What If Children’s Behavior Was Also Physiological? Revisiting Jean Durlach’s Forgotten Insight
A question that was asked before labels existed
What if one of the most overlooked drivers of children’s behavior is not psychological — but physiological, and quietly present in something as simple as daily hydration?
In the 1970s, French physician Jean Durlach began observing a group of patients who did not fit easily into classical medical categories. Many of them, including children, were not ill in the conventional sense. Yet they shared a recognizable pattern: they appeared more sensitive, more reactive to stress, more prone to fatigue and sleep disturbances, and sometimes more difficult to regulate.
Rather than interpreting these observations purely through a psychological lens, Durlach proposed a different perspective. He suggested that these patterns could reflect a form of functional imbalance, linked in part to magnesium status.
The idea of a “nervous terrain”
Durlach introduced the concept of “latent magnesium deficiency,” describing a state where magnesium levels may not be clinically deficient, yet still insufficient to optimally support normal physiological functions. His work contributed to a broader European clinical perspective, particularly in France and Switzerland, where physicians used the term spasmophilia to describe a state of heightened neuromuscular and emotional reactivity (Durlach, 1988).
At the time, magnesium was sometimes used in everyday medical practice, including in pediatric contexts, to support general well-being in children experiencing stress, restlessness, or sleep difficulties. These approaches were largely based on clinical experience rather than large-scale trials, but they reflected a consistent intuition: that mineral balance could influence how the body responds to everyday stimuli.
From observation to modern understanding
Since then, scientific understanding of magnesium has evolved. Magnesium is now recognized as playing an essential role in normal nervous system function. It contributes to neuronal signaling and acts as a regulator of NMDA receptors, which are involved in synaptic activity (Barbagallo & Dominguez, 2010).
Research has also explored magnesium status in children with various behavioral profiles. Some studies have observed differences in magnesium levels in certain subgroups, although findings remain variable and do not support broad clinical conclusions (Kozielec & Starobrat-Hermelin, 1997). Overall, current evidence suggests that magnesium is one of many factors involved in complex physiological processes related to stress response and neurological function.
The overlooked limitation: how magnesium is consumed
If magnesium plays a role in normal physiological balance, an important question follows: how should it be consumed?
Historically, magnesium has been delivered primarily through supplements — pills or powders taken once or twice a day. This model introduces several practical challenges, particularly in children. It relies on consistency, acceptance, and routine, all of which can be difficult to maintain over time.
It also differs from how the body typically uses magnesium. Magnesium is involved in ongoing biological processes, meaning that its availability throughout the day may be more relevant than isolated, larger doses (Volpe, 2013).
A more natural pathway: daily hydration
Before supplementation became the dominant model, mineral intake was often part of everyday hydration. Natural mineral waters provided a continuous, low-dose source of elements such as magnesium, integrated into daily habits without requiring specific effort.
Modern drinking water, particularly when highly purified, often contains lower levels of minerals. As a result, hydration and mineral intake have become separated. Magnesium is now typically something that needs to be consciously added back into the diet.
For children, this separation introduces friction. It transforms something that could be passive into something that requires active management.
Aqvita: rethinking delivery, not redefining magnesium
Aqvita builds on this historical and physiological perspective by focusing on how magnesium is delivered rather than on the molecule itself.
Using a patented dosing system, Aqvita enables the controlled infusion of magnesium bicarbonate into drinking water. This form is similar to that found in certain natural mineral waters and allows magnesium to be consumed gradually throughout the day, as part of normal hydration.
This approach does not change behavior. It aligns with it. Children continue to drink water as they always have, while the composition of that water evolves.
A shift from intervention to integration
It is important to be clear about what this approach represents. Aqvita is not a medical treatment, and magnesium is not presented as a solution to complex behavioral conditions. Children’s behavior is influenced by many factors, including environment, development, and individual differences.
However, Durlach’s original insight remains relevant: that subtle physiological factors may influence how the body responds to everyday challenges.
What has changed today is the possibility of integrating these factors into daily life without adding complexity.
By embedding magnesium into hydration, Aqvita shifts the model from intervention to integration. Instead of requiring action, it leverages an existing habit. Instead of episodic intake, it supports continuity.
Looking forward
The scientific understanding of magnesium continues to evolve, but its role in normal physiological function is well established. What remains less explored is how best to integrate that role into everyday behavior, particularly for children.
Revisiting Durlach’s work through this lens suggests that the opportunity is not to rediscover magnesium, but to rethink how it fits into daily life.
Water, as the most universal daily intake, may be the most natural place to begin.
References
Durlach, J. (1988). Magnesium in Clinical Practice. John Libbey & Company.
Barbagallo, M., & Dominguez, L. J. (2010). Magnesium and aging. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 16(7), 832–839.
Kozielec, T., & Starobrat-Hermelin, B. (1997). Magnesium levels in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Magnesium Research, 10(2), 143–148.
Volpe, S. L. (2013). Magnesium in disease prevention and health. Advances in Nutrition, 4(3), 378S–383S.
World Health Organization (2009). Calcium and Magnesium in Drinking Water: Public Health Significance. WHO Press.