The Role of Magnesium in Alleviating Anxiety

If anxiety has been a regular companion in your life, it’s worth considering whether a magnesium deficiency could be contributing to the condition

Close up of magnesium Capsules in a man's hand
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Anxiety is something many of us deal with often, whether it’s the constant hum of worry in the background or full-on panic that takes over our thoughts. While yoga, meditation, and mindfulness are fantastic tools, we sometimes forget that our physical health plays a huge role in how we feel mentally. One often-overlooked nutrient that can make a world of difference is magnesium.

Let’s understand how magnesium supports your body, especially when it comes to alleviating anxiety, and what you can do to ensure you’re getting enough of this calming mineral.

How Magnesium Can Help Alleviate Your Anxiety

  1. Why Magnesium is So Important for Your Body (and Mind)

Magnesium is an essential mineral, but many of us don’t get enough of it. It’s involved in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body, from energy production to muscle relaxation. But when it comes to anxiety, its most important job is regulating the nervous system. Magnesium helps to keep stress hormones like cortisol in check and ensures that neurotransmitters like serotonin (the “feel-good” chemical) and GABA (the “calm-down” chemical) are balanced.

When your magnesium levels are low, your body can stay in a heightened state of stress—triggering or worsening anxiety symptoms. It’s like running your car on empty: you can keep going for a while, but eventually, things start breaking down.

  1. How Does Magnesium Help Ease Anxiety?

Magnesium acts as your body’s natural chill pill. If you’ve ever felt anxious or jittery for no reason, it could be your body’s way of telling you that your magnesium levels are depleted. Here’s how magnesium helps:

  • Regulates the Stress Response: Magnesium helps manage the release of cortisol, preventing your body from getting stuck in fight-or-flight mode, which is a key trigger for anxiety.
  • Boosts GABA Levels: GABA is a neurotransmitter that quiets down the brain. It literally tells your mind, “Hey, everything’s okay. You can relax now.” Magnesium promotes GABA production, which helps calm the nervous system and reduces anxiety.
  • Balances Blood Sugar: Magnesium helps keep blood sugar levels stable, which can prevent those anxiety-inducing crashes in energy that you experience.
  • Reduces Inflammation: Chronic inflammation has been linked to anxiety and depression, and magnesium plays a role in reducing inflammatory markers in the body.
  1. Magnesium-Rich Foods to Help Calm Your Nerves

If you’re not ready to dive into supplements, the good news is that magnesium is abundant in many whole foods. Eating these regularly can help naturally boost your levels:

  • Leafy Greens like spinach and kale are not only packed with magnesium but are also rich in folate, which supports mood regulation.
  • Nuts and Seeds like almonds, pumpkin seeds, and chia seeds are great snacks that can calm your mind while providing fiber and healthy fats.
  • Avocados are creamy, delicious, and packed with both magnesium and potassium—two key minerals for stress relief.
  • Dark Chocolate (the good stuff, 70% or more) is a sneaky way to get some magnesium into your body and indulge at the same time.
  • Fatty Fish like salmon not only provide magnesium but also omega-3s, which are known to support brain health and reduce anxiety.

Incorporating these foods into your diet can be a natural way to manage anxiety long-term. It’s not a quick fix, but over time, you’ll likely notice a difference in how you feel.

Related » How Mindfulness Helps Reduce Stress

  1. How Do You Know if You’re Low on Magnesium?

If you’ve been feeling anxious, restless, or constantly on edge, low magnesium could be part of the problem. Unfortunately, testing magnesium levels isn’t always straightforward because only about 1% of your body’s magnesium is found in the blood. Here are a few ways to check:

  • Serum Magnesium Test: This is the most common test but may not provide a complete picture since most magnesium is stored in your bones and cells.
  • Red Blood Cell Magnesium Test: This test measures the magnesium inside your cells and can offer more accurate insight into your levels.
  • Magnesium Loading Test: This test involves taking a magnesium supplement and measuring how much is excreted in your urine—low excretion could indicate a deficiency.

If you suspect low magnesium is affecting your anxiety, speak to a healthcare provider about testing options.

  1. Types of Magnesium Supplements for Anxiety

There are various types of magnesium supplements, each serving different purposes. If you’re looking specifically to reduce anxiety, here are the best options:

  • Magnesium Glycinate: This is a highly absorbable form that’s gentle on the stomach and known for its calming effects. Glycine, the amino acid bound to magnesium in this form, has its own relaxation benefits.
  • Magnesium Threonate: This type is excellent for brain health because it can cross the blood-brain barrier. It’s particularly helpful for cognitive function and reducing anxiety.
  • Magnesium Citrate: A common choice for overall magnesium supplementation, it also helps with digestion, which can be linked to anxiety through the gut-brain connection.

While magnesium oxide is also widely available, it’s less absorbable and mostly used for constipation relief rather than anxiety.

  1. When Is the Best Time to Take Magnesium Supplement?

The timing of magnesium supplements can affect their benefits. If anxiety keeps you up at night or you struggle with restless sleep, taking magnesium in the evening can help. Magnesium supports relaxation, so many people find it effective to take 1-2 hours before bedtime to promote a deeper, more restful sleep.

If you’re taking magnesium for digestive or other health reasons, taking it with meals can improve absorption. The key is consistency—whether morning or night, try to take it at the same time each day.

  1. Supplements to Avoid or Pair with Magnesium

To get the most out of magnesium, it’s helpful to know how it interacts with other supplements:

  • Take with Vitamin D: Magnesium and vitamin D work together to regulate calcium and promote bone health, but they also support mood and anxiety relief.
  • Avoid Taking Magnesium with Calcium: These two minerals can compete for absorption, so it’s best to take them at different times of the day.
  • Be Cautious with Zinc: Like calcium, zinc can interfere with magnesium absorption, so it’s best to take them separately.
  • Pair with B-Complex Vitamins: B vitamins are excellent for stress reduction and complement magnesium’s effects on the nervous system.

By choosing the right combinations, you can maximize the anxiety-reducing benefits of magnesium.

Related » How to Choose the Best Supplement Brand

Summing Up

If anxiety has been a regular companion in your life, it’s worth considering whether a magnesium deficiency could be a contributing factor. While it’s not a cure-all, boosting your magnesium levels—whether through diet or supplementation—can make a noticeable difference in how you feel both physically and mentally. Combined with mindfulness practices like yoga, magnesium can be an effective tool in calming an anxious mind and helping you feel more balanced overall.

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Grazilia Almeida-Khatri
Trained as a physician, Dr Grazilia Almeida-Khatri is a health and wellness consultant and helps people reverse diseases via lifestyle changes. She endorses yoga as a way of life and conducts wellness and yoga retreats for individuals and organizations. She is also trained in Pilates by Michael King, who is based in the UK. Dr Grazilia lives in Pune, India and offers consultations in person and online.

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