Can magnesium supplements improve sleep, energy and concentration?

In the 1600s, wealthy people in England flocked to a well on Epsom Common that was said to contain healing water. It had a bitter taste but a strong laxative effect that provided a welcome relief from their rich, meaty diet. “People coming there took a few glasses of said water – which has a different taste to ordinary water – and then walking up and down it had a very good effect, we think,” a happily unclogged visitor. reported. It was later discovered that this was caused by the high content of the mineral magnesium sulfate, also known as Epsom salt, in the water.

Four hundred years later, the therapeutic properties of magnesium are being heralded again and it has been called “the super mineral of today” in the press. I am bombarded on social media with posts about the supposed benefits of taking magnesium supplements, including improved sleep, energy levels, mental clarity, bowel movements, and heart health, as well as reduced muscle pain, anxiety, migraines, and PMS (premenstrual syndrome) symptoms. Confusingly, these supplements come in many different forms. But do they really work?

There is no doubt that magnesium is vital to our health. It establishes and supports the activities of hundreds of enzymes that catalyze key chemical processes in the body. That too provides stability to basic molecules such as DNA and ATP (adenosine triphosphate), it binds to various receptors and can move in and out of cells. This has given it a role in a wide range of key processes including energy production in cells, nerve signaling, muscle contraction and heart rate regulation.

Nutritionists generally recommend that we try to meet our magnesium needs by eating a mix of healthy foods rather than relying on supplements because these foods contain other minerals, vitamins and other nutrients. Common sources of magnesium include nuts, seeds, leafy greens, whole grains, legumes, meat, seafood, dark chocolate, and beer (some beers are more bitter than others because of the extra magnesium in the boiling water). People who get enough magnesium from their diet are unlikely to benefit from taking a supplement because all the magnesium positions in their body are already taken, meaning they will just eliminate the excess.

This means that it is more difficult to get enough magnesium from food. We eat too much processed junk that is low in magnesium. Additionally, over-agriculture has depleted magnesium from our soils, so even fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains don’t contain as much as they used to. As a result, research suggests that about 35 to 50 percent of people in United Kingdom, USA and Australia not eating enough magnesium.

Some people are also more at risk of low magnesium because they have conditions such as celiac disease or Crohn’s disease that reduce its absorption in the gut, or diabetes or an alcohol use disorder that increases its excretion. When I was pregnant, I had excruciating leg cramps because of the pregnancy lowers magnesium levelswhich makes it difficult for the muscles to relax after contracting. Athletes they often have flaws because intense and long-term exercise increases the consumption of magnesium and also causes it to be lost through sweat. Plus some medicinesincluding certain immunosuppressants and chemotherapy are known to deplete magnesium.

Unfortunately, there is no simple test to determine if you are deficient in magnesium. About 99 percent of the body’s magnesium is stored in bones and soft tissues, which means blood tests don’t give a clear picture total magnesium levels. The gold standard test involves a magnesium infusion followed by a 24-hour urine collection, which is expensive and inconvenient. If a minimum of magnesium is found in the urine, it indicates a deficiency because the body is eager to suck magnesium from the infusion rather than weed it out because it already has enough.

Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include muscle pain, fatigue, brain fog, irritability, and trouble sleeping, but of course there are many other things that cause them. This makes it easier for magnesium supplement manufacturers to find customers.

Many types of magnesium supplements

Magnesium supplements come in many different forms, as they contain magnesium salts, in which the positively charged magnesium must be paired with a negative ion, which can be chosen from a huge variety of options. When magnesium combines with sulfate in Epsom salt, for example, it draws extra water into the intestines to soften the stool and get things moving. Magnesium oxide and magnesium citrate work in the same way. Other popular supplements pair magnesium with amino acids or other organic compounds that have some shaky evidence of brain, muscle, or heart benefits. These include magnesium glycinate, L-threonate, sick and taurat. However, it should be noted that in the case of amino acids in these supplements, they can be easily obtained from a healthy diet.

Another option is to rub magnesium lotions or sprays on the skin or soak in an Epsom salt bath, but less magnesium is absorbed this way than when taken as an oral supplement. In fact, it is a matter of debate whether it does it penetrates the skin at all. This probably explains why applying magnesium cream to my legs during pregnancy didn’t do much for my cramps. It’s also unclear whether the proposed muscle relief from Epsom salt baths comes from the magnesium or simply from the warm water.

I personally don’t take magnesium supplements because I’m not convinced they offer anything more than a reasonable diet, and I like food better than pills. However, there is some evidence that magnesium supplements may help insomnia and mild anxiety in individuals who do not get enough magnesium from their diet. Likewise, there is some evidence that they can reduce muscle soreness in athletes who have greater magnesium requirements.

In contrast, there has been no decent research looking at their effects on energy or concentration. However, if you find that these things help, even if it’s just a placebo effect, there’s no reason to stop taking them because they’re considered relatively safe. Just don’t overdo it like England’s Lord Richard Evelyn, who died in 1670 after taking one too many dips in the Epsom waters. According to his brother John Evelyn’s diary, his extinction it was caused by “his excessive drinking of Epsom water when he was in full health, and that he had no need of it”.

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