The Benefits of Magnesium: A Must-Have Supplement for a Healthier Body

Woman relaxing because she's increased her magnesium levels.

About Dr. Wendy Scinta


Did you know that magnesium is one of the most essential minerals for your body? It helps with more than 300 different chemical reactions that keep everything running smoothly, from your muscles contracting to your heart beating. Despite this, a staggering 48% of Americans aren’t meeting their magnesium needs—likely a casualty of our modern diets and fast-paced lifestyles. But what those lacking in magnesium might not know is that many patients increasing their magnesium levels no longer need prescription sleep aides or headache medicine. Sound like promising reasons to up your intake? Let’s discover the extensive magnesium body benefits for enhancing your health and well-being.

1. Improved Sleep

Magnesium can help relax your body and calm your nerves, promoting a more peaceful night’s rest. How does it do this? By balancing your levels of serotonin, a brain chemical that boosts your mood and melts away stress. Magnesium also keeps stress hormones like cortisol in check, preventing them from taking over and keeping your nervous system calm, cool, and collected. 

2. Headache Relief

As we’ve learned, many people who start taking magnesium find they don’t need their headache meds anymore. That’s because magnesium eases the muscles in your neck and head by widening the blood vessels for blood to pass through easily. This releases the tension and pressure that can lead to chronic headaches.

3. Muscle Comfort

Magnesium plays a key role in creating ATP. This molecule powers every energy need in our bodies, making sure that our muscles function smoothly both when they’re tightening and relaxing. Magnesium’s anti-inflammatory properties can also help reduce pain from muscle-related issues.

4. Heart Support

Magnesium helps manage the movement of important minerals, like potassium and calcium, into and out of the cells in your heart. This is crucial for making sure your heart muscles can contract and relax the way they’re supposed to. Magnesium also relaxes blood vessels that can lower blood pressure—a major player in your risk for heart disease. By helping control blood pressure, magnesium eases the workload on your entire cardiovascular system.

5. Reduced Constipation

If you’re on weight loss injectables, you may run into an unexpected hitch: constipation. Rather than resigning yourself to this unfortunate side effect of weight loss meds, try magnesium! 

It helps keep your bathroom visits comfortable by pulling water into your intestines, which softens your stool. Plus, it relaxes your intestinal muscles, making it easier for you to go more smoothly and regularly.

Can Magnesium Support Weight Loss?

Can magnesium alone cause you to lose weight? No. But it can indirectly contribute to your weight loss efforts. Magnesium plays a key role in managing your glucose metabolism, ensuring blood sugar levels stay balanced. This balance is your secret weapon against sudden cravings and temptations to overeat. Stable blood sugar also keeps insulin resistance at bay—a common culprit behind unwanted weight gain. 

Stress and anxiety are two overlooked factors in weight gain and obesity. When this unruly duo rains down on us, the fridge becomes our go-to spot for comfort. This is where the magnesium body benefits shine, playing a crucial role in mood regulation and curbing emotional eating. So in a way, magnesium helps us stay in control, making it less likely we’ll reach for snacks just because we’re not feeling our best. 

How to Increase Your Magnesium Levels

The best way to get more magnesium is by eating magnesium-rich foods. Luckily, there are many sources out there:

  • Green leafy vegetables: spinach, kale, and swiss chard
  • Nuts and seeds: almonds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and flaxseeds
  • Legumes: black beans, chickpeas, and lentils
  • Whole grains: quinoa, whole wheat, barley, and oats
  • Fatty fish: salmon, mackerel, and halibut
  • Dairy products: yogurt and milk

Another way to boost your intake is by taking a supplement. I highly recommend magnesium glycinate. It addresses magnesium deficiency effectively while sidestepping the digestive issues often associated with supplements like magnesium oxide or citrate. When used in the proper dosage, magnesium glycinate won’t interfere with your medications or health conditions. Metagenics has a great medical-grade option of magnesium glycinate for sleep and anxiety. It’s also easy for your body to absorb and can even improve intestinal tolerance.

How to Start Taking Magnesium Supplements

Starting out with magnesium supplements can feel like entering a new world, but it’s simpler than you might think. If you’re just beginning, start with a 250 mg dosage. Since the mag glycinate from Metagenics is 300 mg daily, it’s a slight step up but still within a safe and beneficial range. The key is to listen to your body. Many people begin with a lower dose of magnesium and slowly increase it, allowing them to gauge their body’s reaction and avoid major side effects. I always recommend taking it at night to take advantage of the sleep benefits as well.

It might take a few weeks to start noticing changes like improved sleep quality or fewer muscle cramps. But to experience all the magnesium body benefits and for your levels to even out, it may be a month or even longer. Patience is key here, as your body adjusts and begins to fully utilize the magnesium you’re providing it. Keep consistent with your supplementation, and you’ll start to feel the positive shifts before you know it.

Step Up Your Wellness with Magnesium

It’s evident that magnesium is a powerhouse nutrient. It supports your nervous system, helps with muscle relaxation, and can even reduce your dependency on sleep and headache medication. And while it’s not a standalone solution for weight loss, magnesium can be a valuable ally in your journey toward a slimmer, healthier you. With its broad spectrum of advantages, now is the perfect time to focus on your well-being by adding magnesium to your life!

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