Magnesium is an abundant earth mineral that plays a crucial role in over 300 enzymatic processes in your body, from nerve function to energy production. It also helps with muscle contraction (and relaxation), keeping your heart ticking, and DNA replication and repair.

Because Magnesium has a hand in so many bodily processes, not taking in enough can quickly lead to a Magnesium deficiency and cause symptoms like fatigue, cramping, and even heart palpitations.

If Magnesium is so important, you’re probably wondering: should I take a Magnesium supplement? Let’s dig into why you might want to take a dietary Magnesium supplement.

7 Reasons Why You Should Be Taking Magnesium 

There are a number of health benefits of Magnesium, proving plenty of reasons why you should take a Magnesium supplement.

1. Stress Relief 

Magnesium might help you better cope with daily stress, according to some research. How? Magnesium acts on the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. This is the part of your brain that controls your stress response. By regulating the HPA, Magnesium may help promote calm and prevent you from feeling overwhelmed. Magnesium also regulates muscle cramps, which may explain why taking it can help you feel more calm.

2. Sleep 

Addressing a Magnesium deficiency isn’t just good for stress relief. Taking magnesium before bed may lead to better sleep. When you’re stressed out, it can be tough to get quality shut-eye. Magnesium supplementation can help prime your body to enter a relaxed state thanks to its calm-promoting and muscle-relaxing effects.

Supplemental Magnesium also influences Melatonin levels in your body. Melatonin is responsible for regulating your body’s sleep-wake cycle. Having enough Magnesium is critical for getting healthy, restful sleep. If you have low Magnesium levels, consider adding a Magnesium supplement to your nightly routine.

3. Skin Health 

Because Magnesium is important for cellular metabolism and regeneration, low levels or poor Magnesium absorption can have an impact on your skin. Without enough Magnesium for skin, DNA repair isn’t possible, which is bad news for many bodily functions, including skin cell production.

4. Regularity 

A lack of Magnesium can slow your digestive tract and lead to constipation. Topping up your stores can help restore balance to your gut and keep things moving efficiently.

What’s the link between Magnesium and gut motility? Recall that Magnesium is essential for muscle contraction and nerve function. When your muscles and nerves aren’t functioning optimally, your gut muscles can’t move food through your digestive tract effectively, slowing things down and forming stool that’s hard to pass. Ouch!

Since Magnesium makes you poop, taking it as a dietary supplement can help get things going again. Just be sure not to take too much, which can have the opposite effect.

5. Blood Pressure 

Magnesium’s role in regulating blood pressure makes it an important mineral for heart health. Maintaining healthy blood pressure helps prevent your heart from working too hard. It’s a good idea to talk with a healthcare practitioner if you have a heart condition or have high blood pressure and are considering taking Magnesium since too much can have adverse effects on cardiovascular health.

6. Brain Health

Magnesium is critical for basic brain function because it ensures proper blood-brain barrier function and supports nerve signal transmission. But it may also boost your cognitive function, according to one study in teen girls that showed that supplemental Magnesium may contribute to better mental clarity and concentration.

7. Pregnancy 

The body needs more of everything when it’s growing a whole human, Magnesium included. Making sure you take in enough dietary Magnesium during pregnancy helps support the overall health of mother and baby. Post-pregnancy, this crucial mineral is also necessary for baby, which means you pass it along through breastfeeding, further depleting your stores.

When Should You Take Magnesium 

You’ve decided adding dietary Magnesium to your supplementation routine is right for you. So when is the best time to take Magnesium? Here’s a breakdown of what to consider about timing:

• Take it at night. Because supplemental Magnesium can have a calming effect, some people find it helpful to take it before bed.
• Be consistent. Regardless of when you decide to take your Magnesium dietary supplement, it’s important to be consistent. The more consistent you are with taking it, the more likely you are to notice effects.
• Avoid taking it with certain medications. Magnesium can interact with some medications, including antibiotics and heart meds. If in doubt about whether it’s safe to take supplemental Magnesium with your meds, err on the side of caution and speak with your healthcare practitioner.

How to Know If You Need a Magnesium Supplement 

Many people just don’t get enough Magnesium through diet alone — about 15 to 20% of people worldwide. But these days, diet doesn’t always cover all your nutritional bases. Modern agricultural practices like monocropping have greatly influenced the nutrient content of food, meaning the whole foods you’re eating today don’t have the same nutritional punch they once did. This is where dietary Magnesium supplements come in.

So, how do you know if you need to up your Magnesium intake? Only a blood test can confirm a true Magnesium deficiency, but signs you may have low levels include:

• Muscle cramps
• PMS
• Trouble sleeping
• Constipation
• Low mood
• Brain fog
• Fatigue
• Headaches

If you’re experiencing any of these signs, you might want to consider a Magnesium supplement. Not sure which one to take? Explore our comparison of two popular types of magnesium – magnesium glycinate vs. citrate.

Bottom line 

You need sufficient Magnesium levels for overall health. Without enough Magnesium, you might experience more fatigue and muscle cramping. Eating magnesium-rich foods or taking a Magnesium powder supplement can help support your body from head to toe. Magnesi-Om® contains 3 bioavailable forms of Magnesium plus L-Theanine to help restore cellular balance for relaxation, sleep, brain health, and regularity.*

However, be mindful that too much supplemental Magnesium can be problematic, so it’s a good idea to check in with a healthcare professional if you start to feel unwell when supplementing with dietary Magnesium.