Depression And Brain Inflammation
When we talk about depression, we need to discuss brain inflammation, one of the major root causes and characteristics of depression. Brain inflammation is a serious problem that affects a big portion of the population. It is chronic inflammation that affects your brain.
Inflammation is your bodys defense mechanism. Your body creates inflammation to protect you against infections, toxins, injuries, and other harm. However, inflammation becomes a problem when it becomes chronic. Systemic infections, an inflammatory diet, poor lifestyle choices, chronic stress, and environmental toxicity can create chronic inflammation.
Cytokines are one of your bodys major inflammatory mediators. They are cell signaling molecules that help cell-to-cell communication in immune responses and stimulate inflammation. A 2017 study published in Biomedical Reports and a 2019 study published in Frontiers in Immunology have found increased levels of inflammatory cytokines in the neurological tissue of people with depression and fatigue .
What Is The Best Form Of Magnesium For Anxiety And Depression
The best magnesium supplement for anxiety and depression would probably be magnesium threonate because of its unique ability to cross the blood brain barrier. It is also absorbed well unlike many of the other forms of magnesiums on the market. At least for brain benefits magnesium threonate would be our best bet.
supplementing with magnesium for anxiety and depression is a good thing to do, especially considering most people are deficient in this precious mineral to begin with and a deficiency for people with any kind of mental issues are particularly troublesome.
Even people who do no not suffer from any anxiety issues would benefit from adding a little extra magnesium, so with that in mind, the answer to the question: should i supplement with magnesium for anxiety and depression becomes a resounding yes!
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How Much Magnesium Is Needed For Anxiety Or Depression
At this time, we dont have enough research to determine the best dose of magnesium for mental health conditions. Recent research indicates that doctors likely need to use higher doses of magnesium for many psychiatric patients than we previously thought.
Most supplement labels and nutritional organizations recommend taking about 320mg of magnesium, which is the recommended dietary allowance set by the FDA. However, this is based on the nutritional needs of healthy individuals and does not take biochemical individuality or preexisting mental health conditions into account.
Stanford recently conducted a study using 1800mg of magnesium threonate in older patients to evaluate its effect on executive functioning and memory. For those wondering how much is too much magnesium, the European Commission found that doses greater than 2500mg could result in toxic hypermagnesaemia .
Anyone taking magnesium supplements past the recommended daily intake or along with other medications should always consult with a physician or other medical professional beforehand.
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Anxiety And Depression: Scope Of The Problems
As much as 15% of the general population experiences anxiety, making it the most pervasive psychiatric affective disorder. Anxiety might be the most pervasive, but depression has the close honor of affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide and accounting for 40% of the neuropsychiatric disorders in the US alone. The Journal of the American Medical Association noted in 2017 that depression affects as many as 322 million people and was the leading cause of disability in the world. Like I said earlier, imagine if an inexpensive and readily available mineral could have even a small impact on this.
People living with anxiety or depression have trouble sleeping, but it can be difficult to tease out whether the mood disturbances make it more difficult to get good quality sleep, or if poor sleep contributes to the mood issues. As noted in thispast article, its likely a bit of both, and many people would attest that poor sleep can be a trigger for an especially bad day with regard to their anxiety or depression. So its worth noting that magnesium has been shown to improve sleep quality and quantity.
Magnesiums Role In Mental Health
Magnesium seems to play a few valuable roles in mental health by affecting various brain signaling chemicals known as neurotransmitters. Magnesium also plays a role in nerve functioning and supporting a healthy mood. A few of the ways that magnesium contributes to mental wellness are outlined below.
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What Brand Of Magnesium Glycinate Is Best
Klaire Labs Magnesium Glycinate Complex
Klaire Labs Magnesium Glycinate Complex is one of the best options, as its third-party tested, manufactured in a GMP-certified facility, and free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. Each capsule blends chelated magnesium glycinate with magnesium oxide.
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Does Magnesium Deficiency Cause Anxiety
One of the main areas of interest is magnesium. Magnesium intake is low amongst Americans and its believed that this is, in part, due to a major shift from whole grains to refined flours.
Refined flours have a low mineral content, generally only containing 16 percent of the magnesium thats found in their unrefined, and arguably healthier, counterparts.
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Studies Show Magnesium Can Reduce Feelings Of Stress & Improve Mood
One of the first studies on magnesium treatment ever published for agitated depression back in 1921 found that 88% of those who received it had successful outcomes. More recently, a randomized controlled trial found that older adults with type 2 diabetes who took 450mg of magnesium daily improved their mood to the same degree or better than if they took an antidepressant pharmaceutical .
Another study that looked at athletes who took magnesium for four weeks found that they experienced dramatic improvements in their ability to run, cycle, and swim during a triathlon. More importantly in terms of brain health, these athletes saw notable decreases in levels of insulin and the stress hormone cortisol, resulting in decreased stress and anxiety .
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Magnesium Deficiency & Depression
If you feel blue from time to time, youre not alone. A reported 350 million people worldwide suffer from varying degrees of depression, spending billions on prescription pharmaceuticals to get relief.
Magnesium is one of the most vital elements in the human body and an obvious relationship between circulating magnesium concentrations and depressive symptoms has been shown in some studies.
Once again, researchers believe magnesiums role here may be related to its action blocking the NDMA receptor in the brain. There is some evidence of reduced magnesium in the blood and brain of people with depression.
Animal studies support a link between depression and magnesium. Magnesium deficient mice showed more signs of depression including despair, passive coping, and anhedonia .
There may also be a link between low magnesium, depression, and hypothyroidism. Magnesium regulates thyroid hormone production, and an underactive thyroid can lead to depression. Both magnesium deficiency and hypothyroid can manifest with symptoms including depressed mood, fatigue, weight gain, reduced sexual desire, and trouble concentrating.
Magnesium deficiency can be part of the story and can definitely help if it is found deficient in patients, says Jackie Fields, MD, a functional medicine practitioner based in Fort Collins, Colorado.
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How Does Magnesium Help With Depression And Anxiety
There are many ways to reduce anxiety, such as sleeping well or practicing stress management techniques. An IV treatment may also be helpful, as its one of the best forms of magnesium for depression and anxiety.
Research indicates that magnesium plays a role in how well the brains neurotransmitters communicate with each other, including those areas of the brain that regulate mood. A review of studies focused on magnesium and anxiety suggested that people with mild to moderate anxiety may benefit from magnesium but that the subject warranted further research.
The same review also noted that magnesium could be an important adjunct treatment for depression. Research has shown that depression and low magnesium levels seem to correlate and that increasing magnesium can help alleviate depression symptoms.
Magnesium intake helps maintain the brain structures affected by depression, and it also may inhibit symptoms by regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which governs the bodys stress response.
Whats more, research states that 99% of magnesium in humans is housed within the bodys cells. IVs infuse nutrients directly into the bloodstream for an effective and quick delivery to the cells, which makes an IV treatment one of the best forms of magnesium for depression. Again, this is an exciting area poised for more research studies.
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How Long Before Magnesium Helps Anxiety
A 6-week course of magnesium chloride resulted in a dramatic decrease in depression and anxiety symptoms. gastrointestinal cramping, nausea, and diarrhea are all typical side effects of taking too much magnesium. No studies have been published that specifically attributed magnesium supplementation to reduced anxiety levels. According to a 2018 study in The American Osteopathic Association, taking magnesium supplements is unlikely to cause significant side effects, but there seems to be ample evidence to suggest that there may be beneficial effects. Vitamin D deficiency can be difficult to process, particularly considering the connection between low vitamin D and depression.
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What Is Magnesium And What Are The Benefits
If you eat a healthy, balanced diet you should be consuming all the nutrients your body needs. A diet low in certain food groups may lead to a deficiency, which is why if you follow a restricted diet, you may want to consider upping your daily intake.
Read on to find out about magnesium, and whether youre getting enough in your diet.
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Attention Concentration And Learning
Magnesium deficiency has been linked to anxious restlessness, fidgeting and learning disabilities in children. Deficiency was also found to be more frequent in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder than children without ADHD. The use of daily magnesium supplements resulted in a significant decrease in hyperactivity compared to kids who werent treated with magnesium. More studies have shown improvements in behaviors with vitamin B6 and magnesium supplementation. Magnesium also seems to enhance learning and memory in animal studies, but human studies are needed.
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Reasons You Might Be Magnesium Deficient
While magnesium is critical for health, magnesium deficiency is surprisingly common.
- Dietary magnesium often comes from plant sources. However, magnesium levels can vary depending on how much of the substance the plants absorb from their environment. Environmental factors can, therefore, play a role in how magnesium-rich certain foods are.
- Other dietary factors can affect magnesium absorption. The use of antacids or diuretics and the consumption of alcohol and caffeine can affect how much magnesium people absorb from the foods they eat.
- Excessive stress can also play a role in depleting magnesium from the body. During times of stress, magnesium is released into blood cells and eventually excreted by the kidneys. While this can initially play a role in protecting the body from some of the negative effects of stress, longer-lasting periods of chronic stress can lead to magnesium depletion and deficiency if this loss is not replaced by dietary consumption.
- Different forms of magnesium may affect magnesium levels. The type of magnesium supplement used can also affect how readily it is absorbed by the body. Some supplements options tend to be more bioavailable, while others may be more difficult for the body to absorb.
Magnesium For Anxiety And Depression: Can It Help
Robb WolfROBB WOLF
Magnesium wears many hats. Compared to nutrients with more exotic namesresveratrol, curcumin, astaxanthinmagnesium might seem boring, but make no mistake: this mineral is a true nutritional workhorse.
Its no secret among athletes and folks who follow ketogenic diets that magnesium helps with muscle relaxation and may also reduce frequency and severity of headaches and constipation. But what about magnesium for anxiety and depression? Could something as simple as boosting magnesium intake improve mood and mental health?
Lets be absolutely clear: Im not suggesting that popping a few magnesium glycinate capsules or massaging magnesium chloride gel into your skin is going to magically resolve debilitating mental health issues.
But to ignore the possibility that magnesium may play a role in alleviating anxiety or depression, or even increasing the efficacy of psychiatric drugs, would be a disservice to the millions of people living with these conditions.
So, I say, lets explore. Stick around for 6 minutes and youll learn about some interesting research on magnesium and the mind.
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Are There Downsides To Magnesium
There are a few side effects of magnesium supplementation with an IV. Some people report feeling drowsy, while others may feel a little flushed or sweaty. A qualified IV therapy provider will take your health history and discuss any potential side effects with you before starting treatment.
You may also want to talk with your doctor before taking extra magnesium if you have a health condition such as kidney disease or heart arrhythmia or take a medication that may interact with magnesium. And if youve decided that magnesium is good for anxiety and depression, talk with your mental health care provider about integrating IV therapy into your treatment plan.
Relaxing Diy Foot Soak Recipe
Heres a quick summary of how to make an easy stress-relieving foot bath.
Doing your foot bath in the evening helps reduce stress and improve sleep.
Foot Soak Recipe:
Calming Essential Oils:
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Why Pandemic Depression Is Not Going Away
Lets look at the mechanisms first. Magnesium hangs out in the synapse between two neurons along with calcium and glutamate. If you recall, calcium and glutamate are excitatory, and in excess, toxic. They activate the NMDA receptor. Magnesium can sit on the NMDA receptor without activating it, like a guard at the gate. Therefore, if we are deficient in magnesium, theres no guard. Calcium and glutamate can activate the receptor like there is no tomorrow. In the long term, this damages the neurons, eventually leading to cell death. In the brain, that is not an easy situation to reverse or remedy.
And then there is the stress-diathesis model of depression, which is the generally accepted theory that chronic stress leads to excess cortisol, which eventually damages the hippocampus of the brain, leading to impaired negative feedback and thus ongoing stress and depression and neurotoxicity badness. Murck tells us that magnesium seems to act on many levels in the hormonal axis and regulation of the stress response. Magnesium can suppress the ability of the hippocampus to stimulate the ultimate release of stress hormone, it can reduce the release of ACTH , and it can reduce the responsiveness of the adrenal glands to ACTH. In addition, magnesium can act at the blood-brain barrier to prevent the entrance of stress hormones into the brain. All these reasons are why I call magnesium the original chill pill.
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Regulating Stress & Stabilizing Mood Swings
Magnesium is that critical element which is responsible for the production and regulation of serotonin.
A chemical that receives and delivers cellular messages, serotonin, if not released adequately, can often cause high anxiety levels, increased stress, and extreme mood swings.
Nonetheless, taking the recommended magnesium depression dosage makes sure that this particular chemical is produced and circulated across the body in sufficient and wholesome amounts.
At this juncture, it becomes highly important to find out what is the ideal magnesium depression dosage that a patient must consume in order to manage their illness properly.
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How We Ranked The Top Magnesium Supplements
Here is how we ranked this magnesium product review to make sure you find the correct magnesium product.
Types of Magnesium
All these supplements contain several magnesium types that provide a range of effectivity.
Magnesium Oxide
Most magnesium supplements contain this magnesium oxide element. It not only helps with insomnia but also provides a pleasing laxative effect. So, incorporating magnesium oxide into your diet can be helpful.
Magnesium Citrate
Incorporating magnesium citrate will be a great option if you want to strengthen your heart, muscle, and bone health.
Magnesium Sulfate
This form of magnesium is essential for both plant and animal foods. In the case of animal foods, it primarily provides a laxative effect.
Magnesium Chloride
The magnesium chloride form helps deal with depression, lowering blood pressure, and can even help with inflammation.
Magnesium Glycinate
This popular magnesium glycinate form helps with your sleep problems. Since magnesium glycinate can enter the blood-brain barrier, it improves your brains health.
Overall, magnesium aspartate, magnesium oxide, magnesium sulfate, bis-glycinate, malate, etc., help manage your body.
What Are The Risks Of Taking A Magnesium Supplement
Hypermagnesemia. Taking large amounts of supplemental magnesium typically more than 5,000 milligrams per day can lead to a serious health issue called hypermagnesemia, in which the level of magnesium in the blood reaches a toxic level. It can lead to extremely low blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, cardiac arrest and death.
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The Benefits Of Magnesium For Mood + Mental Health
About the Author
CentreSpring MD, formerly known as Atlanta Center for Holistic and Integrative Medicine, provides the best medical care by using an integrative approach to find a patients centretheir coreempowering them to spring forth into health.
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At CentreSpringMD, we do medicine differently. Our focus is on giving you hope and your life back.
Our team of dedicated board-certified providers relentlessly pursue your health until you have the answers that you deserve to change the trajectory of your healthand your life.
Magnesium is an important micronutrient that plays a role in mood and mental health. It helps with depression, anxiety, ADHD, and other conditions. Low magnesium can affect your mood too!
Feeling tense, tight, anxious, or just otherwisewound too tight? It might be a mineralmagnesiumyour mind is missing. And its because magnesium plays a starring role in regulating muscle and nerve function.
When we get more of this miracle mineral, we sleep better, have more energy, and it even performs other helpful functions like activating vitamin D. It can be hard to get enough magnesium because its not found in most foods but you can increase your intake both from diet and the right form of magnesium supplementation. Lets find out how it can help you.