Magnesium is an essential macro-mineral that is required in gram amounts for normal physiological regulation. Generally the Western diet is depleted in magnesium, and in addition the diet also contains too much calcium which exacerbates the low magnesium intakes of individuals following the diet. Magnesium has a number of roles in human metabolism and one role is to act as an extracellular ion that is able to cause relaxation of smooth, cardiac and skeletal muscle. Magnesium is a natural GABA agonist which means that it can activate neurones that use GABA as a neurotransmitter and this causes a lowering in the excitability of the brain and other nervous tissue. Magnesium can also antagonise the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor, which reduces the excitability of neurones containing these receptors. The overall relaxing effects of magnesium are well reported, and this is why consumption of 500 mg of magnesium daily for 8 weeks was effective at reducing insomnia in eldery human subjects.
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