Best Forms of Magnesium for Anxiety and Depression
Magnesium’s beneficial effects on mood and stress are so well-known that the mineral has nicknames like “the original chill pill” and “nature’s valium.”
However, many people are on low doses of magnesium or take forms of magnesium that are not well-absorbed by the body. It’s no surprise that they don’t notice any benefit in their anxiety, stress, mood, or sleep. Some of the commonly asked questions that patients have about magnesium supplements include:
In this article, we’ll review the different forms of magnesium and their effects on brain health.
How does magnesium affect mental health?
In our first article about magnesium, we explore the connection between magnesium deficiency and anxiety. In addition to anxiety, low magnesium levels have been linked with:
Higher levels of stress
Depression
Insomnia or sleep disturbances
Headaches or muscle pain/tightness
Fatigue
Magnesium plays two important roles in the brain, which may contribute to these symptoms:
It blocks the activity of more stimulating neurotransmitters and binds to calming receptors, resulting in a more peaceful, resting state.
It helps to regulate the release of stress hormones like cortisol, acting like the brake on your body’s nervous system.
Which foods have the most magnesium?
When trying to evaluate our magnesium intake, the first source we should look at is our daily diet. Healthy foods are foundational to raising magnesium levels and other essential minerals, and supplements should never be viewed as a substitute for a nutrient-rich diet.
While it’s beneficial to build a healthy diet with all of these foods, leafy greens are the best source for magnesium and overall mineral intake. This is because grains, seeds, and nuts contain a compound called phytic acid, which can reduce the body’s ability to absorb magnesium and other minerals like zinc and iron.
CAN’T YOU GET ENOUGH MAGNESIUM FROM FOOD?
While diet is the starting point for increasing mineral intake in general, it may not be enough for some people with mental health conditions, because of:
Modern day food cultivation. Farming processes have depleted magnesium and other minerals from the soil, and the techniques used in food processing can deplete magnesium levels by up to 80%.
Biochemical individuality. Factors such as genetics, metabolism, health conditions, and more can influence how much magnesium an individual person needs for healthy functioning. Those with anxiety, depression and insomnia may need more magnesium than they can feasibly get from their food.
What forms of magnesium are best for anxiety or depression?
There are two main factors to consider when choosing a form of magnesium:
Bioavailability, which indicates how much magnesium can be absorbed by the gut.
Access to the brain, as effective forms of magnesium have to be able to cross the protective blood brain barrier surrounding the brain.
The two most commonly prescribed forms of magnesium – magnesium oxide and citrate – have the lowest bioavailability of the various forms. This means that they are more likely to pass through the gut and cause loose stools and diarrhea, so they are best used to relieve constipation. Magnesium salts like carbonate and sulfate have similar issues with absorption.
Based on recent studies, there are certain forms of magnesium that have better bioavailability and ability to cross the blood brain better, making them better treatment options for addressing symptoms of anxiety and depression:
Magnesium Taurate
Magnesium taurate contains an amino acid called taurine, which has a calming, neuroprotective, and anti-inflammatory effect in the brain. Taurine also appears to help the magnesium enter the brain. In addition, it is gentle on the GI tract, making it unlikely to cause loose stool and diarrhea. In a recent study, magnesium acetyl taurate increased brain magnesium levels more than any other form of magnesium.
Magnesium Threonate
This form of magnesium has impressive studies backing its use in mental health conditions and has evidence that it can cross the blood brain barrier. However, it can be more expensive and may require taking 2-3 times more capsules than other magnesium supplements to reach a sufficient therapeutic dose.
Magnesium Glycinate
Glycine is an essential amino acid that has important neurotransmitter functions in the brain. Glycine supplementation can improve the quality of sleep, making this form of magnesium a good choice for those with insomnia. Preliminary research shows that magnesium glycinate can elevate levels of magnesium in brain tissue. Like magnesium taurate, the glycinate form is gentle on the GI tract.
Magnesium Malate
This is one of the better absorbed forms of magnesium, which increases both serum and muscle levels of magnesium. Preliminary research shows that it may be effective in treating symptoms of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, as malate is involved with energy production.
Based on current data, magnesium taurate and glycinate have the most research supporting their effects on anxiety and other mental health disorders. Magnesium malate and threonine have also demonstrated therapeutic effects and may be useful in many psychiatric cases.
* Magnesium citrate has some evidence of entering the brain, but only at significantly high doses.
How much magnesium is needed for anxiety or depression?
At this time, we don’t have enough research to determine the best dose of magnesium for mental health conditions. Recent research indicates that doctors likely need to use higher doses of magnesium for many psychiatric patients than we previously thought.
Most supplement labels and nutritional organizations recommend taking about 320mg of magnesium, which is the recommended dietary allowance set by the FDA. However, this is based on the nutritional needs of healthy individuals and does not take biochemical individuality or preexisting mental health conditions into account.
Stanford recently conducted a study using 1800mg of magnesium threonate in older patients to evaluate its effect on executive functioning and memory. For those wondering how much is too much magnesium, the European Commission found that doses greater than 2500mg could result in toxic hypermagnesaemia (i.e. too much magnesium).
Anyone taking magnesium supplements past the recommended daily intake or along with other medications should always consult with a physician or other medical professional beforehand.
What are the side effects of magnesium supplementation? Is it safe?
Magnesium is generally very safe, and serious side effects and toxicity are both rare.
For most people, the body efficiently handles excess magnesium by eliminating it through the stool, which is why the most common side effect is loose stool or diarrhea.
Although it is very rare for magnesium to reach toxic levels, signs of toxicity include a fall in blood pressure, lethargy, confusion, heartbeat disturbances, dizziness, muscle weakness, and trouble breathing. Patients with impaired kidney function are at higher risk for adverse effects of magnesium. Magnesium can also interfere with certain drugs, including various antibiotics and medications for diabetes or high blood pressure. If either of these conditions apply, it’s important to check in with your doctor before starting magnesium supplementation.
Using the right form and dose of magnesium is like using the right key to open a lock.
When trying to develop a treatment strategy, it’s important to use the most accurate solutions we have. Based on the current data, magnesium taurate and magnesium glycinate are two of the better options that may help those with mental health conditions. Psychiatric patients may also need more magnesium than the average individual but should consult a medical professional if their intake exceeds the FDA’s recommended dosage.
Magnesium is best used as a part of a comprehensive treatment plan along with a proper diet, stress reduction techniques, and treating the root cause of your symptoms. We hope that this information can help you build a strong foundation for your health journey.
The information and any products mentioned in this article are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information provided is for educational purposes only and not intended to replace the relationships with your physician(s). Before initiating any conventional or integrative treatments, please first consult with a licensed medical provider. Please review references cited at the end of article for scientific support of any claims made.
4 Different Forms of Magnesium: Which Is Best For Your Goals?
This blog does not intend to provide diagnosis, treatment, or medical advice. Read more. The content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. Please consult with a physician or other healthcare professional regarding any medical or health-related diagnosis or treatment options. Information on this blog should not be considered as a substitute for advice from a healthcare professional. The claims made about specific products throughout this blog are not approved to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.
Magnesium is a mineral that is necessary for human life. The average adult body contains 25 grams of magnesium as part of the human body makeup. This mineral is required for hundreds of body processes and is also an electrolyte. This is one reason you may see magnesium included in some electrolyte supplements. In addition, magnesium supports a healthy inflammatory response, creates and maintains muscle, offers more stable blood sugar control, aids metabolism may boost energy and keeps bones healthy and strong.
How Much Magnesium Should We Get Daily?
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for magnesium is 400-420 mg for men and 310-320 mg for women varying by age. This is quite a lot of magnesium considering the smaller amount available in our food. High levels of magnesium are not common in food. Here is the shortlist of foods that are rich in magnesium and provide close to (or more than) 20% of our RDA.
Foods High In Magnesium
I actually cannot guarantee the accuracy of this list as it depends on how and where the food was grown. The magnesium content in food depends on the soil condition. Plants get their richer levels of magnesium from more fertile soil, and these soil conditions are often unknown when purchasing food at the grocery store.
As you can see, many of us may need supplemental magnesium depending on our goals, health, and diet. In addition, those who take high levels of vitamin D may also require more magnesium in their diet or in supplement form. As the body works to process high levels of vitamin D, magnesium may become deficient. You may consider asking your doctor which options may be right for you.
So, which form of magnesium should we take? There are so many options! Let’s have a look at the most popular, yet very different forms of magnesium and which may be right for your goals.
4 Different Forms of Magnesium
1. Magnesium Glycinate
I will start off with what is perhaps my favorite form of magnesium: magnesium glycinate. This means that magnesium is combined with the amino acid glycine. Overall, the glycinate form absorbs better and is least likely to cause digestive distress. More commonly, you will find magnesium glycinate in capsule form. Sometimes you can find magnesium glycinate powder which I prefer as magnesium is a bulky supplement. This means that in order to get an effective dose, you have to take a greater quantity of pills. So, instead of taking a handful of magnesium pills, you can take a little powder mixed in with a little water more easily. The additional water also works well as magnesium draws water into the stool in the digestive tract.
Uniquely, magnesium glycinate is known for its ability to affect our neurological health. Research has shown that 150 to 300 mg of magnesium glycinate (or mixed with a magnesium taurinate) taken a few times per day has shown marked improvement in cases of depression, anxiety, and memory loss. The mechanism of action is still unknown. One hypothesis is that those low in magnesium may suffer more from mental health issues. However, magnesium blood tests have not shown this to be the case. Research hints that it may be possible people begin feeling symptoms before blood tests show a deficiency.
Overall, if you are looking for a magnesium option that may provide the most calming and restful effect in the evening or using it for overall mood support, a magnesium glycinate may be your better option. In addition, you may see some anti-inflammatory support from the glycinate form as an added bonus!
2. Magnesium Citrate
Magnesium citrate is my second favorite option as it is more affordable, absorbs well, and gently helps to loosen the stool if that is your desired effect. If you suffer from occasional constipation, this is likely your best option. I prefer to use magnesium citrate in powder form so that the extra water will help promote regular bowel movements.
You might get the calming effect from magnesium citrate, but not quite as much as you would from magnesium glycinate. This is why you may still see magnesium citrate products advertised for the purpose of relaxation.
Uniquely, magnesium citrate has been studied for migraine prevention. However, research has found that for the prevention of some types of migraines or for lessening symptoms, pretty high doses are likely needed (around 600 mg). This is yet another reason to speak with your doctor before beginning a more significant supplement like magnesium citrate. It is often difficult to tolerate such large doses of magnesium without causing digestive discomfort.
It’s important to note that excessive magnesium intake may create an imbalance in calcium levels. This is one reason you may see some magnesium supplements that have a small amount of calcium added to them for balance. This may be more suitable for those taking higher levels of magnesium.
Last but not least, magnesium citrate has also been researched for PMS symptom management. A small amount of research has shown a mild reduction in symptoms from PMS when taking oral magnesium citrate. A woman’s magnesium and calcium levels fluctuate throughout her menstrual cycle. During the premenstrual phase, magnesium levels may become deficient or at their lowest, and researchers believe added magnesium may reduce symptoms.
3. Magnesium Oxide
Magnesium oxide is my least favorite option, as research has shown it absorbs worse than a citrate or glycinate form. Magnesium oxide is the most affordable form of magnesium you will find, and it is the most common form found at many grocery stores. It commonly comes in tablet form.
Since magnesium oxide has poor bioavailability (absorbs poorly), you may need a higher effective dosage. Since you may have to increase the dose to see results, it is more likely you may experience negative digestive side effects.
4. Magnesium Carbonate
Magnesium carbonate deserves a mention as it is a popular choice for myself and my clients. Magnesium carbonate turns into magnesium chloride in the stomach and may offer stomach-soothing antacid benefits when drinking the supplement from a powder form. Therefore, I prefer magnesium carbonate in a powder form that you mix in with a little water and drink as a supplement.
Magnesium carbonate plus citric acid forms magnesium citrate when mixed together in water. This is why you may see many powder magnesium carbonate forms with citric acid listed as an ingredient. When the water is added to the mixture, your drink has some bubbles and fizz showing this chemical reaction occurs. Over the course of a few minutes, your drink will turn into magnesium citrate. If you want the drink to settle your stomach, consume when it is still fizzy. If you prefer to get more of the highly absorbable citrate form, allow the bubbles to settle, and then drink it.
Overall, magnesium carbonate plus citric acid is one of my favorite options as it is enjoyable to drink and offers a nice calming feel to the stomach.
Check The Ingredient List
Lastly, check your magnesium supplement for other additives or fillers to determine what is right for you. Some powder supplements add stevia, xylitol, sucralose, monk fruit, or other sweeteners to enhance the flavor. I prefer a natural, no-sugar option like stevia or monk fruit. However, it is your choice and depends on your personal goals and preferences!
Define Your Health Goals
Are you looking for improved digestion? Or, perhaps, you want more restful sleep. Maybe you are prone to headaches or are looking for better support for exercise and muscle repair. Define what result is important to you. Then, you may be better able to decide which form of magnesium is right for you when speaking with your doctor. Will your choice be citrate, glycinate, carbonate, or another form of magnesium? Take a look at a few different options and find your new favorite magnesium supplement.
Understanding Different Types of Magneisum
Magnesium is one of those supplements that is very well known for its benefits throughout the natural health community. Magnesium is involved in over 300 biochemical processes in the body. One of its most important functions is that it plays a key role is producing energy, this makes it vitality important for all cellular functions and processes. It helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm regular, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps bones strong. Its wide range of health benefits and biological activity make it effective in addressing a number of common diseases and conditions including fibromyalgia, chronic pain, diabetes, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and headaches. Numerous studies have demonstrated that magnesium supplementation and correction of deficiency has improved the aforementioned conditions. The problem with this essential mineral is that most people do not have sufficient levels for optimal health. A gradual depletion of nutrients from our soils has left many vegetables with lower levels of magnesium. Another factor that contributes to magnesium deficiency is that it often is depleted by various common conditions (i.e. IBS, Crohn’s disease) and medications (i.e. proton pump inhibitors, diuretics).
As a supplement, magnesium is most commonly found in small amounts in multivitamins and in certain over the counter laxatives. Minerals such as magnesium or calcium are combined with another molecule to stabilize the compound. Each combination, referred to as a chelate, (such as magnesium citrate) has different absorption, bioavailability and therapeutic value. These additional molecules can really impact the medicinal value of the magnesium and some even have beneficial effects in their own right. The most common forms and their benefits are listed below.
Magnesium Oxide
Often used in milk of magnesia products since this form has a strong laxative effect. Even though this combination contains a large proportion of magnesium compared to the oxide molecule, it has poor bioavailability and readily causes loose stools; therefore it is considered the least optimal form to use as a supplement.
Magnesium Sulfate
This form is often used as an intravenous preparation but it is not used in oral formulations. Since it does have some absorbability through the skin, it is also found in Epsom bath salts.
Magnesium citrate: A commonly used form that has a good bioavailability compared to oxide. It is also very rapidly absorbed in the digestive tract but it does have a stool loosening effect.1 This form is found in many supplements and remains a solid option for delivering magnesium into the body.
This form has increased bioavailability compared to oxide and citrate. There were some promising clinical trials conducted in the 1960s that found a combination of magnesium and potassium aspartates had a positive effect on fatigue and they reduced muscle hyper-excitability.2 Physiologically this makes sense since both magnesium and aspartic acid are critical players in cellular energy production. This form is not commonly found but has been used for chronic fatigue syndrome.
Magnesium Glycinate
Glycine is a well-known calming amino acid. This combination has good bioavailability and does not have a laxative effect since glycine is actively transported through the intestinal wall. Due to the calming and relaxing effect of both glycine and magnesium, this combination has been used successfully for chronic pain and muscle hypertonicity.3
This less well-known combination has been studied for use in fibromyalgia. Since malate is a substrate in the cellular energy cycle, it can help improve ATP production; there is some preliminary evidence that it may reduce muscle pain and tender points in fibromyalgia patients.4
Magnesium Orotate: This is another relatively unknown chelate combination containing orotic acid. This form has good bioavailability has had been studied specifically for heart health. Orotates can penetrate cell membranes, enabling the effective delivery of the magnesium ion to the innermost layers of the cellular mitochondria and nucleus. Orotates themselves increase the formation of RNA and DNA which can help heart cells repair and therefore improve function. The combination has been shown to improve heart failure, symptoms of angina and exercise performance in clinical trials.5,6
Both magnesium and the amino acid taurine share the ability to improve cardiac function; each has a potentiating effect on insulin sensitivity and also a calming effect on neuromuscular excitability. The actions of both have striking similarities when it comes to cardiovascular health. They both have blood pressure reducing effects, stabilize nerve cells, improve the contraction of the heart muscle and have an anti-thrombotic effect.7 Additionally, low levels of vitamin B6 have been shown to further deplete both magnesium and taurine.
Magnesium-L-Threonate
This form of magnesium has recently been studied to improve memory and brain function. One preliminary study in animals found that it significantly enhanced both short-term and long-term memory, boosting scores by 15% for short-term memory and 54% for long-term memory compared to magnesium citrate.8 Based on this study, it appears that magnesium-L-threonate is a highly absorbable form of magnesium that can improve brain function. While this research is promising, more is needed to confirm its benefit.
Magnesium Pidolate (or picolinate)
This form of magnesium has generated interest because it is very inexpensive and can easily be made into a liquid supplement. There really have not been any substantial research trials supporting its specific health benefits. The down side of this form is that the pidolate molecule does not have any additional health benefits.
Due to its broad ranging beneficial effects, magnesium has really emerged as a quintessential health supplement with an excellent safety profile. Various forms of magnesium can be employed for specific health concerns and to increase bioavailability. Consider the research evidence and activity of each form to choose one that is most appropriate for you.
We pursue the management tenet of "Quality is remarkable, Company is supreme, Name is first", and will sincerely create and share success with all clientele for magnesium compounds supplier,magnesium oxide powder,magnesium carbonate powder,Compound Magnesium Oxide,Magnesium Oxide Chemical,Magnesium Sulfate Powder,Magnesium Oxide Bulk,Reactive Magnesium Oxide Supplier,Light Magnesium Oxide Manufacturer,Magnesium Oxide Granular Producer
