Due to its actions as an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist and a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonist, magnesium is hypothesized to help regulate the sleep/wake cycle and thereby promote healthy sleep.[1][2] For this reason, magnesium is often promoted as a sleep-enhancing supplement, and some people use magnesium to treat insomnia and improve sleep quality and/or sleep duration. However, there is surprisingly little evidence to support its use.
Some evidence from animal studies shows that higher magnesium levels in specific sites in the brain are associated with better sleep quality.[3] Some evidence from observational studies in humans finds low serum magnesium concentrations in people with obstructive sleep apnea, a sleep disorder associated with sleep disturbances.[4] Meanwhile, other evidence from observational studies shows that higher magnesium intake is associated with better sleep quality.[5] However, these lines of evidence do not prove that magnesium helps with sleep.
Unfortunately, very few randomized controlled trials have assessed the effect of magnesium on sleep quality or sleep duration, and their outcomes are mixed.[6][7][8] Consequently, although recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses have found that supplemental magnesium may reduce sleep latency by approximately 17 minutes, they conclude that the quality of current evidence is insufficient to make well-informed recommendations and that larger randomized controlled trials are needed to remedy that issue.[1][9]
References
- ^Jasmine Mah, Tyler PitreOral magnesium supplementation for insomnia in older adults: a Systematic Review & Meta-AnalysisBMC Complement Med Ther.(2021 Apr 17)
- ^Ring et al.Dietary Supplements for InsomniaCurr Sleep Medicine Rep.(2017-12-01)
- ^D Chollet, P Franken, Y Raffin, A Malafosse, J Widmer, M TaftiBlood and brain magnesium in inbred mice and their correlation with sleep qualityAm J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol.(2000 Dec)
- ^Al Wadee Z, Ooi SL, Pak SCSerum Magnesium Levels in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Biomedicines.(2022 Sep 14)
- ^Yijia Zhang, Cheng Chen, Liping Lu, Kristen L Knutson, Mercedes R Carnethon, Alyce D Fly, Juhua Luo, David M Haas, James M Shikany, Ka KaheAssociation of magnesium intake with sleep duration and sleep quality: findings from the CARDIA studySleep.(2021 Nov 20)
- ^Saba S, Faizi F, Sepandi M, Nehrir BEffect of short-term magnesium supplementation on anxiety, depression and sleep quality in patients after open-heart surgery.Magnes Res.(2022-Apr-01)
- ^Behnood Abbasi, Masud Kimiagar, Khosro Sadeghniiat, Minoo M Shirazi, Mehdi Hedayati, Bahram RashidkhaniThe effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trialJ Res Med Sci.(2012 Dec)
- ^Gholizadeh-Moghaddam M, Ghasemi-Tehrani H, Askari G, Jaripur M, Clark CCT, Rouhani MHEffect of magnesium supplementation in improving hyperandrogenism, hirsutism, and sleep quality in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.Health Sci Rep.(2023-Jan)
- ^Arman Arab, Nahid Rafie, Reza Amani, Fatemeh ShiraniThe Role of Magnesium in Sleep Health: a Systematic Review of Available LiteratureBiol Trace Elem Res.(2022 Feb 19)