Some studies suggest that dietary magnesium is linked to better cognitive function and may reduce dementia risk. One study that followed 1,000 middle-aged adults for 17 years found that those taking the highest levels of magnesium had a 37% lower risk of developing dementia compared to those who took the least amount.
Increased levels of magnesium in the brain have been shown to promote multiple mechanisms of synaptic plasticity that can enhance different forms of learning and memory. Synaptic plasticity is a process that strengthens synaptic transmission.
Dosing and Sources: The best studied supplement for brain health is magnesium threonate.
Benefits of Magnesium: Memory & Sleep
This powerful nutrient helps to regulate blood sugar, blood pressure and maintain normal heart rhythm and blood flow. Magnesium stimulates electrical activity in the brain and aids the brain's ability to process information, helping both memory and sleep.
While this doesn't prove that magnesium alone can help with sleep, taking a magnesium supplement each night before bed won't necessarily hurt you. However, it's recommended that you see your healthcare provider before you start popping magnesium supplements at bedtime.
One study. View Source of older adults with insomnia found that magnesium supplementation at a dose of 500 milligrams daily for eight weeks helped them fall asleep fast, stay asleep longer, reduced nighttime awakenings, and increased their levels of naturally circulating melatonin.
Magnesium threonate is effective for cognitive and mental health conditions, like brain fog, mood disorders, migraines, and cognitive decline. Magnesium citramate is a combination of magnesium citrate and magnesium malate.
Some studies suggest that dietary magnesium is linked to better cognitive function and may reduce dementia risk. One study that followed 1,000 middle-aged adults for 17 years found that those taking the highest levels of magnesium had a 37% lower risk of developing dementia compared to those who took the least amount.
Magnesium deficiency is diagnosed via a blood test and sometimes a urine test. Your doctor may order the blood test if you have symptoms such as weakness, irritability, abnormal heart rhythm, nausea and/or diarrhoea, or if you have abnormal calcium or potassium levels.
Getting enough vitamin B12 may give you more energy, improve memory, and make learning new things easier. It also has been shown to help improve mood and lessen depressive symptoms.
Stress And Anxiety Relief
Magnesium may be the “chill pill” you need. Magnesium plays a role in regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis), our stress response system, and deficiencies in the mineral have been shown to induce anxiety and HPA axis dysregulation in an animal model.
Mg deficiency has been emerging as a risk factor for AD. The level of Mg diet is critical to maintain synaptic plasticity, and the decline in hippocampal synaptic connections has been associated with impaired memory (42).
High doses of magnesium from supplements or medications can cause nausea, abdominal cramping and diarrhea. In addition, the magnesium in supplements can interact with some types of antibiotics and other medicines.
Estrogen is important in the normal maintenance of brain function in the nucleus basalis of Meynert and other regions typically affected by AD. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that loss of estrogens in the aging brain of both women and men may play a role in the cognitive declines associated with AD.
Vitamin B12 deficiency may lead to the accumulation of homocysteine. Too much homocysteine in the blood is associated with an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
Generally speaking, you will find that magnesium supplements start to work after one week of using them. After one week of regular magnesium supplementation, individuals may experience benefits such as improved energy levels, reduced muscle cramps, better sleep quality, and reduced anxiety.
But when should they be taken? Ideally, you should take magnesium at the same time every day, whether that's in the morning with your cup of coffee or in the evening right before you go to bed. The time of day doesn't matter so much—it's the consistency of taking magnesium daily that matters most.
The benefits of magnesium supplementation in healthy individuals aren't clear, but Dr. Nassar says that taking a magnesium supplement every day likely isn't unsafe for most people. Just be sure you're not taking too much magnesium. The maximum dietary allowance for most adults is around 400 mg or less.
Magnesium is important for many processes in the body, including regulating muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure and making protein, bone, and DNA.