Improving Sleep Disorders with Magnesium Effervescent Tablets

Psychiatric disorders, especially anxiety and depression, are common among the elderly. In this article, we will discuss improving sleep disorders with magnesium effervescent tablets.

Depression

Anxiety

Memory Disorders

Feelings of Loneliness

Social Isolation

These conditions affect 15% to 25% of the elderly population. Sleep disorders, particularly insomnia, are also prevalent among the elderly. Many seniors with poor health experience sleep disturbances due to various reasons.

Prevalence of Sleep Disorders in Different Age Groups

The prevalence of sleep disorders increases with age, and about 42% of elderly individuals experience difficulties in falling or staying asleep. A study estimated that over 40% to 50% of adults over the age of 60 suffer from insomnia. There appears to be a bidirectional relationship between insomnia and certain psychiatric disorders, where each condition may contribute to the occurrence of the other.

Aging and Quality of Life

Aging affects:

• Quality of life
• General health

However, these changes are not necessarily an inevitable part of the aging process. In some cases, unsuitable living conditions combined with aging lead to:

• Decreased quality of life
• Declining general health

The Impact of Poor Health on Quality of Life

A decline in quality of life due to poor health is associated with an increased risk of physical and mental illnesses, a higher mortality rate, and increased reliance on healthcare services. Some common illnesses in old age, such as insomnia, may be preventable.

Magnesium Deficiency in the Elderly

Magnesium deficiency is also common among the elderly. Magnesium is the fourth most abundant cation in the body and the second most prevalent intracellular cation, playing a role in over 300 vital biochemical reactions. Magnesium is an essential cofactor in many enzymatic processes, particularly those involved in energy metabolism and neurotransmitter production.

Magnesium deficiency in humans and animals can lead to neurological disorders such as:

• Irritability
• Disruptions in sleep-wake cycles
• Seizures
• Cognitive impairments ranging from mild lethargy to severe cognitive decline

Aging and Magnesium Levels in the Body

As people age, their total body magnesium levels decline due to decreased bone mass, which is the primary magnesium reservoir. Aging-related changes in magnesium metabolism include:

• Reduced magnesium intake
• Decreased intestinal absorption
• Increased excretion through urine and feces

These factors contribute to a higher risk of magnesium deficiency with aging, with dietary intake being the primary determinant.

Research Findings

Given the risks of magnesium deficiency among the elderly and previous research suggesting the potential effects of magnesium on mental health and sleep disorders, this study aimed to investigate the impact of magnesium effervescent tablets on the general health of elderly individuals suffering from insomnia.

Key Findings

The study found that magnesium supplementation could help reduce:

• Depressive symptoms
• Anxiety symptoms
• Sleep disturbances

Additionally, magnesium supplementation was associated with a reduction in serum cortisol levels. However, while there was an increasing trend in serum magnesium levels, the change was not statistically significant, likely due to the short intervention period.

At the beginning and end of the study, both groups showed no statistically significant differences in:

• Anthropometric measurements
• Micronutrient intake

Scientific Contributions

Since 99% of the body’s magnesium is stored in bones and soft tissues, clinical assessment of magnesium levels remains challenging and is currently an issue for clinical laboratories. Despite the lack of a standardized gold test for magnesium status, serum magnesium concentration is used as a standard measure.

Comparison with Other Research

Studies have reported significant changes in serum magnesium levels following magnesium supplementation. For instance, in a study on hypertensive diabetic patients, supplementation with 450 mg of magnesium over four months led to a gradual and statistically significant increase in serum magnesium levels by the third month. In contrast, in the present study, the intervention period may have been too short to observe such significant changes, though clinical benefits were evident.

Magnesium as a Cofactor

Due to the critical role of magnesium as a cofactor, the lack of significant changes in serum magnesium levels may be attributed to the body’s homeostatic mechanisms, which precisely regulate cofactors. Research has demonstrated that magnesium can cross the blood-brain barrier through active transport mechanisms that require energy, leading to increased magnesium levels in the brain relative to serum levels.

Effects of Magnesium on Cortisol and Sleep

Research supports the idea that magnesium supplementation can reduce cortisol levels during the first half of sleep. A study comparing intravenous magnesium sulfate with a placebo showed that while magnesium administration decreased ACTH secretion at night, it did not affect cortisol, growth hormone, prolactin, or melatonin levels.

Challenges in Research

One issue in the mentioned study was the use of a glucose solution along with magnesium in the intervention group, which may have complicated the interpretation of results due to the hypoglycemic effects on ACTH and corticotropin-releasing hormone secretion.

Mechanisms of Magnesium’s Effects

A possible explanation for the reduction in serum cortisol levels following magnesium supplementation is its:

• Antagonistic effect on NMDA receptors
• Agonistic effect on GABA receptors
• Influence on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and endocrine glands

This pathway suggests that magnesium can reduce HPA activity, thereby decreasing cortisol levels. Research indicates that NMDA receptor antagonists can also reduce HPA activity.

The Impact of Chronic Stress

Chronic stress leads to increased release of:

• Catecholamines
• Corticosteroids

which reduce intracellular magnesium levels. Chronic depression is also associated with hippocampal damage, typically accompanied by increased cortisol secretion during stress. Steroids, both directly and indirectly, negatively affect the hippocampus, and elevated glucocorticoids are linked to neuronal death. Therefore, glucocorticoids may be a cause or an exacerbating factor of cellular changes associated with hippocampal damage, contributing to a wide range of mental disorders.

This decline in cortisol levels may be explained by the effects of effervescent magnesium tablets on:

• Reducing anxiety
• Reducing depression
• Stabilizing mood

Findings of the Present Study

In the present study, somatization decreased in the intervention group compared to the control group. Somatization is a very common clinical phenomenon, though its definition is not entirely agreed upon. Lipowski defines somatization as the tendency to experience and express unexplained physical symptoms and distress with pathological findings, attributing them to physical illness and seeking medical help for them.

Due to the lack of specific studies, particularly randomized clinical trials, several hypotheses can be proposed to explain the reduction of these symptoms in the intervention group. One possibility is that this reduction results from improvements in comorbid conditions, such as:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Insomnia

following the use of effervescent magnesium supplements. Additionally, magnesium, as:

• A physiological calcium inhibitor
• A vasodilator

may play a role in alleviating muscle cramps. However, this study cannot provide a specific mechanism for the observed findings regarding somatization. Double-blind randomized clinical trials are necessary to specifically investigate the effects of effervescent magnesium tablets on somatic complaints.

There is a correlation between serum magnesium levels and:

• REM sleep stage
• Muscle tone
• Rapid eye movements

Serum magnesium levels are also linked to both active and restful sleep. Increased serum magnesium levels were associated with:

• Increased restful sleep
• Decreased active sleep

The Most Significant Effect of Magnesium Effervescent Tablets

Another study showed that the most significant effect of magnesium effervescent tablets was the enhancement of sleep spindle power during Non-REM sleep and changes in delta wave power in the third stage of sleep. Furthermore, increased slow-wave sleep has been identified as one of the most important effects of magnesium supplementation. Another study found that magnesium supplementation improved the body’s ability to restore functions through sleep. The present study suggests that magnesium supplementation reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety.

The Positive Effect of Magnesium Supplementation on Depression Treatment

In line with these findings, another study reported that magnesium supplementation had a positive effect on treating depression in elderly patients with type II diabetes, comparable to 50 mg of imipramine. Based on the available research, this study is the first and only unambiguous human study on the therapeutic effects of magnesium on depression. Another study found that a magnesium-deficient diet, compared to a control diet, led to reduced mobility and depression-like behavior in rats over several weeks.

Magnesium-Deficient Diet and Mental Health

In the second phase of this study, a magnesium-deficient diet led to anxiety- and depression-related behaviors in rats. These symptoms were alleviated with anti-anxiety and antidepressant treatments. Another study showed that depression- and anxiety-like behavior in magnesium-deficient rats was attributed to reduced magnesium levels in erythrocytes and plasma. Magnesium salts, either alone or in combination with vitamin B6, increased plasma and erythrocyte magnesium levels, exerting antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects.

Other studies have also shown that stress reduces activity levels and induces depression-like behavior in rats and mice. Treating these animals with magnesium increased serum magnesium concentrations and reduced depressive behaviors. Another study found that magnesium and pyridoxine supplementation in 25 patients with anxiety, depression, and epilepsy led to symptom reduction.

Conclusion

Overall, findings from clinical trials and neurobiochemical studies on magnesium suggest that effervescent magnesium tablets may be useful in treating depression in humans. The mechanism of magnesium’s effect on psychiatric disorders can be explained by its role in over 325 enzyme functions, including brain enzymes. Magnesium deficiency alters the reuptake of various neurotransmitters, including amino acids, nitric oxide, neuropeptides, and cytokines.

Many brain functions occur in the presence of excitatory amino acids such as glutamate and aspartate, which act on NMDA receptors involved in synaptic electrical transmission. Learning, memory, and depression are based on NMDA receptor-mediated electrical transmission.

Magnesium as a Physiological Calcium Inhibitor

Magnesium acts as a physiological calcium inhibitor, and its deficiency is harmful to nerve cells. Magnesium deficiency impairs the opening of calcium channels connected to NMDA receptors. The binding site for glutamate neurotransmitter receptors, NMDA receptors, calcium and magnesium ion channels, and to a lesser extent, calcium-zinc ion channels are affected. Under normal resting potential, magnesium inhibits glutamate-gated ion channels and regulates NMDA receptor ion channels.

Some medications, such as memantine and ketamine, mimic magnesium’s function, both playing a positive role in alleviating depression. The proposed mechanism for increased anxiety due to magnesium deficiency involves increased epinephrine production.

Anxiety Treatment with Magnesium Supplementation

Anxiety can be treated with magnesium and taurine supplementation. Taurine acts as a magnesium-preserving agent and influences magnesium homeostasis by stabilizing membranes, binding with magnesium, and reducing cGMP levels.

According to the present study, magnesium effervescent tablet supplementation may improve some mental health indicators and insomnia, potentially enhancing mental well-being in elderly individuals suffering from insomnia.