What You Should Know About Magnesium & PCOS!

Did you know that women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are 19 times more likely to have magnesium deficiency? It’s true. In this episode, you’ll learn why women with PCOS need to prioritize magnesium for PCOS. Sometimes called serum magnesium.

We talk about the benefits of magnesium like how it can decrease inflammation, insulin resistance, and more! And we also discuss how to know if you’re deficient in magnesium and the common symptoms. As well as foods and supplements to get the proper daily dose. Honestly Cyster’s, this episode is jam-packed with important information, so this is not the episode to miss. Read on for a quick roundup some of the most important points from this week’s episode! 

What You Should Know About Magnesium & PCOS

Does Magnesium Help PCOS?

The answer is yes, and in so many ways. Magnesium decreases inflammation throughout the body, improves insulin resistance, and assists with stress management by managing the nervous system. It can also reduce cramps and migraines, and help you get better sleep at night. And we all know that better sleep means improved energy levels and less fatigue throughout the day.

Magnesium is such an important mineral because it’s also great for your heart. It calms and regulates the heart and in turn, lowers high blood pressure.  Since women with PCOS are more prone to heart disease and developing type 2 diabetes due to risk factors like high blood pressure and high blood sugar, it’s important for us Cyster’s to stay up and up on our magnesium levels.

Yes, magnesium does all this, AND MORE. Seriously. Listen to the podcast to get the full scoop on all the ways magnesium can help PCOS.

Benefits of Magnesium For PCOS

Reduces Anxiety and Stress

Anxiety and depression are common with PCOS. This could be due to nutrient deficiencies or the comorbidities of PCOS . . . or both. Either way, magnesium has been shown to potentially help reduce anxiety by calming down your overactive nervous system. People report reductions in anxious behavior, insomnia, rapid pulse, nervousness, apathy, and heart palpitations when supplemented with magnesium. This makes magnesium supplements a great support for Cysters who struggle with anxiety!

Decreases Inflammation

Depending on your type of PCOS, you may experience chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation happens when your body’s immune system is working overdrive to protect you from a perceived threat when there really isn’t one. (This is why some think PCOS is an autoimmune disease.)

The constant state of inflammation can cause insulin resistance, high testosterone levels, bloating, migraines, joint pain, and acne. Here’s more on the signs of inflammation in PCOS. Luckily, there are a lot of ways you can reduce inflammation and improve these symptoms. One potential way research has found to improve inflammation is magnesium supplementation. You can learn more ways to reduce inflammation on this episode of A Cyster and Her Mister!

Betters Sleep

Many Cysters also experience sleep problems because of cortisol and melatonin imbalances, insulin resistance, irregular menstrual cycles, and/or PCOS-related mental health struggles. A few studies have found that magnesium can help with sleep in lots of ways! It can help Cysters fall asleep easier, stay asleep longer, reduce nighttime wakings, and increase natural melatonin levels. Here’s more on sleeping better with PCOS.

Reduces Insulin Resistance

Another common problem for women with PCOS is insulin resistance. This is when your body doesn’t process glucose properly, and instead of converting it to energy, it absorbs into the body. It’s one of the main reasons you may struggle with weight loss, fatigue, and high blood sugar. There are several ways to reverse insulin resistance and reduce those symptoms!

Magnesium plays an important role in the glycolysis, which is the process of converting sugar to energy. So, studies have revealed that magnesium supplementation can help boost insulin sensitivity too! Getting insulin resistance under control can also help reduce your risk of long-term complications like type 2 diabetes.

Improves Blood Pressure

Another long-term complication of PCOS to be wary of is heart disease. High blood pressure isn’t uncommon with Cysters, and that can increase your chances of developing cardiovascular disease. Increasing magnesium in your diet through high amounts of fruits and vegetables can be a great way to improve blood pressure. There have been some studies that suggest magnesium supplementation may help too!

Eases Body Pain

If you deal with difficult premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms like period cramps or body aches, magnesium baths can help! Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate, and soaking in a hot bath for 20 minutes or so with 2 cups of Epsom salt can ease cramping and muscle pain. It can be a great self-care practice for Cysters like us!

How Much Magnesium For PCOS?

The recommended dosage is about 320 milligrams of magnesium per day. This is the magnesium status quo. The thing is, some forms of magnesium are absorbed better than others. Especially for those of us with PCOS. More on that next.

What Type of Magnesium is Best For PCOS?

Basically, magnesium aspartate, glycinate, citrate, lactate, and chloride forms are all readily digestible forms of magnesium. The body easily absorbs these forms and puts them right to work fighting your PCOS symptoms.

On the other hand, magnesium oxide and magnesium sulfate are not usually fully absorbed by the body. They can be. But if you’re trying to ensure you’re consuming the recommended daily amount of magnesium each and every day, we recommend going for the more reliable candidates above.

Our Favorite Magnesium Supplements For PCOS

Magnesium Bath Salts

Magnesium bath salts like these are a fantastic source of magnesium chloride, one of the main magnesium forms that is readily available to the body. You basically just soak in the magnesium bath salts, and the magnesium absorbs right through your skin. Seems crazy, but it totally works. And even better, it provides quick relief from symptoms of a magnesium-deficiency. Some simple epsom salt with also do the trick. This is honestly such a good trick for quick magnesium supplementation.

Pure Spectrum CBD

Pure spectrum sells two different types of magnesium soaking salts. Of course they also sell CBD, which is amazing for inflammation as well as a plethora of other PCOS symptoms. More on CBD & PCOS here. Use the code below when you order from Pure Spectrum CBD for 10% OFF!

Foods

We love treating PCOS symptoms naturally, and we do anytime we can. A great way to up your magnesium intake is to up your magnesium-rich food intake. Some common foods that contain magnesium include dried pumpkin seeds, nuts & legumes, green leafy vegetables, avocado, salmon, and more. For a full breakdown of the actual stats for each food, and a breakdown of what meals to eat to get your recommended daily value of magnesium, tune into the full episode.

Multivitamin

If bath salts and food aren’t doing the trick, consider a multivitamin. Just remember to run the multivitamin by your doctor to ensure its the right one for you. And don’t forget to make sure your multivitamin is tested and approved by a 3rd party. You don’t want just any old multivitamin off the shelf, so just keep that in mind. Plus, if you’re on birth control pills (which may affect nutrient absorption), you may be considering starting a multivitamin anyway.

Here are my top magnesium supplement recommendations:

• Pure Encapsulations Magnesium Glycinate
• Pure Encapsulations Magnesium Citrate
• Garden of Life Dr. Formulated Whole Food Magnesium Powder 
• MegaFood Magnesium Citrate, Malate, Glycinate
• Thorne Magnesium CitraMate
• Designs for Health Magnesium Glycinate

Join us in The Cysterhood, a community of women learning how to manage PCOS & lose weight, Gluten and Dairy Free!

Magnesium deficiency is common in women with PCOS. That deficiency may be contributing to a few of your annoying symptoms, so finding a way to restore your magnesium levels should help you find relief! As mentioned, talk to a doctor before starting any new supplements, and understand every healing journey will be different.

For more natural ways to reverse your symptoms and get your life back with PCOS, head to the blog and listen to our podcast. I share regular advice on Cysters can live and thrive despite their polycystic ovarian syndrome. I found freedom and so can you!

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While Tallene is a Registered Dietitian and Sirak a Personal Trainer, this podcast provides general information about PCOS. It is not meant to serve as fitness, nutrition or medical advice related to your individual needs. If you have questions, please talk to a medical professional. For our full privacy policy, please click on the following link: (Privacy Policy).

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