LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

LISTEN ON APPLE

Magnesium is one of the most important minerals in the human body—yet it’s also one of the most common nutrient deficiencies seen in functional medicine and women’s health.

In this episode of The BeingBrigid Show, Brigid breaks down everything you need to know about magnesium, including how it impacts sleep, energy, blood sugar regulation, hormone health, stress resilience, inflammation, cardiovascular health, cognition, and more.

If you’ve been struggling with fatigue, muscle cramps, constipation, anxiety, poor sleep, headaches, or blood sugar imbalances, magnesium deficiency could be playing a larger role than you realize.

What You’ll Learn In This Episode:

• The most common signs and symptoms of magnesium deficiency
• The role magnesium plays in blood sugar regulation and insulin sensitivity
• How magnesium supports nervous system regulation and hormone health
• The best magnesium-rich foods to incorporate into an anti-inflammatory diet
• How stress, exercise, perimenopause, and chronic inflammation increase magnesium needs
• What current research says about magnesium for sleep, anxiety, depression, cognition, blood pressure, and pre-diabetes
• Why magnesium testing can be misleading if you only look at serum levels

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Introduction to Magnesium and Its Importance
• 03:07 Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency
• 05:48 Causes of Magnesium Deficiency
• 08:56 Recommended Daily Intake of Magnesium
• 12:06 Food Sources of Magnesium
• 14:47 Forms of Magnesium Supplements
• 18:02 Research on Magnesium and Health Benefits
• 24:01 Magnesium for Mental Health and Cognitive Function
• 30:02 Conclusion and Membership Announcement

Why Magnesium Is So Important for Women’s Health

Magnesium is involved in more than 300 enzymatic reactions in the body, making it one of the most impactful minerals for overall wellness, hormone balance, metabolic health, and energy production. Brigid explains that magnesium acts as both an electrolyte and a critical cofactor involved in:

• Energy production and mitochondrial function (ATP)
• Blood sugar balance, insulin sensitivity, and metabolic health
• Nervous system, neurotransmitter, hormone, and stress regulation
• Bone, cardiovascular, and muscle health and function

Because magnesium influences so many systems in the body, even mild deficiencies can create widespread symptoms.

Common Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency

One of the biggest takeaways from this episode is how common magnesium deficiency has become—especially in women navigating stress, hormone shifts, perimenopause, chronic inflammation, or blood sugar dysregulation. Some of the most common magnesium deficiency symptoms include:

• Muscle cramps, twitching, headaches, and heart palpitations
• Fatigue, low energy, and poor sleep or insomnia
• Anxiety, irritability, and nervous system dysregulation
• Constipation, PMS symptoms, and menstrual cramping

Brigid also explains why many people may still be deficient even when standard serum magnesium labs appear “normal.” Since less than 1% of magnesium is circulating in the bloodstream, functional medicine practitioners often prefer red blood cell magnesium testing for a more accurate picture.

Magnesium and Blood Sugar Balance

Research has shown that magnesium may support:

• Improved insulin sensitivity
• Better fasting blood sugar levels
• Reduced fasting insulin levels
• Improved metabolic flexibility
• Support for pre-diabetes and diabetic populations

Brigid explains how magnesium can be an important part of a holistic nutrition and functional nutrition approach for individuals working to stabilize blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and improve long-term metabolic health.

The Best Magnesium-Rich Foods

While supplements can be helpful, Brigid emphasizes a food first approach whenever possible. Some of the best magnesium-rich foods highlighted in the episode include: pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, black beans, basil seeds, almonds, swiss chard, dark chocolate, quinoa, and edamame. These foods also support gut health, fiber intake, anti-inflammatory nutrition, and eating for longevity.

The Best Forms of Magnesium Supplements

Not all magnesium supplements are created equal. Brigid walks through the differences between the three forms she most commonly recommends in personalized nutrition coaching and functional medicine practice:

• Magnesium Glycinate is best for: sleep support, stress regulation, nervous system support, relaxation and recovery.
• Magnesium Citrate is best for: constipation, digestive regularity, and supporting bowel movements.
• Magnesium L-Threonate is best for: brain health, memory and cognitive performance and longevity.

What the Research Says About Magnesium

Brigid reviews several research studies exploring magnesium’s impact on:

• Stress, anxiety, depression, and nervous system regulation
• Blood sugar balance, insulin sensitivity, and cardiovascular health
• Cognitive performance, brain health, and sleep quality
• Pregnancy support and reduced preeclampsia risk

The takeaway? Magnesium is one of the most foundational nutrients for supporting long-term wellness, especially when paired with a nutrient-dense anti-inflammatory diet and consistent lifestyle habits.

Resources & Links:

+ Watch the full episode on YouTube

+ Join The Being Collective

+ Brigid’s Website

+ Brigid’s Instagram

If you’ve been struggling with fatigue, poor sleep, anxiety, constipation, muscle cramps, or blood sugar instability, this episode provides a science-backed, practical overview of how magnesium may help support root cause healing through food as medicine and functional nutrition.