Magnesium is one of the most underrated supplements you can take. Being involved in more than three hundred different biochemical processes throughout the body and crucial for energy production and glycolysis, magnesium contributes to the proper development of your cardiovascular system, it’s crucial for our nerves and muscles, and it contributes to the structural development of our skeletal system. In other words, it’s quite important for our well-being, and thus, magnesium benefits can never be understated.
Are you here because you are interested in some magnesium advantages? Then you are in the right spot. Magnesium benefits are broad, as it’s the type of mineral that acts as a cofactor in the majority of the enzymatic reactions happening inside our body. From DNA repair to the ATP cycle, magnesium is involved in them all. But, because it’s so important for so many things, the effects of supplementation with it can vary from person to person.
What Are the Known Magnesium Benefits?
Let’s start with the biggest of magnesium advantages and the one thing I typically notice when I take it myself. Better sleep. Magnesium plays an indirect but crucial role in the production of melatonin, as it helps enzymes convert tryptophan into serotonin, which is then converted into melatonin, in the pineal gland. Moreover, a more direct effect on sleep quality is the role of magnesium in the activity of the Gamma-aminobutyric acid, which is the brain’s primary calming neurotransmitter.
Magnesium reduces the excitability of your brain and creates the right conditions for the release of melatonin. Plus, it can regulate the circadian rhythm and it lowers cortisol, which in the human body is known as the stress hormone, and it’s often responsible for keeping us awake. Have you ever had trouble sleeping before an important exam or a trip? That’s cortisol for you.
For me, the biggest magnesium advantages are related to sleep quality and relaxation. I can’t say it reduces 100% of my anxiety or that it helps me sleep in any situation, regardless of how stressful. But, at least for me, magnesium supplements help me fall asleep better and dream more intensely. I’m in Thailand right now and for the first few days after arriving here, I was incredibly jet-lagged. Magnesium glycinate was the only thing that actually managed to fix my sleep schedule. Completely? No. But it was a huge help.
Are There Only Sleep-Related Magnesium Advantages?
No, far from it, actually. Magnesium is essential for protein synthesis, and it plays a role in the active transport of calcium and potassium ions across cell membranes, a system that’s crucial for maintaining proper muscle contractions and nerve functions. So, another one of the many magnesium benefits has to do with its role in recovery after intensive physical activities.
It might not be a magical cure, but magnesium is scientifically proven to reduce cramps and twitching in most individuals, and it supports recovery after long treks or sporting activities. Magnesium is necessary for ATP production, it helps regulate our cardiac rhythm, it works together with calcium and Vitamin D to keep our bones strong, and some forms of it, like magnesium citrate, can also work as laxatives, and thus improve the regularity of bowel movements.
What Are Some Signs You Need Magnesium?
One of the biggest advantages of magnesium is that it is available in many foods. However, occasionally, even seemingly healthy individuals are prone to developing hypomagnesemia, a condition that’s characterised by a serum magnesium level of less than 0.6 mmol/L. In fact, when I was eighteen years old, and I wasn’t yet diagnosed with my ulcerative colitis, I actually ended up in a hospital with a blood concentration of magnesium of 0.5 mmol/l.
How did I feel? Well, terribly to put it mildly. I was suffering from constant muscle twitching, my legs were shaking at the first sign of mild effort, my heart was going haywire even though I didn’t drink any coffee, and I was always fatigued and nauseous. Now, these are some pretty severe symptoms that most people will never experience.
But still, have you ever felt your eye twitching uncontrollably or have you occasionally suffered from muscle cramps that are not caused by physical effort? Then, it might be a good idea to consider some magnesium supplements. After all, one of the many magnesium benefits is precisely its availability in Australian stores.
How It Worked for Me
So, I just finished a one-week course of magnesium supplementation, as previously I struggled with some sleep-related symptoms that gradually started to impact my productivity. How did it help me and what magnesium advantages did I notice? Well, first of all, I decided to go with magnesium glycinate as it’s milder on the digestive system than other types of magnesium supplements. Secondly, the main benefit I noticed was less effort required to fall asleep at a reasonable hour.
I consider myself a night owl and it’s not uncommon for me to continue working way past midnight. But lately, my sleep schedule, due to travelling, got absolutely destroyed, and no matter what I did, I was not able to put it back on track. Until I tried magnesium supplements. One week later, I now wake up feeling less groggy and my mental state has transformed significantly. I am calmer, more focused on my tasks, and I no longer have that period in the middle of the day, in which the only thing I want is to have a nap.
Now, has it fixed me completely? No, occasionally I still stay up for longer than I should. But the difference so far was noticeable. Likewise, I’ve experienced fewer muscle cramps after bodyweight exercises and for some reason, it looks like I can tolerate high heat and humidity a bit better. Plus, my digestion is working properly for the first time since arriving in Asia, and I have significantly more energy than I did one week ago. For me, it really made a difference. And honestly, when you read the science behind magnesium, it’s no wonder it worked.