There was a time when I couldn’t figure out why my gut felt unsettled. I was eating well, staying hydrated, and doing all the “right” things—yet still felt off: bloated some days, restless on others, and irritable for no clear reason. It wasn’t until I started learning about magnesium that the puzzle pieces began to fit together. This essential mineral turned out to be far more connected to my digestion and sense of calm than I’d ever realised.
When Stress Drains the Body
Stress isn’t just mental; it’s physical. When life feels busy or uncertain, our bodies react as if we’re in danger: the heart beats faster, muscles tighten, and the digestive system slows down to conserve energy for “survival”. What I didn’t know then was that stress also burns through magnesium—the very mineral that helps the body relax. Over time, this loss can leave us feeling tense and tired. Here’s the tricky bit: as magnesium levels drop, our ability to handle stress drops with it. The body stays on high alert, the gut tightens, and even small things can feel overwhelming. It’s a loop that can quietly wear us down.
The Gut–Magnesium Connection
Magnesium quietly supports hundreds of essential functions in the body, from energy production and nerve signalling to muscle rhythm, heart health, and digestion. If you struggle with gut issues like malabsorption, chronic diarrhoea, or constipation, they can either trigger or stem from low magnesium levels. It’s a bit of a ‘which comes first’ scenario. Poor gut health can make it harder to absorb magnesium, while a deficiency can throw digestion out of balance.
How magnesium supports your gut:
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It keeps things moving! If your gut’s been a bit slow, magnesium might be what it’s missing. The muscles of the digestive tract rely on this essential mineral to contract and release properly. Without enough magnesium (and yes, your body needs plenty of it) digestion can slow down, leading to constipation or bloating.
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Magnesium supports the microbiome. Research shows magnesium helps keep your gut bacteria in balance. Some human studies show that supplementation can increase beneficial microbes linked to vitamin D production and gut resilience.
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It helps calm inflammation. Chronic stress and low magnesium often travel together, creating background inflammation that can irritate the gut lining and make symptoms worse.
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It soothes the gut–brain connection. Magnesium boosts calming neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA, helping the gut and nervous system stay in sync. When levels dip, the body feels more reactive, and digestion often mirrors that tension.
The more I learned, the more I saw how interconnected it all is: when magnesium is low, stress rises; when stress rises, digestion struggles. But here’s the good news: the cycle can be reversed, with nourishment and care
Replenishing from the Inside Out
Bringing magnesium back into your body doesn’t have to be complicated. It can start with everyday choices—like enjoying magnesium-rich foods such as leafy greens, spinach, arugula (rocket), hemp and pumpkin seeds, almonds, zucchini (courgette), buckwheat, banana, natto, turkey breast, and even a square of dark chocolate.
If your gut has been compromised for a while and may not be absorbing nutrients, you might also consider a supplement. Forms like magnesium glycinate or citrate are well absorbed and gentle on the gut. Taking magnesium in the evening before bed not only improved my sleep but keeps my digestion regular in the morning.
BIf you’re thinking about supplementing, check in with your doctor first—especially if you’re on medication or other minerals. Supplementing magnesium is no substitute for good gut health: diet, fibre, hydration, and microbiome support matter most.
How much Magnesium Do you need?
- Child: 75-240 mg/day
- Teenager: 240-410 mg/day
- Men: 400–420 mg/day
- Women: 310–320 mg/day
- Pregnant Women: 350–360 mg/day
Listening to Your Body’s Signals
What I’ve learned over time is that healing the gut isn’t just about what we eat; it’s also about how we live. When magnesium is low, the body whispers through fatigue, tension, or discomfort. Listening to those cues—instead of pushing through—can be the first act of healing.
Restoring magnesium doesn’t just ease digestion; it helps bring the whole system—body, gut, and mind—back into harmony. It’s a quiet form of support, but sometimes, the quiet things are what make the biggest difference.
If this resonates, take a moment today to check in with how your body feels—you might be surprised what it’s quietly asking for.
Curious to learn more? You might enjoy: When Stress Affects Digestion.