Magnesium has been shown to be helpful for symptom reduction, and some people swear by magnesium to treat depression or anxiety. Magnesium may also improve symptoms associated with depression, anxiety, ADHD, and other mental health issues. Magnesium can help regulate important hormones and chemical messengers in the brain, such as serotonin, which is thought to be linked to depression and anxiety disorders. Current research suggests that magnesium may have a beneficial role in helping manage anxiety.
Some data indeed suggest that taking magnesium can aid anxiety, though further studies are needed to better understand the link. Some studies suggest taking magnesium supplements may help alleviate symptoms of various types of anxiety. While these studies have not provided the strongest evidence, they do shed light on the potential for magnesium to alleviate symptoms of anxiety. There is promising evidence supporting the link between low magnesium levels and symptoms of anxiety.
The research is not yet complete, but science suggests magnesium may be helpful in alleviating anxiety. In a 2004 study, consuming magnesium helped decrease anxiety in mice. A promising review of 18 studies on the link between magnesium and anxiety suggests that magnesium might have benefits for people suffering from anxiety. If you suffer from anxiety, you might consider including magnesium in your treatment plan to help alleviate it.
Magnesium can help with anxiety, but the results of studies are still conflicting, and there is just not enough evidence to recommend taking Magnesium for anxiety. Magnesium can help us to relax and sleep better (which can help with anxiety symptoms, too). There is evidence that magnesium supplementation may help reduce the number of symptoms related to stress and anxiety, like increased pain, restlessness, depression, cravings, and more. There is evidence indicating that insufficient magnesium may also contribute to increased feelings of anxiety and depression.
According to Roxana Ehsani, a few other studies found people who had lower levels of magnesium could experience improvements in mood and reduced anxiety once they started taking supplements or eating more dietary sources of magnesium. Because magnesium plays a role in several highly essential functions in the brain, increasing your magnesium intake can help to curb anxiety. Boosting serotonin is another way that magnesium can benefit those suffering from depression.
Magnesium helps depression by increasing levels of the mood-boosting neurotransmitter serotonin. One study found that magnesium was just as effective for treating depression as a prescription antidepressant. A study using magnesium chloride, which is more bioavailable, found supplementation led to substantial improvements in anxiety and depression, with positive effects noted in as little as two weeks. It was found that taking magnesium on a daily basis may help to enhance your overall mood, energy, and the efficiency of your sleeping habits.
The better absorption of magnesium glycinate helps to boost magnesium supplement consumption, which can lead to better results for improving your sleep and anxiety symptoms. Magnesium glycinate is one of the types of magnesium supplements available for increasing levels in individuals who can use more magnesium, including those who suffer from anxiety, diabetes, heart problems, and pain. We may use magnesium glycinate to help improve blood sugar levels or help lower inflammation in general throughout the body.
In short, the best types of magnesium are the ones that are quickly absorbed, efficient in increasing blood levels of magnesium and also can get to your brain. When considering the various forms of magnesium, it is important to choose the anxiety-reducing magnesium form that is readily absorbed by the body.
Using magnesium to relieve anxiety can be a good option to consider as there is a significant proportion of the population who has a lower magnesium intake, which may contribute to symptoms of anxiety.
Interestingly, there is evidence to suggest that increasing magnesium intake may enhance the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy when used for treating anxiety disorders. In addition to the potential benefits that magnesium has on anxiety, taking magnesium can also provide several other benefits for your health. Another way that magnesium addresses anxiety is through its anti-inflammatory properties.
This form of magnesium has not been studied specifically for anxiety, but has been studied for depression, which may overlap with anxiety; some people might find this form useful as a result (56). Animal studies have noted that magnesium L-threonate is likely to be the most effective form in increasing the magnesium concentrations of brain cells (22 ).
Magnesium L-threonate is commonly used because of its potential benefits to the brain, and it can help to treat some brain disorders, such as depression and age-related memory loss. Summary Magnesium L-threonate may support brain health, possibly helping to treat disorders like depression and memory loss. In addition, magnesium citrate is sometimes sold as a tranquilizer, helping alleviate symptoms associated with depression and anxiety, but further studies of this use are needed (5).
Magnesium citrate has been used in studies on anxiety, but some of these studies were poorly designed, making it impossible to make iron-clad conclusions (46 ). As points of comparison, the majority of pertinent studies of magnesium and anxiety used magnesium oxide, but magnesium citrate is more well-absorbed (54 ). Given magnesium oxides’ poor absorption, it is not optimal for anxiety because it has a limited capacity to increase serum or brain Mg levels (53 ).
For instance, taking magnesium citrate and glycinate together can be helpful if you are suffering from both headaches and constipation. Because magnesium glycinate can help increase the quality and quantity of sleep you receive, magnesium glycinate can also help reduce fatigue during the day and improve concentration, learning, and even retention/memory. One kind of magnesium supplement often recommended by doctors because of its high absorption rates is magnesium glycinate — a form that has added benefits because it contains the amino acid glycine, which is known to have soothing qualities.
In any event, for individuals where low serotonin is a factor, increasing magnesium intake (either through foods or supplements) can be beneficial, as low levels of brain magnesium decrease serotonin, and certain antidepressant medications can work partly by increasing the amount of brain magnesium. Magnesium can remove heavy metals, such as mercury, lead, and aluminum, which are linked to anxiety, along with a long list of neurological disorders.