If you find yourself getting run down quicker than you used to, you may chalk it up to getting older. Maybe you’ve gotten so used to regularly fighting fatigue that you consider it normal. PSA: No one should be sleepwalking through life. In fact, your fatigue could be linked to a key nutrient deficiency.
It’s something Dr. Ehsan Ali, MD—an internal medicine doctor known as The Beverly Hills Concierge Doctor—says he sees many women 40 and older experiencing. “I’ve seen so many women chalk up fatigue, anxiety or poor sleep to just ‘getting older,'” he explains. In reality, though, there could be a nutrient deficiency at play.
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Why It’s Important for Women 40 and Older To Get Enough of This One Nutrient
Everyone needs to get enough magnesium, but Dr. Ali says that it’s especially important for women 40 and older to meet the recommended daily intake. “Magnesium plays a huge role in overall health, but for women over 40, it becomes even more important. As we age, we naturally start to lose bone density, and magnesium works hand-in-hand with calcium and vitamin D to keep bones strong,” he explains.
Scientific research shows that bone loss begins between the ages of 30 and 40 and that menopause is followed by an immediate decrease in bone mass. This is why it’s especially important for women 40 and older to get enough of the nutrients that support bone health, including the trio Dr. Ali mentioned above: calcium, vitamin D and magnesium.
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Dr. Ali says that magnesium also helps with sleep, mood regulation, blood sugar control and muscle and nerve function—all more reasons why it’s important to get enough.
How To Make Sure You’re Getting Enough
Women 40 and older should aim to get 320 milligrams of magnesium a day. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to reach this goal through diet. Dr. Ali says that leafy greens such as Swiss chard and spinach, nuts (especially almonds and cashews), beans, lentils and dark chocolate are all good sources of magnesium.
“I also recommend adding pumpkin seeds to a salad or Greek yogurt. They pack a ton of magnesium in a small handful,” he shares. “If you’re eating a well-rounded diet with a mix of whole grains, veggies and plant-based proteins, you’re probably doing better than you think.”
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Still, it’s important to know the signs that you may not be getting enough. “Low magnesium is tricky because symptoms can be vague,” Dr. Ali says. He explains that muscle cramps, fatigue, irritability, trouble sleeping, increased anxiety and a racing heart can all be symptoms, but they are also symptoms of many other health conditions, which is why it’s difficult to connect them specifically to not getting enough magnesium.
“You can ask your doctor to check your magnesium levels with a blood test, but the body tightly regulates magnesium in the blood, so it’s not always the best reflection of what’s going on inside your cells,” Dr. Ali says. His advice is to pay attention to your symptoms. If you’re experiencing any of the ones mentioned above, make it your goal to make more of a conscious effort to track your magnesium intake so you can be sure you’re getting enough.
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If you have a restrictive diet and are avoiding many of the foods that magnesium is naturally found in or you are experiencing digestive issues that may impact nutrient absorption, that’s when it can be helpful to consider taking a magnesium supplement, according to Dr. Ali. But he adds that consuming too much magnesium can lead to an upset stomach or interfere with some medications, so it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor before starting a magnesium supplement.
“Magnesium is one of those underrated nutrients that impacts a lot, especially for women in midlife, who may be juggling stress, hormone shifts, sleep issues and more,” he explains. “It’s not a magic bullet, but making sure you’re getting enough, whether through food or a supplement, can make a real difference in how you feel day-to-day. If something feels ‘off’ and you can’t quite put your finger on it, magnesium might be part of the conversation to have with your doctor.”
Constantly feeling fatigued is no way to go through life. Ensuring you’re meeting your nutrient needs is a great first step to getting your energy back.
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Sources
- Dr. Ehsan Ali, MD, board-certified internal medicine doctor at Beverly Hills Concierge Doctor
- Impact of magnesium on bone health in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Bone. 2022
- Bone loss: Epidemiology of bone loss. Arthritis Research. 2000
- Essential Nutrients for Bone Health and a Review of Their Availability in the Average North American Diet. The Open Orthopaedics Journal. 2012
- The Role of Magnesium in Sleep Health: a Systematic Review of Available Literature. Biological Trace Element Research. 2023
- Magnesium in the Central Nervous System. National Library of Medicine.
- The Therapeutic Effects of Magnesium in Insulin Secretion and Insulin Resistance. Advanced Biomedical Research. 2022
- The Integral Role of Magnesium in Muscle Integrity and Aging: A Comprehensive Review.Nutrients. 2023
- Magnesium. National Institutes of Health
- Hypomagnesemia. Cleveland Clinic
