One of the natural health topics swirling around social media these days is Magnesium. Some claims are quite dramatic and some are confusing. So I thought I would try to clear up some of the confusion about Magnesium and the body.

Why does magnesium matter so much?

Well. Magnesium is involved in more than 300 enzyme systems in the body and plays an important role in:

• Energy production
  • Muscle function
  • Nervous system signaling
  • Blood sugar regulation
  • Blood pressure
  • Bone health
  • DNA and protein production

Your body relies on magnesium every single day.  So, it isn’t needed just for specific days we have complaints like muscle cramps, or trouble sleeping. Our body needs a constant supply to help prevent those kinds of complaints & more.(1)

Can magnesium affect my energy + stamina?

Yes — magnesium is essential for making and using energy.

Your cells need magnesium to work with ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) — the body’s primary energy currency.

Adequate magnesium also supports normal muscle contraction and relaxation.(2)

So when magnesium intake or status is low, fatigue and weakness can be part of the picture.

Can magnesium help me feel calmer?

Magnesium plays an important role in normal nerve and brain function.

Research also suggests magnesium supplementation may improve anxiety or perceived stress — particularly when magnesium status is low — although the evidence isn’t strong enough to call magnesium a sole treatment for anxiety.(3,4)

Think of magnesium as one nutritional piece of supporting a well-regulated nervous system.

What about mood + feeling happier?

There is an interesting relationship between magnesium and mood.

Magnesium is involved in brain signaling, and some clinical research has found improvements in depressive symptoms with magnesium supplementation.(5)

But magnesium isn’t a “happiness supplement.”  Here’s a better way to think about it:

When the body has the nutrients it needs, it has more resources available to support healthy brain and nervous-system function.

Does stress affect magnesium?

Yes — and magnesium affects stress.

Stress can increase magnesium loss from the body, and inadequate magnesium may make the body’s stress response harder to regulate (causing more felt stress).

That means periods of prolonged physical or emotional stress may make adequate magnesium intake especially important. (3,4)

What might adequate magnesium feel like?

If you weren’t getting enough magnesium previously, improving your intake may look less dramatic than you expect.

You might simply notice:

• Better energy
  • Less fatigue or weakness
  • More comfortable muscle function
  • Feeling less physically tense
  • Better sleep or relaxation
  • Greater resilience during stress

Sometimes good nutrition doesn’t feel like a dramatic change.
It feels like your body has more capacity.

Where can I get magnesium?

Magnesium-rich foods include:

• Pumpkin seeds
  • Chia seeds
  • Almonds + cashews
  • Beans + lentils
  • Spinach and leafy greens
  • Avocado
  • Dark chocolate

I always prefer to suggest food sources first of all.

Food sources give you magnesium alongside fibre, minerals, healthy fats and other nutrients your body needs.  A more complete way to help all your body systems function, rather than chasing one symptom at a time.

Do I need a magnesium supplement?

Supplements can be helpful when appropriate.  I always start by looking at your overall diet and magnesium-rich foods.

The goal is enough magnesium to support what your body is trying to do.

If you are unable to add more magnesium through food, sufficient to shift the symptoms you are experiencing, or absorb those food nutrients well because of digestive issues, supplementation might help.  

This becomes a question of what form of magnesium, which might differ depending upon your body’s needs.  This could be worth exploring further in a nutrition consultation.