27 October 2023 | News, Science

The benefits of magnesium on sleep

Sleep is vital to human health, playing a critical role in brain functions, including cognitive neurobehavioral performance related to safety, memory consolidation, and mood regulation.
Various definitions indicate sleep as “a periodic suspension of the state of consciousness”, during which the body recovers energy.

 

Adults should sleep 7 or more hours a night regularly to promote optimal health.

A healthy and restful sleep therefore requires 3 key fundamental factors:

– adequate duration;

– good quality;

–  times and regularity appropriate to the circadian cycle.

Magnesium Properties

Magnesium is a macroelement of which we have in variable quantities between 22 and 26 grams, and of these more than 50% is mineralized at bone level. In our body magnesium acts as a cofactor for more than 300 enzymes and therefore is involved in numerous processes (e.g.  the synthesis of essential neurotransmitters at the central level).

This mineral is essential for our health, as it contributes:

  • To normal energy metabolism;
  • To the well-being of the nervous system;
  • To reduce fatigue and facilitate muscle relaxation;
  • To normal psychological function;
  • To the maintenance of healthy bones and teeth;
  • At normal electrolyte balance.

A deficiency of this mineral is usually manifested by cramps, physical and mental fatigue, irritability and sleep disorders.

How magnesium affects our brain and our sleep-wake rhythm

On the market there are various remedies to improve sleep benefits, and among these we can find magnesium.

Among its many functions, magnesium also plays an important role in maintaining the correct electrical activity of the brain, by regulating the glutamate/GABA balance.

The magnesium ion acts as an agonist of GABA, going to enhance the inhibitory effect of this neurotransmitter, vice versa is an antagonist of glutamate and therefore counteracts its excitatory effect. This dual action of magnesium results in an overall relaxing effect on the central nervous system, which makes it useful in those mild states of anxiety and insomnia.

Sucrosomial® magnesium – UltraMag®

Not all supplements on the market contain the same type of magnesium and this is the fundamental difference.

Among the several magnesium salts, certainly magnesium oxide (MgO) is the one with the highest content of elemental magnesium, although its absorption is very limited by the body.

To overcome this limit, thanks to the research PharmaNutra Spa., UltraMag® has been born, an innovative ingredient based on magnesium oxide that uses the Sucrosomial® technology, where the mineral is transported by the Sucrosome® (Figure) a matrix composed by phospholipids and sucrose esters of fatty acids (sucresters).

This innovative structure allows magnesium to be absorbed by our body in greater quantities, without blocking its classic absorption route.

The dosage of magnesium in each sachet of UltraMag® is 375 mg and corresponds to 100% of the Nutritional Reference Value (%NRV). For this reason it is recommended to take 1 sachet per day dissolved in a glass of water, at any time of the day.

 

 

Bibliography

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  • https://ultramag.it/