Does magnesium help with sleep?

by Abdullah Arif · June 16, 2024

Magnesium is a mineral that is involved in energy production, nervous system function, blood pressure regulation, and blood glucose control.

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The human body contains approximately 25 mg of magnesium, about 50–60% of which is in the bones. Most of the rest is in soft tissue. Blood accounts for very little – less than 1%.

The daily intake of the mineral depends on gender and age. For example, a man aged 19–30 years is recommended to receive 400 mg per day, and a woman – 310 mg. At the same time, experts from the Examine portal believe that more than half of adults do not get the required dose from foods because their diet contains few foods rich in magnesium.

A deficiency of the mineral is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and osteoporosis. But, as a rule, people buy magnesium for sleep, and also to get rid of anxiety and stress.

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Do magnesium supplements really help improve sleep?

Magnesium is thought to work as an antagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate and gamma-aminobutyric acid, which helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle and thereby promote a healthy night’s rest. And some evidence suggests that a lack of the mineral may be associated with sleep disorders .

A small study in older adults with insomnia found that taking magnesium reduced the time it took to fall asleep by 17 minutes compared to placebo. But at the same time, the supplement had no effect on the quality of night’s rest.

In another study, the subjects were people with restless legs syndrome. For them, taking magnesium helped reduce the symptoms of the condition and the number of night awakenings. Thanks to this, the participants began to sleep better.

Thus, the mineral may be effective, but mainly for people with movement disorders. But to understand whether magnesium will help sleep for those who suffer due to other reasons, it is not yet clear. More research is needed here.

Who Really Needs Magnesium Supplements?

Magnesium supplementation is considered effective for people who are at risk of deficiency of the mineral. This can happen due to several conditions:

gastrointestinal diseases,
diabetes mellitus type 2,
alcohol addiction,
elderly age.

Taking magnesium may also be beneficial for those who suffer from hypertension. Most likely, the mineral lowers blood pressure.

Who Shouldn’t Take Magnesium Supplements?

You should refuse to take it if you have already had an allergy to medications containing the mineral. Supplements can also be harmful if a person has kidney disease. The drugs may lead to excess magnesium in the blood. This will cause unwanted side effects.

Why You Shouldn’t Prescribe Magnesium Supplements on Your Own

Although magnesium supplements can be purchased without a prescription, you should not take them without a doctor’s prescription. There are several reasons for this.

Magnesium may cause allergies and side effects

A person who starts taking the supplement may experience allergy symptoms: hives, itching, swelling of the face and throat. In this case, you should immediately call 103 or 112 and call an ambulance.

You should stop taking the supplement if side effects occur:

nausea,
vomit ,
rapid or slow heartbeat,
dizziness,
fainting ,
tingling or redness under the skin.

Magnesium may also cause diarrhea, upset stomach, or bloating.

It is unknown how magnesium affects pregnant women and infants

Women who are planning to become pregnant or are already preparing to become mothers should not take the supplement without consulting a doctor. The fact is that there is no data yet that would show how magnesium will affect the development of a child.

It is also unclear whether the mineral from supplements passes into breast milk and whether this is harmful to the baby. Therefore, if you are going to drink magnesium during lactation, you should also warn your doctor in advance.

The mineral interacts with some medications

The artificial version of magnesium may interfere with the way some medications work. Only a doctor can understand whether the supplement can be taken along with the drug. Therefore, you should tell your specialist if you are taking antibiotics, as well as medications for osteoporosis :

penicillamine,
tetracycline,
doxycycline
minocycline,
ciprofloxacin,
levofloxacin,
lomefloxacin,
moxifloxacin,
norfloxacin,
ofloxacin,
alendronate,
ibandronate,
risedronate,

Magnesium comes in different forms

The additives contain magnesium oxide, citrate and chloride. The absorption of different forms varies. Only a doctor can determine which one the patient needs.

Magnesium supplements may be unsafe

The production of dietary supplements is not as strictly controlled as the production of drugs. Therefore, the amount of active substance in the tablet may differ from that stated by the seller.

The results of a study conducted in Poland showed that the magnesium content in dietary supplements differed from the permissible limits in the country. As a result, the consumer could take 304% more milligrams per day than indicated on the package, or 98% less.

There is no data for Russia yet, but in March experts from Roskachestvo promised to check the dietary supplement market.