A Holy Trifecta: Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, And Magnesium

With your health, Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, and Magnesium are remarkably nutritive allies. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, supporting a variety of functions throughout your body. Vitamin D and Calcium smoothly work together to protect your bones. Calcium builds and maintains your bones, while Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. Calcium and Magnesium work together to provide a similar value. Magnesium keeps calcium out of the soft tissue and within the bones, where it’s needed most. Let’s start with a deep-get into Vitamin C. We’ve heard about the benefits of Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, for a long time. Discovered by biochemist Albert Szent-Györgyi’s in the 1930s, this impressive chemical enables the body to healthfully sustain itself and helps it efficiently use fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Centuries ago, when fresh vegetables were not always easy to find, sailors would experience fatigue, weakness, open sores, bleeding gums, loose teeth, and unusual hemorrhages beneath the skin. The condition was known as Scurvy, and in the 15th century, it ravaged sailors and low-income families, causing sickness, disability, and death. Szent-Györgyi’s won a Nobel Peace Prize for his discoveries, the lot of which provided excellent value for the British Navy.

What is Vitamin C?

Commonly known as Ascorbic acid, Vitamin C is an organic compound comprised of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. While our bodies can not produce it, it’s a powerful antioxidant with many health benefits.

Most of us are not getting enough sunlight, a quality Vitamin D3+K2 supplement is essential. *(paid link)*

In its purest form, ascorbic acid is a synthetic, white solid derived from the sugar dextrose. It can be found naturally in a variety of fruits and vegetables and is known to be an immune-boosting and curative supplement. One of its primary functions is helping the body manufacture collagen, a protein found in every person’s connective tissues, cartilage, and tendons.

What Are Antioxidants?

Antioxidants are chemical compounds that inhibit oxidation, which is the chemical reaction that produces cell-damaging, free radicals. When free radicals accumulate, they produce oxidative stress in our bodies, which has been linked to a variety of chronic diseases. Antioxidants like Vitamin C terminate these types of reactions, which reduces free radicals, and keeps our systems in balance. With preventing disease and improving our immune systems, it’s all about antioxidants.

What Can Vitamin C Do for Me?

Reduce free radicals and oxidative stress
Reduce the emergence of chronic diseases
Reduce high blood pressure (hypertension)
Slow the progression of vision loss
Lower the chances of heart disease
Prevent gout
Improve iron absorption
Boost immunity
Protect memory and thinking
Reduce occurrences of dementia
Reduce incidents of pneumonia

Contrary to popular belief, Vitamin C has not proven itself with curing a common cold or treating cancer. Also, when dosed over 2000 milligrams, Vitamin C can cause severe diarrhea, kidney stones, and other issues. Smoking can significantly reduce the levels of Vitamin C in the body. Foods rich in Vitamin C include: Kakuda plumbs, Blackcurrants, Acerola cherries, chili peppers, rose hips, guavas, sweet yellow peppers, red and green peppers, thyme, parsley, mustard spinach, broccoli, green beans, cantaloupe, lemons, lychees, American persimmons, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, kale, kiwis, orange juice, papaya, sweet potatoes, strawberries, and tomatoes.

What Is Vitamin D3?

Vitamin D is more than just one vitamin. Studies suggest that Vitamin D3 is more effective than D2, yet they are both critical compounds found in the lower layers of our skin. Their primary benefit is that they improve the absorption of calcium and immune function. I remember sitting cross-legged in a chilly Denver studio, teaching a group how to shake out the tension trapped in their bodies. As we moved through the breath work, my own muscles ached in a way that reminded me how little attention I’d given my magnesium levels during a recent dark night of the soul. That physical release opened a crack for emotional letting go — something I hadn’t expected. Years ago, during a long stay at Amma’s ashram, I was battling relentless fatigue and brain fog. The switch from tech startup chaos to spiritual practice was rough, and I realized my body was screaming for better nutrition, especially Vitamin D3 during those grey winter months. I started paying attention to how these simple nutrients actually shifted my clarity and steadiness in meditation and readings — no fluff, just cold, hard bodily facts. D3 and D2 production come through a chemical reaction that’s dependent on exposure to the sun, otherwise known as UVB radiation. This fat-soluble, lower-class steroid can increase our chances of absorbing calcium, Magnesium, and phosphorus, which are essential to human life.

Most people are deficient in magnesium, a good magnesium supplement can transform your sleep and nervous system. *(paid link)* Seriously, we're talking about 75% of adults walking around with suboptimal levels of this crucial mineral. Your muscles can't relax properly without it. Your brain can't wind down. I started taking magnesium glycinate about two years ago and the difference in my sleep quality was immediate ~ like switching from restless tossing to actually deep, restorative sleep. The nervous system stuff is real too. Less anxiety, fewer muscle cramps, better stress response. Think about that: one simple mineral affecting so many systems in your body.

D3 comes mostly from animals and can be found in food like oily fish, butter, and liver. D2 is generally sourced from plants, for example, mushrooms that are grown in UV light, and several other fortified foods. Because exposure to the sun can also increase our risks of skin cancer, the best way for us to benefit from this vitamin is by taking it as a supplement. Not technically vitamins, D3 and D2 are best described as hormones. Here are the benefits of D3 and D2:

Improves muscle strength, mass, and function
Improves bone health
Eradicates rickets (a disease that softens and weakens the bones)
Improves the body’s absorption of calcium, essential for bones
Reduces the chances of osteoporosis and osteomalacia
Reduces the risk of early death in the elderly
Reduces the risk of death from cancer
Improves teeth health
Reduces fatigue
Reduces depression
Reduces the severity of viral infections
Decreases the risk of acute respiratory tract infections
Reduces the exacerbation of asthma
Reduces inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the forms of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
With calcium, we can improve brain function
Might reduce the risk of flu
Might aid lung function
Might reduce the side effects of chemotherapy

A Harvard study has shown that taking too much Vitamin D, in any form, can reduce its benefits and create further health risks. With receiving the benefits of Vitamin D3 and D2, less is often better.

Hispanic and African-American communities are less efficient at making Vitamin D because the melanin in their skin inhibits it. Some studies suggest 600 IU is sufficient for all adults, and that taking more than 4,000 IU (100 micrograms) can induce toxicity, and cause vomiting, weakness, and frequent urination. The foods that are excellent sources of Vitamin D3 include fish oils, wild salmon, milk, butter, orange juice, eggs, cheddar cheese, and yogurt. With nutrients, always choose food over pills.

What Does Magnesium Do for You?

Mg in the periodic table, Magnesium is the lightest structural metal and the eighth-most abundant element in the Universe. It has proven itself as one of the key elements essential to all cellular life.

An Epsom salt bath is one of the simplest rituals for releasing what no longer serves you. *(paid link)* Look, I'm not talking about some fancy spa bullshit here ~ I mean literally dissolving a cup or two of magnesium sulfate in hot water and sitting your ass down for twenty minutes. The magnesium absorbs through your skin while you soak. Your muscles unclench. Your mind stops racing around like a caffeinated squirrel. Know what I mean? It's like hitting a reset button you didn't even know you had. The water temperature matters too ~ hot enough that you feel it working but not so scalding that you're turning yourself into a lobster. I've been doing this for years, sometimes three times a week when life gets particularly stupid. Think about it: your ancestors soaked in mineral-rich hot springs because it worked, not because someone told them to practice self-care. This isn't wellness theater. It's basic human maintenance.

Magnesium is required for the processes that involve DNA, RNA, and ATP. DNA produces the code for all of the activities of our cells. RNA converts that code into proteins to carry out cellular functions. ATP provides energy to drive living cells. Because it’s never found free in nature, Magnesium had to be isolated and extracted to be useful. This first occurred in 1808, at the hands of Sir Humphry Davy, an English chemist. Magnesium has been found in pyrotechnics, lightbulbs, airplanes, missiles, rockets, cameras, paint, Epsom salt, milk of magnesia, and horseshoes. It also fills 2.5% of the earth’s crust. The top producers of Magnesium in this century include China, Russia, Turkey, and Austria. Why take Magnesium? With your health, Magnesium is one of seven essential macrominerals, along with calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, chloride, and sulfur. It matters a lot in supporting how your body’s enzymes function and support your health.

Ashwagandha is one of Ayurveda's most powerful adaptogens, it helps your body handle stress at the root level. *(paid link)* This isn't some quick fix bullshit. We're talking about a plant that's been used for over 3,000 years to literally rewire how your nervous system responds to daily chaos. When you're stuck in that fight-or-flight loop, constantly pumping out cortisol like your life depends on it, ashwagandha steps in and says "Hey, chill the fuck out." Think about that. Your body learns to stop treating every email and traffic jam like a saber-toothed tiger.

Here’s what Magnesium can do for you:

Help metabolize food (convert food to energy)
Prevent problems with bones
Help create and repair DNA and RNA
Regulate your nervous system
Fight depression
Act as an anti-inflammatory
Support your cardiovascular system
Help your body absorb calcium
Help activate Vitamin D in your kidneys
Decrease your chance of developing type 2 diabetes (reduces Insulin resistance)
Synthesize fatty acids and proteins
Improve the transmission of nerve impulses
Reduce premenstrual symptoms
Lower your risk of arthritis and high blood pressure
Reduce the risk of arrhythmia
Help prevent migraine headaches
Relieve anxiety
Support the body’s glutathione levels (Glutathione is a power-player with your health)

Be aware that some medications interact with Magnesium, which can cause serious problems. Consult with a doctor or certified nutritionist before adding magnesium supplements to your diet. As with all naturally occurring chemicals, it’s always best to source your Magnesium from whole food. The best time to take Magnesium is one or two hours before you go to bed. The foods that contain high levels of Magnesium include: dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, sesame seeds, cashews, avocados, fatty fish (like wild salmon, mackerel and halibut), shrimp, kale, collard greens, turnip greens, spinach, soy milk, tofu, edamame, oatmeal, broccoli, peanut butter, black-eyed peas, black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, peas, lentils, bananas, and brown rice.

Summary

While supplements are helpful and healing, do your best to get most of your nutrients from whole food. Given that there are now over 2000 legal, untested chemicals in our packaged foods, it’s never been more important to feed and nurture ourselves through the most wholesome foods and supplements. Besides outlining how you can improve your health, the biggest takeaway in this article is that dark chocolate contains oodles of Magnesium and antioxidants. Be happy. Eat more dark chocolate.