Like most college students, I’m anxious almost every single day. I’m anxious about tests, jobs, projects, graduating, finding a job after graduation — you get the picture. My anxiety started to affect my sleep last summer; I’d toss and turn for hours and would usually only sleep for four or five hours. I had heard about magnesium helping ease anxiety, but I didn’t want to trust social media with any health decisions.
My mom introduced me to magnesium after melatonin stopped working for me. She told me it would help make me less anxious before bed, and I’ve been taking it every night since then.
Magnesium being used for anxiety has definitely been a trending topic on TikTok, with multiple doctors supporting it. However, we all know that sometimes TikTok doctors can be a little unprofessional at times, like how some physicians made fun of patients’ complicated health-related situations in early February 2020.
I don’t rely too much on TikTok doctors because of their, at times, shady past (we’ve all heard the rumors of some TikTok doctors not actually being doctors, right?). Instead of blindly trusting TikTok doctors, I decided to ask health experts whether magnesium actually helps with anxiety.
I spoke with three health experts — Krutika Nanavati, Ashley Murry, and Elizabeth York — and here’s what I learned about taking magnesium. Spoiler alert: it does actually help.
How does magnesium work?
Different studies have shown that magnesium helps ease anxiety because it’s able to calm the nervous system, regulate stress hormones, and relax muscles, says Krutika Nanavati, a registered dietitian and nutritionist.
It’s able to do all of these things because “Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in over 300 bodily functions, from muscle and nerve function to blood sugar control and mood regulation, ” Nanavati says. “It plays a crucial role in energy production, protein synthesis, and DNA repair. In essence, magnesium touches nearly every aspect of health.”
Many people consume less than the recommended amounts of magnesium, which is where the supplements come in. However, there are some key food items to target to increase your magnesium intake too.
“[Magnesium] is found in leafy greens, complex carbohydrates, nuts, seeds, and legumes, which are all foods we can incorporate as part of a healthy, balanced diet,” says Ashley Murry the chief clinical officer of Sana Lake Recovery Centers. “You can also choose to take a supplement as well if you are worried you aren’t getting enough. It is advisable to check with your physician before taking any new vitamins or supplements though.”
There are different kinds of magnesium supplements in the world, so it’s really important to go over with your doctor which type is best for you.
What are the benefits of taking magnesium?
While magnesium supplements weren’t created specifically for curing anxiety, it has so many benefits that contribute to overall health improvements.
For example, magnesium “helps move blood sugar into muscles and dispose of lactate, which can build up during exercise and cause fatigue. This makes it particularly beneficial for improving exercise performance,” says Elizabeth York, a psychologist at Best Personality Test.
Magnesium can also help women specifically by easing headaches, maintaining healthy bones, and regulating brain functions and moods, Prevention reported.
“Magnesium promotes restful sleep, crucial for emotional and physical health,” Nanavati says. This is also my favorite feature of magnesium and is the reason why I take the supplements every night.
When should I take magnesium? What else do I need to know?
For me, taking magnesium at night is crucial because I use it specifically to help with sleeping, but the timing isn’t exactly crucial.
“When it comes to taking magnesium supplements, the time of day is less crucial than ensuring consistent intake,” York said. “Ultimately, aligning the timing with your specific health needs and observing how your body reacts is key.”
York also pointed out that taking magnesium supplements at specific times can be useful if you’re trying to use them for a specific reason, like taking them closer to bedtime for sleep.
As we get older, things like making sure we have enough magnesium in our system are crucial. College students already have enough stress in our systems, we don’t need to add the stress of being magnesium-deficient on top of that.
The most important thing to remember about magnesium is that it’s very individualized. “Everyone responds differently. Consult a healthcare professional for personalized guidance on dosage and potential interactions with other medications,” Nanavati says.
Magnesium has so many benefits for everyone, but that doesn’t mean it has the same effect on all users. If you think that magnesium supplements might be the thing you need, it’s time to consult your actual doctor, not the TikTok doctors.