7 Benefits of Magnesium for Hormones
Magnesium plays a crucial role in the production of your hormones and can help to balance the stress response. Research has found that 48% of Americans of all ages are deficient in magnesium, but it goes unrecognized in clinical medicine because levels are rarely evaluated. You can think of magnesium as our calming and relaxing mineral. It helps to loosen tight muscles, maintain the health of our muscles (including our heart – the most important muscle), prevent migraine headaches, balance blood sugar, ease anxiety due to its role in our stress response, and ease PMS symptoms.
Great food sources of magnesium include nuts, seeds, legumes, avocados, dark leafy greens, and dark chocolate (70% cacao). Sometimes a magnesium supplement may be indicated. I’ll recommend either magnesium glycinate or magnesium chelate or if struggling with constipation magnesium citrate.
Here are 7 benefits of magnesium for hormones:
1. Magnesium and Blood Sugar Balance
Consuming magnesium for hormones has also been shown to help improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control if you have insulin resistance. Studies show that magnesium supplementation may be beneficial for those with conditions like PCOS where blood sugar metabolism is altered. Blood sugar imbalances occur when your cells are resistant to accepting glucose from the messenger hormone insulin. When this occurs there is a high concentration of insulin in the blood at a time, and then periods with very low insulin at a time. The imbalance of insulin can make the ovaries produce more testosterone which is why blood sugar imbalances are one of the symptoms for those with PCOS. Luckily, magnesium has positive impacts on hormones and blood sugar.
2. Magnesium and Thyroid
Intaking magnesium for hormones aids in thyroid regulation. The thyroid is a gland in your throat that produces hormones T4 and T3. These hormones aid in metabolic function, temperature balance, and also impact the other reproductive hormones estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. These thyroid hormones can be produced in excess, called hyperthyroidism, and in limited amounts, called hypothyroidism. Magnesium helps to convert inactive thyroid hormone (T4) into the active form (T3). One study found that severely low serum magnesium levels were associated with an increased rate of positive thyroglobulin antibodies, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and hypothyroidism.
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3. Magnesium and Sex Hormone Production
Consuming magnesium for hormones is beneficial to regulate estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. All of the reproductive hormones are connected, so when one is imbalanced the others can become imbalanced as well. Magnesium has been shown in many studies to be a regulating mineral. If your levels of estrogen are too high or too low then magnesium can help bring them back to stable levels which will positively impact testosterone and progesterone.
4. Magnesium and Sleep
Intaking magnesium for hormones is very important to gain better sleep quality and quantity. One study has shown that participants who supplemented with magnesium every day for 8 weeks had longer sleep and better sleep efficiency. This is because magnesium has an impact on our circadian rhythm, which is basically our body’s time clock that senses when we need to be awake and alert, and when we need to get rest. Additionally, melatonin has been measured to increase after supplementation of magnesium. This is important because melatonin is a naturally produced hormone in our brain which helps us go to sleep at night. Its role is to help us react to darkness and lightness to increase our circadian rhythm functioning. Since magnesium has an effect that increases melatonin production this is another reason that magnesium for hormones helps aid in sleep functioning.
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5. Magnesium and Cortisol
Consuming magnesium for hormones is beneficial for the stress response due to cortisol regulation. The effect on stress is due to our brain’s sensitivity to magnesium, specifically the limbic–hypothalamus-pituitary–adrenocortical axis which controls emotions, and our nervous system. Magnesium can also reduce the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone from the pituitary gland in the brain, and this hormone controls the production of cortisol in your adrenal glands. By consuming magnesium you decrease the internal stress response.
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6. Magnesium and Mood
Consuming magnesium for hormones can balance out and improve your mood states. Estrogen especially has a high impact on mood. Estradiol is a form of estrogen, and it has been shown that estradiol is more beneficial to regulate depressive episodes and has antidepressant effects when taken in normal limits, but with low levels, it can cause sadness and unstable emotions. Magnesium can help regulate estrogen which has a positive impact on mood.
Additionally, there is a natural drop in serotonin when we are on our period. Serotonin is our happy mood chemical, so when it drops we can feel sad and have more mood changes. Studies show that those who have magnesium deficiency have lower levels of serotonin. Due to this, many physicians prescribe magnesium as a treatment for major depressive disorder to restore serotonin levels.
Source: 23990808, 10231048, NIH
7. Magnesium and Menstrual Cramps
Another reason for consuming magnesium for hormones is beneficial is because it can relieve menstrual cramps. Cramps are caused by small contractions in the uterus, which function to help excrete the endometrial lining. These contractions happen when the smooth muscle of the pelvic region tightens. You can think of magnesium as our calming and relaxing mineral. It helps to loosen tight muscles, maintain the health of our muscles (including our heart – the most important muscle), prevent migraine headaches, balance blood sugar, ease anxiety due to its role in our stress response, and ease menstrual cramps. A study found that magnesium supplementation was linked with an inverse relationship to endometriosis risk, which is a condition defined with life-disrupting period pain.
