Magnesium, one of the four most abundant minerals found in our bodies, plays an essential role in several biochemical reactions ranging from protein creation and muscle/nerve function maintenance, as well as food conversion into energy sources – yet is often taken for granted.

Magnesium is an effective, safe, low-risk supplement with numerous advantages – ranging from relieving insomnia and stress, regulating bowel movements, and relieving migraines to soothing your sleep and relieving migraines altogether.

Boosts Energy

Magnesium, one of the four most abundant positively charged ions found in your body, helps regulate nervous system functions, blood sugar levels and promote healthy bones. You’ll find magnesium in leafy greens, nuts, seeds and beans as well as multivitamin formulations and supplements; making it simple to get enough through diet alone.

Magnesium’s health benefits span from improving sleep and exercise performance, relieving depression, relieving migraine headaches, lowering blood pressure, and supporting heart health. While most research claims are supported by scientific data, most studies don’t take account of other variables and only study small sample sizes.

Magnesium is a naturally-occurring mineral in your body and essential for leading a balanced lifestyle. You’ll find magnesium-rich foods such as green vegetables, nuts and seeds as well as dark chocolate to satisfy this nutrient. Magnesium also plays an important role in maintaining stable blood glucose levels as well as supporting pancreas health by helping regulate insulin response.

Antacid medications can deplete magnesium stores quickly. Therefore, it’s crucial that you take an antidiarrheal magnesium supplement such as Life Extension’s(r) Esophageal Health with carbonate minerals like magnesium as well as licorice extract DGL to protect your esophagus and improve digestive health. A great example would be their Esophageal Health product which features these properties while supporting healthy food digestion as well.

Magnesium offers other key health benefits as well, including helping promote healthy bone structure, providing a natural sleep aid, increasing energy levels and making you feel calm and relaxed. Studies have also indicated its efficacy at alleviating symptoms associated with anxiety disorders like stress or mood swings as well as menstrual migraines or bloating.

Though getting enough magnesium from food may seem easy, most Americans fail to do so. According to estimates by the National Institutes of Health, approximately 50% of adult populations fall below their estimated average requirements for magnesium consumption. Low levels are linked with conditions like anxiety, insomnia, poor sleep quality and metabolic issues like diabetes and heart disease.

Reduces Stress

Magnesium’s primary purpose is to help your body deal with stress effectively. Research suggests that magnesium decreases perceived levels of stress while simultaneously improving mood and anxiety levels (1)

Magnesium, the body’s go-to stress-fighter mineral, plays an integral part in hundreds of biological reactions. Its main function is regulating nerves and the brain as well as producing key enzymes such as those necessary for creating serotonin and melatonin; low magnesium levels have been linked to depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder and other psychiatric illnesses.

Magnesium may help ease anxiety by blocking overexcitation of the central nervous system caused by excitatory neurotransmitters like glutamate. Furthermore, magnesium increases GABA activity which acts to inhibit signaling and produce a calming effect; magnesium also serves as a natural sedative that promotes relaxation (2)

Chronic physical or mental stress depletes magnesium stores, leading to reduced levels of this mineral which increases fear and stress responses – creating a vicious cycle which may be difficult to break free of.

One study reported that those taking magnesium supplements experienced less anxiety, improved overall mood, and less tension when they took magnesium. (3)

Magnesium can help decrease inflammation, another contributing factor to anxiety. A study discovered that magnesium significantly lowered levels of pro-inflammatory immune system messengers called cytokines. High cytokine levels have been linked with anxiety, schizophrenia, memory loss, slow responses and an increased risk of suicide.

Magnesium also relieves anxiety by relaxing muscles. Tight muscles trigger the fight-or-flight response that releases stress hormones epinephrine and cortisol; magnesium helps relax them to break this cycle.

Your best bet for increasing magnesium in your diet is eating seeds, nuts, avocados, salmon, whole grains bananas spinach swiss chard and legumes such as kidney beans. Or you could take supplement forms of magnesium such as citrate, lactate or pidolate salts; and/or the chelated forms (bisglycinate glycinate taurate). Chelated forms are bound with amino acids which make them more bioavailable allowing it to be better absorbed and less likely to interact with medications such as blood thinners or anti diuretics.

Relieves Pain

Magnesium plays an essential role in over 300 enzymatic reactions that span from protein synthesis to blood glucose regulation, with effects ranging from mood regulation and pain management to nerve and muscle function. Research suggests that those with lower magnesium levels may experience more frequent and severe headaches.

Lack of magnesium may also contribute to joint discomfort and stiffness, as this mineral is integral in producing the fuel for our bodies: ATP. Without enough magnesium in your diet, your body must draw it from your bones and muscles in order to make this fuel for itself; which leads to fatigue and joint discomfort.

Magnesium can be an invaluable ally when it comes to relieving inflammation and encouraging healing, acting to decrease production of pro-inflammatory molecules called cytokines that damage cells and lead to pain.

Studies suggest that taking oral magnesium supplements could provide relief for many common ailments, including migraine headaches. Three double-blind RCTs investigating magnesium’s effects on migraine showed significant decreases in severity and duration compared with placebo (n=666, mean age 39).

Research has uncovered an intriguing finding: low doses of magnesium may help relieve chronic neuropathy pain. Magnesium helps ease this discomfort by blocking activation of NMDA receptors in the brain – unlike many pain medications which often produce adverse side effects.

Although magnesium can be obtained through diet alone, for optimal results it’s best to consume whole food sources instead of isolated supplements. Aim for five servings daily of fruits, veggies and whole grains such as Greek yogurt topped with 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds or snack on whole-grain fortified cereals that feature wheat or oats as their first ingredient to increase magnesium consumption.

Promotes Sleep

Sleep is essential to our wellbeing, yet can sometimes be hard to come by. A recent survey reported that 35% of adults reported sleeping less than seven hours every night; one natural remedy which may assist is magnesium.

Magnesium plays an essential role in over 300 physiological processes, from heart and bone health, muscle and nerve function, blood sugar regulation and energy production to sleep disturbances, anxiety and depression. A lack of magnesium has also been linked to chronic conditions like fibromyalgia and migraines.

Magnesium acts on the nervous system to promote sleep by increasing levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an inhibitory neurotransmitter that slows nerve signaling, and by raising melatonin levels – an innately soothing hormone which induces sleepiness. Magnesium also helps ease anxiety by aiding production of serotonin hormone.

Studies have demonstrated that those who consume more magnesium in their diet sleep longer and better, reporting reduced symptoms of insomnia. Researchers randomized 46 older adults with sleep disorders to take either 500mg of magnesium per night for eight weeks or a placebo pill; although magnesium-taking participants did not report more total sleep time overall, they did spend more time in deep sleep phases while experiencing significant reduction in insomnia symptoms and latency issues. Participants knew which pill they were taking at any one time which can skew results; nonetheless all three groups showed marked improvements over time.

Even though the science backs magnesium’s sleep-promoting properties, experts cautioned against blind reliance. More research should be conducted and experts advise getting most of your magnesium from food such as dark green vegetables and legumes instead of supplements; oral magnesium can cause digestive discomfort for some individuals so topical sprays or gels that absorb through skin may be preferable; yet even these don’t come without risks; for example Magnesium Oil recently made headlines when promoted by celebrities who claimed it could cure everything from hangovers to acne.