Are you chronically stressed out? Do you suffer from migraines or headaches, insomnia, anxiety, irritability, high blood pressure, or diabetes? These symptoms, though they seem unrelated, may all be due to a deficiency in one key nutrient that is involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body (meaning, it’s pretty important). It has huge implications on our physical well-being, but it is also necessary for proper brain functioning and health as well! And, unfortunately, an estimated 68% of Americans consume less than the recommended amount of this macromineral through their diets (Wang et al., 2018). According to scientists, a deficiency in this key nutrient makes you twice as likely to die as those who have optimal levels (Tong & Rude, 2005). The nutrient of interest in today’s post: magnesium.
Magnesium in the Brain
If I were to make this blog post about the importance of magnesium on whole body health, we’d be here for a while. Plus, that’s not my genius zone. So instead I’ll stick to the role of this on our brain health and functioning (that’s why you’re here anyway, isn’t it?). Below are the ways by which magnesium impacts brain functioning and mental performance.
- Magnesium & Stress:
This mineral is commonly referred to as the “relaxation” mineral, in part because of its effects on our body’s response to stress. It has been shown that a deficiency in magnesium is one of the main causes of stress and results in an inability of one to “deal with” stress (Kniazkova et al., 2017). Because of magnesium’s role in the stress response, chronic stress may result in increased magnesium loss, making this deficiency and stress cycle a vicious one to escape from (Pickering et al., 2020). - Magnesium & Mood:
Maintaining the right amount of magnesium in your body may serve a protective role against depression! Several studies have found an inverse relationship between depressive symptoms and magnesium levels and magnesium intake (Wang et al., 2018). This relationship may be due to the fact that magnesium serves as a cofactor for the synthesis of serotonin, the “happy” chemical that is low in depressive patients (Kniazkova et al., 2017). If the body doesn’t have enough magnesium, it may not be able to produce enough of this happy hormone! - Migraines:
The effects that magnesium has on the pain transmission pathways in the brain (don’t worry, I won’t bore you with the details) implicates this mineral in the ability to prevent migraines. Research has shown that there are lower levels of magnesium in individuals during, and between migraine attacks, and treating migraines with magnesium resulted in “significant relief” up to 24 hours after supplementation (Kirkland, Sarlo, & Holton, 2018). Supplementing with magnesium has also been shown to reduce the frequency and intensity of migraine attacks (Kirkland, Sarlo, & Holton, 2018). - Sleep:
Have trouble sleeping? It may be due to a deficiency in magnesium. Magnesium is also a cofactor for the production of melatonin; the hormone that regulates the body’s sleep-wake cycle. (Kniazkova et al., 2017). When the amount of magnesium in the body is insufficient, it may result in sleep disturbances, which can show up as insomnia, or trouble sleeping throughout the night. - Anxiety:
Magnesium is involved in several processes (at least 300) in the body, one of which is to modulate the HPA axis, which as you know, is the body’s main stress regulator, which may be dysregulated in those who suffer from anxiety. Dietary intake of magnesium was shown to have an inverse relationship with subjective anxiety scores, and magnesium supplementation may have a positive impact on the treatment of anxiety (Kirkland, Sarlo & Holton, 2018) - Alzheimer’s Disease:
Magnesium can serve a protective role in the brain, especially as it relates to neuronal death, a factor implicated in many neurological diseases. Examinations of the brains of Alzheimer’s patients showed a decreased level of magnesium when compared to the brains of healthy controls (Kirkland, Sarlo & Holton, 2018).
Top Sources of Magnesium
It’s no secret that magnesium is a critical nutrient for our brains. The abovementioned implications of magnesium are only those that impact the brain. As I said before, it serves several other roles in the body. Safe to say, we need to make sure our diets are chock full of the stuff!
Adults need between 400-420mg and 310-320mg of magnesium per day for males and females respectively (NIH, 2022). Females who are pregnant or breastfeeding need a bit more magnesium daily, between 310-400mg. When we eat foods rich in magnesium, our bodies are only able to absorb between 30-40% of it, so it’s important that we 1. get plenty of it, and 2. talk to our doctors about supplementation if consuming enough isn’t possible. To help you get your daily amount of magnesium to ensure proper brain health and functioning, try adding the following foods to your daily line-up!
- Pumpkin Seeds: 1oz = 37% of DV
- Chia Seeds: 1oz =26% of DV
- Almonds: 1oz = 19% of DV
- Spinach: ½ c boiled = 19% of DV
- Cashews: 1oz = 18% of DV
- Dark Chocolate (>75% cacao): 1oz = 16% DV
- Peanuts: ¼ c = 15% of DV
- Black Beans: ½ c cooked = 14% of DV
- Edamame: ½ c cooked = 12% of DV
- Peanut Butter: 2 tbsp = 12% of DV
- Brown Rice: ½ c cooked = 10% of DV
- Plain Low-Fat Yogurt: 1 c = 10% of DV
- Kidney Beans: ½ c = 8% of DV
- Banana: 1 medium = 8% of DV
Magnesium Recipes
Need some inspiration for getting your daily dose of magnesium? Try out some of my favorite Brain Boosting recipes below!
Brain Boosting Trail Mix:
Ingredients:
- ½ c Pumpkin Seeds
- ½ c Almonds
- ½ c Cashews
- ½ c Chocolate Chips (<75% cacao) or Cacao Nibs
- ½ c Raisins
Directions:
- Mix all ingredients in a small bowl, and enjoy whenever you need a Brain Boosting snack!
Brain Boosting Taco Salad:
Ingredients (1 serving):
- ¼ c dried Brown Rice
- ½ c Black Beans
- ½ c Kidney Beans
- 4oz Ground Turkey or Beef
- 1 c Spinach
- 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Toppings: diced tomatoes, onions, avocado, peppers
Directions:
- Prepare rice according to package
- Prepare protein source according to package
- Rinse beans
- Place spinach in a large bowl, top with rice, protein, beans, and toppings of choice, drizzle with olive oil dressing and enjoy as a Brain Boosting lunch!
Brain Boosting Banana Split:
Ingredients:
- 1 c Plain Greek yogurt
- 1 medium Banana
- 1 Tbsp Peanut Butter
- Toppings: organic berries, dark chocolate chips, peanuts, almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, local raw honey
Directions:
- Split banana in half long-ways
- Scoop Greek yogurt in the middle
- Drizzle peanut butter and desired toppings on top, and enjoy as a Brain Boosting dessert!
Although magnesium seems to be an elusive nutrient in today’s society, it doesn’t have to be! Foods rich in magnesium are both delicious, and versatile. Meaning you can make any meal Brain Boosting with magnesium-rich ingredients. Your brain (and body) will thank you. What’s your favorite Brain Boosting, magnesium-rich recipe? Let me know in the comments below!
If you want to learn how I can help you best optimize your nutrient status to reach your Peak, sign up for a free 30 minute coaching session with me! You’ll walk away full of useful tips and skills to start on your Path to your Peak. Click here to sign up! I can’t wait to work with you.
References
Kniazkova, I. I., Bogun, M. V., Golovachova, V. A., & Leshchyna, I. V. (2017). Magnesium deficiency and stress. Likars’ka Sprava, (8), 115-120. Retrieved from https://liksprava.com/index.php/journal/article/view/140
Kirkland, A., Sarlo, G., & Holton, K. (2018). The Role of Magnesium in Neurological Disorders. Nutrients, 10(6), 730. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10060730
Pickering, G., Mazur, A., Trousselard, M., Bienkowski, P., Yaltsewa, N., Amessou, M., Noah, L., & Pouteau, E. (2020b). Magnesium Status and Stress: The Vicious Circle Concept Revisited. Nutrients, 12(12), 3672. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12123672
Tong, GM and RK Rude. 2005. Magnesium deficiency in critical illness. J Intensive Care Med 20 (1):3-17. Review.
Wang, J., Um, P., Dickerman, B., & Liu, J. (2018). Zinc, Magnesium, Selenium and Depression: A Review of the Evidence, Potential Mechanisms and Implications. Nutrients, 10(5), 584. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10050584