Nutrition guide
7 Signs You Might Be Low in Magnesium (and What to Eat)
By Randip Sidhu, author of Beyond the Plate
Magnesium is involved in more than 300 processes in the body — energy, sleep, muscle relaxation, nerve signalling. Yet it's one of the most commonly short-changed minerals in modern diets, because the processed and refined foods many of us lean on have had most of it stripped away.
The tricky part: the early signs are easy to blame on a busy life. Here are the seven that come up most often. Any one of them can have other causes — but if several sound familiar, it's worth a look at your plate.
1. Muscle cramps and twitches
Night-time calf cramps, eyelid twitches or that odd flutter under your eye are the classic complaint people mention first. Muscles need magnesium to relax after they contract, so when levels run low they can stay twitchy and cramped.
2. Trouble falling or staying asleep
Magnesium helps calm the nervous system and supports the body's natural sleep rhythm. If you eat reasonably well but still lie awake, low magnesium is one of the first everyday things worth looking at.
3. Tiredness that sleep doesn't fix
Every cell in your body uses magnesium to turn food into energy. When you're running low, everything can feel like wading through treacle — even after a full night's sleep.
4. Headaches
Researchers have been studying the link between magnesium and headaches for decades, and several reviews suggest people who get regular headaches tend to have lower levels more often. It's not the whole story, but it's a sensible one to check.
5. Loss of appetite or feeling queasy
It's one of the earlier, quieter signs — you just don't feel like eating much. On its own it could be anything, but combined with the other signs on this list it paints a clearer picture.
6. Tingling or numbness
Pins and needles in the hands or feet can happen when magnesium drops far enough to affect the nerves. This one deserves a proper conversation with your GP rather than self-treatment.
7. Feeling anxious or unusually irritable
Magnesium plays a role in how the brain handles stress. People who are low often describe feeling 'wired but tired' — drained all day, then too twitchy to wind down at night.
Everyday foods that top you up
Adults generally need somewhere in the region of 300–400 mg a day. Food first — these are the simplest ways to get there:
- Pumpkin seeds — One of the richest everyday sources — a small handful goes a long way.
- Almonds — Great snack, and they also feature in our guide to foods that help you sleep.
- Spinach and dark leafy greens — Magnesium lives at the centre of the chlorophyll molecule, so greens are a natural source.
- Dark chocolate — Yes, really — the higher the cocoa, the more magnesium. Craving chocolate is one reason people wonder about their levels.
- Black beans and lentils — Cheap, filling and consistently magnesium-rich.
- Avocado — Also brings potassium and healthy fats to the table.
- Whole grains and oats — Refining grains strips most of the magnesium out — whole versions keep it.
Should you take a supplement?
Sometimes, yes — but the supplement aisle is where good intentions get expensive. Labels hide more than they show: sneaky fillers, underdosed formulas and forms of magnesium your body barely absorbs. In Beyond the Plate there's a whole chapter on reading a supplement label in 30 seconds, so you only ever pay for what actually works.
Wondering which gaps you have?
Take the free 2-minute check and see how many of the 7 common nutritional gaps are showing up in your day.
Take the free checkRead the full guide
Beyond the Plate covers magnesium, sleep, energy and every other gap — with food-first fixes for each.
Get the book — $17This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, take medication, or the symptoms are severe or persistent, speak to your doctor or pharmacist before making changes. More guides →