How Magnesium Helps with PMS and Menopause Symptoms

PMS and menopause are two major events that take place in the life of women. Women face PMS symptoms monthly for a short span, but menopause occurs after a certain age for quite a long time. However, both times are hard, and women are always looking for ways to mitigate the impact of these events in their daily lives.  

For some women, premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, can be a serious struggle. On the other end, some women may have severe symptoms, while others hardly suffer at all. Researchers have been trying to understand how, why, and when PMS occurs for decades. More recent research has shown a clear connection between PMS and magnesium.

Similarly, menopause is a life-changing event for women characterized by hormonal shifts that can cause a wide range of menopausal symptoms. Those symptoms include night sweats, exhaustion, and hot flashes. Magnesium can assist in easing the transition by supporting bone, brain, and cardiovascular health as well as reducing menopausal symptoms.

Understanding PMS:

During their reproductive years, many women suffer from the common condition known as premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Usually occurring during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, PMS is characterized by a variety of mental and physical symptoms that can negatively impact everyday living and general well-being. Common symptoms include mood swings, anxiety, bloating, exhaustion, and cramping. The effects of PMS go beyond simple pain; they can affect mental health, cause problems in interpersonal relationships, and reduce productivity at work.

Understanding menopause:

During menopause, menstruation naturally stops, which typically happens between the ages of 45 and 55. It is defined by a decrease in progesterone and estrogen, which results in symptoms like mood swings, hot flashes, night sweats, sleep issues, and an elevated risk of osteoporosis.

How magnesium helps during PMS:

Studies have shown a strong connection between PMS symptoms and magnesium levels. Compared to women without PMS, women with PMS frequently have decreased magnesium levels. Additionally, research indicates that taking supplements of magnesium may help reduce some of the most prevalent symptoms of PMS, such as:

Anxiety and Mood Swings:

Magnesium is essential for the production of serotonin, the "feel-good" neurotransmitter that controls mood. Mood swings and anxiety are common symptoms of PMS, and low magnesium levels can cause a drop in serotonin synthesis.

Water Retention and Bloating:

Magnesium helps control the body's fluid balance, which can lessen water retention and bloating. Additionally, it helps the digestive system function properly, which can help reduce bloating and constipation that are frequent during PMS.

Muscle aches and cramps:

Magnesium is necessary for both preserving healthy muscle function and promoting muscle relaxation. It has been demonstrated to reduce muscle aches and cramps, which are typical PMS symptoms.

Fatigue:

The body uses magnesium for energy production. Another common symptom of PMS is exhaustion, which can occur due to low magnesium levels. Magnesium supplements might help increase vitality and lessen fatigue.

Regulate sleep:

Magnesium is essential for controlling the sleep-wake cycle, which helps with insomnia. It can lessen insomnia, which many women with PMS experience, and enhance the quality of their sleep.

How magnesium helps women during menopause:

Taking magnesium supplements like glycinate can help with several menopausal symptoms as well as improve general health and quality of life. Low magnesium levels, for instance, are linked to increased oxidative stress and inflammatory markers, as well as a higher risk of depression and menopausal symptoms like hot flashes. Here’s what magnesium does:

• Anxiety and depression: Some women experience changes in mood, anxiety, and depression throughout menopause. As Magnesium is necessary for the production of enough serotonin and norepinephrine, two "feel good" neurotransmitters, studies indicate that lower levels of magnesium consumption are associated with a higher risk of depression among menopausal and post-menopausal women.
  
  
• Better sleep: It has been demonstrated that magnesium glycinate has relaxing qualities that aid in nerve and muscle relaxation, improving the quality of sleep. Menopausal women, who frequently suffer from sleep disruptions as a result of hormonal changes, can especially benefit from this.
  
  
• Bone health: Menopausal women are more likely to have bone loss and develop osteoporosis due to hormone declines like estrogen, as well as elevated inflammation and oxidative stress.
  
  By improving calcium absorption and promoting bone density, magnesium plays a critical role in a woman's bone health throughout her life, lowering her risk of fractures and other bone-related problems.
  
  
• Stress management: Stress and exhaustion can get worse with symptoms including mood swings, hot flashes, and night sweats.
  
  By helping the body cope with the impacts of stress, magnesium glycinate helps enhance energy metabolism, thyroid function, cardiovascular function, and neurotransmitter release.
  
  
• Muscle function and mobility: Magnesium glycinate can help reduce menopausal pains like cramping and spasms by promoting healthy muscular function and controlling inflammation.
  
  
• Brain fog: As was mentioned, magnesium promotes the body's ability to adjust to stress and aids in stress reduction. The potential benefits of magnesium for brain health may also stem from its capacity to lessen some of the negative effects of stress, which can impair memory and induce brain fog.

Common symptoms of low magnesium:

It's critical to recognize the symptoms of insufficient magnesium, especially after menopause, when hormonal changes may make shortages worse. It's worth talking to your doctor about magnesium because several of these low magnesium symptoms resemble menopausal symptoms.

• Spasms and cramps in the muscles

• Weakness and exhaustion

• indigestion

• A change in appetite

• Feeling tingly or numb

• Irregular heartbeat

• Elevated blood pressure

• Mood-related problems

• Headaches or migraines

• Increased risk of bone health problems and osteoporosis

• Insufficient sleep

Dosage of magnesium and duration of supplementation:

According to the studies, taking magnesium supplements at doses between 200 and 400 mg daily may help reduce symptoms, especially during the luteal phase before menstruation. Individual responses could differ, so women must talk to their healthcare professionals about supplements to identify the best practices for their particular requirements.

Natural sources of magnesium:

Including foods high in magnesium in your diet is one of the best methods to make sure you're getting enough of this vital mineral throughout PMS and menopause. The best sources of magnesium include:

• Leafy greens: Among other vital vitamins and minerals, spinach, kale, and Swiss chard are great providers of magnesium.
  
  
• Nuts and seeds: Rich in magnesium, almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds also offer protein and good fats.
  
  
• Whole grains: Rich in fibre and magnesium, brown rice, quinoa, and oats can help control digestion and keep blood sugar levels steady.
  
  
• Legumes: In addition to being high in magnesium, black beans, lentils, and chickpeas also offer fibre and plant-based protein.
  
  
• Dark chocolate: Dark chocolate, which contains at least 70% cocoa, might be a tasty approach to increase magnesium intake for people who have a sweet appetite.

Conclusion:

An essential element that supports women during menopause and PMS is magnesium. It lessens depressive and anxious symptoms and aids in mood regulation. Additionally, magnesium reduces inflammation and pain, including cramps and tense muscles. It promotes hormonal equilibrium, which can mitigate symptoms such as mood swings and hot flashes. By relaxing muscles and soothing the neurological system, magnesium enhances sleep quality. It also promotes heart health and keeps bones strong.

Magnesium is not an answer to all problems, but consuming enough of it through diet or supplementation might provide significant relief. Nuts, seeds, leafy greens, and whole grains are foods high in magnesium. Magnesium glycinate is a supplement that is easy on the stomach and well absorbed by the body.