Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Medical Advisory Board
In 2020, 14.5% of adults in the United states had difficulty falling asleep, and 17.8% of adults had trouble staying asleep. More people are considering “natural” alternatives to sleeping pills to get a good night’s sleep. Valerian root has been use in Rome, and ancient Greece since the second century A. D. to treat insomnia. Melatonin, and tryptophan are other natural products that have experienced increase popularity as a sleep aid.
Heightened interest in magnesium as a remedy for people with trouble falling asleep has been fueled by social media posts, such as the sleepy girl mocktail (SGM). The ingredients in the mocktail are a mixture of magnesium powder, tart cherry juice, and a mixer like a prebiotic soda, or sparkling water that you drink about a half hour before bed. Does it work?
Often times, “life-changing” advice on the internet is based on hype, unreliable pseudoscience. But sometimes, there’s reason to believe that the eye-popping assertions, at any rate in theory, may actually work. Such is the case with SGM, and its prime ingredient, magnesium.
Magnesium
Magnesium (mg) is an essential mineral that the body needs to remain healthy. Since the body doesn’t make magnesium, it’s “essential” to get this mineral from the various foods in your diet. A one hundred and fifty pound person has a little less than one ounce (25 grams) of magnesium in their body. Fifty percent of magnesium salts is stored in bones, and another 25% is found in muscles. Mg is also found in the heart, liver, kidneys, and other soft tissues.
The kidneys regulate the blood level of magnesium. When the Mg blood levels are high, the kidneys filter, and remove it through the urine. When the Mg blood levels are low, they limit how much is lost via the kidneys.
What Does Mg Do?
Magnesium is a pivotal chemical element needed by enzymes for them to function. It’s a cofactor required for the activity of over 300 enzymatic reactions. Mg is necessary for the synthesis of RNA and DNA. It helps regulate muscle contraction, and nerve function. Magnesium plays a role in the structure of bones and teeth. It contributes to the breakdown of glucose by enzymes, releasing energy (glycolysis). Mg helps control blood pressures, and regulate blood glucose levels.
Food Sources of Magnesium
Foods rich in magnesium include seeds — such as flaxseed, nuts such as almonds, green leafy vegetables, fruits such as bananas, avocados, grains like wheat and barley, beans and legumes such as edamame, chickpeas, and peanuts (peanuts are actually legumes).
Magnesium Deficiency
People at risk of magnesium deficiency include those with:
- Alcohol dependence — is associated with poor dietary intake, nutritional and G. I, problems
- Type 2 diabetes — appears to be associated with increased urinary output.
- Gastrointestinal diseases — such as Crohn’s disease, and Celiac disease can lead to Mg deficiency
- over time.
- Older people — experience decreased magnesium absorption from the gut, and increased renal
- magnesium excretion with age.
- Medications — certain loop diuretic medications can lower Mg levels
Both tart cherry juice and magnesium powder, the main ingredients in the mocktail, help produce the hormone melatonin. Also, magnesium promotes muscle relaxation as well as increasing the levels of a neurotransmitter (GABA), which slows down the nervous system, making people feel calm, and less anxious. Theoretically, it seemed reasonable that the above combination could be useful as a “natural” sleep aid.
The literature reports conflicting conclusions concerning the effectiveness of natural supplements for sleep deprivation. More work needs to be done with larger, double blind clinical trials to establish whether sleepy girl mocktail really works.
Glossary
Cofactor — A substance, such as a metallic ion or coenzyme which must be associated with an enzyme for the enzyme to function.
Magnesium glycinate is a form of magnesium. It’s an amino acid which is well-tolerated, and less likely to cause gastrointestinal side effects compared to other forms of magnesium.
Tart cheery juice contains tryptophan, an amino acid that helps the body produce melatonin.
Peanuts are legumes, which are edible seeds, and part of the pea family, along with lentils and green beans
References
- Dzifa Adjaye-Gbewonyo, Ph. D., Sleep Difficulties in Adults: United States, 2020; NCHS Data Brief No. 436, June 2022; CDC, June 22,2022
- NIH; Magnesium for Health Professionals; June 2, 2022, NCHS
- Behnood Abassi et al; The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly; J Res Med Sci. Dec 2012
- Ji Won Yeom, Chul-Hyun Cho; Herbal and Natural Supplements for Improving Sleep: A Literature Review; Psychiatry Investigation, August 2, 2024
This article is intended solely as a learning experience. Please consult your physician for diagnostic and treatment options.