Magnesium for stress and anxiety
It was essential to prepare the organism to act in case of danger. Stress hormones such as adrenaline and noradrenaline, when released by the body, dilated the bronchi, increased blood pressure and heart rate, and improved oxygen supply to the muscles and brain. All of this was necessary to enhance efficiency in fight-or-flight situations.
Nowadays, however, stress is not caused by situations that require the body to prepare for fight-or-flight.
The increase in stress hormones therefore has a direct impact on the body. Among its many functions, magnesium can act as an “anti-stress mineral”.
Magnesium and sleep
This mineral helps regulate the release of stress hormones. Magnesium is involved in the synthesis of several neurotransmitters, including dopamine, noradrenaline, serotonin, melatonin, and GABA.
The enzymes required for these reactions need magnesium as an activating cofactor.
A deficiency of this mineral can therefore negatively affect neurological function. Serotonin is an endorphin that acts on specific receptors in the brain, providing analgesic, antidepressant, and mood-stabilising effects. Dopamine, on the other hand, influences behaviour and voluntary movement, and is also responsible for attention, memory, and learning.
Magnesium also plays an important role in maintaining proper electrical activity in the brain by regulating the glutamate/GABA balance.
An excess of either can have significant consequences for psychological wellbeing. Under stress, the body tends to reduce its magnesium levels. This is because stress increases the production of hormones that promote the elimination of this mineral from body tissues.
As a result, magnesium reserves are depleted, leading to symptoms such as tiredness, fatigue, cramps, tremors, tachycardia, high blood pressure, insomnia, and reduced concentration. For these reasons, it is important to preserve adequate magnesium levels and supplement when necessary.