Why You Need Magnesium To Balance Hormones
Magnesium has a positive impact on hormonal health, supporting sleep, mood, migraines, insulin resistance, PMS, and perimenopause.
Due to chronic diseases, medications, low magnesium levels in food crops, and the availability of refined and processed foods, most people in modern societies are at risk for magnesium deficiency. During periods of stress, the body depletes magnesium levels. When the body is going through periods of hormonal imbalance such as perimenopause, menopause or polycystic ovarian syndrome, supplementing with magnesium will be imperative to not only replace what the body is eliminating but also produce much-needed support for hormone levels.
key ways Magnesium helps hormone balance
Magnesium regulates the HPA axis (the stress control centre in your body) and has a calming effect on the nervous system. This stress control centre is also like your central hormone system, and when it is functioning correctly, your body is getting more regulatory support for the various hormone levels.
Magnesium can regulate blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity. Many hormones are responsible for regulating your blood sugar levels, including insulin, glucagon, epinephrine, cortisol, and more. Lower levels of magnesium may mean these hormones are also unbalanced. People who have diabetes often have a magnesium deficiency. For that reason, supplementing with magnesium could be a key way to keep blood sugar levels regulated. Research has shown that magnesium may help with both insulin sensitivity and glucose control.
Magnesium is an important mineral that promotes thyroid health by supporting the production of thyroid hormone. Additionally, it has anti-inflammatory properties that help to alleviate the autoimmune inflammation that is typically associated with thyroid disease. In addition to magnesium, other effective ways to manage thyroid autoimmunity include avoiding gluten and taking selenium supplements.
Magnesium can aid sleep. Sleep is crucial to your body's ability to help healthy hormone levels, and magnesium may be the key to ensuring that you sleep better, especially when combined with the amino acids glycine and taurine. (See my supplement recommendation below)
Magnesium is essential for healthy mitochondria, which are important for hormonal health because steroid hormones are made in the mitochondria.
Magnesium normalises the effect of progesterone on the central nervous system. This is how it alleviates symptoms of PMDD, migraines, and perimenopause.
Magnesium is required to activate vitamin D. Without sufficient magnesium, vitamin D cannot do its job. Conversely, excessive vitamin D intake can cause magnesium deficiency.
Magnesium can slow down the aging process. Magnesium is essential for your body to properly use antioxidant enzymes, including some that are extremely significant for cellular turnover and skin renewal. E.g. if your body does not get enough magnesium, you can’t properly utilise or produce glutathione, which is one of the most important antioxidants when it comes to human health and aging.
can you test for deficiency?
It is difficult to accurately test for magnesium deficiency. A serum test, which measures the level of magnesium in the blood, is not helpful because most of the body's magnesium is stored inside the cells and not in the blood. While a test for red cell magnesium is a bit more accurate, it still may not provide a complete picture of magnesium status in the body. The best way to assess magnesium deficiency is to try taking a magnesium supplement and monitor how you feel.
Which type of magnesium supplement should you take?
Magnesium glycinate or bisglycinate, which is formed by bonding the mineral magnesium to the amino acid glycine, has increased levels of absorbability and bioavailability, which is why it’s so effective at resolving magnesium deficiencies. It’s excellent at promoting mental calm, relaxation and good quality sleep.
Magnesium also combines well with the amino acid taurine, an important nutrient for mood, mitochondria, and insulin sensitivity. When magnesium is combined with taurine it not only improves absorption of the magnesium but also produces additional health benefits which makes them a perfect combination.
Taurine is utilised by the body to carry magnesium in and out of cells through the cell membrane and can operate differently for different types of cells throughout the body, including nerve cells, heart cells, immune cells, skin cells etc. Studies have also shown that taurine causes an increase in magnesium levels in cells critical for bone formation and as a reserve for other essential functions.
Consider taking my Magnesium Complex which contains 3 types of magnesium as well as taurine and zinc.
Dosage: How much magnesium to take
The best time of day to take magnesium for most people is right before bed. It’s also a good idea to split doses, taking some in the morning and some at night, which can help with absorption.
So, how much magnesium should you take per day? Keep in mind that magnesium needs vary on different individual factors, like your age and gender. According to the NIH, the current Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for magnesium for Adults 31 years and older: is 420 mg for men; and 320 mg for women
Lastly, a healthy diet can help meet your body’s important demands for magnesium. Magnesium-rich food sources include leafy greens, whole grains, nuts and seeds, dark chocolate, and fish.