Magnesium for Anxiety - How Does it Work?
Although magnesium is an essential mineral, many people around the world suffer from a deficiency in magnesium, and recent data suggests that up to 30% of a given population is deficient in magnesium. It is one of the most common minerals to have a deficiency worldwide.
A deficiency in magnesium can cause multiple different ailments as it plays a role in calming the brain and the body, which helps you get to sleep easier and be more alert when navigating social situations. Too little of this essential mineral can leave the human body feeling stressed, panicked, overly fatigued, and even with restless leg syndrome.
If you suffer from social anxiety, your symptoms could be being worsened by this common nutritional deficiency.
So, is magnesium good for stress and anxiety? Within this article, you’ll find important information regarding how it functions in terms of psychiatry and aiding with mental health.
Does Magnesium Help With Anxiety?
As one of the most abundant minerals within the human body, magnesium plays a highly important role in a variety of bodily functions - providing a range of health benefits when you have good levels of the mineral in your system.
While magnesium acts as a sleep aid, helps with blood pressure, and maintains hundreds of important bodily processes, research from a 2010 review of natural treatments for anxiety suggests that magnesium could be helpful as a natural remedy and treatment to anxiety - with further research in 2017 discovering that magnesium did, in fact, reduce anxiety.
Within these studies, several types of anxiety were put under the microscope. Mild anxiety, premenstrual syndrome anxiety, postpartum anxiety, and generalised anxiety as a whole. These studies suggested that one of the main reasons that magnesium may aid in reducing the effects of anxiety is that it may play a role in improving brain function.
2018 research shows that magnesium does play a crucial role in neurological health. Magnesium helps with regulating the brain’s neurotransmitters, the same transmitters which efficiently send messages throughout the brain and the body.
2012 research has also found that magnesium further helps with brain functions that work to reduce stress and anxiety and keep it low. This research suggests that magnesium affects the hypothalamus, a small but important area in the centre of the brain.
The hypothalamus plays a crucial role in the production of hormones and works to stimulate many important processes in the body. One of these important processes in the regulation of the pituitary and adrenal glands, which are both responsible for how you respond to stress and stressful stimuli.
If you do suffer from social anxiety or any form of anxiety disorder, consider using magnesium as a natural way to help reduce your symptoms and maintain a good level of calm within the brain.
Which Magnesium is Best for Sleep and Anxiety?
Magnesium is often chemically bound to other substances in order to give the body an easier time absorbing the mineral. There are several different forms of magnesium that are categorised according to the substance it has been bonded to. These magnesium variants include:
Magnesium glycinate:
Often used to help reduce pain felt in muscles.
Magnesium oxide:
Commonly used as a treatment for migraines and to relieve constipation. Using magnesium oxide for anxiety and depression can help due to its relation to migraines and the brain.
Magnesium citrate:
Also used to relieve constipation, using magnesium citrate for anxiety is a good idea as this form has an easier time being absorbed by the body.
Magnesium chloride:
Created as high absorption magnesium for the body.
Also known as Epsom salts, this variant has a harder time being absorbed by the body; but can be absorbed through the skin.
Magnesium lactate:
Mostly used as a food additive.
According to the 2017 review of magnesium studies, most of the relevant studies and research in the field of magnesium and anxiety utilise magnesium lactate as food and drink additives, or magnesium oxide as it is used medically already.
Whilst more research is needed in this field to determine which form of magnesium will offer the optimal level of anxiety reduction and assistance, research also shows that a general increase of magnesium within your diet will aid with multiple bodily functions, improving sleep, and even signs of depression and anxiety.
We at OHMG are passionate about defeating the magnesium deficiency causing anxiety and many other problems that are afflicting populations across the world. Magnesium has been proven to provide benefits from aiding with mental health, relieving symptoms of PMS, and even helping you fall asleep easier.
How to Take Magnesium for Anxiety
Studies show that many people aren’t getting enough magnesium in their diets and because many people have low magnesium levels, which can lead to a wide range of problems that may not have been recognised as being from a magnesium deficiency.
The Office of Dietary Supplements recommends that an adult’s daily allowance for magnesium is 420mg per day for men, and up to 320mg per day for women. More magnesium is also needed during pregnancy due to the fact that pregnancy can affect how your body absorbs certain vitamins and minerals.
And speaking of increasing your intake of magnesium through your diet, you may be asking…
Which Foods Have the Best Magnesium for Anxiety?
When trying to evaluate your intake of magnesium, the first thing of your daily life that you should look at is your daily diet.
An intake of healthy foods is the foundation of raising your body’s magnesium intake to healthy minerals. And it's not just for magnesium either, other essential minerals and nutrients all come from a healthy and rich diet.
The best foods for magnesium are:
Leafy Greens:
- Spinach
- Kale
- Collard greens
Beans:
- Black beans
- Kidney beans
- Edamame
Nuts:
- Almonds
- Cashews
- Brazil nuts
Whole Grains:
- Dry buckwheat
- Quinoa
- Brown rice
What Dose of Magnesium is Needed for Anxiety?
If you’re wondering how much magnesium is needed for anxiety, studies show that a dose of magnesium between 75 and 360 mg of magnesium per day can have anti-anxiety effects. If you do plan on using magnesium supplements, we highly recommend consulting a healthcare practitioner before you begin so you know what the correct dose of magnesium is for you.
Help Reduce Your Anxiety With OHMG Water
Increasing your intake of magnesium through a healthy diet, alongside the delicious assistance from OHMG magnesium water, your body will be able to function at its very best. Whether you want to work harder with your sports performance, need to get a handle on your anxiety, or you want help winding down before having the best possible sleep, magnesium offers a wide range of benefits that you’re not taking advantage of if you don’t have a magnesium-rich diet.
Here at OHMG, we believe in the power that magnesium can offer your body. And to increase your levels of magnesium even further, our range of fruity and tantalisingly tasty drinks contain 56 mg of magnesium to give you that extra boost throughout the day.
