Most of your magnesium is stored in your bones and soft tissues such as muscle, according to the 2020 article in Nutrients. Magnesium deficiency contributes to cortical spreading depression that is linked to migraines. Taking magnesium can help control headache pain, regulate blood flow, and dilate blood vessels. Magnesium can be particularly helpful for migraines with auras.

Magnesium plays a crucial role in the brain by preventing overstimulation of nerve cells. It also reduces inflammation in the body. People with neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s often have lower magnesium levels in the brain. Magnesium deficiency is linked to anxiety and stress in humans and mice. Using magnesium supplements might cause gastrointestinal side effects such as diarrhea. However, you can get magnesium from foods like chickpeas. A cup of canned chickpeas provides 37 milligrams of magnesium, which is about 10% of the recommended daily allowance for women and 9% for men.