Researchers from the Center for Learning and Memory, School of Medicine at the University of Texas in Austin found that elevating brain levels of magnesium can help undo the bad programming from prior stress experiences by helping to create new brain response patterns not influenced by fear or anxiety. Researchers included supplemental magnesium to a cohort of volunteer participants and found that elevated brain magnesium was able to induce the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a compound used by the brain to rejuvenate cellular function.
The scientists concluded that increased magnesium levels led to an increase in synaptic plasticity that allowed the learned fear response to become altered. Fear and anxiety create obstacles that interfere with the quality of life and the willingness to do new things. Moderating the effects of intense and ongoing fear and of anxiety improve quality of life, healthy cognition and memory development.
Additional evidence supporting the importance of magnesium from proper diet or supplementation demonstrates that the mineral is critical to the process of making ATP (the cellular unit of energy) as well as of enabling the vital functions of cellular DNA and RNA. When magnesium levels are diminished, the final stages of energy production do not proceed efficiently. This leads to low brain energy output and may be a precursor to degenerative conditions including Alzheimer's dementia. Nutrition experts recommend supplementing with magnesium daily (300 to 500 mg) to improve cognition and to alleviate the effects of stress and anxiety.
