Feeling more stressed than usual? Doctor explains 5 early signs of low magnesium

Stress and palpitations are often brushed off as trivial occurrences. However, it can be a way for the body to signal low magnesium levels, notes Dr Sood.

A healthy diet is crucial to maintaining good health, and that involves focusing on the daily micronutrient intake along with the macros like protein and fibre. One of the most important micronutrients that the body needs is magnesium.

Stress and frequent headaches are signs of low magnesium levels. (Pexel)

It has multiple functions within the body, such as improving mood, providing quality sleep, improving performance and glucose regulation, and more. Thus, when the body runs low on magnesium, it starts showing noticeable symptoms.

Taking to Instagram on June 28, Dr Kunal Sood, a Maryland-based physician in Anesthesiology and Interventional Pain Medicine, listed five of them and explained why they take place.

1. Trouble with sleeping

One of the most important uses of magnesium is helping an individual get quality sleep. As such, lack of sleep is a common symptom of its deficiency.

Explaining the condition, Dr Sood shared, “Magnesium helps regulate nervous system excitability, GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid, an inhibitory neurotransmitter) signalling, circadian rhythms, and melatonin pathways. Low magnesium may make the brain more electrically excitable, contributing to difficulty falling asleep, lighter sleep, or feeling less restored after sleep.”

2. Muscle cramps or twitching

Magnesium helps with a number of biochemical reactions within the body. As per Dr Sood, “Magnesium helps regulate nerve firing, calcium movement, and muscle relaxation. When levels are low, nerves may fire more easily, and muscles may become more prone to twitching, cramps, tremors, or spasms.”

3. Feeling more stressed than usual

The lives of the average person are becoming more stressful by the day. While there may be a number of external factors to blame, the lack of magnesium in the body can also be a likely cause for the condition, shared Dr Sood.

“Magnesium is closely tied to the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis and stress regulation. Research describes a ‘magnesium and stress vicious cycle,’ where stress can increase magnesium loss while low magnesium may increase vulnerability to stress and nervous system reactivity,” explained the physician.

4. Occasional palpitations

The lack of magnesium can also be the cause of occasional palpitations among individuals. As Dr Sood noted, “Magnesium helps stabilise electrical activity in the heart by regulating calcium, potassium, and sodium balance. Low magnesium has been linked with abnormal heart rhythms and may contribute to sensations such as fluttering, skipped beats, or pounding heartbeats in some people.”

5. Frequent headaches

According to Dr Sood, magnesium has one of its strongest neurological connections in migraine biology. “It influences NMDA receptors, glutamate signalling, serotonin pathways, vascular tone, and cortical spreading depression, all of which are involved in migraine susceptibility,” he shared.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

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