The symptoms of anxiety are excessive and uncontrollable worry that may lead to sleep disturbances, irritability and difficulty concentrating. According to the Anxiety Disorders Foundation, this condition is more common in women than men and has an early onset, with 50 percent of those afflicted developing symptoms before adolescence. Because treatment can be lengthy and expensive, many people seek natural remedies, including calcium and magnesium.
Animal Research on Calcium
A study published in the December 2010 issue of the "Indian Journal of Pharmacology" suggests that, while calcium alone does not appear to decrease anxiety in albino rats, the combination of calcium and Valium together had greater effects on measurements of anxiety than did Valium alone. In this study, rats given both calcium and and the drug entered lighted areas significantly more often, which indicates lower levels of anxiety, even though the average time spent in lighted areas did not differ from those of other groups.
Magnesium Deficiency and Anxiety
Animal research shows a clear correlation between magnesium deficiency and severe anxiety in mice, according to an August 4, 2011 article in "Neuropharmacology." This link appears to involve alterations in what is known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, a system of biological pathways that links the nervous and endocrine systems and can have a profound effect on mood and behavior. However, the fact that hypomagnesia produces elevated anxiety levels in mice does not imply that magnesium supplementation is useful for anxious persons with normal levels of this mineral.
Magnesium and Anxiety
A literature review published in the October 7, 2010 issue of "Nutrition Journal" analyzed the effects of various types of complementary and alternative medicine on anxiety in humans. The existing evidence as of publication suggested that, while magnesium may hold promise as a safe, non-addictive treatment for anxiety, more research is needed before it can be recommended to patients suffering from this disorder. The review also found that while combinations of L-lysine and L-arginine may be beneficial, St. John's wort had no evidence of effectiveness.
Magnesium and Other Nutrients
While magnesium or calcium alone may do little to alleviate anxiety, these minerals in combination with other nutrients may be effective. A study published in the June 2000 issue of "Psychopharmacology" found that subjects given a multivitamin with calcium, magnesium and zinc were significantly less anxious than subjects given a placebo. They were also less tired and better able to concentrate. Data analysis showed that benefits did not depend on the subjects' ideas of which group they were in, indicating that improvements were not due to a placebo effect.
References
- "Indian Journal of Pharmacology"; Effect of Calcium On Anxiolytic Activity of Diazepam and Verapamil In Rats; S.B. Hiremath, et al.; December 2010
- "Nutrition Journal"; Nutritional and Herbal Supplements for Anxiety and Anxiety-related Disorders: Systematic Review; S.E. Lakham, et al.; October 2010
- "Neuropharmacology"; Magnesium Deficiency Induces Anxiety and HPA Axis Dysregulation: Modulation By Therapeutic Drug Treatment; S. Satori, et al.; August 4, 2011
- "Psychopharmacology"; The Effects Of an Oral Multivitamin Combination With Calcium, Magnesium, and Zinc On Psychological Well-being in Healthy Young Male Volunteers: A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study; D. Carroll, et al.; June 2000
- Anxiety Disorders Foundation: Generalized Anxiety Disorder
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