Did you know that magnesium is a powerful mineral that acts as an essential element in various chemical reactions in our body, including those that occur in our brain.
For this reason, its deficiency can cause the manifestation of various metal problems, including symptoms of anxiety and depression. Want to know more? Follow the text and understand the importance of magnesium for mental health. Enjoy it!
Mental health: an overview
Before we start talking about the benefits of magnesium for mental health, it's worth pointing out that problems related to psychological disorders are becoming increasingly common among the world's population.
One of the most common symptoms is anxiety, which is considered the disease of the century and can manifest itself as constant worry about the future, fear, unease and panic.
It severely impacts personal, professional and social life, impairing performance in any activity and can be a trigger for the development of other metal disorders such as depression.
People affected by anxiety in Brazil and worldwide
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety already affects more than 260 million people and around 6.8 million adults have generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Other anxiety-related disorders manifest as phobias and panic.
According to the WHO (World Health Organization), Brazil is the country with the highest number of people suffering from anxiety, i.e. 9.3% of the population - 18.6 million Brazilians. More recent figures show that 86% of Brazilians have some kind of mental disorder, such as depression and anxiety.
As if that weren't enough, the COVID-19 pandemic has further increased the incidence and permanence of the problem. According to a study by UFRGS (Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul), 80% of the Brazilian population has had anxiety problems throughout the pandemic.
Treatment alternatives for anxiety-related problems include medication, therapy or, usually, a combination of both. Today, supplements have also been widely used as aids in relieving the symptoms of anxiety and depression, such as B and C vitamins, zinc, calcium and magnesium.
The importance of magnesium in mental health
Among the nutrients mentioned above, magnesium stands out as an essential mineral for the proper functioning of practically every system in the human body. This includes an important role in our mental and psychological functions.
Among its functions, we can also mention an interesting role as a protector against over-excitation of neurons, which can lead to the death of nerve cells and cause various neurological disorders. Thus, magnesium plays a fundamental role in ensuring the regulation and connection between neurotransmitters, which results in mental and emotional balance.
Therefore, low levels of magnesium in the body can promote symptoms of anxiety and depression, trigger or worsen migraine attacks, chronic pain, and even the psychological symptoms associated with PMS (premenstrual syndrome or tension). In these cases, supplementation, by balancing magnesium levels in the body, helps to alleviate symptoms and improve people's quality of life.
How can magnesium ease symptoms of anxiety, stress and depression?
As we've already said, magnesium supplementation, especially in cases of magnesium deficiency in the body, can be an interesting ally in the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety, stress, depression and other related disorders.
Let's take a look at some of magnesium's functions in the body. But before we get into that, it's important to clarify that any symptomatic changes, whether related to emotions or physical, should be treated and discussed with a health professional, for a treatment that suits your real needs. Magnesium supplements are not medicines and are not intended to cure/treat diseases, the aim is to rebalance bodily functions so that body and mind remain healthy.
Serotonin production
One of magnesium's functions is to help convert vitamin B6 into its active form, which is essential for producing serotonin. This neurotransmitter plays a vital role in mood control processes, so it can be useful for easing the symptoms of depression.
Stress reduction
Magnesium is able to block the entry of calcium into neurons, thus helping to modulate the stress response and maintain emotional balance.
Improved sleep
We know how important adequate sleep is for maintaining overall health, especially mental health. People who suffer from insomnia are directly negatively affected in terms of mood and cognitive capacity, and magnesium contributes greatly to minimizing these impacts, since it has a relaxing effect.
Migraine prevention
Magnesium plays a key role in migraine, which is often linked to symptoms such as anxiety and irritability. Its supplementation has been shown to reduce the intensity and frequency of attacks, including those associated with premenstrual syndrome.
Regulation of mineral balance
One of magnesium's primary functions in the body is to regulate the balance of minerals, since it interacts with other minerals such as potassium and calcium, which directly impacts on people's mental health in a positive way.
Improved cognitive function
Magnesium works in the transmission of signals between neurons, positively influencing cognitive function and mental clarity.
As we can see, the brain needs magnesium to function fully.
Conclusion
In this article, you can understand a little more about the importance of magnesium in helping to relieve symptoms related to anxiety and depression.
In our body, this mineral performs many important functions, especially in the nervous system. It aids communications within nerve cells, helps form and maintain connections between them and also regulates chemicals such as serotonin, dopamine and acetylcholine, which are important for our mood and mental well-being.
Thus, magnesium is crucial for keeping the brain healthy and functioning properly and having good levels of this mineral in the body can help relieve the symptoms of anxiety and depression. However, remember that it is essential to consult a specialist doctor so that tests can be carried out to confirm the need and daily amount of magnesium supplementation for each individual.
If magnesium supplementation is necessary, it is essential to have a supplement of excellent quality and origin. For this, we recommend Sanavita's Magnesium Tri Complex.
A capsule supplement that combines three types of magnesium - bisglycinate, taurate and dimalate, which act synergistically, enhancing the benefits. Its advanced, highly absorbable formula was developed by experts on the basis of research carried out with health professionals, where the types of magnesium, daily dosage and even the form of presentation were evaluated. We listened to the prescribers in order to come up with a perfect formula that meets your needs for the mineral, with efficiency and digestive comfort.
References
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