Studies have consistently found that children diagnosed with ADHD are deficient in magnesium and that supplementation improves behavior, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. Some of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency can manifest as irritability, restlessness, a lack of concentration, and fatigue, also symptoms associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Attention and FocusĪs you’re probably coming to understand, magnesium is essential for healthy brain and nervous system function this also includes attention and focus. But not just any magnesium supplement will do-magnesium L-threonate is the form used in studies because it has the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier to effectively increase magnesium levels in the brain. It is also showing promise to help “rewire” the brain in cases of traumatic brain injury and anxiety disorders. Research on neuroplasticity is growing and scientists are discovering that increasing neuronal cell magnesium levels can increase synapse density and plasticity, improving overall cognitive function. Neuroplasticity plays a fundamental role in how well our brains age, with a loss of plasticity resulting in a loss of cognitive function. This flexibility allows our brains to forge new neural connections (synapses) and affects learning, memory, behavior, and general cognitive function. The brain’s ability to change is neuroplasticity. In humans, magnesium can suppress the release of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline and work at the blood-brain barrier to possibly prevent stress hormones from entering the brain. Indeed, anxiety is one of the physical symptoms of a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium plays a role in regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis), our stress response system, and deficiencies in the mineral have been shown to induce anxiety and HPA axis dysregulation in an animal model. Magnesium's Health Benefits Stress And Anxiety ReliefĪre stress and anxiety recurring themes in your life? Magnesium may be the “chill pill” you need.
Not only is the modern intake of magnesium much lower than those of our ancestors, but it’s also lower than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of magnesium, which is between 300 and 420 milligrams for most people (and many experts believe these amounts simply prevent an outright deficiency and are not adequate for optimal health). We cannot survive without it, yet around 50 percent of the population has an inadequate intake, putting a considerable number of people at risk for deficiency.Īccording to research published in the BMJ Journal, hunter and gatherer societies of the Paleolithic era consumed a diet containing about 600 milligrams of magnesium per day, a number that far exceeds the average daily magnesium intake of today, which is approximately 270 milligrams a day for a 150-pound person. It plays a central role in almost every bodily process and is a cofactor in more than 300 enzyme systems, making it a key player in numerous biochemical reactions in the body, including muscle and nerve function reproduction blood pressure regulation DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis and cellular energy production. The magical mineral magnesium is essential to human life.