Why everyone is suddenly taking magnesium – and the truth about whether it works

A the empty woman takes the miraculous powder from the empty wine glass. He adds tonic water and lemon juice, before drinking carefully. “This is my magnesium mocktail,” he proudly tells the camera. I have it every night before bed. He then breaks down the benefits of his main ingredient, magnesium glycinate, a mineral considered the current miracle supplement.

This influencer – a beautiful radiant twenty-something in expensive silk pajamas – represents the growing health movement. All over the Internet, massage gurus claim that taking supplemental magnesium can lead to better sleep, reduced stress, reduced anxiety and can even improve digestion. Sounds like the perfect cure for life’s aches and pains, right? The only problem is that we jump into the supplement craze without doing our research first.

Supplements have exploded lately, and dozens of influencer-backed companies have sprung up to offer cosmetics that promise everything from “bright skin” to “increased productivity” to “a good night’s sleep”. While it’s long been the norm to take a Boots multivitamin every day – or toy with the idea of ​​taking the tablets Tess Daly advertised on the Tube – the supplements industry has grown into business in recent times. . It has nearly doubled since the pandemic, thanks to vitamin sales increasing by 60 percent post-Covid. The nutritional industry as a whole is also predicted to be £110bn by 2028. As a result, the products we currently experience have never been more popular or marketed. a lot. On the Internet, 16-year-old girls will throw around buzzwords like collagen, B12 and Vitamin D while consuming anti-aging hacks online. And thanks to endorsements from celebrities like Bella Hadid, Kourtney Kardashian and Taylor Swift, having a 12-step morning ritual is considered aspirational.

I too have felt the lure of the supplement industry. My social media feeds were recently flooded with ads telling me that loads of magnesium powder and tablets would make me feel better. well. I felt out of place watching Bella Hadid’s morning routine, which saw the model pop dozens of nutritional pills, drink various lotions and apply essential oils to her skin before meals. in the morning. My daily multivitamin didn’t seem to be enough, and I was almost sold out. I don’t sleep well, I get very tired, and I used to be able to live without anxiety. Could magnesium glycinate be the answer?

When I talk to Jana Abelovska, senior pharmacist at Click Pharmacy, she tells me how supplements have often had a big image change in recent years. “Health and wellness are at the top of people’s minds,” he says, pointing to the rise of colorful multivitamins like Haribo that are now marketed to adults. Vitamin gummies have gone from something you give your kids to make vitamins more appealing, to a product that is very popular with adults.

When it comes to magnesium glycinate in particular, its popularity can be attributed to its ability to relax muscles, which can help people sleep better. “Some studies have shown that it may be useful for muscle soreness after intense exercise, as well as reducing muscle spasms,” Abelovska explains. “It can also help treat anxiety as it appears that magnesium can lower cortisol, a hormone often associated with stress.” According to the NHS, minerals help to change the food we eat and encourage the parathyroid glands to work normally to produce hormones to maintain bone health. In the UK, it is recommended that adult men consume 300mg of magnesium per day while women are recommended 270mg.

Abelovska adds that “transdermal” magnesium supplements – products that are inserted into the skin – are becoming popular, too, such as magnesium sprays, patches and topical creams. This is in response to other studies that say supplements may work faster than in tablet form.

Magnesium’s popularity has been felt throughout the industry. Rachel Mason, founder of UK women’s health company Our Remedy, says magnesium has become a big seller for her business. Unsurprisingly, this is TikTok’s fault – there are currently more than 200,000 videos on the platform where people are passionately talking about it. He tells me that: “Magnesium helps a lot during the termination of a woman’s menstrual cycle, where it can help relieve symptoms such as insomnia, joint pain and anxiety,” he tells me.

However, he admits that deciding which medications to take, and where to start, can be a daunting task. Magnesium citrate, not to be confused with magnesium glycinate, is a natural laxative, and many people report on the Internet that they tried it only to be caught by these small but unpleasant details. Mason recommends getting to know your body first before following someone else’s plan. “Individual approaches are important – I always encourage people to start by identifying their health problems,” she says, adding that seeking blood tests with your doctor is it’s the best way to find any defects early on. This gives people a clear sense of purpose with their supplements, increasing the likelihood that they will remain compliant.”

The issue with the supplement industry, however, is that products are sold as short-term health fixes, or as a quick fix to a long-term problem. Before making any decisions, it’s important to look at your diet first, according to Jacob Teitelbaum MD, a medical doctor and author of From Tired to Fun!book that focuses on improving energy and reducing symptoms of chronic fatigue such as brain fog or insomnia. Before you get a new pot of supplements, check your diet first, he says.

“Food processing removes or completely destroys half of the vitamins and minerals in healthy foods,” he says. high in sugar and white flour you’ll benefit from a good multivitamin.” There are plenty of magnesium-rich foods you can try adding to your diet before going the artificial route, such as nuts. , fish, bananas, and pumpkin seeds. If you’re going to try a multivitamin, Teitelbaum says, it should include a high-strength B vitamin and at least 150 mg of chelated magnesium. As with anything, it is important to use good companies that make good products.

Trying a new supplement method is rarely harmful to your health. But our relationship with the health industry is one defined by speed and aggressive marketing. I was fascinated by Hadid’s morning routine not because I wanted to copy it, but because her lifestyle in general is an aspiration — and that maybe if I took enough supplements, I could copy it. Perhaps it is a good thing that we are collectively more vigilant about our daily lives, but as the lines between health and the pharmaceutical industries continue to blur, a fair degree of caution is recommended. Making a “magnesium mocktail” could be the answer to promoting better sleep. But for another, it might mean a one-night stand.