Kelli asks: 51, perimenopause. Can you please explain magnesium? My friend said she learned about it from your community, but I don't understand the connection to perimenopause.
My reply: I'm glad you asked! Sometimes I think there is an assumption that magnesium is a “magic wand” for perimenopause, menopause or postmenopause.
It is not. Magnesium is a magic wand for magnesium deficiency.
Magnesium is an essential nutrient and the majority of North American adults do not meet the daily recommended intake of dietary magnesium: 300 mg/day for women and 400 mg/day for men.
Is it possible to get magnesium from our diet (green leafy vegetables, nuts and more)?
Yes.
Can we get enough magnesium from our diet every single day?
It's challenging (according to this article by pharmacist Ying Wang.)
Adequate magnesium supports our overall cellular energy--which includes quality sleep, mood and muscular function. Conditions associated with magnesium deficiency include fatigue, headache, low mood and/or anxiety, poor sleep, muscle cramping, acid reflux, constipation, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, poor insulin sensitivity, osteoporosis, and more.
So back to your question:
What is the connection between magnesium and perimenopause?
For starters, age. Perimenopause can overlap the years where we are perhaps at our highest stress levels and in an era where we have the highest risk for magnesium depletion (i.e. chronic stress, alcohol + caffeine use, poor dietary absorption and perhaps even drug-induced depletion of magnesium.)
I also remind everyone to stay curious regarding: what role does magnesium play in my body? And what role does progesterone play?
It turns out that both magnesium and progesterone support mood, sleep and even muscles and joints. This is why I like to refer members to the “pyramid” on page 25 of my book so that you have the opportunity to question BOTH, and continue to remain curious about what your body needs: lifestyle and stress management? something missing nutritionally? other possible health conditions? and hormone therapy too.
Let me know if that helps. I talk about this more (particularly how magnesium & progesterone relate to sleep) in “Sleep is the Best Medicine” which you can watch in The Nest 🪺
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