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.
Other authors indicated that patients with chronic schizophrenia present magnesium deficiency (Kirov et al., 1990; Kanofsky and Sandyk, 1991). Magnesium deficiency was also noted in psychosis induced by cancer chemotherapy (Matzen and Martin, 1985). 5.82 ± 0.11 mg/dl in the normal control group (p<0.05).
Some epidemiological or observational studies reported that greater dietary intake of magnesium is linked to a general reduced risk of depressive disorders or fewer depressive symptoms [50,51].
Mental Health Symptoms
In severe cases, it can cause delirium and coma. Studies have shown that magnesium deficiency may be associated with depression and anxiety. However, it is unclear whether magnesium therapy or magnesium supplements can benefit people with mental health disorders.
Commonly referred to as brain fog, slow cognition or difficulty with concentration and memory can all indicate magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is an essential nutrient for the brain, so without it the brain cannot perform as well.
Magnesium deficiency can cause a wide variety of features including hypocalcaemia, hypokalaemia and cardiac and neurological manifestations. Chronic low magnesium state has been associated with a number of chronic diseases including diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and osteoporosis.
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.
If the level of magnesium in your blood is lower than 1.8 milligrams per deciliter, your levels are considered low. If your level is below 1.25 mg/dL, your condition is considered severe.
Other research from 2017, appearing in the journal PLoS One , found that a 6-week course of magnesium chloride led to a significant reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms.
Foods high in magnesium
If you take magnesium as a supplement, studies that showed that magnesium can have anti-anxiety effects generally used dosages of between 75 and 360 mg a day, according to the 2017 review.
Magnesium glycinate is often used for its calming effects to treat anxiety, depression, and insomnia.
From a neurological standpoint, magnesium plays an essential role in nerve transmission and neuromuscular conduction. It also functions in a protective role against excessive excitation that can lead to neuronal cell death (excitotoxicity), and has been implicated in multiple neurological disorders.
"Right away, as soon as they are presenting with psychotic symptoms, they have low folate – which is really important for brain health – and low vitamin D, which is also a neuroprotective nutrient; both key factors in people's mood and energy levels," Dr Firth explained.
Research shows that supplemental magnesium can be helpful in stabilizing the mood. It may aid in reducing the symptoms people experience when they have mild-to-moderate depression or when they have mild-to-moderate anxiety.
The research, published in Schizophrenia Bulletin, found that early psychosis is associated with large deficits in blood levels of critical nutrients, with particularly low levels of vitamin B9 (folate) and vitamin D.
Some foods can block the absorption of magnesium, for example, high protein diets can decrease magnesium absorption. Tannins in tea bind and remove minerals including magnesium. Oxalic acid in rhubarb, spinach and chard and phytic acid in cereals and soy also block the absorption of magnesium.
Dangerously low levels of magnesium have the potential to cause fatal cardiac arrhythmias.
Causes of low magnesium. Low magnesium is typically due to decreased absorption of magnesium in the gut or increased excretion of magnesium in the urine. Low magnesium levels in otherwise healthy people are uncommon.
Prolonged magnesium deficiency can have an adverse impact on a person's long-term health and increase the risk of chronic diseases, including: heart disease. high blood pressure. type 2 diabetes.
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. Some of these symptoms characterize the mental illness known as neurosis.
Women should be getting 320 milligrams per day; men, 420 mg. Older people are at risk for magnesium deficiency because they not only tend to consume less of it than younger adults but also may absorb less from what they eat, and their kidneys may excrete more of it.
Low levels of magnesium have been associated with a number of chronic diseases including migraine headaches, Alzheimer's disease, cerebrovascular accident (stroke), hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes mellitus.