Feeling like yourself again starts with supporting the systems that help your body stay balanced.
That's one reason magnesium has become such a popular supplement. In fact, magnesium is part of more than 300 enzyme systems throughout the body, helping support processes ranging from muscle and nerve function to cellular energy production and bone health.
Among many topics, researchers have long been interested in magnesium's role in nervous system function and the body's response to everyday stress. So, what does the research actually show?
Key Takeaways
- Magnesium is essential for healthy nerve and muscle function.*
- Researchers continue to explore how magnesium supports neurological and nervous system function.
- Magnesium is involved in both nervous system function and the body's stress-response systems.
- Many Americans consume less than the recommended amounts of magnesium through food alone.
- Magnesium supplements can help support daily magnesium intake when dietary intake falls short.
Why is magnesium linked to stress and mood?
If you're hearing this multitasking mineral being discussed in conversations about stress or mood, it may be because magnesium helps the nervous system to do its job.
According to the National Institutes of Health, magnesium plays important roles in healthy nerve function. It helps regulate the movement of key minerals across cell membranes, a process involved in nerve signaling throughout the body.
Think about everything your nervous system is coordinating at any given moment: movement, posture, muscle contraction and relaxation, communication between cells, reactions to your environment, and countless signals traveling between your brain and body. Magnesium helps to keep those signals flowing.
Researchers continue to study magnesium's role in nervous system function and the body's response to everyday stress. For example, one scientific review highlighted the close relationship between magnesium status and the body's stress-response systems. The review found that stress may influence magnesium levels, while magnesium is involved in helping the body respond to stress. Essentially, low magnesium levels and increased stress may reinforce each other. Researchers called this the "Vicious Cycle."
Are people getting enough magnesium?
A national survey found that around half of Americans consume less than the recommended amounts of magnesium from the foods they eat every day (NHANES, 2013-2016).
Adult men generally require 400–420 mg of magnesium per day, while adult women generally require 310–320 mg per day.
The challenge is that magnesium-rich foods aren't always front and center in the modern diet.
Some of the best food sources include:
- Nuts and seeds
- Legumes
- Whole grains
- Leafy green vegetables
- Certain fortified foods
While food should always come first, many people choose to supplement their diets when they don't consistently eat magnesium-rich foods.
Which form of magnesium should you choose?
Not all magnesium supplements are formulated the same way.
Magnesium glycinate, citrate, oxide, and sea-sourced magnesium all provide the same elemental mineral, but they deliver it differently.
So, you can pay attention not only to how much magnesium a supplement contains, but also to factors such as absorbability, digestive comfort, and how easily the supplement fits into a daily routine.
For a deeper dive into magnesium forms, check out our guide: Magnesium Glycinate vs. Citrate vs. Oxide: Which Form Is Right for You?
Where does ashwagandha fit in?
If you've shopped for stress-support supplements recently, you've probably seen ashwagandha.
Ashwagandha is a traditional adaptogenic herb from Ayurvedic wellness practices. Adaptogens are a category of herbs that have historically been used to help the body adapt to various life demands.
While magnesium and ashwagandha are very different ingredients, they may be paired together in wellness supplements because they bring together nutritional support from magnesium with the adaptogenic heritage of ashwagandha.
A closer look: New Chapter Magnesium + Ashwagandha
New Chapter Magnesium + Ashwagandha combines highly absorbable magnesium glycinate (aka magnesium bisglycinate) with organic ashwagandha in a convenient one-daily tablet.
The formula is built around what magnesium does best: supporting healthy muscle relaxation and recovery, healthy nerve transmission, bone health, and heart support.* It delivers 325 mg of elemental magnesium per serving, including magnesium glycinate and sea-sourced magnesium. Our magnesium bisglycinate has demonstrated 2.5x better absorption than the leading form.†
This pioneering blend also includes organic ashwagandha, bringing this traditional Ayurvedic adaptogen into our holistic magnesium blend.
The bottom line
Research continues to explore magnesium's relationship with nervous system function, stress-response systems, and overall health. What we already know is that magnesium is an essential mineral involved in hundreds of biological processes, including healthy nerve support.
Learn more in our Complete Guide to Magnesium Supplements.
†2.5x better absorption than the leading form as shown in preclinical lab testing on buffered magnesium bisglycinate.
