Can magnesium supplements help you sleep? Dr. Mallika Marshall answers your questions

BOSTON - Dr. Mallika Marshall is answering your latest health questions. If you have a question, email her or message her on Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter). 

WBZ-TV viewer Bonnie writes, "I have a lot of trouble sleeping at night and melatonin doesn't seem to help.  A friend told me to try magnesium supplements. What are your thoughts?"

There is some evidence that magnesium can help you sleep longer and feel less tired and may also help reduce the anxiety that some people feel when they wake up in the middle of the night.  

You can get magnesium from foods like leafy greens, whole grains, seeds, and nuts and supplements are also available.  

But you have to do your research because there are many supplement formulations available.  

For example, magnesium glycinate is more easily absorbed in the GI tract compared to say, magnesium oxide which is often used to treat constipation or heartburn.  

Talk to your doctor about whether it's safe for you to take magnesium supplements in the first place.

Dr. Mallika is offering her best advice, but as always, consult your personal doctor before making any decisions about your personal health.        

In:
• Health
• Sleep

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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