MAGNESIUM FOR STRESS RELEASE- PART 2
The main way in which stress depletes the body of magnesium is that it is utilized in multiple facets during a stress response. If you think about all of the different ways your body responds to either acute or chronic stress- remember it’s all the same response, but a chronic stress response is ongoing- there are a lot of processes involved there. Liver function, heart function, adrenal function- and there are so many ways in which magnesium is used to do all the things our body has to do in a stress response we’d be here all day naming each one. Ironically, when magnesium is pumped out in some of these functions- like readying the muscles for activity- and then not used, we excrete it in our urine rather than reusing it. To really grasp how much magnesium your body is burning through in this situation, we have to remind ourselves that chronic stress is occurring every day, multiple times a day. (Click here to learn more about a chronic stress response)
Considering the amount of magnesium we lose when under stress, it’s ironic that having sufficient levels of magnesium can also help combat stress. One of the main ways magnesium neutralizes stress is by binding to and stimulating GABA receptors in the brain. GABA is a relaxing neurotransmitter that slows down overstimulated brain activity, relaxing our brain and, in turn, soothing anxiety and insomnia as well as feelings of fear. When GABA is low, it becomes almost impossible to relax. Sure signs of low GABA are feeling easily overwhelmed, having compulsive or repetitive thoughts, and lying awake at night with racing thoughts- that “wired but tired” feeling. In clinical studies, low GABA has been associated with many stress disorders like generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks, and irritable bowel syndrome. Magnesium also keeps glutamate—an excitatory neurotransmitter—within healthy limits, and it’s necessary in the synthesis of serotonin and dopamine- lots to do with producing those feel good hormones!
Magnesium also restricts or slows the release of stress hormones, as well as acting as a sort of filter to prevent them from entering the brain, more or less reducing the over-activity of your HPA (hypothalamus adrenal pituitary) axis. When the HPA axis is over active, high levels of stress hormone are constantly released. In the pituitary gland, magnesium modulates the release of adreno corticotropin releasing hormone (ACTH), a hormone that travels to the adrenal glands, stimulating cortisol release. In the adrenal gland, it maintains a healthy response to ACTH, keeping cortisol release within a normal range. Because magnesium is involved in virtually every step in the stress response relative to the adrenal hormone cascade, a deficiency actually allows the stress response to be triggered with less provocation. This means that for someone with plenty of magnesium, a minor stressor is just that- minor. But in someone with magnesium deficiency, a minor stressor turns into a very major ordeal.
Magnesium is also necessary for activating Vitamin D- in fact, magnesium loss is just one mineral loss in a progression of several that can lead to a Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D plays a large role in regulating inflammation and is imperative in the portion of the immune response that’s necessary for telling the body when it’s safe to stop launching an immune activation. This is one reason Vitamin D deficiency is so common in autoimmune diagnoses, where we see an immune response spiraled out of control. In the long run, this means chronically low magnesium can be a very large contributor to the development of autoimmune disease. Magnesium has synergistic effects with several other nutrients in the body, meaning they either work together or as cofactors to each other in different processes. These are Calcium, potassium, zinc, manganese, phosphorus, chromium, Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, C & E.
Magnesium also helps relieve general inflammation, including brain inflammation. It assists in removing heavy metals, specifically in removing them from the brain, and it’s a key element in keeping blood sugar stable. When heavy metals can’t exit the body, and blood sugar stays high, we experience elevated inflammation, which is yet another chronic stressor on the body, perpetuating the cycle of magnesium loss.
So now that you have a really good grasp on just how important sufficient levels of magnesium are to our overall health, particularly our stress response and thus our stress management, how the heck are you supposed to get all this magnesium in? The RDA per the USDA Dietary guidelines for magnesium is 320 mg for women and 420 mg for men, but most people need about twice this amount to keep up with the impact that stress is having on their magnesium levels.
Let’s start with food. I always place an emphasis on getting as much of our nutrition as possible with food, because we all eat, every day, several times a day. Unfortunately, this can be fairly difficult for a couple of reasons.
Soil depletion. Industrial agriculture used to produce mass quantities of crops robs the soil of magnesium and doesn’t replace it. As a result, many food crops—such as whole grains—are low in magnesium. Studies have actually shown that even plants are magnesium deficient, especially the crops that we eat in order to replenish our own magnesium levels. This is a huge problem because magnesium sits at the center of the chlorophyll molecules, which is almost identical to and works in the same way that hemoglobin works for us. So magnesium is to plants what iron is to us, and a magnesium deficient plant is an energy deficient plant, which cannot sustain its own normal nutrient value.
Food Processing. Magnesium- and many other nutrients- are stripped from foods during food processing. The best example of this is refined grains—those consumed without their magnesium-rich germ and bran—have only 16% of the magnesium of whole grains. Examples of this are foods like white rice instead of brown rice, or rolled or quick oats instead of steel cut oats.
Some of the best foods to integrate into your diet on a regularly rotating basis in order to increase your magnesium intake are
· Pumpkin seeds (raw): 184.58 mg per 1/4 cup
· Spinach (boiled): 156.60 mg per 1 cup
· Swiss chard: 150.50 mg per 1 cup
· Soybeans (cooked): 147.92 mg per 1 cup- as in whole fresh soy beans, like edamame.
· Salmon (baked): 138.34 mg per 100 gr
· Sunflower seeds (raw): 127.44 mg per 100 gr
· Sesame seeds (raw): 126.36 mg per 1/4 cup
· Halibut (baked): 121.35 mg per 100 gr
· Black beans: 120.40 mg per 1 cup
· Navy beans: 107.38 mg per 1 cup
· Almonds (roasted): 98.67 mg per 1/4 cup
Yet even if we make an effort to eat a magnesium rich diet, it’s likely we need to supplement at least to some degree. A therapeutic dose of magnesium is considered to be 5 mg of magnesium per pound of body weight. So if a 150 lb person is going to aim for supplemental magnesium in a therapeutic dose, they should be taking about 750 mg a day. That is a LOT of magnesium! Supplementing with magnesium will show a gradual therapeutic response with several weeks of consistent supplementation and maintenance. It’s also important that the magnesium used is highly absorbable, which brings us to which type of magnesium is best to use when supplementing.
There are a lot of options regarding types or forms of magnesium available, so it can be a bit confusing as to which you should choose. In order to form a salt and be absorbed, the cation (magnesium in this case-an ion that has a positive charge) needs to pair with a negative charge. Each different form of magnesium is paired with a different negatively charged anion, which is listed in the names of the different forms.
Magnesium Citrate:
Magnesium citrate is an affordable form of magnesium, but should really be used mostly to alleviate infrequent constipation. Natural Calm, for example, is a magnesium citrate powder. The reason citrate is best for constipation is because it isn’t as readily absorbed in the small intestine, meaning the molecules make their way to the large intestine, pull water across the intestinal lumen, and encourage a bowel movement.
It is not recommended to use magnesium citrate long-term for constipation, as our body can actually become dependent on it. If a magnesium citrate is used too frequently for an extended time period, it can also start to deplete B Vitamins, sodium, and potassium. Depletions of these vitamins will in turn exacerbate adrenal insufficiency, which goes directly against what we’re trying to achieve by supplementing with magnesium.
For adults, anywhere between 300 and 500 mg of magnesium citrate before bed should prompt a bowel movement fairly quickly upon waking the next morning.
Magnesium Glycinate:
This is my most recommended form for relaxation and sleep support. Glycinate means the magnesium is attached to the amino acid glycine. This form of magnesium is highly absorbable, and the relaxation effects can be felt fairly quickly. A bis-glycinate is equally absorbable. This form of magnesium has been shown to improve both sleep quality and duration when taken before bed. Even high doses of magnedium glycinate can cause loose stools, especially if it’s all taken at once. Usually I recommend that my clients break up their dosing into morning and night, or even three times throughout the day, but with the largest dose being in the evening to promote relaxation and encourage high quality sleep. My favorite brand is Designs for Health bis-glycinate. This particular supplement really gets you the most bang for your buck and allows you to take a lesser number of capsules per day.
Taking 250 to 450 mg of magnesium glycinate before bed is my general recommendation regarding sleep.
Magnesium L-threonate:
This is another one of my favorite types of magnesium. This particular form is superior in absorption relative to other forms, and research shows that has higher cellular penetration, meaning it can cross the blood-brain barrier. Because it’s so absorbable, it won’t cause loose stools, so it can be taken in much higher doses at one time. It has been shown to support cognitive health (bye bye brain fog) as well as anxiety and depression. We know that magnesium is essentially required for the activation of nerve channels in the brain. These nerve channels are required for synaptic plasticity, which is a biological process that contributes to learning and memory. Because threonate can cross the blood-brain barrier, it is able to permeate the brain as it transports the magnesium and support these receptors better than any other form.
The main reason I don’t make a threonate my go to is because of the number of capsules a person would have to take daily, as well as the expense. Personally I like to take glycinate during the day, and in the evening I take the threonate. Threonate is particularly beneficial for anyone experiencing racing thoughts or that wired but tired feeling at night.
Taking 150-250 mg of Magnesium L-Threonate at night will help with restful sleep.
Magnesium Sulfate:
AKA Epsom salts, magnesium sulfate is fantastic for detoxification and makes a great relaxation bath. It’s especially helpful for sore muscles, but is also a great way to support magnesium absorption trans dermally. This is my preferred method of support for kids. It’s completely safe to add Epsom salts to a daily bath, and in fact I recommend it along with potassium carbonate to support the absorption of both minerals. Magnesium sulfate is absolutely not intended to be taken orally and will have an immediate laxative effect, but in a dangerous way. There are also magnesium lotions and sprays that can be used if a bath isn’t ideal, and these are great for kids as well. Some people recommend putting these on the feet then wearing socks but your feet actually don’t absorb very well, I recommend the back or chest.
A great way to relax with some epsom salts is in a Mineral Bath. Simply add 1/2 cup epsom salts, 1/4 cup potassium carbonate, and a few drops of your favorite essential oils (I love copaiba for relieving muscle tension and clary sage for mental relaxation) to a hot bath or foot bath. Soak for at least 20 minutes to get the full effect. This is a wonderful way to wind down each evening.