Health benefits of magnesium: It is crucial for brain health, as it supports the nervous system and increases cognitive function (Images: Canva)
In today’s super stimulated world, maintaining focus can feel like a struggle. Our focus is continually disturbed by endless notifications, digital overload, and chronic stress. Instead of relying on caffeine or gimmicks for a jolt of energy, science indicates that there’s a healthier, more sustainable solution: magnesium.
“Magnesium is crucial for brain health, as it supports the nervous system and increases cognitive function,” says Dr Anjali Deshmukh, neurologist and functional medicine expert from Bengaluru.
Health benefits of magnesium:
Fuels Brain Function
Magnesium is necessary for more than 300 biochemical processes in the body, and many of these are linked directly to brain function. “It plays a role in neurotransmitter regulation, which is essential for brain cell communication,” says Dr Deshmukh. Magnesium supports synaptic plasticity — the brain’s ability to change and adapt, and to learn and form new memories and neural connections.
Also read | Diet tips: 10 magnesium-rich foods to include in your daily diet, why pumpkin seeds top the list
Calms the Overactive Mind
Those stresses and anxieties are focus-killers in our hyper-connected lives. Here too, magnesium shines. It balances cortisol — the stress hormone — and enables the parasympathetic nervous system to relax body and mind. “Magnesium works almost like a natural tranquilizer. It helps focus the mind so that you can concentrate on tasks,” says Dr Deshmukh.
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Boosts Energy Without the Crash
Though caffeine may wake up your cells temporarily, magnesium creates a powered-up feeling that is here to stay with cellular energy from ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the currency of your body’s energy. This helps fuel brain cells more efficiently, resulting in improved endurance in mentally difficult tasks. “Magnesium can provide a mild and sustained energy lift without the jittery crash of coffee as well,” Dr Deshmukh adds.
Also read | 8 signs you need magnesium supplements in your diet
Improves sleep quality
Where we focus during the day is directly correlated with how well we sleep at night. Magnesium is involved in the production of the sleep hormone melatonin and binds to GABA receptors in the brain to relax the muscles. “When you sleep better, your brain’s ability to focus and remember things enhances significantly,” says Dr Deshmukh. Taking the mineral regularly has been shown to contribute to deeper, more restorative sleep.
How to get more magnesium
More magnesium is not about popping pills — though, as with all micronutrients, supplements are great when necessary! You can easily add it through the diet.
Magnesium-rich foods include:
- Vegetables like spinach and kale
- Nuts and seeds, such as pumpkin and sunflower seeds
- Whole grains such as brown rice or oats
- Peas, Beans, Avocados, Bananas, and Dark chocolate
For those with absorption problems or higher needs, Dr Deshmukh suggests magnesium glycinate or citrate supplements, which are generally easier on the gut and more bioavailable.
Disclaimer: This article, including health and fitness advice, only provides generic information. Don’t treat it as a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist for specific health diagnosis.