Magnesium & My Mental Health

One of my big MOs is finding natural ways to treat symptoms of mental illness. I have recently been researching the effects of magnesium deficiencies in our diets and how these symptoms mirror depression symptoms. Hopefully this entry will shed some light to those of you suffering with depression and/or anxiety.

The current recommended daily intake for adults is between 320 and 420 mg of magnesium each day. Most of us only intake about 250mg, which leaves us deficient. The vitamins and minerals that used to be in our food from the soil simply are not present due to the present day agriculture standards. Not to mention our own bad habits that reduce the amount of magnesium we are actually able to absorb. Things like drinking too much caffeine or alcohol, or taking calcium supplements alone without magnesium, eating only white bread, and just generally being stressed out, all of which hinder our ability to absorb magnesium. There are certain medical conditions also contribute to the deficiency, such as reduced stomach acid, Crohn’s disease and other digestive disorders, stress, surgery and diabetes.

 

 

This deficiency leaves us with many symptoms that can mirror problems we end up seeking pharmaceuticals to remedy. Such symptoms are muscle twitches, facial tics, painful muscle cramps, angina/abnormal heart rhythm, poor sleep, chronic pain, fatigue, stress, anxiety, memory weakness, low energy, PMS & hormone imbalances, headaches, irritability, nervousness, & kidney stones.

Dr. Emily Deans states in her blog, “Magnesium and the Brain: The original chill pill,”

“Magnesium is an old home remedy for all that ails you, including “anxiety, apathy, depression, headaches, insecurity, irritability, restlessness, talkativeness, and sulkiness.” In 1968, Wacker and Parisi reported that magnesium deficiency could cause depression, behavioral disturbances, headaches, muscle cramps, seizures, ataxia, psychosis, and irritability – all reversible with magnesium repletion.”

So where can we get more magnesium?? You can obviously buy some in the vitamin aisle at your local wellness store or pharmacy. You can also increase your exposure to foods high in magnesium. Foods like almonds, peas, sweet corn, broccoli, oatmeal, flax seed, tofu, cashews and bananas. Of course, cooking any of these foods deplete the amount of vitamins and minerals found therein, so try to eat them raw as much as possible.

Whether you change your diet up or add supplements, please do some more research about how magnesium can interfere with certain prescriptions you may be taking. Dr. Deans reminds us “If you have healthy kidneys, magnesium supplementation is safe and generally well tolerated.”  She also warns,

“If you have normal kidney function, you do not have myasthenia gravis, bowel obstruction, or bradycardia, you should be able to supplement without too many worries. In addition, magnesium interferes with the absorption of certain pharmaceuticals, including dixogin, nitrofurantoin, bisphosphanates, and some antimalaria drugs. Magnesium can reduce the efficacy of chloropromazine, oral anticoagnulants, and the quinolone and tetracycline classes of antibiotics.”

Just some things to keep in mind. But it sounds like the majority of us need to start supplementing already! Get out there and do it!