Magnesium Bisglycinate for Anxiety
DISCLAIMER: This article has been written for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Magnesium is an essential mineral that is required for many different vital bodily functions, offering diverse health benefits and may help with keeping symptoms of stress and anxiety in check. The benefits of magnesium supplements especially magnesium bisglycinate for anxiety and stress are substantial and have been reviewed by multiple scientific studies.
Here we’ll discuss the benefits of magnesium bisglycinate for anxiety and stress according to scientific studies. But before we get into the impacts of magnesium bisglycinate on anxiety, it’s worth knowing the basics of magnesium bisglycinate and its impact on mental health a little bit more. So, let’s dive a little deeper.
Table of contents
- What is magnesium bisglycinate?
- How does magnesium impact mental health?
- Benefits of magnesium bisglycinate for anxiety
- How to use magnesium bisglycinate
- Precautions and side effects
- Final words
What is magnesium bisglycinate?
Magnesium bisglycinate, also known as magnesium glycinate, is a form of magnesium in which the magnesium molecule is bound with an essential amino acid called glycine. Glycine has an incredible ability to regulate neurotransmitter functions in the brain, which is why it is often used as a standalone supplement for improving sleep problems.
Here you can see our article Magnesium Bisglycinate for Sleep.
How does magnesium impact mental health?
Magnesium plays different important roles in the brain, which may impact mental health in several ways. It has a miraculous power to withhold the activities of stimulating neurotransmitters and to bind with calming receptors in the brain, leading to a more restful and peaceful state.
Furthermore, magnesium has properties to control the production of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol and helps keep their levels in check and thus helps keep the nervous system relaxed and calm.
Studies suggest that low levels of magnesium may lead to various issues, including, but aren’t limited to:
- Sleep disturbances or insomnia
- Higher levels of stress
- Mental fatigue
- Depression
- Headaches or muscle tightness
Benefits of magnesium bisglycinate for anxiety
There are two prime factors to look for when it comes to choosing magnesium supplements for anxiety and stress - one is bioavailability which exhibits how much magnesium your body can absorb from this supplementary form and another is the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and access to the brain.
Magnesium bisglycinate has both higher bioavailability as well as the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and access the brain, making it highly potential for managing and preventing symptoms of anxiety and its associated issues like depression and mood swings.
Moreover, glycine used to bind the magnesium molecule is magnesium bisglycinate is gentle and well-tolerated on the digestive tract and thus, less likely to develop any digestive issues when consumed orally. The digestive tract or GI tract also plays an important role in managing symptoms of anxiety and overall emotional well-being since it communicates with the brain through nerves and hormones and affects brain function. For this reason, a healthy digestive health is essential for keeping anxiety, stress, cognitive issues, and neurological disorders away.
A 2017 systematic review published in the Nutrients looked at 18 different studies including mild anxiety, generalized anxiety, postpartum anxiety, and anxiety during PMS (premenstrual syndrome) and found that magnesium has beneficial effects on subjective anxiety and stress. The review also stated that further well-designed RCT (randomized controlled trials) are needed to further confirm this finding.
How to use magnesium bisglycinate
As per the information provided by the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), a large number of people are not getting enough magnesium through their diets and are going through low levels of magnesium. Recommended daily allowance (RDA) of magnesium ranges from 310 mg to 420 mg for adults while the actual dosages may widely vary depending on gender and age. In addition, certain health conditions such as pregnancy require more magnesium.
Magnesium bisglycinate might be a good option to meet the recommended daily allowance of magnesium for people who are not getting enough magnesium through diets. However, it’s always best to consult with a qualified nutritionist or natural medicine professional to determine what dose would be the best for your specific health conditions.
Precautions and side effects
Though magnesium bisglycinate is generally found safe and well-tolerated for most people, excess magnesium may lead to some side effects such as facial flushing, nausea, irregular heartbeat, muscle weakness, and vomiting. But these are not common for all and mostly mild and reversible.
Too much magnesium may cause magnesium toxicity that may interrupt kidney or heart functions. Besides, magnesium may interact with some prescription medications or supplements and affect their efficacies. If you are under medications for any underlying health conditions, make sure you take magnesium supplements at least a couple of hours before or after your medications so that they cannot interact with them.
The food and drug administration (FDA) does not review magnesium supplements for safety and efficacy. Hence, it’s important to check the amount of elemental magnesium contained in the supplements. Buy magnesium bisglycinate from trusted brands like Vorst from Canada that responsibly source pure and natural ingredients for producing their dietary supplements.
It’s strongly recommended to consult with a licensed nutritionist or naturopathic doctor before using magnesium bisglycinate especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or under medications for any underlying diseases particularly kidney or heart conditions.
Final words
Magnesium is a naturally occurring essential mineral that assists the human body in many vital functions ranging from the nervous system to bone formation to brain performance. The correlation between magnesium and mental health is peer-reviewed by modern scientific studies.
Though magnesium is available in various foods, a large number of people are not getting enough magnesium through their diets, leading to many emotional issues such as anxiety and depression. Magnesium bisglycinate is one of the most absorbable forms of magnesium that can hugely help with preventing and managing symptoms of anxiety and stress-related issues.
Here you can see Vorst’s natural Magnesium Bisglycinate 200 mg Vegan Capsules.
Important resources:
- https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/9/5/429
- https://www.chandramd.com/blog/magnesium-supplements-anxiety
- https://psychcentral.com/anxiety/magnesium-for-anxiety
- https://www.healthline.com/health/magnesium-anxiety
- https://www.healthline.com/health/magnesium-glycinate#benefits
- https://bebrainfit.com/magnesium-anxiety-stress/
- https://chillchief.com/magnesium-for-anxiety/
- https://greatist.com/health/magnesium-for-anxiety#does-magnesium-help-anxiety
- https://parade.com/1163655/kaitlin-vogel/magnesium-for-anxiety/