Do you suffer from hormone imbalance, common period problems like PMS and cramps, sleep disruption, stress, metabolic dysfunction and insulin resistance? One of the consequences of our modern-day society and lifestyle is that we deal with chronic stress from our over-booked lives and we are constantly exposed to environmental toxins. If you have wondered what effects these stressors have on our bodies, one major player in our bodies that takes the hit is magnesium! And the downstream impact is not so pleasant.
Magnesium is a super critical micronutrient and trace mineral that is difficult to obtain adequately from diet alone. Food sources of magnesium include nuts and seeds, green leafy vegetables, some fish, whole grains and legumes. However, the amount we consume from whole foods is usually not enough to meet our bodies’ demands. Because chronic stress and toxin exposures ramp up our nervous systems by dumping our calming magnesium so that we are able to meet and deal with stressful states, we are left depleted and our physical symptoms like period trouble, anxiety, restless sleep, etc. start coming into play.
Thankfully, when we supplement with magnesium or achieve adequate levels, this miracle mineral calms our nervous system by regulating our HPA axis, improves utility of insulin hormone, thyroid function, and it promotes healthy metabolism of our estrogens. Bye-bye PMS, period pain, insomnia, migraines, depression, inflammation and high blood sugar! Hello to easy flow, even moods, restful nights and energized days.
Take for example my patient Jessica, a 26-year-old woman with regular but bothersome periods. Every month, she was dealing with headaches and restless sleep leading up to her period and cramping on the first 2 days which was disrupting her life routine and ability to maintain responsibilities and commitments. After a thorough discussion, we implemented some lifestyle modifications including sleep hygiene practices, scaling back on late night treats, and I advised magnesium glycinate before bed. Within 2 cycles, headaches were gone, sleep was improving, and menstrual cramps were significantly improved.
Unless you have certain conditions like kidney or neuromuscular diseases, magnesium is often safe for long-term supplementation. Note that some forms of magnesium (eg. Magnesium oxide, magnesium citrate, magnesium chloride) can result in diarrhea. But more bioavailable forms (eg. Magnesium glycinate, magnesium malate, magnesium taurate) are gentler and more effective at addressing hormone-related complaints. A common dose range I often recommend to my patients is about 120 – 500 mg taken after dinner depending on their health goals and symptoms. If you are interested in diving into your own health concerns or seeing if magnesium would be an appropriate treatment option for your complaints, feel free to reach out and schedule here.
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