This article is written by our co-founder Emma Ellice Flint BHSc (Nut).

 

I was recently reminded in clinic just how important magnesium is for women’s health.

 

A woman I was seeing had been experiencing poor sleep and regular headaches. HRT had already helped her symptoms, but she felt there was still room for improvement. We discussed dietary changes, focusing on a Mediterranean-style diet, and I also recommended a magnesium supplement. When she returned for a follow-up four weeks later, she told me her headaches had gone and she was sleeping better than ever.

 

Every cell in your body needs magnesium to function properly  — so let’s look at why it matters..

 

Why Magnesium Matters

 

Magnesium is a vital mineral involved in hundreds of processes in the body. From energy production to hormone balance, bone strength to stress resilience, it plays a key role in helping you feel and function at your best.

 

Here are some of magnesium’s main benefits:

 

• Muscle relaxation and cramp relief

Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function and can help ease leg cramps, stiffness, tension headaches, and even migraines.

 

• Bone strength

It supports calcium absorption and activates vitamin D  — both essential for building and maintaining healthy bones.

 

• Mood and stress support

Magnesium helps regulate cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone, and may reduce symptoms of anxiety, irritability, and even low mood around PMS.

 

• Heart and metabolic health

It supports healthy blood pressure and blood glucose levels, helping to lower the risk of cardiovascular problems and support weight regulation.

 

• Better sleep

Magnesium aids melatonin production (the hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle), helping you fall asleep more easily and improving sleep quality.

 

• Energy and thyroid function

It’s essential for producing energy and supporting normal thyroid activity.

 

• Inflammation modulation

Magnesium also helps regulate inflammation, a major driver behind many chronic health conditions

 

What Some of the Experts Say:

 

Brain health:
A 2023 study found that higher dietary magnesium intake is linked to better brain health — especially in women in midlife and post-menopause.

 

PMS Bloating:
In a 2023 webinar by Dr Hannah Short on menstrual disorders, she noted that vitamin B6 and magnesium may help relieve premenstrual bloating.

 

Bone and Muscle Health:
In a 2023 talk from the International Osteoporosis Foundation, Prof Gustavo Duque highlighted the importance of vitamin D and magnesium in maintaining both bone and muscle strength. Vitamin D supports the absorption of magnesium, which in turn is involved in healthy bone mineralisation.

 

Where to Find Magnesium in Food

 

 

Magnesium-rich foods include:

 

• Nuts and seeds – especially almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, pumpkin, sesame, chia, and sunflower seeds
• Green leafy vegetables, pumpkin, squash, and avocados
• Legumes and beans – lentils, black beans, kidney beans, edamame, and soybeans
• Whole grains – like quinoa, oats, and buckwheat
• Seafood and meat – especially oily fish like herring, mackerel, anchovies, and sardines (eating the soft bones of these fish gives an extra boost of calcium too).

 

Are You Getting Enough?

 

It can be difficult to meet your daily magnesium needs through food alone, especially with a typical Western-style diet.

 

• In the UK, the recommended intake for women over 30 is 275mg/day (NHS)
• In Australia, it’s 320mg/day (Nutrient Reference Values)
• It’s generally safe to take up to 400mg/day, although this upper limit shouldn’t be exceeded without professional advice.

 

A 2018 analysis of the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey found that women aged 20–59 had significantly lower magnesium intakes than men.

 

In addition to low dietary intake, magnesium deficiency can also be linked to:

 

• Digestive issues
• Insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes
• Alcohol dependency
• Chronic stress
• Certain medications

Supplements and Magnesium Types

 

Like all nutrients, magnesium works in synergy with others — especially vitamin D, calcium, and the B vitamins (including B6, which supports magnesium absorption and use in the body).

 

When choosing a supplement, check the form of magnesium listed — for example, glycinate, citrate, malate, or ascorbate. These are all well-absorbed forms, but they vary in how much elemental magnesium they provide. For instance:

 

• Magnesium glycinate: ~14–15% elemental magnesium
• Magnesium ascorbate: ~6–10% elemental magnesium 

 

Quality supplements will always state the elemental magnesium content separately on the label — this is the amount of magnesium actually in the supplement.

 

Our HeraRise supplement includes two forms of well-absorbed magnesium. In fact when I formulated HeraRise, I made sure it delivered a generous amount — 310mg of elemental magnesium per serving.

 

Magnesium is one of the most important nutrients for women’s health — especially in midlife. Whether through food, supplements, or both, making sure you’re getting enough could make a noticeable difference to your sleep, energy, mood, bones, and beyond.

This article is written by our co-founder Emma Ellice Flint BHSc (Nut).

 

I was recently reminded in clinic just how important magnesium is for women’s health.

 

A woman I was seeing had been experiencing poor sleep and regular headaches. HRT had already helped her symptoms, but she felt there was still room for improvement. We discussed dietary changes, focusing on a Mediterranean-style diet, and I also recommended a magnesium supplement. When she returned for a follow-up four weeks later, she told me her headaches had gone and she was sleeping better than ever.

 

Every cell in your body needs magnesium to function properly  — so let’s look at why it matters..

 

Why Magnesium Matters

 

Magnesium is a vital mineral involved in hundreds of processes in the body. From energy production to hormone balance, bone strength to stress resilience, it plays a key role in helping you feel and function at your best.

 

Here are some of magnesium’s main benefits:

 

• Muscle relaxation and cramp relief

Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function and can help ease leg cramps, stiffness, tension headaches, and even migraines.

 

• Bone strength

It supports calcium absorption and activates vitamin D  — both essential for building and maintaining healthy bones.

 

• Mood and stress support

Magnesium helps regulate cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone, and may reduce symptoms of anxiety, irritability, and even low mood around PMS.

 

• Heart and metabolic health

It supports healthy blood pressure and blood glucose levels, helping to lower the risk of cardiovascular problems and support weight regulation.

 

• Better sleep

Magnesium aids melatonin production (the hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle), helping you fall asleep more easily and improving sleep quality.

 

• Energy and thyroid function

It’s essential for producing energy and supporting normal thyroid activity.

 

• Inflammation modulation

Magnesium also helps regulate inflammation, a major driver behind many chronic health conditions

 

What Some of the Experts Say:

 

Brain health:
A 2023 study found that higher dietary magnesium intake is linked to better brain health — especially in women in midlife and post-menopause.

 

PMS Bloating:
In a 2023 webinar by Dr Hannah Short on menstrual disorders, she noted that vitamin B6 and magnesium may help relieve premenstrual bloating.

 

Bone and Muscle Health:
In a 2023 talk from the International Osteoporosis Foundation, Prof Gustavo Duque highlighted the importance of vitamin D and magnesium in maintaining both bone and muscle strength. Vitamin D supports the absorption of magnesium, which in turn is involved in healthy bone mineralisation.

 

Where to Find Magnesium in Food

 

 

Magnesium-rich foods include:

 

• Nuts and seeds – especially almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, pumpkin, sesame, chia, and sunflower seeds
• Green leafy vegetables, pumpkin, squash, and avocados
• Legumes and beans – lentils, black beans, kidney beans, edamame, and soybeans
• Whole grains – like quinoa, oats, and buckwheat
• Seafood and meat – especially oily fish like herring, mackerel, anchovies, and sardines (eating the soft bones of these fish gives an extra boost of calcium too).

 

Are You Getting Enough?

 

It can be difficult to meet your daily magnesium needs through food alone, especially with a typical Western-style diet.

 

• In the UK, the recommended intake for women over 30 is 275mg/day (NHS)
• In Australia, it’s 320mg/day (Nutrient Reference Values)
• It’s generally safe to take up to 400mg/day, although this upper limit shouldn’t be exceeded without professional advice.

 

A 2018 analysis of the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey found that women aged 20–59 had significantly lower magnesium intakes than men.

 

In addition to low dietary intake, magnesium deficiency can also be linked to:

 

• Digestive issues
• Insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes
• Alcohol dependency
• Chronic stress
• Certain medications

Supplements and Magnesium Types

 

Like all nutrients, magnesium works in synergy with others — especially vitamin D, calcium, and the B vitamins (including B6, which supports magnesium absorption and use in the body).

 

When choosing a supplement, check the form of magnesium listed — for example, glycinate, citrate, malate, or ascorbate. These are all well-absorbed forms, but they vary in how much elemental magnesium they provide. For instance:

 

• Magnesium glycinate: ~14–15% elemental magnesium
• Magnesium ascorbate: ~6–10% elemental magnesium 

 

Quality supplements will always state the elemental magnesium content separately on the label — this is the amount of magnesium actually in the supplement.

 

Our HeraRise supplement includes two forms of well-absorbed magnesium. In fact when I formulated HeraRise, I made sure it delivered a generous amount — 310mg of elemental magnesium per serving.

 

Magnesium is one of the most important nutrients for women’s health — especially in midlife. Whether through food, supplements, or both, making sure you’re getting enough could make a noticeable difference to your sleep, energy, mood, bones, and beyond.