Move over, CBD; off you pop, vitamin D and pipe down, collagen – because now magnesium is having a moment.
Yes, there’s a newly trending health-boosting wonder complement on the town. It’s big news on TikTok, where #sleepygirlmocktail has clocked up 103 million views – Gen Z can’t get enough of this sleep-inducing, pre-bed tipple, mixing magnesium powder with melatonin-rich cherry juice.
Meanwhile, nutritionist Pippa Campbell, creator of Eat Right, Lose Weight and whose devotees include Gabby Logan and Zoe Ball, notes that her Magnesium Complex (£39.44 for 90g, pippacampbellhealth.com), which supports ‘leisure, energy and muscle function’, is now the highest seller in her range of supplements.
And over on Instagram, you’ll be able to barely move for biohackers (a polite term for individuals with an excessive amount of time/money who develop into insanely obsessive about their health) espousing the virtues of drinking water pimped with electrolytes, of which magnesium is one, to enhance concentration and physical performance.
‘Magnesium is a vital mineral that is essential for many alternative processes within the body – these include muscle and nerve function, the immune system, energy production, sleep and bone health,’ says GP Dr Gemma Newman, creator of Get
Well, Stay Well. ‘This hasn’t modified, though – it already did that before it was a trend.’
One of the explanations that magnesium has struck such a chord is that it will possibly help with a large number of issues. These include poor sleep, stress, anxiety, hormonal imbalances, headaches, migraines, sore muscles and recovery – Alexa, show me a tick-list of a midlife woman’s health problems!
A supplements industry insider told me that sales of products containing CBD (cannabidiol, derived from the hemp plant), which has develop into hugely popular as a stressbuster and sleep-inducer, are actually beginning to fall, partly because women realise that magnesium can do all that and far more. And who doesn’t love a multitasker?
‘Everyone is stressed and may’t sleep,’ as Campbell pithily puts it. ‘So I rarely find someone who doesn’t profit from a magnesium complement.’
Sleep is, after all, our current collective health obsession – I’m panic-writing this because my Oura ring health-tracker is chiding me for notching up only five hours 17 minutes of shuteye last night – and, thankfully, magnesium is a godsend.
‘It helps regulate Gaba, our calming neurotransmitter, and in consequence relaxes each mind and body and aids sleep,’ says Campbell.
Indeed, as soon as we’re done here, I’ll be drawing a hot bath generously seasoned with Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate). For topical use, obviously – I won’t drink it. That’s one other tick for magnesium – although research is restricted, it does appear to work topically in addition to orally.
‘People have gotten far more magnesium savvy about the different sorts and its many useful uses,’ says Rob Hobson, nutritionist at vitamin and complement specialist Healthspan. However, you need to do your research and browse the ingredients lists rigorously – there are multiple sorts of magnesium, all with different advantages.
While magnesium sulphate, for instance, is sweet for muscle recovery, bisglycinate (also called glycinate) is a solid all-rounder that may help with low mood, anxiety and sleep. Malate can boost energy, while citrate is helpful for leg cramps and treating constipation.
Healthspan now receives a flurry of queries from parents around exam time about magnesium supplements for his or her stressed, insomniac teenagers, says Hobson. ‘We know from research that the typical intake of magnesium for this age group is just 67 per cent of the really helpful every day amount,’ he adds.
The really helpful every day dose of magnesium for adults, based on the NHS, is 270mg for girls aged 19-64 and 300mg for men in the identical age group.
Many health experts consider that a big proportion of adults, like teenagers, are deficient, although estimates of by how much vary, because magnesium levels will not be routinely tested. (You can, nevertheless, pay for mineral testing at some private health clinics.) Signs of deficiency may include muscle cramps, twitching eyelids or restless legs.
If you observed your levels of magnesium need a lift, your first stop ought to be to have a look at your weight loss program. ‘I at all times take a food-first approach. You can get magnesium from nuts, seeds, wholegrains, leafy greens, legumes and dark chocolate,’ says Dr Newman.
She acknowledges, nevertheless, that depleted mineral levels in soil (as a result of modern farming methods) and the rise of ultra-processed foods may mean we’re getting less magnesium from our diets than we’d like. ‘And in case you’re stressed, you plough through the magnesium in your body,’ says Campbell. ‘You might get all of it out of your weight loss program, but you’re using all of it up.’
You may also lose magnesium via heavy sweating and menstrual blood. So, supplements can have their place, and magnesium – as a vital mineral that’s used so widely inside the body – is a low-risk one to try.
‘Just remember that the absorption and bioavailability [how well it’s used by the body] of differing kinds may vary, and likewise of really helpful doses,’ says Dr Newman.
‘If you’re not sleeping well, are stressed, have migraines or hormonal issues, then try a magnesium complement and see the way you get on,’ says Campbell. ‘Take it for per week – or for PMS issues for a monthly cycle – and don’t make some other changes to your weight loss program and lifestyle during this time. You should know quite quickly if it really works for you.’
Say no more – I’ll fix us a round of sleepy girl mocktails, pronto.
Made for magnesium: Pick the mineral boost for you
Hydration hero
HigherYou Magnesium Water, from £23.88 for 12 cans, betteryou.com
Yep, you’ll be able to drink it, too. Choose your flavoured magnesium-spiked water depending in your need: Hydrate (lime and bergamot), Energy (pomegranate and rhubarb) or Focus (blueberry and mint).
Calming go-to
Neom Perfect Night’s Sleep Magnesium Bath Milk, £40, neomwellbeing.com
Epsom salts not luxe enough for you? Upgrade bathtime with this divinely fragranced lavender and patchouli potion from wellbeing brand Neom, boosted with magnesium chloride to assist sweet dreams.
Budget buy
Healthspan Opti-Magnesium tablets, £14.99 for 90, healthspan.co.uk
No-frills but quality supplements at decent prices. Taken twice every day, this pack will last six weeks. It accommodates magnesium citrate and malate to support immune and bone health, boost muscle function and likewise help with fatigue.
Fitness favourite
Humantra sachets, £28 for 20 servings, humantra.co.uk
I’m a giant fan of those water-soluble electrolyte powders for enhancing energy and hydration after a heavy session on the gym (or, er, the pub – hello, recent favourite hangover cure). Each dose accommodates six electrolytes, including magnesium citrate, which, together with potassium and chromium, help regulate blood-sugar levels.