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Anti-Stress & Well-being

Stress and worry – poison for the magnesium balance

A woman sits on a sofa, gazing out a window. Sunlight streams in, filling the room with a warm glow. A teapot and cups are on the table.

Mag. Margit Weichselbraun

14.01.2025 • 2 Reading time

A life without stress is no longer imaginable in our day and age. Stress can affect us in a variety of ways: as a heavy burden in our working or family lives, as anxiety before exams, as a challenge at school or in training, or simply as a result of noise pollution. But no matter what kind of stress it is, our magnesium balance is always affected.

Contents

  1. 01   Magnesium for stress: how the two are connected
  2. 02   How much magnesium does the body need during times of stress?

01

Magnesium for stress: how the two are connected

All of the influences mentioned above constantly affect the psyche and often lead to worry and anxiety. This results in the release of more stress hormones such as adrenaline, which accelerate the heartbeat, increase blood pressure and cause greater muscle tension, which in turn leads to an accelerated magnesium consumption in the body.

Stress hormones basically have one useful property: they put the body into flight mode – a reflex that ensured the survival of early humans in the dim and distant past. Adrenalin and the other stress hormones provide the body with the additional energy reserves needed to escape from a wild beast.

These days, however, fleeing is no longer the appropriate reaction to stressful situations. As a result, the excess stress hormones remain unused in the body. To get rid of them, magnesium is essential as a cofactor in the breakdown of stress hormones. Due to the increased cortisol levels in the blood, the kidneys also filter out more magnesium, which is then excreted in the urine.

Short-term stress phases can usually be compensated for in a natural way. However, if the stress and the associated psychological strain persist, there will be a long-term magnesium deficiency in the body.

Magnesium deficiency due to stress and stress due to magnesium deficiency – a vicious circle

The effect works in two directions: stress causes the increased excretion of magnesium, and the resulting deficiency means that stress can no longer be properly compensated for. It's a vicious circle that can only be broken by increasing magnesium intake.

Circular diagram showing the cycle between stress and magnesium deficiency, with symptoms and effects.

02

How much magnesium does the body need during times of stress?

There is no general answer to the question of how much magnesium the body needs during stress. The stress factor is far too diverse – for example, in its duration, intensity or the individual's experience of stress.

For this reason, laboratory blood tests are recommended for stressed people who want to know more about their magnesium levels. These tests can not only reveal a potential magnesium deficiency, but also make it possible to react to it with a tailored dosage and then measure the success of the therapy.

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Margit Weichselbraun with long hair in a black dress, standing with her arms crossed in a softly lit room. Black and white photograph.

Mag. Margit Weichselbraun

Expert in knowledge management, BIOGENA

The fascinating world of micronutrients and emotional health topics is a great passion of the post-graduate nutritionist. The zealous wordsmith skillfully puts together contributions from various scientific sources, explaining complex topics in easily accessible terms. She is also a dedicated mum to two children.

FAQs

Frequently asked questions about magnesium and stress

References:

Pickering G. et al. 2020. Magnesium Status and Stress: The Vicious Circle Concept Revisited. Nutrients. 2020 Nov 28;12(12):3672. doi: 10.3390/nu12123672. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33260549/

Cuciureanu M.D. et al. 2011. Magnesium and stress. In: Magnesium in the Central Nervous System [Internet]. Adelaide (AU): University of Adelaide Press; 2011. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507250/ .

Nielsen F.H. et al. 2010. Magnesium supplementation improves indicators of low magnesium status and inflammatory stress in adults older than 51 years with poor quality sleep. Magnes Res. 2010 Dec;23(4):158-68. doi: 10.1684/mrh.2010.0220. Epub 2011 Jan 4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21199787/

Barbagallo M. et al. 2021. Magnesium in Aging, Health and Diseases. Nutrients. 2021 Jan 30;13(2):463. doi: 10.3390/nu13020463. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7912123/

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