Manage HR Magazine | Wednesday, December 06, 2023
An inhibitory neurotransmitter, Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA), can help slow the brain and ease anxiety, while magnesium inhibits glutamatergic transmission and promotes GABA production
Fremont, CA: Magnesium is found in various foods, including whole grains, green leafy vegetables, and nuts. Magnesium deficiency may cause sleep disorders, confusion, muscle spasms, low blood pressure, anxiety, and stress-related physical symptoms. It is often believed that magnesium supplements relieve stress and anxiety. Does it work scientifically?
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Benefits of Magnesium for Anxiety
There are multiple ways magnesium can reduce anxiety symptoms.
• Neurotransmitters In Control- A magnesium deficiency can cause stress and anxiety by inhibiting excitatory neurotransmitters like glutamate in the extracellular compartment of the brain.
• Enhancing GABA activity- An inhibitory neurotransmitter, Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA), can help slow the brain and ease anxiety, while magnesium inhibits glutamatergic transmission and promotes GABA production.
• Controlling Muscle Tension- The mineral magnesium can improve anxiety symptoms by reducing muscle tension and cramping, highlighting the importance of eating enough magnesium.
Anxiety-Fighting Magnesium
If you can't get enough magnesium from your diet, dietary supplements can help. But which magnesium supplements work best for anxiety?
• Magnesium citrate: Research shows magnesium citrate can lower anxiety levels and improve many health markers, including magnesium levels.
• Magnesium oxide: This magnesium supplement contains oxygen and magnesium ions and has been linked to reducing migraine headaches, a common chronic anxiety symptom.
• Magnesium Chloride: Blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes patients are improved when magnesium chloride is taken, and anxiety and depression are reduced.
• Magnesium Orotate: It promotes gut-brain axis health by affecting microbiome-gut-brain communication.
• Magnesium Acetyl Taurate: It's a compound of magnesium and taurine that gets quickly absorbed and easily passed through the brain, helping to reduce anxiety.
For recommendations on the best magnesium supplement for you, consult a doctor or registered dietitian.
How to Take Magnesium for Anxiety
People with anxiety symptoms who can't get enough magnesium from diet alone should get magnesium supplements. If you're a male between the ages of 19 and 30, you're supposed to get 400 mg of magnesium, while for women over 30, its 420 mg. It's essential to understand potential side effects and medication interactions when taking magnesium supplements, especially if you have kidney disease.
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