Hardly anyone mentions magnesium when talking about natural wrinkle treatments but it is one of the most meaningful micronutrients when it comes to muscle function. Did you know a twitching eye is a symptom of magnesium deficiency?

The reason magnesium helps you relax facial tension is that it is a competitor of calcium. And calcium is the final messenger in nerve signal transmission and muscle contraction. Sufficient magnesium levels also prevent muscle loss, inflammation, and weakness.

The role of calcium in wrinkles is so meaningful, it sparked the interest of skincare giant L’Oréal in the early 2000s. The company assigned French scientists to experiment with skincare formulations containing a calcium channel blocker used for high blood pressure (verapamil). The experiment served to invent an anti-wrinkle skincare product.

Magnesium deficiencies are common, which doesn’t always have to do with wrong food choices. Researchers estimate that 60% of people do not meet their daily magnesium requirements. Even if you eat loads of vegetables, the magnesium content in produce has declined dramatically in the past 100 years. Certain medications also reduce the absorption of magnesium. Examples include drugs for acid reflux, diuretics (e.g., furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide), antibiotics (e.g., tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, quinolones), chemotherapy drugs (e.g., cisplatin), bisphosphonates for osteoporosis, and oral contraceptives.

I asked Jenn, a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and melasma and hyperpigmentation expert: How much magnesium does a woman need to thrive?

Jenn: “There’s no one-size-fits-all dose because magnesium needs vary based on stress levels, hormone fluctuations, and lifestyle. A good baseline is around 300–400 mg per day, though many women feel best at the higher end of that range. You can start slow and gradually increase.

Magnesium needs often increase during hormonal shifts (like PMS, perimenopause, or menopause), being more active, and during periods of stress. Ideally, it’s best to get magnesium from food, and supplement as needed to fill in the gaps. It’s difficult to get optimal amounts from food alone, which is why many people do benefit from supplementing.”

However, the goal is to maintain mineral balance because calcium deficiency can also lead to muscle spasms. Food sources rich in magnesium are pumpkin and chia seeds, leafy greens, cocoa (dark chocolate preferred due to low sugar content), legumes, nuts, and whole grains are loaded with it. Although the three latter ones are healthier when soaked, fermented or activated before consumption. Legumes, nuts, and whole grains contain phytic acid, an antinutrient that inhibits magnesium absorption.

As an example, to get 400 mg of magnesium, you need to eat 3 cups of fresh spinach, 1 avocado, 30 grams of dark chocolate with 70-85% cocoa, and 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds in one day according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

You can also soak-up magnesium through the skin. An Epsom salt bath, visiting a float tank or ocean swims will refill your depots for a blissed-out body and mind. Jessica Biel went viral for her TikTok video where she exposed her pre-2024 Met Gala ritual: soaking in 20 pounds of Epsom salt to de-stress. While experts called her out on the excessive amounts, she looked stunning at the event.

The goal is not to increase your magnesium levels to ridiculous amounts and stress about it. I am bringing to your attention that nutrient deficiencies contribute to expression lines and that covering the body’s basic needs is primary.

Was that news to you?

Janett x