Could Magnesium be a Miracle Cure for Your Menopause Symptoms?

When you’re doing the rounds with yet another hot flush, battling the belly bloat, flooding your knickers or feeling so low that you’d rather just roll over in bed and go back to sleep, you’ll be forgiven for wishing there was some kind of miracle cure that could help you ‘get over’ the menopause.

You might even dream of finding a solution that will help you get back to the ‘old’ you, the person you used to be before this happened. But as much as you’d love to believe there might be such a thing, we’re living in the real world and nothing like this exists …Or does it?

There are an increasing number of studies which suggest that there is a miracle cure, and that miracle is magnesium. By simply increasing your intake of this wonder mineral, it’s said that you could eliminate your hot flushes, rebalance your hormones, sleep like a baby, heal your PMS, and even start to get that smile back on your face.

So what is the truth about magnesium, and how could you benefit? Let’s find out more.

Why does magnesium matter?

Magnesium is one of the building blocks of life and is responsible for a massive variety of bodily functions, including the maintenance of healthy bones and teeth, efficient energy release from your cells, restful sleep, and optimal nervous system health.

Excitingly for us, magnesium is also the mineral which supports hormonal function and balance, thanks to its ability to:

• Feed your cells and promotes thyroid and ovary health.
• Support your body in the manufacture of those sex hormones progesterone, oestrogen and testosterone.
• Help your body effectively deal with stress by calming your nervous system and reducing your cortisol levels for better overall hormonal functioning.
• Improve your insulin sensitivity and stabilises your blood sugar levels for fewer cravings and better energy.
• Boost your sleep! And as you might remember, sleep is vital for hormone production.

Menopause + Magnesium

As should now be clear, magnesium becomes extra-important when the menopause approaches. But sadly, at this time in your life, your magnesium stores actually start to plummet as does your body’s ability to efficiently utilize the magnesium that you already have. This has the effect of worsening your menopausal symptoms and affecting your bone density and tissue quality, spelling bad news for your hormones and your entire body.

But there is good news in all of this. Because if we start paying closer attention to our magnesium intake and taking steps to get as much of this amazing mineral as we can, we could alleviate or even eliminate those symptoms of the peri-menopause and menopause. One study even demonstrated that supplementing with oral magnesium resulted in a 50% reduction in hot flashes. It’s worth a try, right?

Here are the three easy steps you need to take to do it:

Step #1: Ditch those magnesium thieves!

Even if you seem to be getting enough magnesium in your diet, that doesn’t mean that you’re safe. You see, there are many lifestyle habits which can bind or destroy the mineral, and prevent it from being properly absorbed. This means we first need to ditch these destroyers to improve our chances. They include:

Sugars: A high sugar intake increases the amount of magnesium excreted by your kidneys and will also disrupt your hormone levels. Don’t forget, it’s not just the visible sugar that counts, but the sugar in processed foods too.

Stress: Any form of stress in your life will raise your cortisol and adrenaline levels which cause your cells to ‘dump’ magnesium, worsening your symptoms.

Caffeine: Coffee, tea and energy drinks all stress the body and raise your cortisol and adrenaline levels. They also bind the magnesium in your body, making it much harder to absorb.

Alcohol: Your body uses up nutrients in order to process any alcohol you’re drinking, and acts as a diuretic which flushes minerals out of your system.

Cigarettes: Smoking robs your body of magnesium. Even if it is difficult, reduce your cigarettes as much as you can.

Step #2: Eat your magnesium!

Unless you have an absorption problem, it’s usually best to get your magnesium through your diet. This means consuming whole foods which are rich in all those co-nutrients which actually aid in its absorption and provide you with the ‘whole package’ nutritionally-speaking.

The richest sources of magnesium include:

• Dark leafy greens- add a handful of green leafy veggies like kale, collard greens or spinach to your daily diet
• Nuts and seeds- the riches sources include almonds, brazil nuts and pumpkin seeds
• Fish- especially mackerel and tuna
• Legumes- throw in chickpeas, red kidney beans and lentils for the greatest benefit.
• Avocado- just one creamy avocado contains a whopping 15% of your RDA
• Grains- especially millet, quinoa and brown rice
• Fruit- most fruit contains useful amounts of magnesium, especially figs, bananas, strawberries and grapefruit
• Dark chocolate- opt for at least 75% cocoa content. A bar of fruit ‘n’ nut just won’t count. Sorry.

These are all delicious foods which are really easy to add to your daily diet. However, for best benefits, you should aim to grow your own or choose organic produce. Modern (intensive) farming methods have reduced many of the nutrients in our foods so they just don’t contain what they used to.

Step #3: Consider supplementing

If you would like an extra boost, you can also take magnesium as a supplement if you wish. Magnesium supplements come in many different forms, such as oral supplements, oils, bath salts, gels and lotions. Which form you choose depends entirely on your lifestyle and requirements.

Transdermal oil/ gel/lotion

My favourite way to supplement is through transdermal magnesium oil. Like the gels and lotions, you apply it directly to your skin and will absorb it better than oral supplements.

Epson Salt baths

Another option is to take Epson Salt baths every week which will up your magnesium intake and provide a naturally soothing and relaxation remedy for insomnia or aching muscles. Simply throw a handful into a running bath and sink right in.

Oral magnesium

Of course, you can also supplement with tablets. Choose a high-quality brand and opt for magnesium chloride if available, as it is better absorbed, cheaper and also carries fewer side effects. The recommended daily amount is 320mg. If you choose to go this route, also consider your calcium intake- the two are closely related and interdependent.

Magnesium really could be the answer to your prayers, improving or even alleviating a whole host of your menopause symptoms and helping you to get your life back on track. Ditch those magnesium thieves, pay attention to your diet and consider a supplement to start getting that mojo back!

© Pamela Windle 2016