Magnesium N-Acetyl Taurinate - The Superior Magnesium for Sleep
It’s not often that a new form of magnesium pops into the supplement scene. As with many magnesium supplements, form really does matter. Selecting the most appropriate magnesium supplement depends on the users goals and expectations.
It is well established that magnesium is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies across the world (1). This is definitely not a mineral you would want to be deficient in… Since it is an essential cofactor for more than 300 enzymes involved in cellular function and energy metabolism (2).
ATA Mg® provides magnesium in the form of N-Acetyl Taurine or N-acetyl taurinate. ATA Mg® provides magnesium in a unique bioavailable form: ATA Mg® is a patented acetyl taurinate magnesium salt which offers enhanced magnesium cell penetration and provides physiological properties related to optimized intracellular magnesium concentration. But before we get deep into the science, we need to first explore the importance of taurine in the human body. In this article, an explanation regarding the pivotal roles that taurine plays in human health will be explored. In addition, an understanding of the uniqueness of ATA Mg® will be examined. Finally, a comprehensive review specifying the importance of magnesium in human health will be presented.
How Taurine Upgrades Your Brain Health
It may come to a surprise to many, but Taurine is actually extremely healthy. In fact, Taurine often gets a bad wrap, purely because it is often found in a lot of energy drinks. This does not make it unhealthy. In fact, it’s likely one of the most unique and beneficial substances found in energy drinks. Taurine is a naturally occurring sulfur-containing and semi-essential amino acid found within the body (3). Taurine shows versatile pharmacological role to ameliorate several neurological disorders. Due to limitations in crossing the BBB, taurine depends on other mechanisms for functionality (3).
Firstly, Taurine is largely responsible for inducing a calm mind, via increasing the rate at which the body produces GABA (17). In addition, it can reduce overexcitation of the glutamatergic system, which can cause cell death and neurotoxicity (17).
In the developing brain, taurine has action in neural stem/progenitor cell proliferation during which extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 pathways may be connected to the development of synapse (3). Taurine influences the levels of proteins such as synapsin 1 and postsynaptic density protein-95, which are crucial in the development of synapses (3).
In addition, a recent study demonstrated taurine to display antidepressant activity, which may be connected to regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and promoting the genesis, survival and growth of neurons in the hippocampus (3). As you may recall, neuroinflammation is highly implicated a number of negative mood states, mental function and overall brain health.
The anti-neuroinflammatory activity of taurine has been described by several studies. Taurine significantly increased functional recovery and decreased glial fibrillary acidic protein accumulation and water content in the penumbral region after induced traumatic brain injury (TBI). It significantly prevented growth-related oncogene and interleukin (IL)-1-alpha levels whereas elevating the levels of regulated on activation, normal T cell-expressed and -secreted (RANTES) in comparison with the TBI group (4)
A one week treatment with taurine noticeably reduced levels of 17 cytokines, IL-1-alpha, IL-1-beta, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-13, IL-17, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interferon-gamma, eotaxin, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, leptin, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), while elevating the level of macrophage inflammatory protein 1 alpha only (4). Quite remarkable!
But it doesn’t stop there… Taurine was demonstrated to reverse depressive/anhedonic behaviors induced by chronic stress in rats through normalizing Dopamine, Serotonin, BDNF, FGF-2, and VEGF levels (5).
We all know how alcohol can cause havoc on our mental functioning and brain health. Surprisingly, Taurine was shown to restore the exploratory behavior following alcohol withdrawal (6). Increasing exploratory behavior would mean a reduction in anxiety, as an increase in anxiety diminishes the drive to explore a possibly dangerous novel environment. The human equivalent would range from "leaving the house" to "trying that new thing that puts you in an uncomfortable social environment".
Finally, taurine holds promise as a potent neuroprotective agent to combat age-related cognitive decline. For example, Taurine directly binds to the hallmark cause of Alzheimer’s disease - the Amyloid-beta plaque and recovers cognitive deficits. It was confirmed that taurine administration improved cognitive deficits in oligomeric A-beta-infusion mice in Y-maze and passive avoidance tests without activity alteration of mice (8). How’s that for neuroprotection!?
How Taurine Upgrades Your Overall Health
Taurine plays several modulatory and regulatory roles in different physiological processes. It was demonstrated that Taurine treatment modulates circadian rhythms Taurine normalized the gene and protein expression of PER1 in beta-cells, which suggests that it could be beneficial for the correction of daily rhythms and the amelioration of obesity and diabetes (7).
In addition, Taurine has a potential effect in fighting against neurotoxicity by heavy metals. It shows an effect against arsenic-mediated oxidative and nitrosative stresses in mice. Induction of arsenic generated ROS and superoxide radicals and also elevated the lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation and glutathione disulfide levels. However, taurine treatment ameliorated relatively mild arsenic-induced pathological changes model. Strong heavy metal protective qualities are a must for all of us in today’s day and age (9).
Taurine is extremely effective in the treatment of the mitochondrial disease, mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS), and offers a new approach for the treatment of metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, and inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis (10).
Particularly noteworthy is a World Health Association study involving 50 population groups in 25 different countries throughout the world, which reports that elevated dietary taurine consumption is associated with decreased risk of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. Taurine supplementation is also linked to diminished body mass index and reduced levels of inflammation markers in obese women. Thus, the cytoprotective actions of taurine contribute to an improvement in the clinical and nutritional health of humans (11).
Another key component of taurine’s health promoting effects is through osmoregulation
The concentration of taurine within most cells is quite high. In response to elevations in an osmotic load, intracellular taurine levels increase while they decrease in response to hypo-osmotic stress. These are important mechanisms to protect the cell from excessive stretching in response to osmotic imbalances. Because taurine serves as an organic osmolyte, it also modulates the levels of other osmolytes, such as Na+, which not only carries a charge (unlike taurine which is a neutral zwitterion) but is also involved in many important cellular functions, such as transport and membrane potential (10). This is probably why Taurine intake with magnesium reduces cardiometabolic risks, since the combination exerts potent vascular protective properties (12).
Visual representation of the physiological benefits of Taurine
Uniqueness of ATA Mg® Vs. Other Magnesium Supplements
Now that you have a very comprehensive understanding of Taurine’s effects on the brain and body, let’s uncover what makes ATA Mg® unique.
ATA Mg® provides magnesium in a unique bioavailable form: ATA Mg® is a patented acetyl taurinate magnesium salt which offers enhanced magnesium cell penetration and provides physiological properties related to optimized intracell magnesium concentration.
ATA Mg® provides magnesium in the form of N-Acetyl Taurine or N-acetyl taurinate. This is a sulfur-containing beta-amino acid, taurine, in which the amine function has been acetylated. The acetylation of taurine removes the zwitterion structure of taurine, providing ATA Mg® with a lipophilic character which facilitates membrane phospholipids passage and cell penetration for both magnesium and taurine, in particular into neuronal cells.
ATA Mg® is a structural analog to two major neurotransmitters involved in neuro excitation: kainic acid and glutamic acid.
Kaïnic acid is a neurotransmitter involved in neuronal hyperactivity (headaches, photic migraines, audiogenic seizures, epilepsy, convulsions, etc.). ATA Mg® is an inhibitor of kainic acid. The N-Acetylation of taurine makes taurine more lipophilic and increases its cellular penetration, therefore increasing the neuro-muscular activity of beta sulfonic amino acid.
This form of magnesium has high absorption and accumulates in the brain (taurine, which is believed to have osmoregulator, neuromodulator, and neuroprotective effects, is one of the most abundant sulfur-containing amino acids in the CNS), eye lens and muscles and to a lesser extent elsewhere, which makes it great as a nootropic, reducing neurological inflammation, anxiety and depression and preventing cataracts and cramps. It can also help enhance exercise performance (13).
Importance of Magnesium For Optimal Health
Magnesium should be at the forefront of almost everyone’s supplement regime.
Magnesium is an essential element required as a cofactor for over 300 enzymatic reactions and is thus necessary for the biochemical functioning of numerous metabolic pathways. Inadequate magnesium status may impair biochemical processes dependent on the sufficiency of this element. Emerging evidence confirms that nearly two-thirds of the population in the western world is not achieving the recommended daily allowance for magnesium, a deficiency problem contributing to various health conditions (14).
Level I evidence supports the use of magnesium in the prevention and treatment of many common health conditions including migraine headache, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, asthma, premenstrual syndrome, preeclampsia, and various cardiac arrhythmias. Magnesium may also be considered for prevention of renal calculi and cataract formation, as an adjunct or treatment for depression, and as a therapeutic intervention for many other health-related disorders. In clinical practice, optimizing magnesium status through diet and supplementation appears to be a safe, useful, and well-documented therapy for several medical conditions (14).
It has long been suspected that magnesium may have a role in insulin secretion owing to the altered insulin secretion and sensitivity observed in magnesium-deficient animals. Epidemiological studies have shown a high prevalence of hypomagnesemia and lower intracellular magnesium concentrations in diabetics. Benefits of magnesium supplementation on the metabolic profile of diabetics have been observed in some clinical trials (15).
Acute emotional stress and stressful activities increase magnesium excretion/loss, which is unsurprising since magnesium is often considered a relaxing mineral.
Magnesium excretion increases while absorption decreases with age, because of various chronic diseases and decreased intake of foods high in magnesium. Many of the symptoms and findings in chronic fatigue syndrome resemble those of magnesium deficiency. A referral center that evaluated several hundred chronic fatigue syndrome patients observed that half of their patients were magnesium-deficient (16).
Conclusion
As you can see, clearly both taurine and magnesium are essential nutrients for overall health and performance. But, it is important to realise that many magnesium supplements are poorly absorbed, and are associated with gastrointestinal side effects. This is what makes ATA Mg® so new, unique and advantageous. You get the benefits of rapid magnesium absorption, whilst simultaneously loading and bathing your body with precious taurine.
References
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5786912/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4586582/
3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213231719301971?via%3Dihub#!
4. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S030645221400102X
5. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-05051-3
6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091305717303830#bb0155
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5114685/
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28849459
9. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01480540802564171
10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5933890/
11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24065043/
12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28849518
13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5745489/
14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5637834/
15. https://academic.oup.com/ckj/article/5/Suppl_1/i3/447534
16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1672392
17. http://www.jbc.org/content/287/49/40898.full
