Magnesium's rise to fame on TikTok.

        I’m sure you have heard about magnesium on TikTok. Recently all over TikTok, you have seen people boast about magnesium and its effects. Specifically, magnesium’s unique anxiolytic effects. An estimated 10-30% of people are deficient in magnesium. Magnesium is a mineral needed for 300 different biochemical reactions in the body. Across TikTok, multiple people have shared that magnesium supplementation has decreased their anxiety and stress levels. This short article intends to educate you on one of the mechanisms magnesium lowers anxiety and stress.

        How does magnesium supplementation decrease anxiety and stress? Magnesium is considered a calcium antagonist, it can also be called a calcium chain blocker. The ability of magnesium to block the calcium channel is what allows for its anxiolytic effects. Calcium chain antagonism blocks acetylcholine release which downstream can relax muscles and regulate adrenal gland function. Magnesium can block N-type calcium channels that are connected to the adrenal glands, this allows for the regulation of catecholamines. Catecholamines include dopamine, epinephrine(adrenaline), and norepinephrine(noradrenaline). The regulation of the release of catecholamines allows the body to be in a parasympathetic state. The parasympathetic state is the rest and digest state, which is due to lowered catecholamines and cortisol. When catecholamine release is high the body is put into a sympathetic drive, which is the fight or flight state. My theory is that most people are deficient in magnesium which allows for an increased catecholamine release and this leads to people not being able to get into the rest and digest state. The increased sympathetic drive is responsible for higher levels of anxiety and stress. Magnesium supplementation allows for the regulation of catecholamine release, this aids people in getting into a parasympathetic state, which lowers stress and anxiety. Keep in mind, this article discusses one mechanism by which magnesium is able to regulate catecholamine release. Recent studies have shown that magnesium also has other receptor-specific mechanisms on the GABA and NMDA receptors, by which it can decrease stress and anxiety.  

        What is the best form of magnesium and how do I supplement with it?

 The most bioavailable forms of magnesium are magnesium-L-threonate and magnesium glycinate. Studies show that magnesium-L-threonate readily crosses the blood-brain barrier and is beneficial to use to alleviate headaches. For anxiolytic purposes, magnesium glycinate is perfect and is more cost-efficient than the ladder. I take my magnesium during the evening or right before bed. Depending on the type of capsules I have I take about 250-350 mg of magnesium a day. For dosing anywhere between 200-400mg of magnesium is sufficient. It is best to take it towards the end of the day to put you into parasympathetic drive. Magnesium is a co-factor in the body which aids in 300 different biochemical reactions. In clinical settings magnesium is used to decrease pain during surgeries and decrease blood pressure in women with pre and eclampsia. In the future, I will release an in-depth article about magnesium, but for now, I just wanted to explain a mechanism of action by which it can lower anxiety and stress.


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    Citations 

    1. Magnesium inhibits norepinephrine release by blocking N-type calcium channels at peripheral sympathetic nerve endings

    2. The effect of high concentration of magnesium with ropivacaine, gentamicin, rocuronium, and their combination on neuromuscular blockade

    3. Magnesium involvement in sleep: genetic and nutritional models

    4. The effects of magnesium supplementation on subjective anxiety and stress—a systematic review

    5. Magnesium sulfate therapy in preeclampsia and eclampsia

    6. Magnesium status and stress: the vicious circle concept revisited

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