To live a healthy life, and have your body and soul function normally, you must have certain elements in your body at certain levels. This includes all kinds of vitamins, supplements, minerals, and many other things along those lines. One of those being magnesium.
Surprisingly, lots of people are unaware of what magnesium actually is. Yet, it’s a very important mineral for your body, as it has a great part in helping you with basic day-to-day functions, and keeping everything functioning the way it should. And, a shortage of magnesium can cause lots of problems.
So, let’s get started by defining what magnesium is.
What is Magnesium?
Magnesium is a type of mineral your body needs to function normally and properly, along with other minerals required for proper body function. This type of mineral is needed specifically for normal and proper bone structure.
Magnesium is a nutrient that the body needs in order to function the way it’s supposed to. It’s an electrolyte as well as the fourth most abundant mineral in the body.
The human body produces or stores so much magnesium for your body to feed off of. But for some, it’s not enough.
Everyone needs roughly the same amount of magnesium, at least everybody in the same age group does, as age affects how much you need in your body for everything to function normally.
However, some people’s bodys don’t produce or store as much, which obviously causes their magnesium levels to drop as they don’t have enough in their body. This can affect many different parts of your body as well as many different functions, and it can cause quite a few issues, symptoms, and/or disturbances in the body. So it’s a very important nutrient to have.
For people who have low magnesium, they often have to take magnesium supplements. But when you go and shop for these supplements, people find that there are many different types of magnesium out there. This leads to them not knowing which one to buy.
Well, let’s now discuss the different types of magnesium, and what they’re specifically for and what each one does for the body.
Types of Magnesium
There are quite a few types of magnesium, and each one does something different.
Today, we’ll be talking about the types of magnesium that are out there to purchase as a supplement, and what they’re good for.
The types of magnesium you can get include the following:
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Magnesium glycinate
This type of magnesium is often used to reduce muscle pains.
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Magnesium oxide
Usually, magnesium oxide is used for the treatment of migraines and constipation.
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Magnesium chloride
This is a type of magnesium is popular as that the body can absorb it fast and easy.
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Magnesium citrate
This one is both used to treat constipation and can be absorbed by the body fast and easily.
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Magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt)
This one typically isn’t easily absorbed by the body, but it can possibly be absorbed through the skin.
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Magnesium lactate
This type of magnesium is often used as a food additive.
So, those are the types of magnesium.
As you can see, each one is does something different in the body. Each one has it’s own set of benefits, basically.
However, there are also benefits of magnesium that almost every type has. Let’s talk about that now.
Benefits of Taking Magnesium
Taking magnesium can have many different effects on people, and benefit people in different ways, based on what kind you take, and who you are/what your body is like.
The benefits list is long, only it’s different for each person, and can be different based on what type of magnesium you take.
Even though there are a few benefits for each different type of magnesium, let’s discuss what the basic benefits are for pretty much any type of magnesium you take.
- Starting with the fact that it boosts exercise performance. It gives you extra energy, and makes it easier to exercise for longer periods of time.
- Another benefit is that magnesium can lower blood pressure, which is obviously good for those with higher blood pressure.
- And the final benefit I wanted to mention was the fact that it’s good for mental health.
It can relieve symptoms of anxiety, depression, OCD, and more, and can help control or even prevent panic attacks, in most cases. That’s what we’ll be discussing, going into depth about, now.
Is Magnesium Good for Mental Health?
The short answer: yes. Magnesium can be very good for mental health, and people with mental health issues such as panic attacks, anxiety, depression, and OCD tend to take magnesium on a regular basis.
Certain types of magnesium specifically say they’re for anxiety, depression, etc. though. Some kinds are (as you probably could’ve guessed) specifically designed to help those with these types of mental health issues.
But, almost every type of magnesium, despite if they’re explicitly labelled for these issues, tend to contribute to helping anxiety, as they all have a calming agent in them. Almost every type of magnesium has an ingredient that, usually, can relax people.
However, it depends on the person to an extent depending on the severity of magnesium deficiency and other medical conditions they may have. Still, for the most part, this works for the majority of people.
Magnesium can calm you down, relax you, and even make sleep better. It can help you think more clearly as well, and help you feel more grounded, and in some cases, more content and even joyful.
Let’s now look at the effects of low magnesium in the body.
Effects of Low Magnesium in the Body
Low magnesium can have many effects on the body. It can really take a toll on someone and their health. It can cause many different problems in a bunch of different parts of the body, and can cause some pretty uncomfortable symptoms.
These problems and symptoms include the following:
- Fatigue
- Migraines
- Insomnia or other problems with sleep
- Ache and pain anywhere or everywhere in the body
- Heart issues and irregularities, and
- More
As you can see, low magnesium can have many negative effects on the body. It can potentially make you sick if your magnesium levels drop.
If your magnesium levels are low or just not considered enough, and you take magnesium regularly, it’s can have many positive effects on the body.
These benefits include relaxation, and the prevention of panic attacks in those with any anxiety or panic disorders, or those at a higher risk for panic attacks or anxiety or panic disorder.
Let’s talk about that now.
How Magnesium Help to Prevent Panic Attacks?
Like I explained before, magnesium has a calming agent in it that can relax people. If you have a magnesium deficiency, chances are you’re more anxious, with or without an actual anxiety or panic disorder. It’s ingredients work in your body to give you relaxation and peace.
As earlier I said, there are specific types of magnesium aimed at helping anxiety, and these ingredients work the majority of the time. However, almost everybody that tries magnesium feels more relaxed and less stressed or anxious.
If you have issues with panic attacks, the cause might be because your magnesium is low. If it not the primary reason for your panic attacks, the chances are the low magnesium to be at least a contributory cause.
If it is, get some magnesium, whether it’s a powder or a pill, and try it out, because it is known to give great results with anxiety and panic attacks.
How Should Magnesium be Taken to Prevent Panic Attacks?
It really depends your age on this one, since it has to do with actually taking magnesium, and each age group should be taking a different amount of magnesium.
For adults, it is suggested to take between 310 and 420 mg. You can take less if you feel you shouldn’t be taking that much, however, do not take more unless instructed to do so by a doctor.
Too much of anything can be too much, and too much of anything can damage somebody in any way – physically, mentally, emotionally. It can really mess with you if you take too much of anything.
Even too much water can be bad for you. And the truth is, when it comes to anything you take, whether it’s medication, supplements, vitamins, even the more natural, nutritious thing, it is still possible to overdose.
I’m sure that it something you all would like to avoid, so follow the instructions and the rules, and take the suggested amount or less – No more without doctors direction.
How Long Does It Take for Magnesium to Work?
If you are taking it to relax you in the moment, it often takes about 30 minutes to an hour to work. However, if you have a deficiency and are looking to raise your magnesium levels, it obviously will not happen after one dose, or one day.
But, you may see improvement as early as one week after starting magnesium. Though not too common, it is possible. But for the most part, it often takes a few weeks to work and raise your blood magnesium levels.
That’s again how it works in the majority of the time, however, depending on how bad your deficiency is, it may take up to 6 months. I know, a long time. But even if it takes 6 months for your magnesium levels to return to normal, you should start feeling a little better as time goes by, as your magnesium levels slowly return back to normal.
So, depending on who you are, what your body is like, what your magnesium levels are, and what you’re taking magnesium for, the answer to this question varies.
However, the overall answer: if you’re taking it for a magnesium deficiency, unless it is an extreme deficiency, it usually takes a few weeks to kick in and start building your magnesium in your body back up, and to raise your magnesium levels.
Can Magnesium Cause Panic Attacks?
Taking magnesium? No. Taking magnesium supplements has never been known to cause panic attacks.
Even if magnesium doesn’t calm you down as much as it does other people or as much as it should, as I talked all about an explained earlier that it should, it is not something that will increase your chances of having a panic attack, or cause them. However, if you have a magnesium deficiency, it can potentially cause panic attacks.
Taking magnesium and adding more to your body cannot cause panic attacks. Still, if you have a shortage of magnesium in your body, you likely have a lot more anxiety, as well as panic attacks, and possibly depression.
So, if you believe that you might have a magnesium deficiency, be sure to consult your doctor to find out more information, and find out if you are suffering from a magnesium deficiency.
If you are, and it is causing panic attacks, you should start taking magnesium (it can be in any way, shape or form. Pills, powder, anything that is labeled as magnesium), and within the first few weeks, you should see improvement in these symptoms.
Certain types of magnesium might help more than others, but refer to the part of this article that is titled “Types of Magnesium” to figure out which one is right for you, or directly ask your doctor what they believe is the right type for you.
Like with anything, magnesium can bring some adverse effects too.
Side Effects of Magnesium and Magnesium Overdose
Side effects of magnesium and a magnesium overdose have the same symptoms, for the most part. Both include symptoms such as:
- Diarrhea
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Weakness in muscles
- Extremely low blood pressure
- Urine retention, and
- More.
These symptoms can range from easy to deal with to pretty serious, so consult a physician if you symptoms are getting worse, and be sure to let them know if you believe these symptoms are either side effects of magnesium, or the result of a magnesium overdose.
Conclusion
In conclusion, magnesium, although not talked about enough, is a very important nutrient for your body to have to function properly.
Without it, or at least with a shortage of it, it can cause some damage in your body, and cause some incredibly uncomfortable, and sometimes painful, symptoms. Including an increase in anxiety, depression, and/or panic attacks.
So, if you’re having an increase in any of these three things, and you believe it’s a result of a magnesium deficiency, consult with your doctor, and be sure to ask what you should be doing, as it may be different from what other people would need to do in this situation, since everybody’s a little different.
After all, everybody’s body works a little differently, and responses differently. So be sure to ask specifically about you from the doctor, and what you need to do to correct this problem.
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