Magnesium deficiency can manifest in various ways, and some of the signs and symptoms may overlap with those commonly seen in children with ADHD. 

While these signs alone may not definitively indicate a magnesium deficiency, they could warrant further investigation by a healthcare professional, especially if observed in conjunction with ADHD symptoms. Some signs of magnesium deficiency in kids, including those with ADHD, may include:

• Hyperactivity: Magnesium deficiency can contribute to increased levels of hyperactivity, restlessness, and impulsivity, which are hallmark symptoms of ADHD.
• Inattention: Poor concentration, difficulty focusing, and reduced attention span may be exacerbated by magnesium deficiency, particularly in children with ADHD.
• Irritability and Mood Swings: Magnesium deficiency can lead to irritability, mood swings, and emotional instability, which may worsen behavioral symptoms in children with ADHD.
• Fatigue and Weakness: Low magnesium levels may contribute to fatigue, weakness, and low energy levels, which can exacerbate ADHD symptoms and impact overall functioning.
• Muscle Twitches and Cramps: Magnesium deficiency can cause muscle twitches, cramps, and spasms, which may be particularly noticeable during periods of physical activity or restlessness in children with ADHD.
• Sleep Disturbances: Difficulty falling asleep, frequent nighttime awakenings, and restless sleep may be indicative of magnesium deficiency, exacerbating sleep problems commonly seen in children with ADHD.
• Digestive Issues: Magnesium deficiency can lead to gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and irregular bowel movements, which may further disrupt a child’s well-being and exacerbate ADHD symptoms.
• Sensory Sensitivities: Some children with magnesium deficiency may experience heightened sensory sensitivities, including sensitivity to light, noise, or tactile sensations, which can exacerbate sensory processing issues often observed in children with ADHD.

It’s important to note that these signs and symptoms alone may not necessarily indicate a magnesium deficiency, as they can also be attributed to other factors or conditions. Therefore, if you suspect your child may have a magnesium deficiency or if you observe these signs alongside ADHD symptoms, it’s crucial to consult with a healthcare professional for proper evaluation and guidance. They can conduct tests to assess magnesium levels and provide appropriate recommendations for supplementation or dietary changes if necessary.

The relationship between magnesium deficiency and ADHD is not fully understood, and research on this topic is ongoing. However, several factors may contribute to magnesium deficiency being more common in kids with ADHD:

• Dietary Factors: Children with ADHD may have dietary patterns that are low in magnesium-rich foods. Processed foods, sugary snacks, and beverages high in refined sugars are often preferred by children with ADHD, and these foods typically lack magnesium. Additionally, children with ADHD may have selective eating habits or food aversions that further limit their intake of magnesium-containing foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
• Digestive Issues: Some children with ADHD may experience gastrointestinal problems, such as malabsorption issues or digestive disorders, which can impair the absorption of magnesium and other nutrients from the diet. Chronic digestive issues can lead to deficiencies in essential minerals like magnesium, even if an individual consumes an adequate amount through their diet.
• Increased Nutrient Needs: Children with ADHD may have higher nutrient requirements due to factors such as increased metabolic rates, altered neurotransmitter activity, or medication use. Magnesium is involved in numerous physiological processes, including neurotransmitter regulation and energy metabolism, so deficiencies may occur more readily in children with higher-than-average nutrient needs.
• Stress and Anxiety: Children with ADHD often experience higher levels of stress and anxiety, which can deplete magnesium levels in the body. Magnesium is known to have calming effects on the nervous system, and inadequate levels may exacerbate stress-related symptoms in children with ADHD.
• Genetic Factors: Some research suggests that there may be a genetic component to both ADHD and magnesium metabolism. Certain genetic variations may affect magnesium absorption, utilization, or excretion, potentially increasing the risk of deficiency in individuals with ADHD.
• Medication Effects: Certain medications commonly used to treat ADHD, such as stimulants like methylphenidate or amphetamine-based medications, may affect magnesium levels in the body. While the exact mechanisms are not fully understood, these medications can alter nutrient absorption, metabolism, or excretion, potentially contributing to magnesium deficiency in some children with ADHD.

It’s important to note that while magnesium deficiency may be more common in children with ADHD, not all children with ADHD will necessarily have low magnesium levels. Additionally, magnesium deficiency is just one of many factors.

About 50% to 60% of the body’s magnesium is stored in the bones and the rest in soft tissues. Less than 1% of total magnesium is in blood serum, and these levels are kept under tight control by the kidney.

Therefore, assessing magnesium status in the body is very difficult because most magnesium is inside the cells or in bones. The most commonly used and readily available method for assessing magnesium status is the measurement of serum magnesium concentration, even though serum levels have little correlation with total body magnesium levels or concentrations in specific tissues.

Including a variety of these magnesium-rich foods into your diet can help ensure your child meet their daily magnesium needs. Additionally, choosing whole, minimally processed foods will provide other essential nutrients along with magnesium.

Magnesium is abundant in various natural food sources. Including these foods in your diet can help ensure an adequate intake of magnesium. Here are some excellent sources of magnesium:

• Leafy Greens: Spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and collard greens are rich sources of magnesium. They are versatile and can be included in salads, smoothies, stir-fries, or sautés.
• Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, cashews, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds are all high in magnesium. Snack on them raw, add them to salads or oatmeal, or use them in homemade trail mix.
• Whole Grains: Whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, barley, bulgur, and oats contain magnesium. Incorporate them into meals as a side dish, in salads, soups, or as a breakfast option.
• Legumes: Beans, lentils, chickpeas, and peas are good sources of magnesium. They can be added to soups, stews, salads, or used as a protein-rich main dish.
• Avocado: Avocado is not only rich in healthy fats but also a good source of magnesium. Enjoy it sliced on toast, added to salads, or blended into smoothies.
• Bananas: Bananas are a convenient and portable source of magnesium. They make a great snack on their own or can be added to smoothies, yogurt, or oatmeal.
• Dark Chocolate: Dark chocolate with a high cocoa content (70% or higher) is a surprisingly good source of magnesium. Enjoy a few squares as a treat or add cocoa powder to recipes like smoothies or homemade energy balls.
• Fish: Some types of fish, such as salmon, mackerel, halibut, and tuna, contain magnesium. Incorporate fish into your diet by grilling, baking, or pan-searing it.
• Dried Fruit: Dried fruits like figs, apricots, and raisins are concentrated sources of magnesium. Enjoy them as a snack on their own or add them to oatmeal, yogurt, or salads.
• Tofu: Tofu is a versatile plant-based source of magnesium. Use it in stir-fries, salads, sandwiches, or as a meat substitute in various recipes.

Food processing and cooking may significantly deplete magnesium content. A diet composed of mainly processed foods is deficient in magnesium and other important nutrients. 

Besides, the metabolic stress from the highly processed foods put the body’s detoxification system further into overdrive, trying to rid the body of the harmful substances in processed foods.

A balanced diet rich in magnesium-containing foods and vitamin B6 is the foundation for ensuring optimal nutrient intake, with supplements used only to complement dietary sources when needed. Magnesium from food sources should always be the priority. However, you cannot correct a deficiency with food alone. Therefore, supplementation is frequently needed to see results quickly. 

One time a patient told me she is allergic to magnesium, and I told her that is impossible because if you are allergic to magnesium you’d not have been alive long after birth because our human body needs magnesium. What she really mean is she’s allergic to some ingredients in her magnesium supplements.

So magnesium itself is safe because your body needs it. The supplement that it comes from may contain certain ingredients that your child might be sensitive to.

Magnesium supplements are generally considered safe for children when used appropriately and under the guidance of a healthcare professional. Magnesium supplementation should be considered as one component of a comprehensive treatment approach for ADHD, which may also include behavioral interventions, educational support, counseling, and, in some cases, medication management. It’s important to address the underlying factors contributing to ADHD symptoms rather than relying solely on supplementation.

Even though magnesium helps with sleep, it is not a sleep aid that causes drowsiness. It mainly relaxes the tension we hold in our muscles so we can relax and stopping racing thoughts and fall asleep easily at night. 

When you’re tense, your muscles tense up, and your brain thinks you’re in danger or stress, which switches on a high alert state. Of course, you can’t fall asleep when your body and mind are on full alert. 

When the tension leaves the body, the brain can relax, too, and slow the racing thoughts down. Then you or your child can fall asleep and sleep. 

That’s how magnesium helps with sleep by relaxing the body. This makes a magnesium a good supplement for calming anxious nerves during the day as well. 

This won’t make you sleepy as your body is not supposed to make melatonin during the day. Melatonin is the hormone thats make you sleepy at night. Magnesium only relaxes tensed up muscles from stress or exercise.

If you feel tense during the day, you can take magnesium in the morning. If you have difficulty falling asleep at night, takes magnesium at time, especially if you have a good workout that day to help with muscle recovery.  

You can find magnesium supplements in various salt preparations. Multivitamins and minerals generally contain magnesium oxide, which is less bulky and inexpensive to manufacture. However, it is not soluble in water, which means it is poorly absorbed by the body. Magnesium hydroxide in the milk of magnesia is another example of insoluble magnesium salt. Avoid both magnesium glutamate and magnesium aspartate as well.

Too much magnesium in a less-absorbable form can cause loose stool. This side effect can be prevented by reducing the amount of magnesium given and providing it in a more absorbable form.

Magnesium aspartate, chloride, lactate, citrate, and glycinate are more soluble, thus, easily absorbed in the intestines. Magnesium taurate, glycinate, or elemental magnesium is the preferred form that is less likely to cause diarrhea. 

If larger total daily doses of magnesium are required, divide the dose into smaller amounts and give it multiple times throughout the day for better absorption.

The best magnesium supplement of kids with ADHD is the one that combines magnesium with vitamin B6. Combining magnesium with vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is a common practice because both nutrients work synergistically and may enhance each other’s effectiveness. 

Children with ADHD are believed to have lower levels of magnesium inside their blood cells. Vitamin B6 boosts the absorption of magnesium into the cells. Since vitamin B6 helps improve blood cell level of magnesium, supplementing magnesium along with B6 will help significantly with promoting calmness, improved focus, and better sleep. 

Magnesium is crucial for neurotransmitter regulation and muscle relaxation, helping to reduce hyperactivity and promote a sense of calmness in children with ADHD. Vitamin B6 complements these effects by supporting the synthesis of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, vital for mood regulation and focus. 

Additionally, magnesium’s relaxation-promoting properties, combined with vitamin B6’s role in neurotransmitter synthesis, may contribute to improved sleep quality for children with ADHD.

The typical dose used in studies for children with ADHD is 200 mg of magnesium and 10 to 20 mg of vitamin B6 (Pyridoxal 5’-phosphate (P5P)) daily.

One capsule of Terry’s twice a day provides 200mg magnesium glycinate, 20mg P5P vitamin B6, and 6mg zinc. 

For teenage athletes with ADHD, a combination of magnesium and zinc supplementation can provide valuable support for both physical and cognitive well-being. Adolescents engaged in sports often have higher zinc requirements due to increased physical activity and the demands of growth and development. 

Zinc plays a crucial role in muscle repair, immune function, and energy metabolism, supporting athletic performance and recovery. 

Magnesium complements these benefits by promoting muscle relaxation, reducing the risk of cramps and fatigue during intense workouts, and aiding in neurotransmitter regulation for improved focus and concentration. 

Together, magnesium and zinc supplementation can help teenagers with ADHD who are athletes to optimize their physical performance while also supporting their cognitive function and overall health. 

Optimum Nutrition ZMA combines magnesium, zinc, and vitamin B6, which helps with focus, muscle recovery, and sleep as well. 

The instruction on the bottles says to take 3 capsules a day (435mg magnesium, 28mg zinc, and 10mg vitamin B6). I would recommend starting with 1 capsule for pre-teens and 2 capsules for teens. 

Ok, there you have it…

Remember ADHD does not doom your child to a life of under-achievement. You know your child is bright, full of potential, and deserves the best. In fact, many of the world’s greatest discoveries and inventions were made by people with ADHD.