One study shows that 68% of Americans are magnesium deficient (www.usda.gov). The role of magnesium is complex and its deficiency is implicated in a number of nonspecific neuropsychological changes such as agitation, fear, anxiety, depression, dizziness, poor attention, insomnia, and restlessness.
If we don't get enough magnesium from our food, we are more vulnerable to high levels of stress and anxiety. More stress can lead us to lose even more magnesium through the kidneys in a process of urinary extraction. Caffeine and alcohol can accelerate the rate of magnesium excretion.
Magnesium is an essential mineral that is involved in various aspects of physical and mental health. Recent research has found that consuming sufficient amounts of magnesium may help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.
How long does it take for magnesium to reduce anxiety? In most cases, magnesium starts working within a week, since it's a fast-acting nutrient.
Very low magnesium levels may cause:
Nausea. Constipation. Headaches. Nighttime leg cramps.
Based on current data, magnesium taurate and glycinate have the most research supporting their effects on anxiety and other mental health disorders. Magnesium malate and threonine have also demonstrated therapeutic effects and may be useful in many psychiatric cases.
Dietary deficiencies of magnesium, coupled with excess calcium and stress may cause many cases of other related symptoms including agitation, anxiety, irritability, confusion, asthenia, sleeplessness, headache, delirium, hallucinations and hyperexcitability, with each of these having been previously documented.
Carolyn Dean, the following common factors can deplete the body's magnesium and/or increase the demand for magnesium: Supplements and drugs containing caffeine. Diuretics. Certain medications, including proton pump inhibitors, asthma medications, birth control pills, insulin, digitalis, and certain antibiotics.
Generally speaking, you will find that magnesium supplements start to work after one week of using them. After one week of regular magnesium supplementation, individuals may experience benefits such as improved energy levels, reduced muscle cramps, better sleep quality, and reduced anxiety.
But when should they be taken? Ideally, you should take magnesium at the same time every day, whether that's in the morning with your cup of coffee or in the evening right before you go to bed. The time of day doesn't matter so much—it's the consistency of taking magnesium daily that matters most.
Magnesium begins to take effect after one week of consistent supplementation.
If you're suffering from poor sleep, then I would recommend taking it just before you go to bed. But if you're looking for something to help with stress and anxiety, to give you some mental clarity, focus and energy, then I may recommend taking magnesium in the morning.
Nassar says that taking a magnesium supplement every day likely isn't unsafe for most people. Just be sure you're not taking too much magnesium. The maximum dietary allowance for most adults is around 400 mg or less.
While evidence for magnesium's benefits for mild anxiety seem encouraging, its benefits for sleep remain unproven. Brown mentioned that insomnia that's caused primarily by mild anxiety might improve with magnesium, but that doesn't mean magnesium can help with insomnia more broadly.
Chronic magnesium deficiency is often associated with normal serum magnesium despite deficiency in cells and in bone; the response to oral supplementation is slow and may take up to 40 weeks to reach a steady state.
High doses of magnesium from supplements or medications can cause nausea, abdominal cramping and diarrhea. In addition, the magnesium in supplements can interact with some types of antibiotics and other medicines.
Your brain, heart and muscles rely heavily on magnesium to do their job. Magnesium has a direct effect on the balance of other electrolytes, including sodium, calcium and potassium.
Since you can't properly metabolize vitamin D without the right level of magnesium, taking vitamin D by itself may not fix a deficiency. Taking vitamin D in large doses can also deplete magnesium, leading to a deficiency or making an existing one worse.