The trendy 'miracle cure' that helps you sleep: Everything you need to know about magnesium and how to pick the right supplements to boost anything from immunity to nerve function

Move over, CBD; off you pop, vitamin D and pipe down, collagen – because now magnesium is having a moment.

Yes, there’s a newly trending health-boosting wonder supplement in town. It’s big news on TikTok, where #sleepygirlmocktail has clocked up 103 million views – Gen Z can’t get enough of this sleep-inducing, pre-bed tipple, mixing magnesium powder with melatonin-rich cherry juice. 

Meanwhile, nutritionist Pippa Campbell, author of Eat Right, Lose Weight and whose devotees include Gabby Logan  and Zoe Ball, notes that her Magnesium Complex (£39.44 for 90g, pippacampbellhealth.com), which supports ‘relaxation, energy and muscle function’, is now the top seller in her range of supplements.

And over on Instagram, you can barely move for biohackers (a polite term for people with too much time/money who become insanely obsessed with their health) espousing the virtues of drinking water pimped with electrolytes,  of which magnesium is one, to improve concentration and physical performance.

‘Magnesium is an essential mineral that is important for many different processes in the body – these include muscle and nerve function, the immune system, energy production, sleep and bone health,’ says GP Dr Gemma Newman, author of Get

Well, Stay Well. ‘This hasn’t changed, though – it already did that before it was a trend.’ 

One of the reasons that magnesium has struck such a chord is that it can help with a multitude of issues. These include poor sleep, stress, anxiety, hormonal imbalances, headaches, migraines, sore muscles and recovery – Alexa, show me a tick-list of a midlife woman’s health problems!

A supplements industry insider told me that sales of products containing CBD (cannabidiol, derived from the hemp plant), which has become hugely popular as a stressbuster and sleep-inducer, are now starting to fall, in part because women realise that magnesium can do all that and much more. And who doesn’t love a multitasker?

‘Everyone is stressed and can’t sleep,’ as Campbell pithily puts it. ‘So I rarely find someone who doesn’t benefit from a magnesium supplement.’

Sleep is, of course, our current collective health obsession – I’m panic-writing this because my Oura ring health-tracker is chiding me for notching up only five hours 17 minutes of shuteye last night – and, thankfully, magnesium is a godsend.

‘It helps regulate Gaba, our calming neurotransmitter, and as a result relaxes both mind and body and aids sleep,’ says Campbell.

Indeed, as soon as we’re done here, I’ll be drawing a hot bath generously seasoned with Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate). For topical use, obviously – I won’t drink it. That’s another tick for magnesium – although research is limited, it does appear to work topically as well as orally.

‘People are becoming much more magnesium savvy about the different types and its many beneficial uses,’ says Rob Hobson, nutritionist at vitamin and supplement specialist Healthspan. However, you must do your research and read the ingredients lists carefully – there are multiple types of magnesium, all with different benefits. 

While magnesium sulphate, for example, is good for muscle recovery, bisglycinate (also called glycinate) is a solid all-rounder that can help with low mood, anxiety and sleep. Malate can boost energy, while citrate is useful for leg cramps and treating constipation. 

Healthspan now receives a flurry of queries from parents around exam time about magnesium supplements for their stressed, insomniac teenagers, says Hobson. ‘We know from research that the average intake of magnesium for this age group is only 67 per cent of the recommended daily amount,’ he adds.

The recommended daily dose of magnesium for adults, according to the NHS, is 270mg for women aged 19-64 and 300mg for men in the same age group. 

Many health experts believe that a large proportion of adults, like teenagers, are deficient, although estimates of by how much vary, because magnesium levels are not routinely tested. (You can, however, pay for mineral testing at some private health clinics.) Signs of deficiency may include muscle cramps, twitching eyelids or restless legs.

If you suspect your levels of magnesium need a boost, your first stop should be to look at your diet. ‘I always take a food-first approach. You can get magnesium from nuts, seeds, wholegrains, leafy greens, legumes and dark chocolate,’ says Dr Newman.

She acknowledges, however, that depleted mineral levels in soil (due to modern farming methods) and the rise of ultra-processed foods may mean we’re getting less magnesium from our diets than we need. ‘And if you’re stressed, you plough through the magnesium in your body,’ says Campbell. ‘You might get it all from your diet, but you’re using it all up.’ 

You can also lose magnesium via heavy sweating and menstrual blood. So, supplements can have their place, and magnesium – as an essential mineral that’s used so widely within the body – is a low-risk one to try.

‘Just be aware that the absorption and bioavailability [how well it’s used by the body] of different types may vary, and also of recommended doses,’ says Dr Newman.

‘If you’re not sleeping well, are stressed, have migraines or hormonal issues, then try  a magnesium supplement and see how you get on,’ says Campbell. ‘Take it for a week – or for PMS issues for a monthly cycle – and don’t make any other changes to your diet and lifestyle during this time. You should know quite quickly if it works for you.’

Say no more – I’ll fix us a round of sleepy girl mocktails, pronto. 

Made for magnesium: Pick the mineral boost for you

Hydration hero

BetterYou Magnesium Water, from £23.88 for 12 cans, betteryou.com

Yep, you can drink it, too. Choose your flavoured magnesium-spiked water depending on your need: Hydrate (lime and bergamot), Energy (pomegranate and rhubarb) or Focus (blueberry and mint).

Calming go-to

Neom Perfect Night’s Sleep Magnesium Bath Milk, £40, neomwellbeing.com 

Epsom salts not luxe enough for you? Upgrade bathtime with this divinely fragranced lavender and patchouli potion from wellbeing brand Neom, boosted with magnesium chloride to aid sweet dreams.

Budget buy

Healthspan Opti-Magnesium tablets, £14.99 for 90, healthspan.co.uk 

No-frills but quality supplements at decent prices. Taken twice daily, this pack will last six weeks. It contains magnesium citrate and malate to support immune and bone health, boost muscle function and also help with fatigue.

Fitness favourite

Humantra sachets, £28 for 20 servings, humantra.co.uk

I’m a big fan of these water-soluble electrolyte powders for boosting energy and hydration after a heavy session at the gym (or, er, the pub – hello, new favourite hangover cure). Each dose contains six electrolytes, including magnesium citrate, which, in combination with potassium and chromium, help regulate blood-sugar levels.