Nutrition
Magnesium: A "miracle mineral for periods"?
You hear about the benefits of magnesium A LOT in the wellness world, especially when it comes to migraines, sleep and relaxation..
But what about when it comes to your hormonal health and periods?
Keep reading to discover why magnesium should become an essential part of your daily Cycle-Care routine to help transform your periods for the better.
Let’s start with the basics...
Are you magnesium deficient?
The reason why most of us need to increase our magnesium intake is because deficiency is so common. It’s estimated that 80% of people have magnesium deficiency.
And it’s this deficiency that can have major impacts on your body & how you feel throughout your menstrual cycle.
SIGNS OF MAGNESIUM DEFICIENCY:
- Hormone imbalances
- Anxiety & depression
- Muscle spasming, cramps and period pain
- PMS & mood disorders
- Low energy & fatigue
- Constipation
- Insomnia
- Migraines
- Chocolate cravings
- Loss of appetite
- Poor sleep
- Abnormal heart rate
To name a few.
Magnesium deficiency affects every system in our body as this mineral is involved in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body.
Deficiency in magnesium is basically a recipe for hormonal chaos and it’s best friend period problems.
Who is at higher risk of magnesium deficiency:
- Individuals with blood sugar abnormalities, insulin resistance and diabetics - due to increased urinary excretion, decreased dietary intake, increased need for magnesium
- Individuals who do a lot of high intensity physical exercise
- Individuals who consume diet high in sugar. Sugar robs magnesium. It takes approx 54 molecules of magnesium to process 1 molecule of sugar
- Individuals who have vitamin D deficiency may have magnesium deficiency as magnesium is essential in the activation and metabolism of Vitamin
- Individuals who take medication such antibiotics, hormonal birth control, statins & diuretics.
What causes magnesium deficiency?
- Not consuming enough magnesium rich foods in our diets and over consuming processed foods
- Nutrient depleted soil in which our food grows = low magnesium content in our food
- Stress! Stress dumps magnesium.
- Alcohol, sugar & caffeine impair magnesium absorption and utilization.
- Poor gut health & digestion
- Over-hydration (drinking too much water)
- Sickness: cold, flu, infection
- Weight loss
It’s no wonder that magnesium deficiency is so widespread! These factors deplete our magnesium stores requiring us to actively restore our levels daily.
Read on to learn how magnesium can benefit you..
Magnesium improves PMS & period pain
Move over painkillers, magnesium is here! Magnesium is a smooth muscle relaxant, meaning that it helps to reduce muscular spasms that cause period cramps.
Deficiency increases both the contractility of smooth muscle and the level of prostaglandins, which are the inflammatory compounds that drive period pain..
Taken daily, magnesium helps to prevent period pain.
Magnesium is an evidence-based treatment for PMS.
Some research shows that it works by normalizing the actions of different hormones (mainly progesterone) on the central nervous system. Research has also found that supplementing with a combination of magnesium (300mg) and vitamin B-6 (30-50mg) helped reduce PMS symptoms such as fatigue, migraines, bloating, swelling, mood swings and anxiety; as the B vitamin enhances the effects and increases cellular uptake of magnesium.
Magnesium improves sleep quality
Poor sleep causes hormonal imbalances, exacerbating PMS and menstrual irregularities.
One of the most common signs of magnesium deficiency is poor sleep or insomnia. Magnesium regulates gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) which is a neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation and sleepiness. Animal studies have found magnesium deficiency increases wakefulness and decreases slow wave sleep (SWS). Slow-wave sleep is the deep restorative sleep that allows our muscles to repair and for our body to produce growth hormones.
Studies have found magnesium supplementation reduces night-time wakefulness, improves subjective sleep efficiency, sleep onset latency and the quantity of sleep.
Researchers found magnesium increased serum melatonin (the hormone that induces sleep) & reduced serum cortisol (the hormone that induces wakefulness) levels in the experimental group compared to the placebo group.
Supplementing a high quality magnesium, or spraying a magnesium oil onto your feet as part of your bedtime routine will support better sleep!
Magnesium helps with regular bowel movements
Optimal gut health is foundational for optimal hormonal health. Doing 1-3 daily bowel movements are essential for the elimination of excess hormones & toxins from the body. If you’re struggling with constipation, it’s likely estrogen levels are high and contributing to period symptoms.
Constipation refers to when we have less than 3 bowel movements a week or when we pass dry, hard or lumpy stools. Constipation occurs when our bowel movements move too slowly in our gut and allows our stools to harden. There are multiple reasons why we may feel constipated such as low water intake, lack of dietary fibre, food intolerances, change of environment (anyone else remembers feeling backed up when we used to be able to travel?), IBS and even psychological stress.
Constipation is not only unpleasant to experience, but it also has negative effects on our hormones. When we’re constipated, it allows our metabolized hormones to be recycled into the body instead of excreted. This not only results in excess levels of female hormones in our body, but the recycled form of the hormone is more toxic.
Magnesium relaxes the bowels and has a laxative effect to soften the stools to effectively treat constipation. It also plays a role in the detoxification of excess hormones in the liver and bowels.
Other holistic tips on staying regular including upping your fibre intake (you can do this easily by adding in a tablespoon or two of Earth seeds into your meals), drinking enough water, and massaging your abdomen with our Moon Eaze (our blend of pure essential oils).
Magnesium regulates blood sugar levels (Essential for PCOS & improving PMS!!)
One of the major symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is insulin resistance. Insulin resistance refers to when our body isn’t able to effectively respond to the hormone insulin resulting in elevated blood sugar levels. Imbalanced blood sugar levels result in fatigue, irregular appetite, inflammation and weight gain. Magnesium deficiency impairs the secretion of insulin and increases insulin resistance and thus ensuring adequate levels is important to manage PCOS symptoms.
Magnesium is one of our favorite nutrients for reducing blood sugar levels and insulin regulation. Our cells require magnesium to absorb, transport and convert glucose (blood sugar) into energy.
It’s an essential nutrient for anyone with blood sugar imbalances which may present in PCOS, PMDD or PMS.
Magnesium improves mood and reduces anxiety
Low dietary magnesium intake has been linked to mood disorders such as anxiety and depression and supplementation has shown to decrease symptoms of depression in randomised controlled trials. Low levels could result in imbalanced neurotransmitters and reduced serotonin (“happy hormone”).
Magnesium decreases serum cortisol levels and acts on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to help inhibit feelings of anxiety and regulate the stress response. In a 2008 study, magnesium supplementation has even been shown to be as effective as imipramine (an antidepressant) for newly diagnosed depressed individuals!
Individuals who are stressed have more magnesium requirements as chronic stress results in increased magnesium excretion from the body. The more stress you experience the more magnesium you need.
Magnesium reduces migraines
Migraines are the most common form of headaches and affect around 1 in 10 people. Women are three times more likely to experience migraines compared to men and one of the reasons why is due to the connection between migraines and our female sex hormones. Imbalanced hormones can often cause and contribute to our headaches, and migraines are most often experienced in the week leading up to our periods or during perimenopause and menopause.
Whilst the exact cause of migraines is unknown, it’s likely caused by a multitude of reasons with magnesium deficiency as one of the well-known causes. When we are deficient in magnesium, our brain blood vessels constrict, our pain sensitivity increases and our tolerance to stress reduces. One study found 600mg of magnesium taken daily has shown to cut the frequency of migraines by 40% in 3 months.
Magnesium supports cardiovascular health
Magnesium deficiency has been associated with a greater risk for cardiovascular disorders and events such as hypertension, heart disease, hardened arteries and heart attacks. Low magnesium levels in the blood cause the blood vessels to constrict and spasm, preventing normal blood flow and potentially resulting in cardiac events.
Magnesium relaxes the blood vessels to improve blood flow and vasodilation. It also has antioxidative effects on the blood vessels and protects the vessels from damage by oxidative stress. One 2016 study found daily supplementation of 368mg of magnesium for 3 months reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Another meta-analysis study revealed an additional 100mg of magnesium to reduce the risk of various heart diseases including strokes, heart failure and all-cause mortality. For reference, 100mg of magnesium could look like 1 cup of edamame, 20 cashew nuts or ¾ of a cup of boiled spinach.
Magnesium supports brain function
Magnesium is involved in multiple brain processes that support brain plasticity. Brain plasticity refers to our brain’s ability to change and reorganise neural pathways in response to a new experience. This allows us to process new information to learn and memorise new things. Also, magnesium keeps blood vessels in the brain flexible to facilitate energy (fuel) to brain cells.
One study published in 2008 found a positive correlation between magnesium content in hair to academic performance. Individuals who are deficient in magnesium are more likely to present with cognitive deficits, have poor academic performance and are more likely to have neuronal diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.
If you experience brain fog it could be hormonal. How? Chronic stress spikes cortisol and depletes magnesium. We need magnesium for brain function to fight brain fog.
Should you test for magnesium deficiency?
Unfortunately a blood test cannot accurately detect magnesium deficiency. The best way is to tune into how you feel, look out for symptoms of deficiency and see how you respond to supplementation. Unless you have chronic kidney disease, magnesium is safe to try and safe for long-term use.
Recommendations to increase magnesium intake:
Now that we've seen the incredible benefits of magnesium on our overall health & periods, you're probably thinking: how do I increase my levels of magnesium?
FOOD
Magnesium is found naturally in many delicious foods including dark leafy vegetables, seeds like chia & sesame seeds (sprinkle Earth Seeds on your meals daily), brazil nuts, cashews, almonds, hazelnuts, bananas, avocados, leafy greens (spinach, kale and mustard greens), whole grains (wheat bran, buckwheat, oatmeal, and bulgur wheat) and finally dark chocolate.
However - not just any dark chocolate. You want to stay away from chocolate that is high in sugar, as out of control insulin levels mess with your hormones & increase inflammation which makes period problems even worse!
When we say dark chocolate we are mainly talking about CACAO!
Cacao is one of the highest food sources of magnesium. You can add it to smoothies, or enjoy as a hot or cold latte!
Unfortunately getting adequate magnesium through food is not enough!
Supplementation is necessary to increase levels for health benefits and improvement in your menstrual cycle.
Supplementation
When it comes to increasing your magnesium levels, the key is to do it daily as it builds in your system over time, having you experience its main benefits after a few weeks, especially when it comes to your sleep, stress and menstrual health.
There are a few different forms of magnesium to be aware of when supplementing.
Magnesium chloried oil is an effective way to boost your levels.
It’s an oil form of magnesium that is topically applied to the skin.
This way you can bypass the digestive tract, particularly helpful if you’re someone who doesn't like swallowing pills, have digestive issues or have had a tough time tolerating any of the oral options.
The best area to apply magnesium is to your lower abdomen, under your arms or inner thighs (areas with thinner skin) for fast absorption and quick benefits.
New research suggests in some cases our bodies require up to 5mg of elemental magnesium per pound of body weight 🤯
You cannot get this much from an oral dose of magnesium, without side effects especially with your digestion!
Then you have oral supplementation...
I know it's tempting to just buy the most accessible and cheapest magnesium off the shelf but these options will contain synthetic oxide versions of Magnesium that aren't easily absorbed or utilised by the body. You'll just pee it out!
What's really important is to make sure you're getting a bioavailable type of magnesium.
Magnesium Chelate- it is easily absorbed by the body and it is the kind found in foods.
Magnesium Glycinate- has an increased absorption rate and is the type that is often recommended to individuals with a magnesium deficiency. It is less likely to have a laxative effect, and helps calm the nervous system.
Magnesium Citrate- this type is combined with citric acid. It can have a laxative effect at high doses. It is safe to take and might be a good option if you are someone that suffers from constipation.
Women aged between 19-30 years need just over 310mg/day however we recommend talking to your practitioner about what may be the best form and dose for you.
Another option is bathing in salts to increase magnesium levels:
Soaking in a bath of magnesium flakes such as Moon Soak is another way for rapid magnesium absorption into cells!
Want more personalised support to improve your hormonal and menstrual health? Apply to work with me 1:1 for Nutrition & Hormone Coaching here.
REFERENCES
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