Are Magnesium Supplements Good For Weight Loss?

01 Mar Are Magnesium Supplements Good For Weight Loss?

Posted at 13:47h in Supplements by

Magnesium is a mineral that plays many vital roles in the human body and is involved in over 300 biochemical processes, as well as being required for healthy immune system function. But do you need to supplement it? And are magnesium supplements helpful for weight loss?

If you‘re looking for personalised advice from a qualified nutritionist, we’re here to help. Book your complimentary call today to find out more.

WHY DO WE NEED MAGNESIUM?

Magnesium is required for energy production, muscle recovery and bone development. It also supports resistance to mental stress and acts as a smooth muscle relaxant. Optimal magnesium levels can result in a reduction of tiredness and fatigue, normal blood pressure levels and protection of your DNA.

IS MAGNESIUM IMPORTANT FOR SLEEP?

Magnesium is often recommended as a supplement for those that are struggling to optimise their sleep. It plays a crucial role in sleep regulation by influencing several key processes in the body. It helps activate neurotransmitters that calm the nervous system, promoting relaxation, as well as aiding in the production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Studies have shown that higher magnesium levels are associated with better sleep quality, longer sleep duration, and reduced daytime tiredness.

MAGNESIUM AND STRESS

Magnesium also plays a role in regulating the body’s stress response and can reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which, as well as impacting the body’s sleep cycle, can improve overall wellbeing. This study showed that magnesium supplementation can decrease 24-hour urinary cortisol excretion. Magnesium can modulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a system that regulates the body’s stress response, controlling cortisol release and influencing metabolism, immunity, and energy balance.

MAGNESIUM SUPPLEMENTS FOR WEIGHT LOSS 

Because magnesium has been shown to improve sleep quality and help reduce of stress, it has potential as a weight loss-supporting supplement. Because poor sleep and stress are linked to weight gain or poor weight loss outcomes, supplementation of magnesium has the potential to positively impact weight loss. 

This study investigated the impact of magnesium supplementation on obesity. It found that magnesium supplementation led to a significant reduction in BMI, particularly among individuals with magnesium deficiency, insulin resistance-related disorders, and obesity at baseline. While no significant changes were observed in body weight, waist circumference, body fat percentage, and waist-to-hip ratio overall, subgroup analyses revealed significant reductions in body weight and waist circumference among participants with insulin resistance-related disorders, hypertension, obesity, magnesium deficiency at baseline, and women.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I’M DEFICIENT?

It can be hard to identify whether you have low levels of magnesium from symptoms alone. Fatigue and muscle spasms or cramps are amongst the most common symptoms, however these symptoms can have many different causes. At our clinic our nutritionists regularly run comprehensive blood tests to assess our clients nutrient levels, including magnesium. If you’d like to find out more about the health tests we offer, contact our team for more details.

Low levels over a long period of time can compromise your health in various ways and can even lead to osteoporosis. Those typically at risk of deficiency are people with gastrointestinal diseases, type 2 diabetes, elderly people and those who aren’t consuming optimal amounts in their diet. 

Nutrient deficiencies are surprisingly common, with over 5 billion people worldwide not getting enough. Read more about nutrient deficiencies and how to address them in our post: How To Tell If You’re Nutrient Deficient.

HOW DO I GET MORE IN MY DIET?

We recommend a ‘food first’ approach to nutrition; so we would encourage you to work on including magnesium rich foods in your diet daily. The recommended daily intake for adults is between 300-400mg per day. Add foods like spinach, kale, Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, soybeans, and sunflower seeds into your diet to up your levels. Leafy greens are rich in a host of essential nutrients, including magnesium, so add a handful into a smoothie and aim to include greens with every meal. 

WHAT ABOUT SUPPLEMENTING?

We have become increasingly aware of the importance of magnesium and a range of supplements are now available to help us top up our levels. Quality is key. We recommend choosing products that use well absorbed forms of magnesium and provide optimal levels of between 3-400mg per day. Dermally absorbed supplements are also worth considering and are available in forms such as body butters, topical oils and flakes that you can add to your bath. 

RECOMMENDED MAGNESIUM SUPPLEMENTS

Magnesium bisglycinate “chelated” supplement (magnesium bound with glycine, a non-essential amino acid) is one of the most bioavailable and absorbable forms of magnesium. It is also the least likely to induce diarrhoea and other side effects of lower quality magnesium supplements. We like Love Life Supplements Magnesium Bisglycinate.

Magnesium can also be absorbed through the skin so if you enjoy a relaxing warm bath to wind down, add in some Better You Magnesium Flakes.

WORK WITH US 

If you’d like to learn more about how you can optimise your health and nutrition through personalised, expert guidance, we’d love to hear from you. We are a team of qualified, experienced nutritionists who specialise in weight loss. Schedule a complimentary 25-minute call today to find out how we can help you achieve your goals.

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LINDA ROBINSON

Linda is our Practice Coordinator, helping to keep the clinic running smoothly.

 

Originally from Texas, Linda completed her MBA at SDA Bocconi in Milan. Linda has worked as a Strategy Consultant across multiple industries globally in cities including Kyoto, Paris, Chicago and San Francisco. She developed an interest in nutrition whilst volunteering for an organisation that provides cooking and nutrition education to children and families.

Linda is now settled in London with her husband, two children, and her very bouncy, sociable dog.

JULIE GOUGH


Julie Gough is a BANT registered nutritionist and certified health coach specialising in weight loss and hormonal health. She works with clients to address issues such as PMS, thyroid disorders, weight gain, and menopause symptoms. 


Drawing from her own health journey, Julie provides personalised nutrition advice combined with mindset coaching. She takes a functional medicine ‘root cause’ approach to helping clients overcome their health and weight challenges. 


Julie is passionate about empowering women to take control of their health and regain their energy and wellbeing long term.


To enquire about working with Julie, please contact us.

AILSA HICHENS

 

Ailsa is one of our most experienced practitioners. She specialises in helping clients to lose weight, develop a healthy relationship with food and finally feel comfortable in their skin. Ailsa’s mission is for everyone she works with to enjoy the journey and that working with a nutritionist should not be a punishment, but your access to a new possibility.

 

Ailsa is not only an experienced weight loss nutritionist, she is also a skilled coach. She helps our clients overcome emotional eating, destructive habits and self-sabotaging behaviours that have prevented successful weight loss in the past. Ailsa has spent years in clinic working with clients who have experienced yo-yo dieting and have discovered that long term weight loss is not just about eating less until you can stand it no longer.

 

Working with Ailsa you will be comprehensively supported, not only in improving your nutrition and lifestyle, but also your eating habits and your relationship with food. When you work on all these elements together, the results can be truly astonishing.

 

To enquire about working with Ailsa, please contact us.

Test Nikki is our Practice Manager, managing our team of practitioners and heading up the day-to-day running of the business. Nikki is involved in the strategic development of our practice, coming from a strong business background in town planning. A Florida girl, Nikki relocated to the UK in 2014 with her husband and two children.

NIKKI ANDRIANI

Nikki is our Practice Manager, managing our team and heading up the day-to-day running of our clinic.

 

Coming from a background in town planning, Nikki is involved in the strategic development of our practice, continually ensuring we are delivering the very best service to our clients.


A Florida girl, Nikki relocated to the UK in 2014 where she lives with her husband, two children, and her rescue dog Skyy.

STÉPHANIE ACHAR

Stéphanie is a skilled nutritional therapist and functional medicine practitioner with additional training in eating disorders, disordered eating and obesity. She believes that working towards both physiological and mental health is key in achieving optimum wellbeing.

 

Stéphanie’s personal experience of emotional eating and the ongoing struggle to find the right support led her to combine the science of nutrition with behavioural coaching to motivate and empower her clients. She specialises in helping people who struggle with their weight and their relationship with food. She helps them develop a healthier and more peaceful relationship with food and their bodies.

 

To enquire about working with Stéphanie, please contact us.

INNA WEARN

Inna is passionate about supporting women on their journey to improved health and wellbeing. She believes that the solution to effective weight loss does not lie in ever more restrictive diets, but a more sophisticated approach that optimises health and vitality, as well as promoting effective weight loss.

 

Working with Inna you will benefit from her in-depth knowledge of female health and hormones. She will support you in developing a healthy diet, lifestyle and mindset that ensures you reach your ideal weight and maintain it in the years to come.

 

Inna is passionate about food with a wide repertoire of delicious healthy recipes and meal ideas to ensure your weight loss journey is as enjoyable as possible!

 

To enquire about working with Inna, please contact us.

ANIA MASON

 

Ania is a firm believer that improving your health and losing weight should be a positive, empowering journey, not one centred around deprivation.

 

After being diagnosed with two autoimmune conditions in her twenties, Ania spent several years educating herself on the power of food and nutrition. She put it all into practise and changed her diet and lifestyle, reversing her endometriosis and thyroid disease. After experiencing such a significant improvement in her health, Ania had a big desire to help others. She embarked on a four year journey to study nutrition, graduating from the Institute for Optimum Nutrition with distinction.

 

Ania specialises in autoimmunity and works with clients who have underlying health issues preventing successful weight loss. Her expertise enables her to successfully support our clients with conditions such as hypothyroidsm (underactive thyroid), PCOS and diabetes. 

 

To enquire about working with Ania, please contact us.

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