Pulling Down the Moon

Magnesium and Fertility: Understanding Its Role in Pregnancy

Jan 03, 2022

Magnesium is an essential mineral in hundreds of reactions in the body involved in a variety of processes including deriving energy from food, DNA synthesis, and blood sugar regulation. In addition, magnesium is a mineral component of bone along with calcium and phosphorus. Along with these important functions, did you know that magnesium may play a role in fertility and pregnancy as well?


Magnesium’s Role in Fertility and Pregnancy

In a study of 33 women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), 23% of women did not meet their daily magnesium needs. (1) In another study comparing women with and without PCOS, women with PCOS consumed less magnesium than women without PCOS. In women with PCOS, lower magnesium intake was correlated with higher risk for insulin resistance and elevated testosterone, key hallmarks of PCOS. (2) There have been many studies investigating the impact of magnesium levels and magnesium supplementation on insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. These studies point to a significant role for magnesium for blood sugar regulation. (3)


Magnesium supplementation may also help prevent muscle cramps in pregnancy, and may also be helpful for headache prevention. Research is ongoing around magnesium and its impact on risk for gestational diabetes and gestational hypertension.


How much Magnesium do we need?

According to NHANES data, the majority of Americans do not get enough magnesium in their diet. The daily requirement for magnesium is 310-320 mg for non-pregnant women. During pregnancy, magnesium requirements increase to 350-360 mg daily. 


Food sources of Magnesium

The best food sources of magnesium include: nuts and seeds especially Brazil nuts, cashews, and almonds; seaweed, leafy greens, legumes, whole grains, and dairy products.


Magnesium Supplements

Adding a magnesium supplement can be a helpful way to ensure you’re getting enough magnesium on a daily basis. Magnesium glycinate is the preferred form of magnesium, as it’s very well-absorbed and unlikely to cause digestive issues or loose stools like other forms of magnesium that are less well-absorbed like magnesium oxide.


Unsure if you’re meeting your daily magnesium needs? Schedule your virtual nutrition consultation for a comprehensive review of your diet and supplement regimen. Supplements are available in Chicago, Highland Park, and via our online shop for your convenience!

References



  1. Szczuko M, et al. Quantitative assessment of nutrition in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Rocz Panstw Zakl Hig. 2016;67(4):419-426.Cutler DA, et al. Low intakes of dietary fiber and magnesium are associated with insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism in polycystic ovarian syndrome: a cohort study. Food Sci Nutr. 2019;7(4):1426-1437.Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University: Magnesium


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Therapeutic Yoga for PCOS?

By Beth Heller • 13 Sep, 2024
There are many reasons that a therapeutic yoga program may benefit women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. PCOS presents very differently in different women but the syndrome as whole is associated with infertility and other adverse health conditions including obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Women with PCOS may also have higher levels of chronic inflammation and elevated levels of circulating stress hormones. The good news is that more and more research suggests that lifestyle intervention including lifestyle intervention including diet and exercise may be the best way to manage PCOS. In addition, new research is showing the benefit of Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat the hormonal imbalances, symptoms like hirsutism and acne, and menstrual irregularity that is associated with PCOS. Another element of PDtM’s PCOS “Action Plan is yoga. Yoga has been shown to lower levels of stress hormones and women with a regular yoga practice have been show to have a “healthier physiological response to stress". Yoga has also been shown to reduce markers of oxidative stress and blood sugar control in people with diabetes as well as improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels in heart disease patients (1). Some of the goals of a therapeutic yoga practice for PCOS include: Standing and seated yoga asana that create an invigorating, but not exhausting, exercise session Twisting poses, which in yoga physiology are believed to help decrease abdominal fat Postures that bring blood to the thyroid gland, an important endocrine gland for metabolism Stimulating agni, the digestive fire, that supports complete digestion and metabolism of foods Mudras (hand yoga) that stimulate different physiological and energetic systems Breathing exercises that induce the relaxation response While lifestyle changes can be very helpful with PCOS, they are not enough on their own. Working in partnership with you physician or Reproductive Endocrinologist and ensuring they are kept up to date on any holistic treatments you may be using is the smartest approach for PCOS management. Yoga for Fertility to support PCOS is available at Pulling Down the Moon in-center starting on Sept 21st and virtually starting on Sept 30th . If you would like to learn more about PDtM’s PCOS Action Plan to manager your PCOS Action Plan with holistic health treatment ( Acupuncture , Massage , Nutrition , and Yoga ) then contact us at 312-321-0004 or email info@pullingdownthemoon.com to get started today! (1) Field, T. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 17 (2011) 1e8
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Pregnancy Passport: Relaxed Mommies Make Healthier Babies

By Beth Heller, MS RYT • 15 Aug, 2024
As I’ve said before, it took me seven years and five pregnancies to get two kids. So, while pregnancy was a joyful time for me on some levels, it was also a time of stress and sleepless anxiety. In fact my business partner Tami will often joke that my pregnancies were some of the most stressful times of her life. Honestly, though, without yoga, massage and acupuncture I think I would have bitten my fingernails to the quick waiting for Jackson and Calvin to arrive safely. What I didn’t know then was that seeking relief for anxiety through holistic means was also good for my boys. A growing body of clinical evidence now suggests that prenatal stress, depression and/or anxiety is linked to adverse health outcomes for both moms and babies including preterm birth, preeclampsia and even future risk of chronic disease and obesity (1). Women, especially women who have struggled to conceive, may feel guilty about experiencing anxious emotions during this “blissful time". Yet preparing for a new baby, no matter how hard one had to work to get it, can be stressful. Changes in the body during pregnancy, including the strains of a growing belly and nighttime muscle cramps, can also disrupt sleep, which increases stress. Rather than worry about worrying, we suggest you take the bull by the horns and enjoy a 360 degree self-care program during pregnancy. And honestly, it will never again be as easy to justify self-care like acupuncture , massage and yoga as it is when your efforts are a “double-dip – good for mom and great for baby. Here are several strategies for decreasing maternal stress and improving overall well-being during pregnancy: 1. Get acupuncture. A 2010 study in Obstetrics and Gynecology found that acupuncture treatment alleviated symptoms of stress and depression in pregnant women and women experiencing infertility (2, 3). Acupuncture has also been shown to be effective at managing morning sickness, back and pelvic pain and labor pain. Make sure, however, that you see a practitioner who is experienced in treating pregnancy. 2. Do prenatal yoga. Compared to controls, women who did prenatal yoga experienced significant reductions in physical pain from baseline to post intervention compared with women in the third trimester whose pain increased. Women in the yoga group showed greater reductions in perceived stress and trait anxiety in their third trimester than women from the control group (4) The same women also experienced better sleep and less wakefulness (5). 3. Get prenatal massage. Research shows that women who received prenatal massage reported decreased depression, anxiety, and leg and back pain. Cortisol levels decreased, which decreased excessive fetal activity; the rate of baby prematurity was also lower (6). 4. Seek expert prenatal nutrition counseling. There are specific nutritional strategies for managing weight gain, avoiding conditions like Gestational Diabetes and Pre-eclampsia and improving digestion (less heartburn, avoid constipation). At Pulling Down the Moon we target our prenatal nutrition consults based on trimester. Get your passport to pregnancy relaxation by getting started today with prenatal care in Chicago , Highland Park , or virtually ! Gift certificates are also available at our online store shop.pullingdownthemoon.com . 1. Entringer S et al. Prenatal stress and developmental programming of human health and disease risk: concepts and integration of empirical findings. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2010 Dec;17(6):507-16. 2. Smith CA. 1. SMith The effect of acupuncture on psychosocial outcomes for women experiencing infertility. J Altern Complement Med. 2011 Oct;17(10):923-30. Epub 2011 Oct 6 . 3. Manber et al. Acupuncture for depression during pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol. 2010 Mar;115(3):511-20. 4. Beddoe AE et al. The effects of mindfulness-based yoga during pregnancy on maternal psychological and physical distress. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2009 May-Jun;38(3):310-9. 5. Beddoe AE et al. Effects of mindful yoga on sleep in pregnant women: a pilot study. Biol Res Nurs. 2010 Apr;11(4):363-70. 6. Field, T. (2010). Pregnancy and labor massage therapy. Expert Review of Obstetrics and Gynecology , 5, 177-181.
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