Magnesium’s Vital Role in Health: From Sleep Regulation to Bone Strength and Beyond

Magnesium is the 8th most abundant element in the universe, making  up 2% of the Earth’s crust and is found in every cell of our bodies. Despite its prevalence, magnesium is one of the more common mineral deficiencies and the average American diet provides only about half of what we need. (1)  Magnesium doesn’t like to travel alone, it likes to bind to other molecules, which is why you may have seen Magnesium referred to by a variety of names. Magnesium Glycinate, Magnesium sulfate, Magnesium threonate, Magnesium taurine and Magnesium citrate. 

As an essential mineral required to produce Melatonin, magnesium helps regulate sleep-wake cycles. (2) It also plays a critical role in the regulation of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, which are responsible for regulating mood and emotions.(3)  Studies have shown that magnesium supplementation can help to reduce blood pressure, improve lipid profiles, and decrease the risk of heart disease due to its antioxidant effects. (4)

Magnesium citrate is a form of magnesium which is highly absorbable by the body. (5,6) This compound is made by combining magnesium with citric acid, which helps to increase the bioavailability of magnesium. There are a wide variety of food sources including pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, and spinach. This specific formulation of magnesium has been heralded as being especially beneficial to address some of the most chronically bothersome conditions. 

• Bone health and protection: Magnesium is an essential mineral for bone health, and studies have shown that magnesium citrate supplementation can help to improve bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Magnesium is required for calcium absorption and metabolism, which is essential for bone health. (7)
• Alleviating and preventing migraine headaches and muscle pain: By calming the nervous system through blocking excitatory pain signals, improving blood flow to the brain as a natural vasodilator and elevating serotonin (your brain’s feel good chemical) Magnesium can be very helpful for patients who suffer from migraines and muscle pain. (8,9)
• Relieving constipation: As a natural muscle relaxer, magnesium helps to regulate the contractions of the digestive tract. When dosed correctly, magnesium can relax the muscles of the GI tract, allowing for easier passage of stool. (10) 

Daily intake of Magnesium should be around 300-400mg/day between dietary and supplements.  Tolerance is sometimes limited by diarrhea, nausea, or weakness. Although extremely uncommon, severe overdoses can lead to low blood pressure (due to vasodilatory effects), irregular heartbeats or difficulty breathing. 

If you feel that you may have a magnesium deficiency it is important to discuss this with your doctor. You may decide to have your levels checked before beginning treatment. Starting with a low dose and slowly titrating up is the best way to avoid side effects. If you are considering starting magnesium to address constipation, it is recommended to discuss this with your doctor as well. Although magnesium may be effective, there may be additional tests or screening needed to help determine why you are having these issues in the first place.  Magnesium may interfere with the absorption of some drugs like antibiotics in the Quinolone class and statins while increasing the absorption of some diabetes drugs. Your provider may need to make adjustments or may recommend an alternative therapy or dosage.

Citations

1. Gerry K. Schwalfenberg, Stephen J. Genuis, “The Importance of Magnesium in Clinical Healthcare”, Scientifica, vol. 2017, Article ID 4179326, 14 pages, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/4179326
2. Zhang Y, Chen C, Lu L, Knutson KL, Carnethon MR, Fly AD, Luo J, Haas DM, Shikany JM, Kahe K. Association of magnesium intake with sleep duration and sleep quality: findings from the CARDIA study. Sleep. 2022 Apr 11;45(4):zsab276. doi: 10.1093/sleep/zsab276. PMID: 34883514; PMCID: PMC8996025.
3. Botturi A, Ciappolino V, Delvecchio G, Boscutti A, Viscardi B, Brambilla P. The Role and the Effect of Magnesium in Mental Disorders: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2020 Jun 3;12(6):1661. doi: 10.3390/nu12061661. PMID: 32503201; PMCID: PMC7352515.
4. Mathew AA, Panonnummal R. ‘Magnesium’-the master cation-as a drug-possibilities and evidences. Biometals. 2021 Oct;34(5):955-986. doi: 10.1007/s10534-021-00328-7. Epub 2021 Jul 2. PMID: 34213669; PMCID: PMC8249833.
5. Kappeler, D., Heimbeck, I., Herpich, C. et al. Higher bioavailability of magnesium citrate as compared to magnesium oxide shown by evaluation of urinary excretion and serum levels after single-dose administration in a randomized cross-over study. BMC Nutr 3, 7 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-016-0121-3
6. Walker AF, Marakis G, Christie S, Byng M. Mg citrate found more bioavailable than other Mg preparations in a randomised, double-blind study. Magnes Res. 2003 Sep;16(3):183-91. PMID: 14596323.
7. Aydin H, Deyneli O, Yavuz D, Gözü H, Mutlu N, Kaygusuz I, Akalin S. Short-term oral magnesium supplementation suppresses bone turnover in postmenopausal osteoporotic women. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2010 Feb;133(2):136-43. doi: 10.1007/s12011-009-8416-8. Epub 2009 Jun 2. PMID: 19488681.
8. mel Köseoglu, Abdullah Talaslıoglu, Ali Saffet Gönül, Mustafa Kula . The effects of magnesium prophylaxis in migraine without aura. Magnesium Research. 2008;21(2):101-108. doi:10.1684/mrh.2008.0132
9. Young GL, Jewell D. Interventions for leg cramps in pregnancy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2002;(1):CD000121. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD000121. PMID: 11869565.
10. Chan AO. A pilot study on the efficacy of Picolax given as a four-week course for the treatment of refractory constipation. Hong Kong Med J. 2012 Oct;18(5):388-94. PMID: 23018066.