Should we really all be taking magnesium supplements?

Science Weekly

The Guardian

Science

4.2 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 17 February 2026

⏱️ 17 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Testimonials about the beneficial health effects of magnesium supplements abound online, with influencers claiming that a daily pill can help with everything from anxiety to sleep and brain fog. But do any of these claims stack up? Ian Sample is joined by co-host Madeleine Finlay to find out where the science stands. They also hear from Katherine Tucker, the founder of the Center for Population Health at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. She explains what magnesium is doing in our bodies and the best approach we can take to ensure we are getting enough. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is The Guardian.
0:12.0	Imagine a wonder pill.
0:14.2	It can cure anxiety, insomnia, migraine, brain fog and PMS.
0:20.9	It can prevent bone weakness and halt the declining cognitive function in old age.
0:26.7	Well, according to some, it already exists.
0:31.0	There's one mineral that is the absolute most important mineral that you can consume.
0:35.6	It's naturally occurring, it's abundant, and it's all over
0:39.8	social media. Well, for women, the most important supplement she could ever take is magnesium.
0:47.9	Breathless claims abound about magnesium's beneficial effects on the body, and many posts are followed with advice about supplements.
0:56.6	Take magnesium glycinate to encourage deeper, more restful sleep.
1:00.4	Take magnesium 3 and 8 to improve focus and to support long-term brain health.
1:04.8	Take magnesium tori to support heart health and help regulate healthy blood pressure and circulation.
1:13.5	So today I'm sitting down with my Science Weekly co-host, Madeline Finley, to take me through
1:19.2	the claims and get the facts straight about magnesium.
1:24.9	From The Guardian, I'm Ian Sampal, and this is Science Weekly.
1:34.5	Maddie, tell me a bit more about all these claims being made on social media about magnesium.
1:40.8	Yeah, you can find claims that magnesium solves all kinds of ailments, that it's going to
1:47.5	help you sleep. It's going to help with things like anxiety, depression, ADHD, that it's going to
1:53.7	cure your migraines, brain fog, improve your cognitive function, improve your PMS, your mental
2:00.4	cramps. I mean, Ian, I could just
2:01.5	keep going on and on. There are so many different claims. And, you know, we have to be skeptical
2:07.5	on the Science Weekly podcast and, you know what they say about things that are too good to be true.
	...

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