How Magnesium Deficiency Drives Chronic Illness—and How to Choose the Right Form

Illustration of the word Mg (magnesium) surrounded by magnesium-rich foods such as leafy greens, nuts, seeds, avocados, and dark chocolate, highlighting dietary sources of magnesium for energy, sleep, and hormone balance.

Magnesium: The Master Mineral

Magnesium is often called a “master mineral” because it’s involved in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body. From producing energy inside your cells to balancing hormones, calming your nervous system, and supporting detox pathways, magnesium quietly keeps nearly every system running smoothly. (1,2,3)

Yet, an estimated 50–75% of Americans are deficient (4). When there is magnesium deficiency, the ripple effect is profound—affecting muscles, mood, sleep, cardiovascular health, bone density, blood sugar, and even your ability to handle stress. Yet despite its importance, magnesium deficiency is rarely tested for in conventional medicine, leaving many people struggling with unexplained symptoms.

At Denver Sports and Holistic Medicine (DSHM), we see daily how this hidden deficiency contributes to fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, hormonal imbalances, and chronic inflammation.

Why Magnesium Matters

Magnesium is a master mineral that quietly supports nearly every system in the body. When levels are low, the ripple effect can disrupt energy, mood, hormones, detox, and cardiovascular health. Here are the core ways magnesium keeps you thriving:

Energy Production (ATP Formation in Mitochondria)

Magnesium is essential for creating ATP—the energy currency of your cells. Every time your body generates or uses energy, magnesium is involved. Without adequate magnesium, your mitochondria (the powerhouses of your cells) struggle to function, leaving you tired, sluggish, and prone to chronic fatigue. (5,6)

Muscle and Nerve Function

By regulating calcium and potassium movement in and out of cells, magnesium ensures muscles contract and relax smoothly while calming nerve excitability. Low magnesium often shows up as muscle cramps, spasms, twitching or restless leg – symptoms many people dismiss but that strongly point to low magnesium. (7)

Heart Rhythm and Blood Pressure Regulation

The heart depends on magnesium to maintain steady rhythm and vascular tone. Acting as a natural calcium channel blocker, magnesium relaxes blood vessels and prevents arrhythmias. Magnesium helps blood vessels relax, keeping blood pressure in check.

Deficiency is strongly linked with high blood pressure, arrhythmias, and increased cardiovascular risk. (8)

Bone Strength and Density

While calcium gets most of the attention for bone health, magnesium is just as important. About 60% of the body’s magnesium is stored in bones, where it regulates vitamin D and parathyroid hormone (PTH), both vital for bone remodeling.

Without enough magnesium, bones can become brittle and more prone to osteoporosis, especially post-menopausal women. (9,10)

Glucose Metabolism and Insulin Sensitivity

Magnesium helps insulin transport glucose into cells to be used as fuel.

Deficiency impairs this process, leading to blood sugar swings, insulin resistance, and increased risk for type 2 diabetes. (11,12,13)

Hormone Synthesis and Balance

Magnesium is involved in making and regulating key hormones like estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and thyroid hormones (14,15).

It also calms the stress response by regulating cortisol (16,17).

For many women struggling with hormonal imbalances, optimizing magnesium reduces PMS, cramps, mood swings, hot flashes, and other menopause symptoms.

Detoxification via Liver Enzymes

The liver’s detox pathways rely on magnesium to neutralize and eliminate toxins, from environmental chemicals, mold toxins (mycotoxins), heavy metals, and estrogen metabolites.

Without sufficient magnesium, detoxification slows, toxins recirculate, and inflammation escalates—driving chronic illness. (18)

Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency

Magnesium deficiency often goes undetected because standard blood tests miss it. Common signs include:

Neuromuscular Symptoms

Muscle Cramps, Twitching, or Spasms

Magnesium regulates the balance of calcium and potassium in muscle cells. Without enough magnesium, muscles contract but don’t relax properly, leading to cramps, spasms, and even restless legs.

Severe deficiency can trigger painful nighttime leg cramps or involuntary twitches around the eyes and face. (19)

Numbness and Tingling

Low magnesium disrupts nerve conduction and contributes to excitotoxicity, where excess calcium overstimulates and damages neurons. This often shows up as pins-and-needles sensations, tingling in the extremities, or numbness. In functional medicine, these symptoms may also overlap with B-vitamin deficiencies, but magnesium should always be considered. (20)

Energy & Brain Function

Fatigue or brain fog
ATP—the body’s energy currency—must bind to magnesium to become biologically active (Mg-ATP). Deficiency directly impairs energy production, leaving patients drained, unmotivated, or mentally sluggish. Many describe it as “hitting a wall” despite adequate rest. (21)

Cognitive Issues and Memory Problems
Magnesium is essential for healthy brain function, influencing synaptic plasticity—the ability of neurons to form and strengthen connections.

When levels are low, learning and memory can suffer, and patients may notice difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, or slower processing speed.

Research has shown that raising brain magnesium can improve short-term and long-term memory (22) , while other studies highlight its protective role against neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, epilepsy, and migraines (23).

Mood & Stress Regulation

Anxiety, Irritability, or Depression

Magnesium calms the nervous system by regulating NMDA and GABA receptors in the brain. Without it, the stress response is overactive, leading to racing thoughts, irritability, or heightened anxiety. Studies also connect magnesium deficiency with depressive symptoms and poor stress resilience, leading to HPA axis dysregulation, adrenal fatigue, and even burnout. (24)

Insomnia or Poor Sleep

Known as the “relaxation mineral,” magnesium helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system. Low levels disrupt melatonin production and GABA activity, making it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. Patients often experience light, restless, or fragmented sleep.(25)

Neurological & Pain Syndromes

Headaches or Migraines
Magnesium deficiency makes neurons more excitable and constricts blood vessels—two key migraine triggers. Supplementation has been shown to reduce both the frequency and severity of migraines. (26)

Cardiovascular Health

High Blood Pressure, Arrhythmias, or Palpitations
Magnesium acts as a natural calcium channel blocker, relaxing blood vessels and supporting a steady heart rhythm. Low levels are strongly linked with hypertension, irregular heartbeat, and palpitations. Functional medicine frequently screens for magnesium in unexplained cardiovascular issues. (27)

Digestive & Hormonal Health

Constipation
Magnesium relaxes intestinal smooth muscle and draws water into the bowel, helping maintain regularity. Low magnesium slows motility, leading to hard stools and chronic constipation. Magnesium citrate is often used for bowel regularity. (28)

PMS or Hormone Imbalances
Magnesium supports estrogen and progesterone metabolism, adrenal function, and cortisol balance. Deficiency can worsen PMS symptoms such as cramps, bloating, and mood swings, and in perimenopause or menopause may intensify hot flashes, irritability, and sleep disturbance. (29)

Blood Sugar Crashes or Insulin Resistance
Magnesium is needed for insulin receptors to function properly. Without it, glucose cannot enter cells efficiently, leading to post-meal fatigue, sugar cravings, unstable blood sugar, and over time, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes risk. (30)

Magnesium’s Role in Detoxification

Magnesium powers the liver’s detox pathways (Phase I and II), helping your body clear:

This is why magnesium is always part of our detox and hormone-balancing protocols at DSHM.

What Causes Magnesium Deficiency?

Modern life depletes magnesium through:

🌱 Soil depletion in crops
🍩 Highly processed foods
😩 Chronic stress
☕ Excess caffeine, sugar, or alcohol
💊 Medications (PPIs, diuretics, antibiotics, birth control)
🤢 Gut issues that impair absorption

Functional Medicine Testing for Magnesium

Most doctors only test serum magnesium, which reflects just 1% of body stores.

At DSHM, we go deeper with:

RBC Magnesium tests
Micronutrient panels
Functional lab interpretation

How to Replenish Magnesium Naturally

Eat magnesium-rich foods: leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, avocados, nuts, beans, and dark chocolate.
High-quality supplement with the right form based on your labs and symptoms.
Try magnesium baths or topical oils for added absorption.
Address gut health and stress so your body can absorb what you take in.

Best Forms of Magnesium: Which One is Right for You?

Not all magnesium supplements are absorbed or used by the body in the same way. The right form often depends on your symptoms and health goals:

Magnesium Glycinate – One of the most calming forms, magnesium glycinate is bound to the amino acid glycine. It’s gentle on the stomach and especially helpful for those dealing with anxiety, stress, or trouble sleeping.
Magnesium Lysinate – A gentle chelated form bound to the amino acid lysine. This combination supports both magnesium repletion and lysine’s role in collagen formation, bone health, and calcium metabolism.
Magnesium Malate – Paired with malic acid, this form supports the body’s energy cycle, making it ideal for those experiencing fatigue, chronic pain, or fibromyalgia.
Magnesium Threonate – Unique because it can cross the blood–brain barrier, magnesium threonate is best for cognitive support, brain fog, memory issues, and learning capacity.
Magnesium Citrate – This form is well absorbed and has a mild laxative effect, making it a good option for people struggling with constipation or sluggish digestion.
Magnesium Taurate – Bound to the amino acid taurine, this form supports the cardiovascular system and is often used for heart rhythm issues, blood pressure regulation, and overall heart health.
Magnesium Oxide – A less absorbable form, magnesium oxide is mainly used for occasional constipation. It is not recommended for correcting deficiency, as very little is taken up into the bloodstream.
Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt) – Typically absorbed through the skin, magnesium sulfate is best known for detox baths and muscle recovery. While it’s excellent for topical use, it’s not commonly taken as a daily oral supplement.

Why Magnesium Deficiency Is So Disruptive

Because magnesium touches nearly every system in the body, a deficiency can mimic almost any chronic condition—from fatigue and insomnia to hormonal imbalance, cardiovascular concerns, and even neurological issues. That’s why magnesium deficiency is one of the most overlooked but easily correctable root causes we see in functional medicine.

The Bottom Line

Magnesium is far more than a supplement—it’s a pillar of health and resilience. Adequate levels are essential for restoring balance to your energy, hormones, nervous system, and detox pathways.

If you’ve been struggling with unexplained symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, poor sleep, anxiety, digestive issues, or hormone imbalances, magnesium may be a missing piece of the puzzle.

The good news? Replenishing this mineral is simple, powerful, and life-changing when guided by a personalized plan.

Take the Next Step

Don’t settle for feeling “off” or living with symptoms that could be corrected. At Denver Sports and Holistic Medicine, we test your magnesium status and other nutrients, identify root causes of deficiency, and build a personalized protocol that fits your unique health needs.

👉 Request a free 15-minute consultation with Dr. Martina Sturm at Denver Sports and Holistic Medicine, today and take the first step toward restoring your energy, balance, and vitality—starting with the mineral your body can’t thrive without.

Magnesium FAQs

Q: Can I get enough magnesium from food alone?
A: While magnesium-rich foods are essential, soil depletion and modern diets make it hard to meet needs through food alone. Many people benefit from supplementation.

Q: Which magnesium is best for sleep?
A: Magnesium glycinate is the most calming and gentle form, making it ideal for sleep and anxiety support.

Q: Which magnesium is best for brain fog?
A: Magnesium L-threonate is the only form shown to cross the blood-brain barrier effectively.

Q: Can I take too much magnesium?
A: High doses (especially citrate or oxide) can cause loose stools. We personalize dosage to your labs and symptoms.

Q: How do I know if I’m deficient?
A: The best way is with RBC magnesium or micronutrient testing, both offered at DSHM.

Resources

Magnesium: The Master Mineral Your Body Is Missing

How Magnesium Deficiency Drives Chronic Illness—and How to Choose the Right Form