Updated June 2026 · Expert input from Pat Coffey, Naturopath (UCC 2005) · Ireland Health Shop
Ask most Irish people to name an important mineral and they'll say calcium or iron. Magnesium rarely makes the list — yet it's arguably more critical to daily function than either. Every single cell in the human body requires magnesium to produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the molecule that powers virtually all biological processes. Without adequate magnesium, your cells simply can't generate energy efficiently.
Magnesium also acts as a natural calcium antagonist in muscle cells — it promotes muscle relaxation, while calcium triggers contraction. This is why magnesium is so closely linked with muscle cramps, tension, and the feeling of physical "tightness." It's why a warm bath with Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) has been used for centuries to relax aching muscles.
Several factors combine to make magnesium deficiency particularly prevalent in Ireland:
Irish soils — particularly the heavily farmed pasture and tillage soils of the midlands and south — have been progressively depleted of magnesium over generations of intensive agriculture. Plants draw magnesium from soil to manufacture chlorophyll; if the soil is low, the food grown in it is lower too. Studies of European agricultural soils have consistently shown declining magnesium levels over the 20th and early 21st centuries.
Processed and refined foods lose most of their magnesium content. Refining wheat into white flour removes around 80% of the magnesium. Modern Irish diets, heavy in processed cereals, refined bread, convenience foods, and takeaways, provide a fraction of the magnesium our ancestors obtained from whole grains, nuts, legumes, and vegetables.
Stress — whether psychological, physical, or financial — dramatically increases magnesium excretion through the kidneys. When you're stressed, adrenaline and cortisol mobilise magnesium from cells, and the kidneys flush it out in urine. This creates a vicious cycle: stress depletes magnesium, and low magnesium impairs the nervous system's ability to regulate the stress response. Many Irish GPs and naturopaths observe that stressed, overworked patients are consistently among the most magnesium-deficient.
Alcohol significantly increases magnesium excretion. Certain common medications also deplete it — including proton pump inhibitors (PPIs like omeprazole, widely used in Ireland), diuretics, and some antibiotics.
Magnesium deficiency manifests in a remarkably broad range of symptoms, which is one reason it's often missed:
None of these symptoms is diagnostic on its own, but a cluster of three or more — especially in the context of a stressful lifestyle and processed-food diet — is a strong indicator that magnesium support may help.
This is where confusion commonly arises. Magnesium supplements come in many forms — the form you choose matters enormously for both absorption and intended use.
Magnesium bound to glycine, a calming amino acid. This is widely considered the gold standard for general supplementation — it is highly bioavailable, gentle on the digestive system, and the glycine component has its own sleep-promoting and anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) properties. Best for: sleep, anxiety, stress, sensitive stomachs. This is what Pat Coffey most frequently recommends at The Honey Pot.
Magnesium bound to citric acid. Good bioavailability, more affordable than glycinate, and has a mild laxative effect at higher doses. Best for: constipation alongside deficiency correction, general everyday use. Widely available in Ireland's health stores. Can cause loose stools if taken in excess.
Magnesium bound to malic acid. Malic acid is involved in the citric acid cycle (energy production), making this form particularly valued for energy, fatigue, and fibromyalgia. Best for: chronic fatigue, muscle pain, fibromyalgia, daytime energy support.
A newer, proprietary form specifically researched for crossing the blood-brain barrier. Studies suggest it may improve cognitive function, memory, and mood more effectively than other forms. Best for: brain health, cognition, age-related cognitive decline. More expensive than other forms.
Magnesium bound to taurine, an amino acid with cardiovascular benefits. Best for: heart health, blood pressure support, arrhythmia. Good option for those with cardiovascular concerns.
The cheapest and most common form — found in many basic multivitamins and pharmacy-brand supplements. Poor bioavailability (only about 4% absorbed according to some studies). Best for: a cost-effective laxative. Not recommended as a primary magnesium supplement. Look at the label — if it says "magnesium (as oxide)," there are better options available.
For topical/bath use rather than oral supplementation. Transdermal absorption of magnesium from bath salts is debated in the literature, but many people report genuine muscle-relaxing benefits from Epsom salt baths. A safe, pleasant adjunct to oral supplementation.
Magnesium regulates melatonin production (via its role in the GABA system and the pineal gland) and activates the parasympathetic nervous system — the "rest and digest" mode that allows genuine relaxation. Several randomised controlled trials have shown that magnesium supplementation significantly improves sleep onset, sleep quality, and sleep duration in adults, with effects most pronounced in older people and those with deficiency.
Taking magnesium glycinate 200–400mg approximately 30–60 minutes before bed is a well-established strategy for improving sleep quality naturally. Unlike prescription sleep medications, there are no next-morning "hangover" effects, no dependence risk, and the improvement in sleep architecture is real — not just sedation.
Magnesium is essential for muscle contraction and relaxation, ATP production, and protein synthesis. Athletes and regular exercisers have higher magnesium requirements — they lose more through sweat and consume more through increased metabolic activity. Irish studies of Gaelic footballers and other athletes consistently show that many are sub-optimal in magnesium status.
Supplementing with magnesium has been shown to reduce exercise-induced muscle damage markers, decrease delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and improve athletic performance. For Irish GAA players, rugby players, and keen gym-goers, magnesium should be non-negotiable.
Magnesium's relationship with the stress axis is bidirectional and well-documented. It modulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis — essentially putting the brakes on the stress response. It also regulates NMDA receptors in the brain (involved in anxiety and depression) and supports the synthesis of serotonin. Low magnesium makes you more reactive to stress; adequate magnesium helps you stay calm.
Around 60% of the body's magnesium is stored in bone. Magnesium is required for the structural integrity of the bone crystal lattice and for the activity of osteoblasts (bone-building cells). It also regulates parathyroid hormone and activates vitamin D — meaning that chronically low magnesium undermines both of these critical bone-health pathways.
Magnesium is a co-factor for insulin receptor signalling. Low magnesium is strongly associated with insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes. Multiple meta-analyses have found that magnesium supplementation improves insulin sensitivity and fasting glucose in people with sub-optimal status.
The heart muscle has a high concentration of magnesium. Low magnesium is associated with cardiac arrhythmias, hypertension, and increased cardiovascular risk. Magnesium acts as a natural calcium channel blocker in the heart, helping maintain regular rhythm and healthy blood pressure.
The FSAI recommended daily intake for magnesium in Ireland is 300mg for adult women and 350mg for adult men. However, these are minimum figures to prevent obvious deficiency — many researchers argue that optimal intakes are higher, particularly for active individuals, pregnant women, and those under significant stress.
Supplemental doses typically used:
Note: "elemental magnesium" is what you're actually getting — not the total weight of the compound. A supplement that says "magnesium citrate 500mg" contains far less than 500mg of actual magnesium. Check the label for elemental magnesium content.
While supplementation is often warranted, food sources should not be neglected:
Oral magnesium supplementation is extremely safe for most people. The most common side effect is loose stools or diarrhoea at higher doses (particularly with oxide and citrate forms) — this is dose-dependent and can be managed by reducing dose or switching to glycinate.
People with kidney disease should consult their GP before supplementing, as impaired kidneys cannot excrete excess magnesium efficiently. Magnesium can interact with some antibiotics (tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones) and bisphosphonates — take at a different time of day to these medications.