here today, I hope this
Speaker:episode gives you something real
Speaker:to carry with you into
Speaker:the rest of your day
Speaker:and your week.
Speaker:So today we'll look at
Speaker:three studies.
Speaker:The first and one study
Speaker:is about what's on your
Speaker:plate.
Speaker:So the eat well part,
Speaker:and in particular about protein.
Speaker:And it's through a global
Speaker:analysis of plant-based protein
Speaker:intake and its link to
Speaker:longer life.
Speaker:Good thing.
Speaker:Then we will talk about
Speaker:movement and not just for
Speaker:us lifelong athletes, if you're
Speaker:one of those, but for
Speaker:all of us.
Speaker:And according to a compelling
Speaker:study, why daily movement of
Speaker:any duration is linked to
Speaker:good brain health and preserving
Speaker:it as we age, even
Speaker:if you start later in
Speaker:life.
Speaker:And finally, we're going to
Speaker:take a closer look at
Speaker:magnesium.
Speaker:In fact, a form of
Speaker:magnesium called L-magnesium threonate [magnesium L threonate],
Speaker:a specific form of magnesium
Speaker:that research suggests may help
Speaker:support deeper and better sleep
Speaker:and better cognitive performance.
Speaker:I'm not here giving you
Speaker:the musts or any magical
Speaker:thinking, but I would like
Speaker:to explore what the evidence
Speaker:says and how it might
Speaker:gently nudge us forward toward
Speaker:decisions that will align with
Speaker:the kind of life that
Speaker:we want to live.
Speaker:So I've dug into the
Speaker:data and I'll share it
Speaker:with you in a way
Speaker:and put it into action,
Speaker:because science would just stay
Speaker:stuck on the library shelves.
Speaker:I still picture library shelves
Speaker:for these, but in the
Speaker:digital library shelves, in the
Speaker:journal articles.
Speaker:But I really think the
Speaker:good research should move into
Speaker:our kitchens, into our calendars,
Speaker:and even into our wind
Speaker:down routines, as you'll see.
Speaker:First up is study one,
Speaker:eating well.
Speaker:This is about plants, about
Speaker:protein, and about longevity.
Speaker:And in other words, the
Speaker:relationship between plant based protein
Speaker:and living longer.
Speaker:So you've probably heard already
Speaker:that plant protein can be
Speaker:good for you.
Speaker:But this new study that
Speaker:came out of the University
Speaker:of Sydney looked at the
Speaker:idea on a massive global
Speaker:scale.
Speaker:So this was published in
Speaker:Nature Communications just in April
Speaker:of this year, 2025.
Speaker:And the researchers analyzed 57
Speaker:years of data across 101
Speaker:countries.
Speaker:Like I said, global data
Speaker:over a long time.
Speaker:And this wasn't the usual
Speaker:type of nutrition study where
Speaker:people might fill out food
Speaker:logs or surveys or be
Speaker:followed about what their diet
Speaker:was.
Speaker:This one used national level
Speaker:food supply data.
Speaker:In other words, what was
Speaker:actually available in each country
Speaker:over time.
Speaker:And they used this from
Speaker:balance sheets from the World
Speaker:Health Organization and the FAO.
Speaker:And they combined it with
Speaker:World Health Organization mortality records.
Speaker:So they weren't asking, did
Speaker:you eat tofu this week?
Speaker:Or did you have beans
Speaker:or nuts?
Speaker:They were asking in general,
Speaker:how much plant based protein
Speaker:or animal based protein was
Speaker:in the national food supply
Speaker:over decades?
Speaker:And how does that relate
Speaker:to how long people live
Speaker:in those countries?
Speaker:Or how long people tend
Speaker:to live, I should say.
Speaker:And what they found was
Speaker:indeed fascinating.
Speaker:The major finding was that
Speaker:countries with more plant based
Speaker:protein in their food supply
Speaker:tended to have higher adult
Speaker:life expectancy.
Speaker:In other words, they lived
Speaker:longer.
Speaker:Additionally, the researchers found that
Speaker:more animal protein was linked
Speaker:and associated with higher adult
Speaker:mortality or death.
Speaker:However, it showed that the
Speaker:animal protein was linked with
Speaker:lower mortality in infants and
Speaker:children.
Speaker:Again, there was a link
Speaker:between plant based protein supply
Speaker:and longer life in adults.
Speaker:There was a link between
Speaker:animal protein and higher mortality
Speaker:or death in adults.
Speaker:But the animal protein had
Speaker:a positive effect, the supply
Speaker:of that for infants and
Speaker:children.
Speaker:This might sound surprising at
Speaker:first, but it actually tracks
Speaker:with what we know in
Speaker:science.
Speaker:Animal proteins are generally more
Speaker:bioavailable, meaning they're generally easier
Speaker:for the body to digest
Speaker:and absorb.
Speaker:They also take some different
Speaker:metabolic pathways to break down
Speaker:and whatnot, the whole protein
Speaker:animal food supply itself.
Speaker:But the fact that animal
Speaker:protein is more bioavailable and
Speaker:easy to break down is
Speaker:really important during the growth
Speaker:years.
Speaker:And so with infancy and
Speaker:childhood, early childhood development, when
Speaker:absorbing proteins can support development
Speaker:and think on a global
Speaker:scale, it has a positive
Speaker:effect.
Speaker:But in adulthood, the long
Speaker:term pattern of high intake
Speaker:of animal protein, especially the
Speaker:red meats and the processed
Speaker:meats, has been linked to
Speaker:higher risk of things like
Speaker:heart disease, diabetes, some cancers,
Speaker:especially colorectal cancer.
Speaker:And if we think about
Speaker:plant proteins coming in a
Speaker:bigger package, they typically come
Speaker:with fiber, which animal proteins
Speaker:don't usually carry.
Speaker:So plant proteins, they have
Speaker:fiber, that's a biggie, which
Speaker:supports heart health.
Speaker:It helps manage blood sugar,
Speaker:helps promote satiety, and helps
Speaker:feed the gut microbiome.
Speaker:And we've learned that that
Speaker:plays a central role in
Speaker:everything from immunity to mental
Speaker:well-being.
Speaker:And fiber is one of
Speaker:the most under-consumed nutrients
Speaker:in the U.S. and
Speaker:also abroad.
Speaker:In the U.S., a
Speaker:whopping 93% of us
Speaker:don't meet the recommendations for
Speaker:fiber.
Speaker:And of course, beyond that,
Speaker:plant protein sources also come
Speaker:bundled with other bonuses.
Speaker:They come with antioxidants, polyphenols,
Speaker:vitamins and minerals, other phytochemicals,
Speaker:and less saturated fat.
Speaker:As a result, plant proteins
Speaker:can also help reduce inflammation,
Speaker:in addition to supporting gut
Speaker:health, as I mentioned with
Speaker:the fiber.
Speaker:And they tend to, by
Speaker:and large, encourage a more
Speaker:varied whole foods-based eating
Speaker:pattern.
Speaker:So this was big picture.
Speaker:Let's keep that in mind.
Speaker:It's called an ecological study.
Speaker:It was not a randomized
Speaker:trial or a direct test
Speaker:of individual diets, but it
Speaker:does support what we see
Speaker:in the long-lived populations,
Speaker:things like the blue zones
Speaker:or regions of the world
Speaker:like Okinawa and Ikaria, Greece.
Speaker:When more plants are on
Speaker:the plate more often, people
Speaker:tend to live longer.
Speaker:So what do we do
Speaker:about that?
Speaker:We need a refresher on
Speaker:our plant proteins, perhaps.
Speaker:Let's think about putting it
Speaker:into practice for a moment
Speaker:and make it practical and
Speaker:delicious.
Speaker:You can add plant proteins
Speaker:to your very next meal.
Speaker:So think about maybe lentils
Speaker:in your salad.
Speaker:You can add chickpeas or
Speaker:hummus to your wraps.
Speaker:You can sprinkle seeds and
Speaker:nuts into your oats, your
Speaker:oatmeal, even on your toast.
Speaker:How you layer your toast
Speaker:with spreads, you can sprinkle
Speaker:some nuts and seeds there.
Speaker:You can have nuts in
Speaker:salads and snacks.
Speaker:You can make taco filling.
Speaker:You know, I love to
Speaker:make a taco filling that's
Speaker:all vegetarian, made with walnuts
Speaker:and spices and herbs, sort
Speaker:of like a vegan chorizo.
Speaker:But you can make blends
Speaker:as well.
Speaker:And lentils can become taco
Speaker:filling.
Speaker:And there's lots of things
Speaker:you can do there.
Speaker:You can add it to
Speaker:your grain bowl.
Speaker:You can stir nut butter
Speaker:into smoothies or spread it
Speaker:onto toast.
Speaker:And yes, tofu is a
Speaker:plant-based source of protein
Speaker:that comes from soy.
Speaker:So you can enjoy that
Speaker:grilled or marinated, blended into
Speaker:dressings even, and into stir
Speaker:fries, which may be more
Speaker:familiar for some of you
Speaker:listening.
Speaker:And edamame, of course.
Speaker:I love edamame.
Speaker:My daughter loves edamame.
Speaker:Soybeans that are boiled and
Speaker:maybe salted or put some
Speaker:spices on them.
Speaker:They can be simple and
Speaker:satisfying.
Speaker:So the takeaway here with
Speaker:this study is not cut
Speaker:out animal protein.
Speaker:It's simply, let's put some
Speaker:balance to it.
Speaker:You know, if you enjoy
Speaker:animal protein, let's allow plant
Speaker:proteins to have a little
Speaker:more space on your plate,
Speaker:in the plate real estate,
Speaker:I like to say.
Speaker:So by gradually shifting some
Speaker:of your meals, adding bean
Speaker:-based chilies, tofu stir fries,
Speaker:a handful of walnuts, this
Speaker:can all add up over
Speaker:time.
Speaker:And these small, simple changes
Speaker:can support a healthier, longer
Speaker:life.
Speaker:So everyday foods supporting long
Speaker:life, that's a win.
Speaker:And this was an interesting
Speaker:study and way to approach
Speaker:that through the food supply.
Speaker:And personally, it's important for
Speaker:us to think about, as
Speaker:we plan our meals, what's
Speaker:the impact of our choices,
Speaker:whether we choose this or
Speaker:that, or this and that,
Speaker:as we walk through our
Speaker:day.
Speaker:Okay, so next up, study
Speaker:number two about moving.
Speaker:Move your body, even if
Speaker:you start later.
Speaker:That's the bottom line for
Speaker:you.
Speaker:I'm going to put it
Speaker:right up front.
Speaker:Maybe you've been active all
Speaker:your life, or maybe not
Speaker:so much.
Speaker:There's a really interesting story.
Speaker:I'm going to save this
Speaker:for another episode, but I
Speaker:remember learning about Hulda Crooks,
Speaker:a woman who summited Mount
Speaker:Whitney.
Speaker:I'll have to check my
Speaker:facts on that.
Speaker:But she didn't start exercising
Speaker:at all until she was
Speaker:around 50, as I seem
Speaker:to recall.
Speaker:And she summited Mount Whitney
Speaker:many, many times, never really
Speaker:having done exercise in any
Speaker:kind of consistent or way
Speaker:that we consider exercise today
Speaker:at all.
Speaker:So here's the good news,
Speaker:and I'm going to share
Speaker:a study to support it.
Speaker:Even if you start moving
Speaker:later in life, it can
Speaker:still make a powerful difference
Speaker:for your brain.
Speaker:A 2025 study just out
Speaker:recently, published in the Journal
Speaker:of the American Medical Directors
Speaker:Association, it looked at about
Speaker:90,000 individuals living in
Speaker:the UK.
Speaker:Most of them were in
Speaker:their 50s and 60s, and
Speaker:they wore wearable activity trackers.
Speaker:There's a number of different
Speaker:kinds out there, but they
Speaker:had activity trackers that they
Speaker:wore during the day.
Speaker:Researchers at the Johns Hopkins
Speaker:Bloomberg School of Public Health,
Speaker:those were the researchers who
Speaker:asked this question, what they
Speaker:wanted to know.
Speaker:How does physical activity at
Speaker:any amount relate to the
Speaker:risk of developing all-cause
Speaker:dementia?
Speaker:Something I would like to
Speaker:know, too.
Speaker:They have the tools, the
Speaker:methods, and the data set
Speaker:to ask this question.
Speaker:And the results were striking.
Speaker:I think you're going to
Speaker:find this appealing.
Speaker:Even very small amounts of
Speaker:moderate to vigorous activity between
Speaker:just 1 and 34 minutes
Speaker:a week.
Speaker:I just said that.
Speaker:Let me repeat that.
Speaker:As little as 1 to
Speaker:34 minutes per week were
Speaker:linked with a 41%
Speaker:lower risk of developing dementia
Speaker:over about four years that
Speaker:they looked at in this
Speaker:study.
Speaker:But it didn't stop there.
Speaker:It was true that the
Speaker:more movement, the greater the
Speaker:benefit.
Speaker:When the minutes increased from
Speaker:35 to 69 minutes per
Speaker:week, the results were a
Speaker:60% lower risk of
Speaker:all-cause dementia.
Speaker:70 to 139 minutes per
Speaker:week.
Speaker:Now on the upper limit
Speaker:there, we're just approaching about
Speaker:30 minutes, five days a
Speaker:week, at a 63%
Speaker:lower risk.
Speaker:And 140 minutes per week,
Speaker:just about 30 minutes a
Speaker:day, five days a week,
Speaker:on average, if you put
Speaker:that math together, a 69
Speaker:% lower risk.
Speaker:So, yes, just few minutes,
Speaker:just a few minutes, I
Speaker:should say, can add up
Speaker:to real protection over time.
Speaker:And here's my favorite part
Speaker:of this.
Speaker:This benefit held true regardless
Speaker:of frailty or age.
Speaker:So even older adults who
Speaker:were considered frail saw significant
Speaker:brain benefits from moving more.
Speaker:The more you moved, your
Speaker:brain benefited.
Speaker:So this means it's never
Speaker:too late.
Speaker:I love that.
Speaker:I love when science shows
Speaker:us things that should be
Speaker:common sense, but sometimes we
Speaker:don't want to believe it.
Speaker:This is one.
Speaker:So it doesn't have to
Speaker:be extreme.
Speaker:Just a bit of walking,
Speaker:stretching, dancing, gardening, what some
Speaker:people call exercise snacks.
Speaker:I sort of like that,
Speaker:exercise snacks, can help keep
Speaker:your brain sharper longer.
Speaker:So movement isn't just good
Speaker:for your heart and your
Speaker:muscles and your mood and
Speaker:all the things I love
Speaker:to talk about.
Speaker:Movement is medicine for the
Speaker:mind.
Speaker:Let's say that again.
Speaker:Movement is medicine for the
Speaker:mind.
Speaker:So this is powerful because
Speaker:so often we're fed the
Speaker:idea that only if we
Speaker:get like real exercise or
Speaker:if it happens in a
Speaker:gym or a class or
Speaker:on a Peloton or wearing
Speaker:the latest gear, that's what
Speaker:counts.
Speaker:But this study reinforces that
Speaker:everyday movement counts.
Speaker:So what can we do?
Speaker:If you've been moving, keep
Speaker:going and pat yourself on
Speaker:the back and your brain
Speaker:should be thanking you right
Speaker:now.
Speaker:Thank you, body, for doing
Speaker:that movement.
Speaker:If you're getting started later,
Speaker:it's not too late.
Speaker:And start with just what
Speaker:feels doable.
Speaker:I said one to 34
Speaker:minutes in a week.
Speaker:Start with what's doable.
Speaker:Is it a 10-minute
Speaker:walk after dinner?
Speaker:Can you stretch in the
Speaker:morning?
Speaker:Can you park a bit
Speaker:further from the store?
Speaker:I know you've heard these
Speaker:tips before, but they really,
Speaker:really matter and they really
Speaker:add up.
Speaker:Will you actually take the
Speaker:flight of stairs right beside
Speaker:that escalator or instead of
Speaker:an elevator?
Speaker:And definitely, when you can,
Speaker:if you can, make it
Speaker:fun.
Speaker:Maybe you put on some
Speaker:music that you love to
Speaker:dance to when you're cooking
Speaker:or chopping or folding or
Speaker:anything, or just because, and
Speaker:dance around a little bit.
Speaker:So it's not about the
Speaker:steps.
Speaker:It's not even about how
Speaker:much and how hard.
Speaker:It's about doing it, period,
Speaker:engaging your body, and it
Speaker:helps your brain.
Speaker:And when you engage your
Speaker:body, you're engaging your brain,
Speaker:frankly, at the same time.
Speaker:And it gives your brain
Speaker:what your body and your
Speaker:brain crave, blood flow, oxygen,
Speaker:mental challenges, balance, gives some
Speaker:rhythm.
Speaker:So I want to be
Speaker:sure to say this gently
Speaker:but repeat it enough times
Speaker:because I've heard from people
Speaker:that sometimes we move until
Speaker:we get the right moment.
Speaker:We feel right until the
Speaker:fog lifts so that we
Speaker:can do it after the
Speaker:fatigue passes, you know, next
Speaker:week I'll start.
Speaker:But this study does remind
Speaker:us that the movement is
Speaker:the thing that may lift
Speaker:the fog, it may sharpen
Speaker:the focus, it may reduce
Speaker:the fatigue, and it can
Speaker:help us not just physically
Speaker:but also mentally and emotionally.
Speaker:So even if you've been
Speaker:the person who's never been
Speaker:one for exercise or it's
Speaker:been a while since you
Speaker:have, it's not too late.
Speaker:Start small but start.
Speaker:In my life, I've seen
Speaker:how quickly the impacts of
Speaker:like a little neighborhood walk
Speaker:can spur you on again,
Speaker:even if you've had a
Speaker:long day and you feel
Speaker:like, oh, I just want
Speaker:to sit down for a
Speaker:while, I just want to
Speaker:relax.
Speaker:It can give you a
Speaker:second wind.
Speaker:It can give you certainly
Speaker:a clearer mind.
Speaker:And maybe you've felt this
Speaker:too.
Speaker:And this is the science
Speaker:that says, yes, this is
Speaker:real.
Speaker:Yes, it matters.
Speaker:So take that into your
Speaker:waking minutes and keep moving.
Speaker:I promise you'll feel good
Speaker:doing it.
Speaker:And the third study I
Speaker:want to share with you
Speaker:today is about sleep, the
Speaker:mind, and magnesium L threonate and
Speaker:8.
Speaker:Now, what is that?
Speaker:Magnesium has sort of been
Speaker:having a moment lately.
Speaker:I've been seeing more and
Speaker:more articles about it, seemingly
Speaker:more studies coming out, but
Speaker:maybe it's more attention in
Speaker:the news, athletes using it,
Speaker:people increasingly using it for
Speaker:sleep, more supplements on the
Speaker:market that are sort of
Speaker:promoting magnesium for a variety
Speaker:of reasons.
Speaker:And it really is for
Speaker:a good reason overall.
Speaker:Magnesium is involved in more
Speaker:than 300 biochemical reactions in
Speaker:the body, including our muscle
Speaker:function, which is why you
Speaker:might hear about it in
Speaker:performance and with athletes or
Speaker:with muscle cramps and things
Speaker:like that.
Speaker:It plays an important role
Speaker:with energy metabolism.
Speaker:And it also plays a
Speaker:role with sleep.
Speaker:So I want to talk
Speaker:about sleep because that's what
Speaker:this study is about, and
Speaker:more specifically, the kind of
Speaker:sleep that actually helps you
Speaker:wake up and feel like
Speaker:you've slept, if you know
Speaker:what I mean.
Speaker:Because let's be honest, we've
Speaker:all had nights where maybe
Speaker:we've gotten the seven to
Speaker:eight hours with our head
Speaker:down and in the bed,
Speaker:but wake up groggy or
Speaker:foggy or just flat out
Speaker:tired.
Speaker:The nutrient in particular that's
Speaker:showing promise here is magnesium,
Speaker:and more specifically, a form
Speaker:that maybe you haven't heard
Speaker:of before, magnesium L threonate.
Speaker:So magnesium isn't new in
Speaker:the wellness scene.
Speaker:You've seen it promoted for
Speaker:the things that I mentioned
Speaker:before, muscle relaxation, digestion for
Speaker:many people, to help with
Speaker:constipation for some, for stress
Speaker:support even.
Speaker:But not all forms of
Speaker:magnesium act in the same
Speaker:way in the body.
Speaker:So magnesium L threonate is special
Speaker:because it is one of
Speaker:the only forms that can
Speaker:cross the blood-brain barrier.
Speaker:That means it might have
Speaker:more direct effects on brain
Speaker:function.
Speaker:This is a hypothesis, including
Speaker:memory, focus, and even sleep
Speaker:quality.
Speaker:So a 2024 randomized double
Speaker:-blind placebo control trial that
Speaker:was published in SleepMed looked
Speaker:at 80 adults between the
Speaker:ages of 35 and 55
Speaker:who had mild sleep complaints.
Speaker:So not full-blown insomnia,
Speaker:but maybe a little like
Speaker:you and me.
Speaker:But in other words, like
Speaker:difficulty falling asleep and staying
Speaker:asleep or waking up feeling
Speaker:unrefreshed.
Speaker:For three weeks, participants took
Speaker:a gram of magnesium L threonate
Speaker:daily or a placebo, and
Speaker:it was a double-blind
Speaker:placebo-controlled trial, as I
Speaker:mentioned.
Speaker:The researchers didn't ask just
Speaker:how they felt, but they
Speaker:used wearable devices.
Speaker:Some of you have heard
Speaker:of the ring.
Speaker:You know, they didn't name
Speaker:the ring in the study,
Speaker:but you might have heard
Speaker:of the Oura ring, for
Speaker:example.
Speaker:And they measured sleep metrics
Speaker:there, as well as collecting
Speaker:feedback through detailed questionnaires on
Speaker:mood and memory, on alertness
Speaker:and energy.
Speaker:And here's what they found.
Speaker:The participants fell asleep faster.
Speaker:They had fewer nighttime awakenings.
Speaker:Their sleep efficiency, what it's
Speaker:called, and total sleep time
Speaker:improved.
Speaker:So they were better sleepers,
Speaker:in other words.
Speaker:And they experienced better next
Speaker:-day cognitive function, like memory,
Speaker:focus, and attention.
Speaker:And isn't that what it's
Speaker:all about?
Speaker:Well, it's about a lot
Speaker:more than that, but that's
Speaker:our wake-up alertness factor
Speaker:that we're like, oh, I
Speaker:got a great night's sleep
Speaker:last night.
Speaker:I feel focused.
Speaker:I feel alert.
Speaker:I can function at my
Speaker:best.
Speaker:So this really wasn't just
Speaker:about getting more minutes in
Speaker:bed.
Speaker:It was getting more restorative
Speaker:sleep.
Speaker:And you've heard me talk
Speaker:about restoration and rest before,
Speaker:but restorative minutes are those
Speaker:minutes that deeply matter across
Speaker:our 1,000 waking minutes.
Speaker:So I'm always food first.
Speaker:But if you want to
Speaker:support your magnesium levels naturally,
Speaker:you can always look first
Speaker:to the food.
Speaker:Leafy greens like spinach, chard,
Speaker:and kale.
Speaker:Nuts and seeds are good
Speaker:sources of magnesium.
Speaker:They vary by nut and
Speaker:seed, but almonds and cashews
Speaker:and pumpkin seeds are good
Speaker:examples.
Speaker:Legumes and beans like black
Speaker:beans and lentil and edamame,
Speaker:a plant-based protein as
Speaker:well, those are sources of
Speaker:magnesium.
Speaker:And even dark chocolate in
Speaker:moderation has some magnesium.
Speaker:Just two tablespoons of pumpkin
Speaker:seeds, as one example, has
Speaker:40% of your daily
Speaker:magnesium needs.
Speaker:A half cup of cooked
Speaker:spinach has 20%.
Speaker:So real foods have real
Speaker:impact.
Speaker:But if you are already
Speaker:covering your basis or just
Speaker:want some additional support and
Speaker:are not feeling rested, or
Speaker:if your brain is just,
Speaker:like, fueling on all cylinders
Speaker:and feeling empty, you might
Speaker:consider, it might be worth
Speaker:considering anyway, magnesium L threonate and
Speaker:8.
Speaker:So while we're here talking
Speaker:about magnesium, I want to
Speaker:remind you that magnesium also
Speaker:plays that role in muscle
Speaker:function and gut motility.
Speaker:It helps ease tension and
Speaker:cramping, especially around hormonal shifts.
Speaker:It may have a nice
Speaker:role to play around the
Speaker:menstrual cycle, as one example
Speaker:of a hormonal shift.
Speaker:It's really a multitasking mineral,
Speaker:but the form really does
Speaker:matter.
Speaker:So the typical dose of
Speaker:magnesium L threonate in
Speaker:supplements is around 2,000
Speaker:milligrams per day.
Speaker:That provides what is about
Speaker:144 milligrams of elemental magnesium.
Speaker:So it's not the same
Speaker:as other forms that you'll
Speaker:see on a label.
Speaker:And that's why I always
Speaker:want to reinforce that it's
Speaker:important to talk to your
Speaker:primary care doc or a
Speaker:registered dietitian.
Speaker:It could be a great
Speaker:call before starting any new
Speaker:supplement, especially if you're on
Speaker:medications or if you're managing
Speaker:some kind of other health
Speaker:condition.
Speaker:If you start adding supplements
Speaker:to your current routine and
Speaker:want to do that, also
Speaker:always search a source and
Speaker:a brand you can trust.
Speaker:That's good manufacturing practices.
Speaker:You want to see the
Speaker:GMP on the label.
Speaker:I've gone over this before
Speaker:in other episodes, and I'll
Speaker:do a whole one about
Speaker:this sometime, but you want
Speaker:to make sure there's independent
Speaker:quality tests.
Speaker:And of course you want
Speaker:it to be something you
Speaker:can afford because you want
Speaker:to take it as directed
Speaker:to see the potential benefits
Speaker:and if they'll come, that
Speaker:you're seeking.
Speaker:But this is definitely an
Speaker:area to watch and keep
Speaker:your eyes on and see
Speaker:and be aware that there
Speaker:are different forms.
Speaker:And especially if you're trying
Speaker:to sleep well, think clearly
Speaker:and feel more restored in
Speaker:your waking minutes.
Speaker:Think about magnesium and sort
Speaker:of follow that story.
Speaker:And I'll continue to share
Speaker:science as it comes out.
Speaker:So to recap for today,
Speaker:this is our science update
Speaker:episode, science you can use
Speaker:evidence for your every day.
Speaker:I like to call it
Speaker:that too.
Speaker:And we explored three new
Speaker:studies that give a fresh
Speaker:take on the choices we
Speaker:make and how they can
Speaker:support a longer, a sharper,
Speaker:a more vibrant and restorative
Speaker:life.
Speaker:Eat well, more plant protein,
Speaker:plain and simple.
Speaker:There's lots of studies, but
Speaker:this one to support longevity
Speaker:and reduce chronic disease risk.
Speaker:Moving daily, even small doses,
Speaker:the smallest one minute a
Speaker:week made a difference.
Speaker:Can you believe that?
Speaker:But more created more impact
Speaker:on reducing the risk of
Speaker:dementia and be healthy, better
Speaker:sleep.
Speaker:And next day focus may
Speaker:be something that is supported
Speaker:by magnesium L threonate.
Speaker:So again, not overhauling your
Speaker:life here.
Speaker:These are small thoughtful steps
Speaker:that you can insert or
Speaker:add into your waking minutes.
Speaker:If they fit what your
Speaker:goals are, three specific things
Speaker:to try this week, add
Speaker:one meal this week that
Speaker:is plant protein focus, a
Speaker:lentil soup, a stir fry
Speaker:with tofu, a handful of
Speaker:nuts as your snack.
Speaker:Try one thing, one meal.
Speaker:Number two, block off 10
Speaker:minutes a day for movement.
Speaker:So I'm going a little
Speaker:above the one to 34
Speaker:in the week, but block
Speaker:off 10 minutes, a walk
Speaker:around the block, stretch in
Speaker:your kitchen, take the stairs
Speaker:each day.
Speaker:And number three, set a
Speaker:wind down cue at night.
Speaker:So do something for your
Speaker:sleep, your sleep hygiene.
Speaker:They call it maybe turning
Speaker:off screens a little earlier,
Speaker:dimming the lights, putting on
Speaker:calm music, help your brain
Speaker:recognize it's time to rest
Speaker:and consider the magnesium L threonate
Speaker:.
Speaker:If that's something further that
Speaker:you want to layer in
Speaker:or consider in your life.
Speaker:So that's that.
Speaker:Thank you for sharing a
Speaker:few of your 1,000 waking
Speaker:minutes with me today.
Speaker:I'm Dr. Wendy Bazilian, and
Speaker:this is the podcast where
Speaker:we blend science with real
Speaker:life strategy and hopefully provide
Speaker:a little inspiration to help
Speaker:you eat well, move daily
Speaker:and be healthy.
Speaker:And I hope you feel
Speaker:that we've done just that
Speaker:today.
Speaker:If you're enjoying the show,
Speaker:I'd be really grateful if
Speaker:you'd subscribe and share it
Speaker:with someone who might appreciate
Speaker:what we are talking about
Speaker:today and do leave a
Speaker:kind review.
Speaker:If you're inclined, wherever you
Speaker:listen, you can find me
Speaker:at Wendybazilian.com and
Speaker:you can write me at
Speaker:.
Speaker:1KWM@wendybazilian.com, or on Instagram
Speaker:I'm at @1,000WakingMinutes.
Speaker:.
Speaker:So here's to the rest
Speaker:of your waking minutes today
Speaker:and a restful, restorative sleep
Speaker:tonight too.
Speaker:And until next time be
Speaker:well, thank you for tuning
Speaker:into 1,000 Waking Minutes, a
Speaker:huge thank you to our
Speaker:amazing collaborators, including our production
Speaker:and marketing teams and Gabriela
Speaker:Escalante in particular to the
Speaker:ultra-talented Beza for my
Speaker:theme music, my lifelong friend
Speaker:and artists, Pearl price photography
Speaker:and design to Danielle Ballantyne,
Speaker:Jen Nguyen, Joanna Powell, and
Speaker:of course my family and
Speaker:everyone working tirelessly behind the
Speaker:scenes and to you are
Speaker:valued listeners.
Speaker:I so appreciate your support.
Speaker:If you enjoyed today's episode,
Speaker:please consider leaving a comment,
Speaker:writing a review and giving
Speaker:1,000 Waking Minutes.
Speaker:That's us a five-star
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Speaker:And please hit subscribe on
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Speaker:you enjoy your podcasts, please
Speaker:follow and stay connected at
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Speaker:And don't forget to share
Speaker:with your friends.
Speaker:Your support helps us grow
Speaker:and bring you more great
Speaker:content until next time.
Speaker:Find some simple opportunities to
Speaker:optimize those 1,000 waking minutes
Speaker:each day.
Speaker:I'm on my way.
Speaker:Yes.
Speaker:It's gonna be okay.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:I'm saying yes to better
Speaker:days.
Speaker:Yes.
Speaker:I'm on my way.
Speaker:Yes.
Speaker:It's gonna be okay.
Speaker:Yeah.