Magnesium and Reduced Depression Symptoms

Research synthesisLow evidenceSmall effect3 studies · 3 beneficial · 0 neutral · 0 harmful

Across 3 studies, all reported beneficial but small effects of magnesium on reducing depression symptoms. The evidence, drawn from a meta-analysis, a systematic review, and a review, suggests modest improvements associated with magnesium intake, particularly in clinical populations. The median study duration was not consistently reported.

Studied populations: adults with coronary artery disease and depressive symptoms

Caveats: Evidence base is small (only 3 studies) — conclusions should be considered preliminary. Available evidence is overwhelmingly positive — clinical literature in this area is subject to publication bias (null-result studies are less likely to be published or indexed). Effect sizes are small and based on reviews and pooled analyses, not large individual trials.

Generated Jun 11, 2026

3 of 3 papersPopulation:

From Plate to Mind: Scientific Perspectives on Foods That May Influence Anxiety and Depression.
- 2026-04-22
- Meta-Analysis
- Nutrients 18(9)
- - Antoniya Hachmeriyan
  - Gabriela Panayotova
  - Hristiyana Todorova
- PubMed: 42123920
- DOI: 10.3390/nu18091318
1 Insight on
- Reduced Depression Symptoms
- High evidence
- Rigorous Journal
Micronutrients serve as enzymatic cofactors for monoamine and GABA synthesis and modulate immune signaling; clinical effects are the most consistent when correcting insufficiency or in biomarker-defined subgroups.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Significant
Yes
Trace Elements and Depressive Symptoms in Coronary Artery Disease: A Systematic Review of Sparse and Predominantly Indirect Evidence.
- 2026-04-24
- Systematic Review
- International journal of molecular sciences 27(9)
- - Jakub Marek Baran
  - Zuzanna Waszak
  - Joanna Jarzębska
  - Damian Grusiecki
  - Maja Śmigielska
  - Wacław Kochman
  - Ewelina A Dziedzic
- PubMed: 42123390
- DOI: 10.3390/ijms27093805
1 Insight on
- Reduced Depression Symptoms
- High evidence
- Rigorous Journal
- Clinical
Interventional studies reported modest improvements following zinc or combined magnesium and zinc supplementation, although not in CAD-specific populations.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Significant
Yes
Magnesium: Health Effects, Deficiency Burden, and Future Public Health Directions.
- 2025-11-20
- Review
- Nutrients 17(22)
- - Marijana Matek Sarić
  - Tamara Sorić
  - Željka Juko Kasap
  - Nataša Lisica Šikić
  - Mladen Mavar
  - Jurgita Andruškienė
  - Ana Sarić
- PubMed: 41305676
- DOI: 10.3390/nu17223626
6 Insights on
- Reduced Depression Symptoms
- Moderate evidence
- Rigorous Journal
Low magnesium status is associated with hypertension, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, migraines, depression, and chronic inflammation...
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Significant
Yes

Magnesium and Reduced Depression Symptoms

From Plate to Mind: Scientific Perspectives on Foods That May Influence Anxiety and Depression.

Trace Elements and Depressive Symptoms in Coronary Artery Disease: A Systematic Review of Sparse and Predominantly Indirect Evidence.

Magnesium: Health Effects, Deficiency Burden, and Future Public Health Directions.