Magnesium Citrate: Can It Help You Sleep Better & Reduce Inflammation?

observational-study PMID: 21199787

Quick Summary: A study found that magnesium citrate supplements may help older adults with poor sleep by improving their magnesium levels and reducing inflammation. However, the study also showed that better sleep might be due to other factors, not just the magnesium.

Does Magnesium Citrate Help With Sleep?

This research looked at how magnesium citrate affects older adults who have trouble sleeping. The study found that taking magnesium citrate supplements:

Boosted magnesium levels: People taking magnesium citrate had higher levels of magnesium in their red blood cells.

Reduced inflammation: Those with high levels of inflammation at the start of the study saw a decrease after taking magnesium.

Improved sleep (maybe): Both groups, those taking magnesium and those taking a placebo (a "dummy" pill), reported better sleep. This suggests that something other than magnesium might be helping with sleep.

What The Research Found

The study showed that magnesium citrate might be helpful, especially if you don't get enough magnesium in your diet. Here's a breakdown:

Magnesium Levels: Magnesium citrate increased magnesium levels in the blood.

Inflammation: Magnesium helped lower levels of a marker of inflammation (CRP) in people who had high levels to begin with.

Sleep Quality: Both groups, including those taking a placebo, reported better sleep. This makes it hard to say if magnesium alone improved sleep.

Diet Matters: Many people in the study didn't get enough magnesium from their food. Those with low magnesium intake also tended to have higher inflammation and higher body mass index (BMI).

Study Details

Who was studied: 100 adults over 51 years old with poor sleep quality.

How long: The study lasted for 7 weeks.

What they took: One group took 320 mg of magnesium citrate daily, while the other took a placebo.

What This Means For You

Check Your Magnesium: If you're over 50 and have trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor about checking your magnesium levels.

Consider Magnesium: If your levels are low, magnesium citrate supplements might help, especially if you also have inflammation.

Eat Magnesium-Rich Foods: Focus on getting magnesium from foods like leafy greens, nuts, and seeds.

Don't Rely Solely on Magnesium for Sleep: While magnesium might help, other factors can also improve sleep. Focus on good sleep habits like a regular sleep schedule and a relaxing bedtime routine.

Study Limitations

Sleep Improvement: Both groups improved sleep, so it's hard to know if magnesium was the main reason.

Short Study: The study was only 7 weeks long, so we don't know the long-term effects.

Mostly Women: The study included mostly women, so the results might not be the same for men.

Dietary Accuracy: The study relied on food diaries, which can be inaccurate.

Cause and Effect: The study couldn't prove if low magnesium causes poor sleep or if poor sleep causes low magnesium.

Key Findings

Magnesium supplementation (320 mg/day as magnesium citrate) significantly increased erythrocyte magnesium (4.75 to 5.05 pg/cell, p = 0.01) and reduced plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) in participants with baseline CRP > 3.0 mg/L, indicating lowered inflammatory stress.
Serum magnesium improved only in participants with baseline levels < 1.8 mg/dL (deficient), suggesting supplementation targets those with existing deficiencies.
PSQI sleep scores improved similarly in both magnesium and placebo groups (10.4 to 6.6, p < 0.0001), potentially due to a placebo effect or non-magnesium-related factors.
58% of participants had dietary magnesium intake below the U.S. Estimated Average Requirement (EAR), which correlated with higher BMI and CRP levels.
The study could not confirm whether magnesium deficiency causes poor sleep quality or vice versa due to overlapping improvements in both groups.

Study Design

Type: Observational study with interventional elements (randomized, placebo-controlled trial).
Sample Size: 100 adults (22 males, 78 females) aged 59 ± 8 years (range: 51–85 years), with 96 completing the study.
Duration: 7 weeks, with final assessments at weeks 5 and 7 (combined for analysis).
Methodology: Participants were randomized to magnesium citrate or sodium citrate placebo, matched by gender, age, and PSQI scores. Baseline and post-intervention measurements included BMI, blood/urine biomarkers, and sleep quality.

Dosage & Administration

Dosage: 320 mg/day of magnesium citrate or sodium citrate placebo.
Administration: Daily supplementation for 7 weeks.
Dietary Control: No changes to diet were reported, though 58% had baseline magnesium intake below EAR.

Results & Efficacy

Erythrocyte Magnesium: Increased significantly in magnesium group (4.75 to 5.05 pg/cell, p = 0.01).
Serum Magnesium: No overall change (p = NS), but improved in deficient subgroup (<1.8 mg/dL at baseline, p < 0.05).
CRP Reduction: Magnesium supplementation decreased CRP in participants with elevated baseline levels (>3.0 mg/L, p < 0.05).
Sleep Quality: PSQI scores improved in both groups (10.4 to 6.6, p < 0.0001), suggesting non-specific effects (e.g., placebo or study participation).
BMI & Magnesium Intake: Participants with low dietary magnesium had higher BMI (p < 0.05) and CRP (p < 0.05).

Limitations

Placebo Effect: Sleep quality improved similarly in both groups, confounding the ability to assess magnesium’s direct impact on sleep.
Short Duration: 7-week intervention may be insufficient to observe long-term effects of supplementation.
Sample Demographics: Female-dominated cohort (78%) limits generalizability to males.
Dietary Assessment: Food diaries may lack accuracy in capturing habitual magnesium intake.
Mechanistic Uncertainty: Association between magnesium status and sleep quality remains correlative; causality not established.

Clinical Relevance

Magnesium citrate supplementation (320 mg/day) may improve magnesium status and reduce inflammatory stress (CRP) in older adults with deficient serum magnesium (<1.8 mg/dL).
Sleep quality improvements were not magnesium-specific, suggesting other factors (e.g., placebo effect) may drive short-term subjective benefits.
58% of participants had inadequate dietary magnesium, highlighting the need for dietary or supplemental adjustments in older populations.
Clinicians should consider screening for magnesium deficiency (via serum and erythrocyte levels) in patients with chronic inflammation or sleep issues, though further research is needed to clarify magnesium’s role in sleep regulation.

Source: 2010 Study
Word count: 398