Magnesium and Your Child’s Brain: Support for Anxiety and ADHD

Struggling with your child’s anxiety, mood swings, or focus challenges? Magnesium plays a key role in brain function, supporting attention, emotional regulation, and calm focus in children and teens. In integrative psychiatric care, magnesium is combined with personalized strategies for nutrition, lifestyle, and therapy to help kids thrive.

Why Magnesium Matters for Children

Magnesium supports brain health and emotional regulation by:

• Supporting neurotransmitters like GABA, which help reduce nervous system overactivity

• Regulating attention, mood, and behavior, improving focus and emotional stability

• Low magnesium levels are linked to increased ADHD symptoms and behavioral difficulties

Research Evidence

Studies show that children with ADHD often have lower magnesium levels. Insufficient intake may contribute to:

• Externalizing behaviors

• Anxiety and emotional dysregulation

• Difficulty focusing or sustaining attention

While magnesium supplementation is not a replacement for therapy or medication, it supports children with dietary gaps or nutrient deficiencies and enhances overall brain health.

How Integrative Psychiatry Uses Magnesium

At CareStone Psychiatry, magnesium is part of a personalized integrative plan that includes:

• Targeted nutrient support tailored to your child’s needs

• Lifestyle strategies: sleep routines, exercise, mindfulness

• Family support: practical routines and behavior reinforcement

• Optional labs and genetic testing to optimize supplementation and identify nutrient gaps

• Medication support when necessary, integrated safely into the care plan

This root-cause approach ensures your child not only feels calmer but builds long-term focus and emotional resilience.

Take the Next Step

Curious if magnesium could help your child feel calmer, more focused, and emotionally balanced?

Schedule a Personalized Consultation with CareStone Psychiatry today.

References

1. Effatpanah M, Rezaei M, Effatpanah H, et al. Magnesium Status and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A Meta-Analysis. Psychiatry Research. 2019;274:228-234.
2. Shen Y, Jin H, Guo F, et al. Association of Magnesium, Iron, Copper, and Zinc Levels With the Prevalence of Behavior Problems in Children and Adolescents. Biological Trace Element Research. 2024;202(12):5356-5365.
3. Huang YH, Zeng BY, Li DJ, et al. Significantly Lower Serum and Hair Magnesium Levels in Children With ADHD Than Controls: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry. 2019;90:134-141.
4. Black LJ, Allen KL, Jacoby P, et al. Low Dietary Intake of Magnesium Is Associated With Increased Externalising Behaviours in Adolescents. Public Health Nutrition. 2015;18(10):1824-1830.
5. Gröber U, Schmidt J, Kisters K. Magnesium in Prevention and Therapy. Nutrients. 2015;7(9):8199-8226.
6. Lange KW, Hauser J, Lange KM, et al. The Role of Nutritional Supplements in the Treatment of ADHD: What the Evidence Says. Current Psychiatry Reports. 2017;19(2):8.
7. Boyle NB, Lawton C, Dye L. The Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Subjective Anxiety and Stress: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2017;9(5):E429.
8. Kirkland AE, Sarlo GL, Holton KF. The Role of Magnesium in Neurological Disorders. Nutrients. 2018;10(6):E730.
9. Robberecht H, Verlaet AAJ, Breynaert A, De Bruyne T, Hermans N. Magnesium, Iron, Zinc, Copper and Selenium Status in ADHD. Molecules. 2020;25(19):E4440.