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The Link Between PCOS and Magnesium

Studies show that magnesium deficiencies are more common in women with PCOS. Learn how supplementing with magnesium may help manage insulin resistance, inflammation, anxiety, and more.

What is PCOS?

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a disorder that greatly impacts the lives of up to 18% of women all over the world. PCOS affects multiple systems of the body including our metabolic, reproductive, and mental health. The long-term associations of PCOS include type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. This is why daily lifelong management is important. While we are still learning much regarding root causes and treatment options, there is evidence that particular minerals may play a role.

Why is Magnesium Important for PCOS?

Magnesium is crucial for women with PCOS for several reasons. Research shows that magnesium can:

Manage Insulin Resistance
- women with PCOS have an increased risk and prevalence of insulin resistance (PCOS Guidelines 2018)
Reduce Inflammation
- markers of systemic inflammation are frequently elevated in women with PCOS (Escobar-Morreale et al., 2011)
Improve Sleep
- sleep disturbances are more prevalent in women with PCOS (Fernandez et al., 2018)
Alleviate Anxiety
- women with PCOS experience more anxiety disorders (Chaudhari et al., 2018)
Lower Blood Pressure
- PCOS fighters are at higher risk of hypertension (Chang et al., 2016)

I was the lead author of a clinical study published earlier this year in Food Science & Nutrition which assessed dietary intake in women with and without PCOS (Cutler et al., 2019). One of our findings was that magnesium intake was decreased in women with insulin-resistant PCOS. In addition, we found that the greater magnesium women with PCOS consumed, the lower their levels of testosterone and markers of inflammation were.

How Much Magnesium Do We Need?

The recommended daily amount of magnesium is 320 mg for an adult woman. This will vary depending on factors such as body size and stage of life. Some foods that are great sources of magnesium include legumes, whole grains, broccoli, squash, green leafy vegetables, seeds, nuts, and dark chocolate.

To ensure I am obtaining enough magnesium, I supplement with Natural Calm magnesium citrate powder or vegan magnesium gummies depending on my mood and the time of day.

In health, Dr. Dylan Cutler, Ph.D.

References

This article is sponsored by Natural Calm Canada.

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How I Manage Stress with Secretly Calming Iced Tea

Stress can strike at any time, even on a warm summer’s day. Learn why managing stress is important and how this iced tea can help.

We are all aware that stress can strike at any time. Yes, even on a warm midsummer’s day. Read on to learn why adding magnesium to iced tea can help cool and chill you out.

Why is managing stress important?

When we experience a stressful event, specific hormones are released to protect our bodies. Cortisol, known as the stress hormone, is secreted to combat stress. However, when we are exposed to stress over a long period of time, excess cortisol released can cause immunosuppression. This is why chronic stress is thought to be responsible for many health conditions. For example, highly-stressed type A personalities are often at higher risk of a heart problem, such as a stroke or heart attack. Stress can also impact people with and at risk for type 2 diabetes by further increasing blood sugar levels. Chronic stress can also lead to other mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety. Fortunately, finding ways to manage stress can be very effective at decreasing our risk of health complications.

The link between stress and magnesium

The connection between magnesium and stress is interesting because magnesium deficiencies affect our ability to respond to stressful situations, but also, stress depletes magnesium in our bodies! When we are in a state of stress, we excrete more magnesium in our urine. Magnesium is crucial for combating stress because it downregulates the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis reducing cortisol production. Evidence suggests that supplementing with magnesium may reduce anxiety, depression, and support stress management.

How I supplement with magnesium

We can increase our stress-fighting powers and make sipping magnesium citrate powder even more delicious by adding it to a calming tea, like lavender, lemon balm, passionflower, or chamomile. Ginseng, an adaptogenic antioxidant often found in tea, has also been shown to reduce stress and anxiety through regulating the HPA axis.

Manage Stress with Natural Calm Magnesium Iced Tea — Blueberry Lemon Ginseng Iced Tea with Raspberry-Lemon Magnesium Powder

For more on mood-boosting teas and spices check out this post.

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_{Disclosure: This article is sponsored by Natural Calm Canada. I do not receive affiliate commissions from Natural Calm Canada.}

6 Reasons to Drink Chamomile Tea

Discover how this organic chamomile, lemongrass and licorice root tea supports more than health.

In case you haven’t been introduced to my designated tea cupboard, I am a tea fanatic. While many high-paced individuals may rely on coffee to get through a day, tea is my drink of choice for numerous reasons. This article discusses the evidence-based healing powers of chamomile tea and highlights a local tea company committed to providing sustainable, fair-trade, high-quality tea.

Potential Health Benefits of Chamomile

1. Anti-Inflammatory

Studies have shown that chamomile can reduce inflammation (2010). Inflammation may be at the root of several medical conditions, including PCOS, IBD, Crohn’s, Alzheimer’s, atherosclerosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and more (2018).

2. Cardiovascular Health

The antioxidants in chamomile tea can help reduce cholesterol levels and blood pressure. One study demonstrated that when diabetics drank chamomile tea with meals, their cholesterol profiles improved (2015).

3. Immunity

Chamomile appears to be anti-bacterial and may help fight off colds. A study demonstrated that inhaling the steam of chamomile may reduce symptoms of the common cold (1990). Pre-clinical studies have shown that some of the bioactive components of chamomile can reduce the growth of skin, prostate, breast and ovarian cancer cells (2010).

4. Anxiety Relief

Several compounds of chamomile have a calming effect, particularly apigenin. Animal studies have shown that chamomile extract can act as a sedative that could alleviate stress, anxiety, and insomnia. Clinical randomized controlled trials have shown that oral chamomile extract can significantly decrease anxiety in those with mild to severe generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) (2016).

5. Glycemic Control

Slowing the digestion of carbohydrates and the absorption of sugar can positively affect blood glucose levels and, therefore, prevent insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Compounds in chamomile appear to have this action (2018).

6. Menstrual Cramps

Drinking chamomile tea may relieve muscle spasms, including menstrual cramps, by releasing glycine which acts as a nerve relaxant (2005).

Why JusTea?

When I learned the story behind JusTea, I fell in love with this tea company. Based locally in Vancouver, BC, JusTea is about justly made tea. Their fair-trade tea supports small-scale farmers in Kenya who would otherwise not receive fair or sustainable wages. Since 2012, JusTea has created over 200 jobs for women and children in rural Kenya. The hand-carved wooden teaspoons gifted with each tea order were made by and purchased from 30 woodworking families. Read more about JusTea’s story here.

This post was sponsored by JusTea. The Chamomile Cleanse (pictured above) is a blend of organic chamomile, lemongrass and licorice root.