Do you need to supplement with magnesium? Probably.

Magnesium is needed for approximately 80% of the biochemical reactions in your body. In short: It’s a critical mineral for your health. Unlike calcium, which the body continually stores or breaks down and recycles for use, your body relies on a daily replenishment of magnesium from your diet. Easy enough, right? Not exactly. 

Studies show that the vast majority of the global population are at risk for magnesium deficiency, even in developed countries. This is due to a number of reasons, but we've outlined a few common ones below.

Causes of Magnesium Deficiency:

 Modern farming practices. 

Studies show that modern-day farming practices have led to mineral depletion in the soil, which – you guessed it – affects the mineral content of our food. This includes magnesium.

Food processing methods.

We all lead busy lifestyles, and we eat a lot of convenience foods as a result. The processing methods used to make these foods often remove a good share of the magnesium content (up to 80% of it, by some estimates). Here’s where it gets complicated: Even if you are preparing your own food from scratch, there are compounds in some foods (mainly plant foods) that naturally deplete magnesium. (You can read our article on Magnesium Deficiency and the Role of Oxalates for more info.)

Stress. 

We live in a fast-paced world with a lot of daily demands that make stress nearly impossible to avoid. Here’s where it affects your magnesium status: Stress burns though your body’s magnesium supply. To complicate matters further, when your body is low in magnesium, it naturally leads to more stress, resulting in a vicious cycle of stress leading to more stress. 

Malabsorption issues. 

Magnesium is absorbed in the small intestine and the colon, so those who suffer from conditions such as ulcerative colitis, crohn's disease, celiac’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome,  etc. are at an increased risk of magnesium deficiency.

Calcium supplements. 

Calcium and magnesium compete for absorption, with calcium typically coming out ahead. Furthermore, vitamin D supplementation may lead to magnesium deficiency, as vitamin D increases the absorption of calcium. It’s important to ensure you are getting enough magnesium when supplementing with either of these nutrients. (Worried about bone health? Read our article on Cofactors Needed for Optimal Bone Health.) 

While it is possible to get an adequate amount of magnesium from your diet alone, it takes quite a bit of planning. A high-quality magnesium supplement can easily help to fill gaps in your diet.

Here are a few reasons you should take magnesium:

Stress. 

Magnesium plays a key role in the body’s stress response. We discussed the vicious cycle of magnesium deficiency and stress above; a well-absorbed magnesium supplement can help to stop this stress cycle in its tracks.

Sleep.

Magnesium can help the body and nervous system to relax and promote a deeper sleep. Do you often lie in bed thinking about your to-do list? Here’s another reason magnesium is necessary for sleep: it binds to and stimulates gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in the brain, which essentially helps slow the brain down. Studies show that those who supplement with magnesium experience an easier time falling asleep and staying asleep through the night.

Headaches.

Those who are low in magnesium tend to experience a number of symptoms ranging from cramping legs to headaches. Here’s some good news for those who suffer from chronic headaches: A number of studies have found that magnesium supplementation works to significantly reduce instances and severity of migraines and even cluster headaches.

Anxiety. 

Anxious? Adequate magnesium intake helps to bolster the brain functions that naturally reduce anxiety. A recent clinical review of 18 studies done on magnesium concluded that while the relationship between magnesium supplementation and anxiety relief needs to be examined further, it shows promise in effectively reducing mild to moderate anxiety, while working to minimize the impact of stress on the body. You can read more about magnesium and anxiety here.

Immunity.

Magnesium not only helps to reduce stress and promote better sleep – two contributions to a strong immune system, it also works as an immune system modulator. (In short, it’s needed for a strong immune system.)  Studies also show that magnesium supplementation may reduce the risk of organ damage caused by viruses. And that's not all: Vitamin D is critical for a healthy immune system, but it relies on magnesium to activate it.

Still unsure if you need to supplement with magnesium?

You can take our magnesium deficiency quiz right here.

Not all magnesium supplements are created equal.

MAG365 Ionic Magnesium Citrate powder is 100% pure and formulated for optimal absorption. It is essentially “predigested” in the cup when hot water is added to it, which allows your body to utilize it right away upon consumption. 

Not a fan of powder supplements? We have you covered here, too. Our capsule form, PrizMAG Pure Magnesium Bisglycinate, is one of the only magnesium bisglycinate supplements on the market that is 100% free from fillers, binders and magnesium oxide and stearate. It’s also award-winning for its role as a sleep aid.

Who should not supplement with magnesium?

If you have any kidney issues, we recommend discussing magnesium supplementation with your doctor before you start. Also, magnesium may interfere with some medications, so we recommend discussing magnesium supplementation with your pharmacist if you are currently taking prescribed medication.