You can use magnesium for OCD as a supportive option, but current research suggests it works best alongside professional treatment rather than as a replacement for it.
If you struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), your anxiety is driven by obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. As herbal remedies become more popular, some people add magnesium to their routine to help ease that anxiety.
This essential mineral plays a role in regulating the nervous system and stress response, but studies looking at its effect on OCD specifically are still limited. Below, we’ll cover everything you need to know about magnesium for OCD.
Key Highlights
- Possible Anxiety Support – Magnesium is linked to stress regulation and may help ease anxiety-related symptoms, but research on OCD specifically is limited. It works best alongside CBT and exposure therapy rather than as a standalone treatment.
- Deficiency and Food Sources – Low magnesium can cause symptoms like fatigue, muscle cramps, and irregular heart rhythms, and a blood test is needed to confirm it. Foods such as almonds, spinach, avocado, salmon, and whole grains are good dietary sources.
- Dosage and Safety – General daily needs are about 310 to 320mg for women and 400 to 420mg for men, with a higher range sometimes discussed for mental health conditions. Taking too much can cause problems ranging from diarrhea to serious heart issues.
Table of Contents
What is Magnesium?
Magnesium is a mineral that’s found in your:
- Bodily fluids (i.e., urine, saliva)
- Bones
- Cells
- Tissues
Research indicates that magnesium is biologically linked to stress and anxiety. ¹ More specifically, people with low levels of magnesium are more likely to struggle with OCD and other mental health conditions (i.e., depression). ²
This may have to do with the fact that magnesium plays a few essential roles in the body, including:
- Allows muscles to relax and contract
- Converts food into energy
- Helps DNA and RNA formation and repair
- Improves sleep
- Manages the central nervous system
- Promotes heart health
- Reduces inflammation
- Regulates blood glucose levels
- Stabilizes mood
- Supports bone health
It’s estimated that 50% of people do not receive the recommended amount of magnesium in their daily diets. ³
How to Tell if Your Magnesium Levels are Low?
While you’ll need a blood test to properly determine magnesium levels, the following are signs of magnesium deficiency: ⁴
- Abnormal eye movement
- Constipation
- Convulsions
- Coronary spasms
- Fatigue
- Irregular heart rhythms
- Loss of appetite
- Muscle contractions and cramps
- Nausea and vomiting
- Numbness
- Personality changes
- Seizures
- Tingling
- Weakness
Magnesium deficiency may be caused by the following conditions: ⁵
- Alcoholism
- Diet without enough magnesium
- Digestive problems
- Extended use of certain medications
- Kidney problems
- Long-term vomiting or diarrhea
- Type 2 diabetes
Magnesium for OCD: Can it Help?
Currently, research isn’t 100% sure of the exact relationship between magnesium and OCD. A 2010 study found that supplements containing magnesium helped reduce stress, anxiety, and anxiety conditions (i.e., OCD). ⁶ However, beyond this research, there isn’t much out there.
The main reason many people struggle with OCD is due to stress. Magnesium can calm you down by regulating your nervous system and reducing oxidative stress. Furthermore, magnesium slows or stops the production of neurotransmitters that create “excitement.”
This “excitement” is often what leads to intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. Therefore, magnesium may be an efficient way to reduce these thought patterns.
Still, it’s unlikely magnesium is efficient by itself. You will also want to incorporate other tools, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy.
What Foods are Rich in Magnesium?
You may want to incorporate the following foods for OCD if you want a dose of magnesium:
- Almonds
- Avocado
- Bananas
- Black beans
- Brown rice
- Chia seeds
- Collard and mustard greens
- Dark chocolate
- Flaxseeds
- Halibut
- Kale
- Low-fat or non-fat milk and yogurt
- Lima beans
- Pumpkin seeds
- Quinoa
- Salmon
- Shredded wheat
- Soymilk
- Spinach
- Tofu
- Whole grains
While you can also receive magnesium through a supplement, people who are on certain medications (i.e., antibiotics) may benefit more from a high-magnesium diet plan.
Magnesium Dosage Recommendation
Your daily magnesium needs depend on your age, sex, and life stage. Men should receive 400mg to 420mg of magnesium daily, whereas women should receive 310mg to 320mg daily. These recommended amounts count magnesium from all sources, including food, supplements, and medications.
| Group | Recommended Daily Amount (Food and Supplements) |
| Men, 19-30 years | 400mg |
| Men, 31+ years | 420mg |
| Women, 19-30 years | 310mg |
| Women, 31+ years | 320mg |
| Pregnant women | 350 – 360 mg |
| Breastfeeding women | 310 – 320mg |
Some research suggests people with mental health conditions may need more magnesium than the general population. ⁷ For anxiety disorders, depression, or OCD, studies have explored amounts in the range of 400 to 800mg. However, this range is above the supplemental upper limit, so you shouldn’t try it without guidance.
Talk to your healthcare provider before taking a higher dose, especially if you take medication for OCD or have kidney problems.
Magnesium Safety and Side Effects
While rare, you may experience the following complications if you take too much magnesium: ⁸
- Abdominal cramps
- Cardiac arrest
- Diarrhea
- Facial flushing
- Hypotension or low blood pressure
- Irregular heartbeat
- Lethargy
- Muscle weakness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Respiratory distress
- Urine retention
If you experience magnesium toxicity, your healthcare provider will give you intravenous (IV) calcium gluconate to reverse its effects.
Final Word
While magnesium is no cure for OCD, it may be able to reduce anxiety symptoms. Therefore, to treat OCD, your best bet is incorporating magnesium with other coping mechanisms.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What type of magnesium is best for OCD?
While most forms of magnesium are helpful, magnesium glycinate is likely the most effective for OCD.
How long does it take magnesium to work for OCD?
You probably won’t notice a response from magnesium until you take it daily for a few weeks. It can help to combine magnesium with other coping methods.
What are the symptoms of low magnesium?
Symptoms of low magnesium vary from person-to-person, but common ones include low appetite, nausea and vomiting, fatigue and weakness, and muscle spasms.
References
¹ Pickering G, Mazur A, Trousselard M, Bienkowski P, Yaltsewa N, Amessou M, Noah L, Pouteau E. Magnesium Status and Stress: The Vicious Circle Concept Revisited. Nutrients. 2020 Nov 28;12(12):3672. doi: 10.3390/nu12123672. PMID: 33260549; PMCID: PMC7761127.
² Serefko A, Szopa A, Poleszak E. Magnesium and depression. Magnes Res. 2016 Mar 1;29(3):112-119. doi: 10.1684/mrh.2016.0407. PMID: 27910808.
³ Razzaque MS. Magnesium: Are We Consuming Enough? Nutrients. 2018 Dec 2;10(12):1863. doi: 10.3390/nu10121863. PMID: 30513803; PMCID: PMC6316205.
⁴ Abbott LG, Rude RK. Clinical manifestations of magnesium deficiency. Miner Electrolyte Metab. 1993;19(4-5):314-22. PMID: 8264519.
⁵ Flink EB. Magnesium deficiency. Etiology and clinical spectrum. Acta Med Scand Suppl. 1981;647:125-37. doi: 10.1111/j.0954-6820.1981.tb02648.x. PMID: 7020347.
⁶ Lakhan SE, Vieira KF. Nutritional and herbal supplements for anxiety and anxiety-related disorders: systematic review. Nutr J. 2010 Oct 7;9:42. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-9-42. PMID: 20929532; PMCID: PMC2959081.
⁷ Kuygun Karcı C, Gül Celik G. Nutritional and herbal supplements in the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder. Gen Psychiatr. 2020 Mar 11;33(2):e100159. doi: 10.1136/gpsych-2019-100159. PMID: 32215361; PMCID: PMC7066598.
⁸ Ajib FA, Childress JM. Magnesium Toxicity. 2022 Nov 7. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan–. PMID: 32119480.
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