Tired, Crampy, Anxious? These Minerals Might Be Low

You’re eating well (or trying to). You’re moving your body. You’re sleeping. And yet something still feels off. Maybe it’s the fatigue that doesn’t match how much rest you’re getting. Maybe it’s cramps that seem to get worse every cycle. Maybe it’s the anxiety that creeps in without a clear reason. Before you write it off as stress or just “getting older,” it’s worth looking at your minerals. Yes, minerals.

Mineral deficiencies are incredibly common, often underdiagnosed, and can subtly drive symptoms that we tend to normalize. Here are five of the most impactful ones to have on your radar!

1. Magnesium

If you’ve been following along with us, you already know how we feel about magnesium (we dedicated an entire newsletter to it a few weeks ago!). It’s involved in over 600 enzymatic reactions in your body, including muscle relaxation, nervous system regulation, sleep, blood sugar balance, and hormone production.

What low magnesium can look like: muscle cramps or twitches, difficulty sleeping, anxiety or feeling wired but tired, headaches, intensified PMS, constipation, and heart palpitations.

Why it’s so common: soil depletion has significantly reduced the magnesium content in our food supply, and stress burns through it fast. Caffeine and alcohol increase magnesium loss too. Even with a solid diet, most women (and men) aren’t keeping up with demand!

Where to start: dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds, leafy greens, almonds, and avocado are all great food sources. And our beeyavibe magnesium powder (now available in wild berry!) makes it easy to supplement consistently with 3 highly bioavailable forms: magnesium glycinate, taurinate, and orotate.

2. Zinc

Zinc doesn’t get the attention it deserves, but it’s essential for immune function, skin health, gut integrity, and—importantly—hormone production. Zinc is critical for ovulation, which means it directly influences progesterone levels. No ovulation, no progesterone rise. And as we’ve covered in previous newsletters, low progesterone is at the root of a lot of luteal phase symptoms!

What low zinc can look like: frequent colds or slow wound healing, acne or skin issues, thinning hair, low appetite, poor concentration, and worsening PMS.

Why it’s so common: zinc isn’t stored well in the body, so you need a consistent daily intake. Stress and hormonal birth control can also deplete zinc over time.

Where to start: pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, oysters, red meat, chickpeas, and cashews. If you’re seed cycling with us, you’re already getting zinc in both phases—pumpkin seeds during the follicular phase and sesame seeds during the luteal phase.

3. Iron

Iron is responsible for carrying oxygen throughout your body via red blood cells. When levels drop, your tissues and organs don’t get the oxygen they need, and the effects are hard to ignore. Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide, and women of reproductive age are especially at risk because of monthly blood loss during menstruation.

What low iron can look like: persistent fatigue (the kind that rest doesn’t fix), shortness of breath during normal activity, pale skin or inner eyelids, dizziness, cold hands and feet, brain fog, and brittle nails.

Why it’s so common: heavy periods are one of the biggest drivers. If your cycles are heavy (soaking through a pad or tampon every 1–2 hours, passing large clots, or bleeding for more than 7 days), you’re losing more iron than the average person each month. Low stomach acid, gut issues, and diets low in animal protein can also impair iron absorption.

Where to start: red meat, organ meats, dark poultry, lentils, spinach, and fortified cereals. Pairing iron-rich foods with vitamin C (citrus, bell peppers, berries) significantly boosts absorption. If you suspect iron deficiency, it’s worth asking your doctor to check ferritin levels specifically, not just a standard CBC.

4. Potassium

Potassium is an electrolyte that plays a key role in fluid balance, nerve signaling, and muscle contractions (including your heart). It also works alongside sodium to regulate blood pressure. Most people associate potassium with bananas, but the reality is that daily needs are quite high and many women fall short without realizing it.

What low potassium can look like: muscle weakness or cramping, bloating or water retention, fatigue, irregular heartbeat, and feeling “off” after workouts.

Why it’s so common: the recommended daily intake is around 2,600 mg for women, and most people don’t come close. Diets low in fruits, vegetables, and starchy roots are often the culprit. Excessive sweating, chronic stress, and certain medications (like diuretics) can also deplete potassium.

Where to start: potatoes and sweet potatoes (with the skin!), bananas, avocado, coconut water, beans, salmon, and leafy greens. Building meals—like this sweet potato sheet pan nachos—around whole foods is the simplest way to stay consistent here.

5. Calcium

Calcium is most known for bone health, but it does a lot more than that! It supports muscle function, nerve transmission, and even plays a role in hormone secretion. And interestingly, research has shown a connection between calcium intake and PMS—women with higher calcium intake tend to report fewer premenstrual symptoms.

What low calcium can look like: muscle cramps (especially in the legs), numbness or tingling in the fingers, brittle nails, fatigue, and over time, increased risk of stress fractures or bone density loss.

Why it’s so common: dairy-free diets, under-eating, and inadequate vitamin D (which is required for calcium absorption) are some of the most common reasons. Women approaching perimenopause and beyond have increased calcium needs due to declining estrogen, which plays a protective role in bone density.

Where to start: full-fat dairy (yogurt, cheese, milk), sardines with bones, broccoli, kale, almonds, and fortified plant milks. If you’re dairy-free, paying extra attention to calcium-rich alternatives and making sure your vitamin D levels are adequate becomes even more important.

The thread connecting all of these

If you look closely, there’s a pattern: most of these deficiencies are driven by the same handful of root causes. Chronic stress, under-eating, restrictive diets, poor gut health, and heavy periods show up again and again. That’s why addressing minerals in isolation only gets you so far.

The foundation—eating enough, eating consistently, managing stress, and supporting your digestion—is what allows your body to absorb and use these nutrients effectively. And consider seed cycling, which helps build daily sources of zinc and magnesium through your seeds! And this is such a simple way to support your body’s mineral stores without adding complexity to your routine!

Where to go from here

If a few of these symptoms resonated, don’t panic. Mineral deficiencies are common and they’re addressable. Start by looking at your meals; are you eating enough variety (3+ colors on your plate), enough volume (not feeling like you need to eat again for 3-4 hours), and enough nutrient-dense whole foods (think: foods that don't need a nutrition label)?

From there, consider getting bloodwork done (ferritin for iron, RBC magnesium for magnesium, and serum zinc are good places to start). And layer in support where you can, whether that’s through food or practices like seed cycling! The right building blocks for adequate mineral levels are at your fingertips.