How many of the niggles we live with (restless nights, twitchy eyelids, cramps, low mood, that wired-but-tired feeling) are really separate problems? And how many might be our body quietly asking for something simple?
I've come to believe magnesium is one of the most underrated minerals there is. It's involved in so much of what keeps us well, yet many of us are running low without knowing it. This post is an invitation to get curious about it, so you can decide for yourself whether it deserves a place in your own terrain.
Why so many of us may be running low
Magnesium comes mainly from food: leafy greens, nuts, seeds, beans, wholegrains and even dark chocolate. Yet a few things work against us:
- Modern farming and processing. Intensive farming can deplete soils, and refining grains strips out much of their magnesium. Some studies comparing historical and modern food data suggest the mineral content of certain crops has fallen over the decades, though how much this affects any one person is still debated.
- Stress. Stress hormones increase how much magnesium we lose through our urine. So stress can lower magnesium, and low magnesium may make us feel more stressed, which can become a loop.
- Common medications. Some medicines, including certain diuretics and long-term use of proton pump inhibitors (acid-reflux medicines), are known to lower magnesium levels. If you take these, it's worth asking your GP or pharmacist about it. Please don't stop any medication on your own.
- Coffee, alcohol and sugar can all increase magnesium loss or raise our need for it.
There's another catch. Most of our magnesium is stored in our bones and cells rather than in our blood. A standard blood test can look normal even when total body stores are low. This is one reason magnesium deficiency is thought to be under-recognised.
What magnesium does in the body
Magnesium is often called "nature's chill pill", and it earns the name. Here's what we know with reasonable confidence:
- It's a cofactor in more than 300 enzyme systems in the body.
- It's essential for making energy (ATP) in every cell, and for building proteins, DNA and RNA.
- Around half to 60% of our magnesium lives in our bones, where it works alongside calcium and vitamin D.
- It helps regulate nerve signals and muscle contraction. Calcium helps muscles contract and magnesium helps them relax. It acts a little like a natural calcium "gatekeeper" in our cells.
- It supports normal heart rhythm and the relaxation of blood vessels.
- It plays a part in the "rest and digest" side of the nervous system and in making neurotransmitters such as serotonin.
Calcium and magnesium: a question of balance
Many of us are encouraged to take extra calcium, but magnesium is rarely mentioned. These two minerals work as a team. Calcium contracts and magnesium relaxes. Some researchers and practitioners argue that a high calcium-to-magnesium ratio may contribute to tension, cramps and calcification. This is an area of active interest rather than settled science, but it's worth knowing that more calcium isn't automatically better, and that balance matters.
Where magnesium plays a role
Below are areas where magnesium is involved, and where low levels have been linked to symptoms. I've grouped them to make them easier to read. Some links are well supported by research, some are emerging, and some come mainly from practitioners' clinical experience. I've tried to be clear about which is which. None of this is a diagnosis. If something here sounds like you, use it as a starting point for a conversation with a practitioner you trust.
Muscles and nerves
Cramps, eye twitches, hiccups, restless legs, tension in the neck and back, and pins and needles are classic signs of low magnesium. This is one of the best-established links. Magnesium is widely used by practitioners for muscle tension, and some people find it helps with sports recovery and soreness.
Sleep, mood and stress
Magnesium supports the calming side of the nervous system and is involved in serotonin and melatonin pathways. Some studies suggest it may help with sleep quality, anxiety and low mood, especially in people who are low to begin with. The research here is promising but mixed. Many people (me included) notice they sleep more deeply with it.
Headaches and migraine
There is genuine research support here. Magnesium is one of the supplements most often discussed for migraine prevention, and some headache specialists suggest it. Tension headaches linked to tight muscles may also ease.
Heart and circulation
Magnesium helps maintain a steady heart rhythm and relaxes the muscles in our blood vessel walls. Studies link adequate magnesium with healthier blood pressure, though the effect of supplements is usually modest. In hospitals, intravenous magnesium is used for certain heart rhythm problems. If you have a heart condition or take heart medication, please talk to your doctor before supplementing.
Some practitioners also see a strong link between low magnesium, arterial calcification, cholesterol and inflammation. Researchers such as William Weglicki with Terry Phillips, showed that magnesium deficiency triggered a rise in inflammatory markers in rats. This is a fascinating area, but much of it is still emerging rather than proven in people.
Blood sugar
Magnesium is needed for insulin to work properly and for many of the enzymes that process glucose. Low magnesium is common in people with type 2 diabetes, and good magnesium status is associated with better insulin sensitivity. If you have diabetes or take blood sugar medication, work with your healthcare team.
Digestion
Magnesium helps the smooth muscles of the gut relax and move. Some forms (such as citrate) draw water into the bowel and are mild, well-known aids for constipation. Spasm-related discomfort, such as some IBS symptoms or reflux, is an area where practitioners often use magnesium, though the research is less clear.
Bones and teeth
Magnesium helps us use calcium and vitamin D properly and supports bone structure. Low magnesium intake is associated with lower bone density. This is a good reason to think about balance rather than calcium alone.
Women's health and hormones
Magnesium is commonly used for period cramps and PMS, and there is some research support for both. It's also used in hospitals to treat pre-eclampsia, which shows how powerful it can be. That is a medical setting, though, and not something to try yourself. In midlife and perimenopause, many women find magnesium helps with sleep, mood and muscle tension.
Energy and detoxification
Because magnesium is central to energy production, low levels are commonly linked with fatigue. It is also a cofactor in producing glutathione, one of the body's own key antioxidants, and in liver pathways.
A note on the bigger claims
You may come across magnesium being linked with conditions such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, kidney stones, asthma and more. Researchers are exploring some of these links, and in some cases low magnesium is common alongside the condition. But "linked with" isn't the same as "caused by", and magnesium isn't a substitute for proper care of a serious condition. I'd see it as one piece of tending your terrain, not a single answer.
Choosing a magnesium supplement
Food comes first: leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews, beans, lentils, wholegrains, avocado and good dark chocolate. If you do choose a supplement, the form matters.
- Magnesium glycinate / bisglycinate: easy on the stomach and popular for relaxation and sleep.
- Magnesium citrate: well absorbed, with a mild laxative effect. Helpful if you tend towards constipation.
- Magnesium L-threonate: studied for its ability to reach the brain, and often chosen for focus and cognition.
- Magnesium malate: often chosen for energy and muscle aches.
- Magnesium oxide: cheap and common, but relatively poorly absorbed. It mostly works as a laxative. I'd generally skip it.
Through the skin: Epsom salt baths (magnesium sulphate) and magnesium oil or flakes are lovely, relaxing rituals. How much magnesium the skin actually absorbs is still debated, but many people find them soothing. I've sometimes mixed magnesium oil with DMSO to reduce the tingle. If you're curious about that, please research DMSO carefully first, as it carries whatever is on your skin into the body.
How much?
People often say magnesium "didn't work" for them. In my experience, that's usually because of the type they took or the amount.
Here's the official UK guidance, so you can weigh things up:
- The NHS says adults need around 300mg a day (men) and 270mg a day (women) from all sources.
- The NHS advises that 400mg or less a day from supplements is unlikely to cause harm. Higher doses can cause loose stools.
Some practitioners take a different view. Health educator Clive de Carle, for example, suggests a higher "loading" amount for a few days and then a maintenance amount, reducing if your bowels become loose. Loose stools are a sign you've had more than your body can use right now. This goes above official guidance, so if you're drawn to it, please do it with a practitioner.
Please check with a professional first if you: have kidney problems (the kidneys clear excess magnesium, so this really matters), have a heart condition, are pregnant, or take antibiotics, bisphosphonates, diuretics, heart or blood pressure medication. Magnesium can interact with some of these.
A different way to see it
Rather than asking "what's wrong with me?", we might ask: "what is my body asking for?" Sometimes the answer is something as humble and old as a mineral we've slowly lost from our soil, our food and our busy lives. That doesn't make every symptom a magnesium problem. It simply means it's worth getting curious before we accept that feeling depleted is just how life is.
Over to you
Have you noticed a difference with magnesium, or are you curious to try it? Which form have you found suits you? I'd love to hear in the comments.
Take what resonates, leave what doesn't.
Love Karen ❤️
This post is educational and reflects my own research and experience. It isn't medical advice. Please speak with a qualified practitioner before making changes, especially if you have a health condition, are pregnant or take medication.
Sources
- NHS, Vitamins and minerals – Others (magnesium amounts and upper limit): https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/others/
- UCLH, Magnesium: forms, benefits and what the evidence supports: https://www.uclh.org/guides/magnesium/
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Magnesium – Health Professional Fact Sheet (enzyme systems, bone stores, medications, migraine, blood pressure, diabetes): https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
- Which?, Best magnesium supplements (forms, kidney caution): https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/nutrition-and-supplements/article/best-magnesium-supplements-axJmn4n9qGLc
- Weglicki WB, Phillips TM. Pathobiology of magnesium deficiency: a cytokine/neurogenic inflammation hypothesis. Am J Physiol 1992;263(3):R734–7 (rat model): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1384353/