PCOS and Magnesium
Happy Sunday ❤️,
I hope you are doing well. I would like to kindly remind you that we are hosting a webinar on the 24th of May. It will be packed with information about how PCOS works and impactful changes you can make to improve your symptoms. Some of you have already signed up, and I look forward to meeting you over Zoom. I would love to see as many of you there so register below 🤗.
Today we are discussing another essential micronutrient for our health: Magnesium.
Is Magnesium good for PCOS?
A light bulb moment 💡 in my Nutrition studies was when I realised how important nutrients are for the well-functioning of our body.
To illustrate this point, let’s have a look at what Magnesium does in our body:
It is required for energy production - it’s one of the key nutrients needed to create ATP (the molecule that ultimately gives us energy).
It is required for the synthesis of DNA, RNA, and the antioxidant Glutathione - the most critical molecule that fights inflammation.
Magnesium also plays a pivotal role in both insulin and glucose metabolism.
It helps Calcium and Potassium to enter the cell membranes, facilitating our muscles to contract, our nerves to conduct electrical impulses and our heart to have a normal rhythm.
It contributes to the structural development of our bones and regulates blood pressure.
So, imagine my frustration when I see silly diets asking us to cut out food groups altogether ( 🚨Warning, rant coming). I am a true believer that when we start seeing food as the fundamental building block of our health, we will start realising that there isn’t a magic diet. The focus should be assessing if you are getting enough nutrients and working towards a diverse and nutrient-rich diet. Simple rules such as ‘cut out all carbs’ can seem attractive as the advice is ‘simple’, but it’s just a direct lane to dangerous disordered eating and nutrient depletion. I will stop the rant now and get back to Magnesium 👀.
How is Magnesium relevant for PCOS?
The main point of interest for Magnesium (Mg) is its role in insulin resistance. As the second messenger for insulin action, Magnesium regulates insulin receptors to improve their sensitivity helping glucose get into the cell. Research shows that a low Mg levels has been linked to insulin resistance in those with type 2 diabetes. Previous studies have shown the benefits of Mg supplementation to alleviate inflammation, insulin sensitivity and diabetes symptoms in non-PCOS patients. So it makes sense to hypothesise that Mg supplementation could improve insulin resistance and thereby improving the symptoms of PCOS. Let’s see if that’s true.
A recent meta-analysis focused on those with PCOS looked at 16 studies on the effect of Mg supplementation on insulin and inflammation markers and found no significant effect. However, when magnesium was co-supplemented with Vitamin E, Calcium and Vitamin D, they improved the inflammatory response and insulin resistance.
However, this data has a significant limitation. In these studies, Mg levels weren’t tested beforehand. As a matter of fact, oral Magnesium supplementation seems to be more effective in individuals with a magnesium deficiency. I believe this is relevant for all supplementation. If the body has enough of it, it will just eliminate it through urination with little to no effect. This is why I don’t advocate for supplementation to be taken without a good assessment from a healthcare provider. You might be wasting your money.
With that in mind, it is important to assess deficiency. Another meta-analysis looked to evaluate if deficiency of this mineral is more prominent amongst PCOS women. They found that serum Mg level appeared to be lower in overweight and obese women with PCOS compared to lean phenotypes. The conclusion is that it is important to assess if you might be deficient as that’s when supplementation might help.
In addition to research on insulin resistance, Mg supplementation is showing promising results in the management of anxiety and depression, headaches and period pains.
How do I know if I am deficient?
This is where it gets a bit tricky, as Magnesium is harder to test for. Assessing magnesium levels is difficult because most magnesium is inside cells and in the bone, not in the blood. An adult body contains approximately 25 g of Magnesium, up to 60% in the bones and most of the rest in soft tissues. Less than 1% of total magnesium is in the blood, and these levels are kept under tight control. There are some testing kits that use hair to assess Mg levels, but I am not entirely sure of their accuracy.
Symptoms to look out for that might suggest an Mg deficiency are: weakness and low energy, headaches, muscle pain or cramps. Of course, these symptoms can be many other things, but some signs to look out for.
Why are people deficient?
Deficiency in this mineral is becoming quite popular.
I am going to share my own personal experience. I take Magnesium supplementation regularly and have done so for the past two years. It has helped me considerably. I take it because of a genetic result I did a few years back which showed that I have a higher needs for Magnesium. Knowing these results and how my hormones are, it made sense that a low level of Mg could exacerbate my PCOS symptom. This low levels of Mg seems to be linked to Primary Familial Mg Malabsorption, and the genes tested can be seen in the below image. So, genetic predispositions might make Mg a bit harder to absorb from foods. If your budget allows it and you are prioritising your health, I would recommend investing in some genetic testing. The more you know your body, the easier it will become to understand it and manage it.
(ps. I just ordered another super cool genetic test, so I will share what I find out about my genes in upcoming newsletters)
Another reason for deficiency is low dietary intake. World Health Organization (WHO) data estimate that three-quarters of North Americans do not consume the recommended daily magnesium intake. The quality of our food is definitely something that plays a role in our deficiency. Some theories also discuss depleted soil conditions which means that plants (and animals that are fed from those plants) are lower in magnesium, and as a result, when we eat them, they don’t have optimal levels.
Renal diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, alcohol and certain drugs can also affect the levels of Magnesium in our body.
How can I up my Magnesium levels naturally?
Consuming foods high in Magnesium regularly will ensure you have enough of this incredible mineral in your body. According to UK recommendations, women need 270mg daily, but NIH recommends 310–320 mg for adult women. I wouldn’t worry about being deficient if you eat a balanced diet, as it’s pretty easy to reach the recommended amount.
So, is Magnesium good for PCOS?
Magnesium is incredible for our health. Each cell will have an interaction with Magnesium. If you suspect you are deficient, I recommend speaking to a healthcare provider and ensure you consume some of the above foods .
I wish you all a lovely Sunday.
See you next week,
Francesca
Nutritional Therapist
1 Sources
Babapour, M., Mohammadi, H., Kazemi, M., Hadi, A., Rezazadegan, M., & Askari, G. (2021). Associations between serum magnesium concentrations and polycystic ovary syndrome status: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Biological Trace Element Research, 199(4), 1297–1305. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-020-02275-9
Farsinejad-Marj, M., Azadbakht, L., Mardanian, F., Saneei, P., & Esmaillzadeh, A. (2020). Clinical and metabolic responses to magnesium supplementation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Biological Trace Element Research, 196(2), 349–358. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-019-01923-z
Guerrero-Romero, F., Tamez-Perez, H. E., González-González, G., Salinas-Martínez, A. M., Montes-Villarreal, J., Treviño-Ortiz, J. H., & Rodríguez-Morán, M. (2004). Oral magnesium supplementation improves insulin sensitivity in non-diabetic subjects with insulin resistance. A double-blind placebo-controlled randomized trial. Diabetes & Metabolism, 30(3), 253–258. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1262-3636(07)70116-7
Jaripur, M., Ghasemi-Tehrani, H., Askari, G., Gholizadeh-Moghaddam, M., Clark, C. C. T., & Rouhani, M. H. (2022). The effects of magnesium supplementation on abnormal uterine bleeding, alopecia, quality of life, and acne in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized clinical trial. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology: RB&E, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12958-022-00982-7
Magnesium. (n.d.). Nih.gov. Retrieved May 10, 2023, from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
Nadler, J. L., Buchanan, T., Natarajan, R., Antonipillai, I., Bergman, R., & Rude, R. (1993). Magnesium deficiency produces insulin resistance and increased thromboxane synthesis. Hypertension, 21(6 Pt 2), 1024–1029. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.hyp.21.6.1024
Sharifi, F., Mazloomi, S., Hajihosseini, R., & Mazloomzadeh, S. (2012). Serum magnesium concentrations in polycystic ovary syndrome and its association with insulin resistance. Gynecological Endocrinology: The Official Journal of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology, 28(1), 7–11. https://doi.org/10.3109/09513590.2011.579663
Disclaimer: We are all so unique in our own ways so this information is for educational purposes only. In my communications, I summarise research data and bring my experience. This shouldn’t be viewed as medical advice at any point. Please further consult your healthcare provider about your health needs.