Many factor influence the way you feel and have an impact on your overall mood. Stress, hormones, relationships and even proper nutrition can affect your mood, energy levels and outlook on life. Being deficient in certain nutrients, like magnesium, can also induce mood changes and may even contribute to certain mood disorders like depression. Magnesium supplementation may help. Consult a health professional before using a magnesium supplement.
Importance of Magnesium
Magnesium is a vital nutrient that plays a role in many biological functions, including helping with the formation of ATP, or adenosine triphosphate, your body's energy currency, assisting with the manufacture of DNA and RNA, maintaining healthy bones and activating over 300 enzymes, or chemicals that help with certain bodily functions. Magnesium is naturally present in many foods, including leafy greens, artichokes, beans, almonds and sweet potatoes. Although a true deficiency is rare, most people do not have a sufficient daily intake of magnesium from dietary sources. Some medications can interact with your body's ability to absorb magnesium, increasing the likelihood of a deficiency. Low levels of magnesium can lead to mental symptoms such as mood changes, depression, cognitive problems and physical symptoms like muscle weakness or spasms.
Mood and Mood Disorders
Everyone experiences a low mood or feelings of anxious or unhappiness from time to time. If you experience mood changes on a regular basis, you may have an underlying physical or mental health disorder. While a number of factors can contribute to the development of these disorders, including hormonal changes common in premenstrual syndrome, genetics, life situations and changes in brain chemistry, some research has shown that magnesium deficiency can also cause mood changes. In certain cases, magnesium supplementation may help improve your mood and reduce the symptoms of disorders like depression and premenstrual syndrome.
Clinical Evidence
A study published in the August 1991 issue of the journal, "Obstetrics and Gynecology," examined the effect of oral magnesium supplementation, versus placebo, on the moods of 32 women between the ages of 24 and 39 with premenstrual syndrome. The results of the study found that magnesium supplementation helped to improve the mood and reduce pain in women who received the treatment. Another study, published in 2006 in the journal, "Medical Hypotheses," reports several case histories of patients suffering from a variety of mental health symptoms and mood disorders, including major depression, anxiety, insomnia and irritability, whose conditions were improved by magnesium supplementation.
Considerations
While magnesium supplementation may help improve your mood, do not attempt to self-treat your symptoms. Do not self-diagnose your condition. If you suffer from persistent or unusual mood changes, consult your doctor, as this can be a sign of an underlying physical or mental health condition. Mood disorders can become worse if left untreated. Inform your doctor if you choose to use a magnesium supplement.
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