If you suffer the all too familiar midlife afflictions of insomnia, low mood or brain fog, there could be an unlikely culprit to blame: magnesium. Or rather, the lack of it. The deficiency is a hot topic from dinner parties to TikTok, where the hashtag #magnesium has received more than 1.3 billion views. “It’s one of the most common micronutrient insufficiencies in today’s diet,” says Rhian Stephenson, a nutrition therapist and the founder of the supplement and nutrition company Artah.
Why the fuss? “Magnesium is involved in over 600 bodily biochemical reactions,” says Dr. Linia Patel, a dietician. “It is an essential dietary mineral that is involved in energy production, nervous system function, blood pressure regulation and blood glucose control. It also plays an important role in stress management and sleep.” Testing isn’t routine, so deficiencies often go undetected, but symptoms include mood changes, migraines and sleep disturbances, along with “general malaise,” according to Patel.
