Health Benefits of Magnesium Glycinate: Depression, Blood Pressure, and More

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Dr Candace Mathers, N.D. Opublikowano dnia 26 lipca 2023

For decades, magnesium has been recognized as an essential mineral for overall health and wellness among doctors and scientists. In recent years, with the explosion of more holistic approaches to wellness, magnesium has once again taken the spotlight.

One form of magnesium, magnesium glycinate, has received much attention from the scientific community and the general public. What is magnesium glycinate? Are there any benefits from taking magnesium glycinate?

Studies suggest that several benefits come with supplementing with magnesium glycinate. These benefits have a wide scope ranging from improving depression to benefiting cardiovascular health and even reducing pain.

The Importance of Magnesium

Magnesium is an element essential for optimal health and wellness. It is estimated that the body has between 21-28 grams of magnesium. Approximately 99% of the magnesium content in the human body is located in soft tissues, bones, and muscles. The remaining 1% of magnesium is located in the blood serum, where it is kept tightly regulated by the body.

Magnesium is crucial because it is needed to function over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body properly.

Unfortunately, studies suggest that many adults in the general public may be deficient in magnesium or have a low magnesium status that doesn’t yet exhibit overt symptoms.

This rise in subclinical magnesium deficiency in adults among the general public has been linked to a variety of causes, including malabsorption disorders like celiac and Crohn’s disease, overuse of laxatives, excessive sweating, and even prolonged use of certain medications.

Research also indicates that inadequate dietary magnesium intake may greatly contribute to a low magnesium status.

Fortunately, magnesium supplements may help to improve low magnesium status.

What Is the Difference Between Magnesium Supplements?

There are many different magnesium supplements to choose from, whether it be magnesium threonate, which may help improve cognition, or magnesium oxide, which is reported to help alleviate constipation.

With so many different magnesium supplements, it can be daunting to figure out the difference between them.

Magnesium supplements often differ in the molecule that is attached to the mineral. For example, magnesium citrate is attached to a citric acid molecule.

What Is Magnesium Glycinate?

Magnesium glycinate is a popular magnesium supplement that has the amino acid glycine attached to the elemental magnesium.

Glycine is an amino acid synthesized by the body from choline or threonine. It can also be obtained through foods like bone broth and gelatin.

Studies show that glycine acts as an inhibitory or calming chemical messenger in the brain. As a neurotransmitter, glycine reduces the transmission of signals between brain cells, which may help promote calm.

Since research indicates that magnesium may also promote calm and reduce anxiety, magnesium glycinate may have a cumulative effect on calming and relaxation.

While relaxation may be one of the chief health benefits of magnesium glycinate, this powerhouse supplement may promote overall wellness in a variety of ways.

Here are 5 magnesium glycinate benefits.

1. Magnesium Glycinate Has Increased Absorption

Some magnesium supplements can irritate the gastrointestinal tract and even promote increased bowel movements through an osmotic effect. When certain magnesium supplements are ingested, they aren’t absorbed in the gut and cause water to come into the intestines and produce a bowel movement.

Some supplements, like magnesium hydroxide, called Milk of Magnesia, work in this manner and are used specifically for the relief of constipation.

Magnesium glycinate hasn’t been found to work similarly to supplements like magnesium hydroxide. Those who are sensitive to magnesium supplements can often take magnesium glycinate without many gastrointestinal symptoms.

Studies measuring the amount of magnesium absorbed into the body have found that low doses of magnesium glycinate raise brain magnesium levels while surrounding tissue magnesium levels remain unchanged.

The increased absorption of magnesium glycinate can help reduce gastrointestinal discomfort while benefiting other organs like the brain.

2. Magnesium Glycinate May Help Improve Depression

Several case studies have found that supplementing with magnesium glycinate may help to alleviate depression.

A case study is a study that follows one particular person or group over a period to assess the outcome of an intervention.

One case study followed a 59-year-old man who suffered from insomnia, anxiety, and depression for 5 years. The man reported that his depression and anxiety were alleviated over several months by taking 400 milligrams (mg) of magnesium glycinate.

Another case study followed a 35-year-old woman who had previously given birth to three children. She suffered from severe postpartum depression with the birth of each child.

She took magnesium glycinate as a preventative measure against postpartum depression with a fourth pregnancy. The woman reported that after the birth of her fourth child, she didn’t struggle with postpartum depression at all.

One systematic review, which is a study that analyzes all of the research available on a specific subject, found a correlation between low magnesium blood serum levels and depression.

The study also found that magnesium supplementation helped to reduce depressive symptoms.

3. Magnesium Glycinate May Help Lower Blood Pressure

High blood pressure has been linked to heart attack, stroke, issues with the eyes and kidneys, and even a decrease in cognition.

Magnesium glycinate may help to alleviate high blood pressure. One double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study followed 95 participants who took either vitamin D and magnesium glycinate, vitamin D alone, or a placebo for 12 weeks.

The study found that the magnesium and vitamin D group raised vitamin D levels better than vitamin D alone. It also found that the combination of magnesium glycinate and vitamin D lowered the systolic or top blood pressure by up to 8.26 points.

One systematic review analyzed the effects of magnesium supplementation on weight, waist circumference, and blood pressure. While the study found no difference in weight and waist circumference, magnesium supplementation significantly lowered blood pressure after 12 weeks.

Research indicates that magnesium may help to lower blood pressure by regulating the tone of blood vessels. Magnesium also prevents the release of hormones like epinephrine that raise the heart rate and blood pressure.

4. Magnesium Glycinate May Improve Sleep

Research suggests that magnesium supplementation may help improve sleep. One double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study involved 46 older patients who suffered from insomnia.

For 8 weeks, the participants were given either 500 mg of magnesium daily or a placebo, and they completed questionnaires to assess the severity of their insomnia symptoms.

At the end of 8 weeks, the group that received magnesium supplements had increased sleep time and quality compared to the placebo group. The magnesium group also had an increase in the levels of serum melatonin compared to the placebo group.

Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain that helps to initiate sleep.

Another double-blind, randomized placebo study involved 16 men and women aged between 24 to 27 years of age. The study wanted to measure objective and subjective measures of sleep quality, like the time it took for participants to fall asleep and their assessment of sleep quality.

The participants in the intervention group took a combination of magnesium, glycine, tryptophan, tart cherry, and l-theanine. Over three days, the individuals in the intervention group reported quicker times falling asleep, longer and better sleep, and less morning sleepiness compared to the placebo group.

5. Magnesium Glycinate May Help to Reduce Pain

Research suggests that magnesium may be beneficial in helping reduce pain. Studies suggest that magnesium works to prevent excess excitation in the brain by blocking the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor.

NMDA receptor activation is associated with increased sensitivity to pain, increased nerve pain, and even a reduced response to certain pain medications.

Decreased magnesium levels have been associated with a variety of disorders, including migraine and tension headaches, painful periods, and fibromyalgia.

One study involving pediatric patients with chronic tension headaches found that magnesium supplementation over two months reduced headaches by 76%.

Magnesium supplementation was found to benefit individuals with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and abnormal uterine bleeding. One randomized placebo-controlled trial followed 64 women with PCOS who either took magnesium supplements or were placed in a placebo group.

Those supplemented with magnesium reported a better quality of life, better physical functioning, better physical and emotional health, and increased energy compared to the placebo group.

Another double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study found that magnesium supplementation for one month reduced pain and perception of stress among fibromyalgia patients better than placebo.

Takeaway

Magnesium glycinate is a powerful form of magnesium that has many benefits for health and wellness. Those sensitive to other magnesium supplements may find that magnesium glycinate is gentle and effective.

Some benefits of magnesium glycinate supplementation may include increased absorption, a better mood, better cardiovascular health, improved sleep, and less pain.

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