Does magnesium help with hair thinning during perimenopause?

The honest answer is that there is no strong direct evidence that magnesium supplementation reverses or significantly slows hair thinning during perimenopause. That said, there are biologically plausible reasons why adequate magnesium status matters for overall hair follicle health, and correcting a deficiency, if one exists, may be worth doing alongside other evidence-based approaches.

Hair thinning during perimenopause is primarily a hormonal problem. As estrogen and progesterone decline, the relative influence of androgens, including testosterone and its more potent derivative DHT, increases. DHT is the main driver of androgenic alopecia, the pattern of diffuse thinning at the crown and temples that many women notice during and after perimenopause. No supplement, including magnesium, directly blocks DHT or replicates estrogen's hair-protective effects.

That said, magnesium does have roles that may indirectly support hair follicle health. Hair follicle cells are among the most rapidly dividing cells in the body, and this rapid cell turnover is energy-intensive. Magnesium is essential for ATP production and for DNA repair in dividing cells. If magnesium is insufficient, this high-turnover process may be impaired. A comprehensive review by Gröber et al. (2015) highlighted magnesium's role across hundreds of enzymatic reactions including those involved in cell growth and repair.

Magnesium also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and oxidative stress at the scalp level has been linked to hair follicle damage. By reducing systemic oxidative stress, adequate magnesium intake may create a slightly more favorable environment for follicle function. This is speculative at the level of hair specifically, but the general connection between oxidative stress and hair loss has support in the broader dermatological literature.

There is also a stress angle worth considering. Chronic stress elevates cortisol, and elevated cortisol is a documented trigger for telogen effluvium, a form of hair shedding where follicles are pushed into a resting phase prematurely. Magnesium's effects on the stress response and cortisol regulation are better studied than its direct effects on hair. If magnesium reduces stress reactivity and improves sleep, this could indirectly reduce cortisol-driven shedding.

For hair thinning during perimenopause, the interventions with more direct evidence include ensuring adequate protein intake, addressing iron deficiency (ferritin below about 70 ng/mL is associated with hair loss), correcting vitamin D deficiency, and discussing options like minoxidil or spironolactone with a dermatologist. Biotin is another common recommendation, though evidence for biotin supplementation is mainly strong in people who are actually deficient.

Magnesium deficiency is common across the general population, and women going through perimenopause, who may have disrupted eating patterns, sleep, or high stress loads, can easily fall below optimal intake. Good food sources include pumpkin seeds, almonds, leafy greens, and legumes. Supplementing is reasonable if dietary intake is low, and it may support overall health even if hair thinning is not the primary outcome.

Studies on magnesium supplementation for general health have examined doses ranging from 200 to 400 mg per day. Talk to your healthcare provider about the right dose for your situation. If hair loss is your main concern, ask your provider to test ferritin, thyroid function, vitamin D, and hormonal status, as these are more likely to yield actionable findings than magnesium alone.

Tracking hair shedding changes can help you see whether things are improving or worsening over time. The PeriPlan app lets you log symptoms consistently, which is useful when you are trying to assess whether lifestyle or supplement changes are making a difference.

Magnesium is generally very safe. High doses can cause loose stools. People with kidney disease should not take magnesium supplements without medical supervision. Take magnesium at least two hours apart from quinolone or tetracycline antibiotics.

When to see a doctor: If hair thinning is rapid, patchy, accompanied by scalp changes, or distressing to you, see a dermatologist or your healthcare provider. Hair loss in perimenopause is common but it is also a symptom that can have several distinct causes, each with different treatments, and an accurate diagnosis is the most useful starting point.

This content is for informational purposes only and does not replace medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider about your specific situation.