Feeling overwhelmed by daily stressors and anxious? No one is alone. Many people deal with high levels of stress and anxiety due to demanding careers, financial worries, relationship issues, and health issues.
Magnesium supports nerve and muscle function, protein synthesis, blood glucose control, blood pressure regulation, and immune system function. This helps calm the parasympathetic nervous system. Magnesium glycine is a compound that improves magnesium’s bioavailability by attaching glycine. Magnesium glycinate is easier for the body to absorb than other forms of supplemental magnesium, making it a better choice for raising deficient levels.
How does magnesium deficiency contribute to stress and anxiety?
Many studies indicate that people today don’t get enough magnesium from diet alone. Soil depletion has lowered the magnesium content in food over the past 100 years. Plus, processed foods, nutrient-poor diets high in refined carbohydrates and sugar, alcohol consumption, and drug use all contribute to magnesium deficiency. Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include mental health issues like anxiety, irritability, nervousness, restlessness, and fatigue – all common symptoms of chronic stress and anxiety. Research shows that persistently high levels of the stress hormone cortisol deplete magnesium from the body, creating a vicious stress-and-deficiency cycle.
Clinical research on magnesium glycinate for anxiety
Multiple clinical studies demonstrate of the best magnesium supplement benefits anxiety symptoms. For example, a 2017 literature review published in Nutrients found that 500 mg per day of magnesium taken for 8-12 weeks significantly alleviated mild-to-moderate anxiety. The researchers concluded that magnesium deficiency could induce or aggravate anxiety, while magnesium treatment likely restores normal neurotransmitter function in the brain, regulating feelings of anxiety and fear. A small 2019 study published in the Journal of Research in Medical Science specifically looked at magnesium glycinate’s effects on anxiety and sleep quality. Women with anxiety disorders took either magnesium glycinate supplements or a placebo daily for 8 weeks. The researchers found that those taking magnesium glycinate had significantly lower anxiety scores and improved sleep compared to the placebo group after 2 months.
Optimal magnesium glycinate dosage for anxiety
Most studies demonstrating benefits for anxiety relief used doses ranging from about 250-500 mg of elemental magnesium per day from magnesium glycinate or other forms like magnesium citrate. Absorbability differs between types, so consult your healthcare provider on the optimal dosage and form of supplemental magnesium for your needs. While considered safe at moderate doses, excess magnesium can cause diarrhea and stomach cramps. Unless you have a deficiency, the recommended daily allowance of 310-420 mg of elemental magnesium from food and supplements should sufficiently support health.
For anxiety, try taking 125-250 mg of magnesium glycinate 1-2 times per day. Your response for at least 8 weeks to gauge if you experience positive effects on stress levels and anxiety symptoms. Taking magnesium supplements right before bed may boost sleep quality as well. Be sure to also consume magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens, nuts, seeds, beans, avocados, yogurt and fatty fish. Enjoying magnesium-rich Epsom salt baths provides another absorbing source that bypasses the digestive system.