TikTokers claim they “no longer have anxiety” after taking supplements and stopping their prescription medications.
Users on the social media platform have gone viral after posting about magnesium and vitamin D3 supplements reducing their anxiety.
One claimed that after a lifetime of fear, he no longer felt it. Another wondered why his doctor hadn’t prescribed him magnesium in the first place instead of prescription medications.
However, experts told DailyMail.com that there is no solid evidence that these supplements reduce anxiety and may not help in the long term.
Tyler Wesley posted a video to TikTok in July after he started taking 500 milligrams of magnesium every day.
“I’m a huge anxiety sufferer, someone recommended I start taking magnesium to try to solve the problem,” he said in the video, which has been viewed more than 16 million times. ‘I have no fear anymore. Thirty years, fear all my life, I don’t have it anymore.’
Tyler Wesley (left) posted a video on TikTok in July after he started taking 500 milligrams of magnesium every day. A creator named Brenden merged Mr. Wesley’s video and said that magnesium and vitamin D3 also made a difference in his anxiety. ‘I feel fine. “I feel normal,” he said
Magnesium is one of the most abundant minerals in the body, but according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), only half of American adults get the recommended amount. On average, most Americans consume about 200 milligrams of magnesium per day
‘Try it. I am not a medical professional. Don’t take medical advice from me, just try it.’
Nearly two months later, Mr. Wesley posted an update, saying his panic attacks and anxiety flare-ups have disappeared. He also started drinking more water and exercising more often.
‘Everything went well. “I haven’t had any problems,” he said.
Another creator named Brenden merged Mr. Wesley’s video and said that magnesium and vitamin D3 also made a difference in his anxiety. He started taking 200 milligrams of magnesium after previously taking the prescription drug Klonopin.
“I feel like I took a Klonopin,” he said in the video, which has been viewed nearly five million times.
‘I feel fine. I feel normal. I have no fear.
“Why didn’t the doctor let me try this first?”
Brenden said his panic attacks stopped and he stopped taking Klonopin. In a separate video, he claimed his sleep had improved.
This could be because magnesium has been shown to improve brain health by reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Dr. Carolyn Rubenstein, a licensed psychologist in Florida, told DailyMail.com, “If you don’t have as much magnesium, you may actually experience more stress.
‘It’s so good that people are highlighting the link between our physical health, our diet and our mental health.
‘We look at mental health (from) a holistic, comprehensive perspective, rather than just from a narrow lens. I think this is a very good and positive direction.’
Dr. However, Rubenstein said there is still little research on the long-term health effects of supplements such as magnesium and vitamin D, and it is not clear whether they actually reduce anxiety.
“There’s no secret cure here,” she said. “There is no conclusive research to support that.”
“Even if it reduces or can soothe your anxiety a little bit, you still have to do the work associated with managing anxiety.”
“I’m afraid that mentality will be short-lived and not really a long-term solution.”
a Review from 2017 in Nutrients magazine looked at 18 studies on magnesium and anxiety and found that while there were improvements in mild and generalized anxiety, more controlled studies are still needed.
Dr. Rubenstein said one of the reasons these TikTokers have less anxiety is because they are deficient in these nutrients. For example, vitamin D deficiency has been directly linked to depression.
“Some people will have lower magnesium levels, and taking a supplement or eating foods that contain magnesium can help their body do the work it needs to do,” she said.
Magnesium is one of the most abundant minerals in the body, but according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), only half of American adults get less than the recommended amount. On average, most Americans consume about 200 milligrams of magnesium per day.
The current recommended daily intake of magnesium is approximately 400 to 420 milligrams per day for men and 310 to 320 milligrams for women. However, pregnant women should get closer to 350 to 360 milligrams to support breastfeeding.
Taking too much magnesium can cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure and cardiac arrest.
“You want to be careful about how much you take and know what your baseline levels already are.” It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach,” Dr. Rubenstein said.
Before picking up bottles of magnesium and vitamin D, she recommends talking to a doctor to see if you have a nutrient deficiency. “I think it’s important to really know the numbers so that you support yourself and don’t potentially put yourself in a situation where you’re doing more harm than good,” she said.