Your body relies on magnesium to relax tight muscles and prevent leg cramps, maintain calmness, improve sleep quality, build energy, stop migraines before they start and much more. After all, magnesium participates in more than 300 biochemical processes of the body. Is this the reason why people choose magnesium for energy and metabolism?
In this article, we explore what functional medicine experts say about pure encapsulations magnesium glycinate and how it may support stress relief, muscle relaxation, and deeper sleep. You’ll also find real experiences and expert-backed insights from Nutriessential, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and others. Our expert Dr Aditi, also shared her personal experience of how she started with magnesium glycinate.
Magnesium Glycinate for Stress & Sleep — What Functional Medicine Experts Want You to Know
Functional experts call magnesium the body’s master multitasker. They even say that is most likely missing from your diet. That’s why they focus on this mineral when patients struggle with stress and sleep.
Magnesium is the most abundant mineral in our body. Dr Joseph Austerman, DO explains, magnesium can be beneficial for managing anxiety and stress and there is some evidence available for this.
“Magnesium glycinate is a well-regarded supplement known for its potential to contribute to better sleep and alleviate overall anxiousness,” says Faisal Tai, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist in Houston.
“Magnesium helps your brain calm down and relaxes your muscles, which could help you sleep better by supporting your body's natural sleep patterns,” says Shelby Harris, a licensed clinical psychologist in White Plains and board-certified in behavioral sleep medicine.
Experts also highlight that sleep does not rely on one mineral and it's not a one-stop fix for everyone. The response varies with individuals. If two people take the same magnesium glycinate supplement, then one may feel the effect on sleep in a few days and others may experience the same result in a few weeks.
Chester Wu, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist in Houston, says, There isn’t much research on the topic. It is hard to find peer-reviewed literature on magnesium glycinate and sleep specifically. Studies have mainly looked at people with anxiety, depressive disorders, or sleep disorders such as insomnia or Restless Legs Syndrome.
Why Functional Medicine Doctors Prefer Magnesium Glycinate Over Other Forms
Functional medicine experts take a holistic approach to identifying and managing sleep issues. Instead of focusing on surface-level symptoms, they focus on whole body wellness.
For magnesium glycinate, magnesium is bound to the amino acid glycine. According to a study, glycine can improve sleep, reduce inflammation and help manage metabolic disorders.
Functional medicine experts say, When you’re standing in the supplement aisle looking at all the magnesium types—glycinate, citrate, oxide—it can feel like you’re back in chemistry class. But each one serves a different purpose.
Magnesium glycinate or magnesium malate has better absorption and will be more effective as a sleep aid. Avoid magnesium oxide as it is less absorbed and more commonly used to combat constipation and heartburn symptoms.
Magnesium glycinate is often recommended for anxiety. It's because, as a calming effect on the nervous system, it is well-absorbed by the body and may help reduce stress levels. If taken 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime. It may help you fall asleep faster and experience more restorative sleep. This mineral can be helpful for those who are dealing with anxiety and sleep disturbances. It can decrease muscle cramps at night and stress gland stimulation.
Why Functional Medicine Prefers Magnesium Glycinate for Stress & Sleep Support
Dr Austerman explains that magnesium regulates cortisol (stress hormone) levels. “Cortisol is very important for acute stress, but in times of chronic stress, it can actually worsen depression and anxiety”
Many studies have explained the effect of magnesium on reducing cortisol levels. It tackles anxiety by diminishing/ blocking the neuroendocrine pathways sending cortisol to the brain.
He says magnesium also balances out neurotransmitters. These serve as the on and off switches of the brain during stressful times or anxiousness. When you get stressed or anxious, they flip on, and when you calm back down, they turn off.
When too many of your switches are on, your nerves are hyper-excited, so you feel anxious and you can even feel depressed, especially in the emotional control centers of our brain,” Dr. Austerman explains. Your brain keeps these on-and-off switches balanced by having two types of neurotransmitters: the first excites the nerves (excitatory), while the other inhibits, or blocks them (inhibitory).
“The on switches are the neurochemical called glutamate,” he continues. “And the off switch — or the thing that turns some of these nerves off — is a neurochemical called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is also the anxiety pathway.”
Magnesium can help keep our neurotransmitters from over-firing and making anxiety worse. According to Dr. Austerman, it does this by blunting the release of glutamate — the excitatory neurotransmitter — and helping release GABA, the inhibitory neurotransmitter.
Dr Aditi at Nutriessential shares her journey to starting magnesium glycinate
There was a phase in my life when work kept me seated for hours at a stretch. I often stayed in the same posture for too long, and sometimes sat with my legs bent for extended periods. Slowly, I began to notice a deep, persistent pain in my legs. Even when I walked or tried to relax, the discomfort followed me everywhere.
I knew that relying on painkillers would only give temporary relief. As soon as I stopped taking them, the pain would return. I wanted something that could address the root cause. That’s when I tried magnesium for the first time.
I started with effervescent magnesium. Every night before bed, I would drop one tablet into a glass of water, wait for five minutes, and then drink it. The results were surprisingly quick. Within just 15 days, the pain disappeared. I stopped the supplement after that but the relief lasted for months.
When the pain eventually came back, I decided to switch to magnesium glycinate tablets. This time, the results were even better. I take it around 9 PM, and by 10:30 PM, I fall asleep peacefully.
Since I follow a pure vegan lifestyle, I stick to some supplements to support my general health. After breakfast, I take vitamin B12 and folic acid, and after lunch, I include omega-3. I regularly check my vitamin D levels as well.
How to start with magnesium glycinate?
Functional medicine experts say that first try to improve magnesium through food. Before capsules, try magnesium-rich foods like pumpkin seeds, spinach, almonds, avocado, dark chocolate, etc. If it doesn't happen by diet, then you should consult your healthcare provider to help you choose the best magnesium supplement for stress and sleep support.
Magnesium glycinate is generally safe to take. But always consume it in the recommended dosage. It's important to start with a smaller dose and watch how your body responds,” Harris says.
If you’re already taking medications, it is important to discuss with your healthcare provider before starting any supplement to avoid potential interactions.
Magnesium is not a miracle pill. When you start taking it, you may have less complaints of muscle ache and sleep issues. Still at some nights sleep can be elusive but less than before.
When You Should NOT Take Magnesium?
If you are eating a healthy diet and getting enough magnesium with no symptoms of magnesium deficiency like muscle cramps and sleep disturbances, then you don't need magnesium supplements.
Final Expert Recommendations
Magnesium touches many systems of our body. Any imbalance in these minerals creates disturbance from sleep to mood to physical performance. That's why it's so important to restore it to healthy levels.
Addressing simple mineral deficiencies can create remarkable improvements in how you feel in your everyday life. Magnesium might be just one piece of your unique health puzzle but for many people it’s the game-changer they never knew they needed.
Resources:
Magnesium for Anxiety: Cleveland Clinic (Source)
Magnesium and stress - Magnesium in the Central Nervous System - NCBI Bookshelf (Source)
Zhang, C.; Hu, Q.; Li, S.; Dai, F.; Qian, W.; Hewlings, S.; Yan, T.; Wang, Y. A Magtein®, Magnesium L-Threonate -Based Formula Improves Brain Cognitive Functions in Healthy Chinese Adults. Nutrients 2022, 14, 5235. (Source)
Razak MA, Begum PS, Viswanath B, Rajagopal S. Multifarious Beneficial Effect of Nonessential Amino Acid, Glycine: A Review. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2017;2017:1716701. doi: 10.1155/2017/1716701. Epub 2017 Mar 1. Erratum in: Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2022 Feb 23;2022:9857645. doi: 10.1155/2022/9857645. PMID: 28337245; PMCID: PMC5350494. (Source)
Does Magnesium Glycinate Really Help You Sleep Better? (Source)
