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Examining the Effects of Supplemental Magnesium on Self-Reported Anxiety and Sleep Quality: A Systematic Review

PRISMA-structured systematic review (15 interventional trials; 860 screened) on magnesium for anxiety or sleep disorders reporting predominantly favorable directional results but limited by heterogeneity, small samples, and mixed formulations.

Inclusion lens

Interventional trials only; sleep and/or anxiety outcomes; excludes <50 mg/day magnesium or formulations with >3 additional potentially active ingredients; English only.

Vote-count summary (per abstract)

  • Sleep arms: 8 trials — 5 improved, 2 null, 1 mixed
  • Anxiety arms: 7 trials — 5 improved, 2 negative (both negative trials involved endocrine-heavy populations: PMS and postpartum)

Authors' synthesis

Conclude supplemental magnesium is likely useful for mild anxiety and insomnia, especially with low baseline magnesium status, while calling for larger RCTs with standardized salts/durations.

Evidence-tier note

Published in Cureus (PubMed-indexed; historically not MEDLINE in PubMed status fields)—read alongside Mah & Pitre and Abbasi for higher-impact sleep-specific anchors.

Outcomes

  • Sleep Efficiency
    Systematic review: 5/8 sleep-intervention trials reported improved sleep parameters vs control or baseline (heterogeneous instruments including PSQI)
  • Depression & Anxiety Composite Score
    Systematic review: 5/7 anxiety-focused trials improved self-reported anxiety; 2 negative trials in premenstrual/postpartum cohorts
  • Effect Size (Cohen's d / SMD)
    Overall conclusion (authors): supplemental magnesium likely useful for mild anxiety/insomnia particularly with low Mg status; larger RCTs needed for dose/form selection
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