For most of her life, Heather Marie felt as if her body was working against her.
As a high school cheerleader, she was physically fit, but still found she gained about 5kg (11lb) each year, eventually reaching 85kg (187lb, or 13st 5lb) by graduation.
‘My body felt out of control,’ Heather, now 35, told the Mail.
After leaving school, she married a chef, which made keeping weight off even harder. Despite regular Zumba classes and counting calories, her weight continued to climb.
She had her first baby in her early 20s, and finding time to exercise and prepare healthy meals was a challenge while juggling motherhood and teaching full-time.
She continued to gain weight and eventually, the scales hit 113kg (250lb, 17st 12lb).
It wasn’t until March 2021, when Heather was trying for a second baby and struggling to conceive, that she finally got some answers as to why she’d always struggled with her weight.
She was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and hypothyroidism.
Heather Marie struggled with her weight for years – but as soon as she began to understand her polycystic ovary syndrome, she was able to adapt her diet and shed the kilos
PCOS can drive weight gain by increasing the body’s tendency to store fat through insulin resistance, disrupting hunger and satiety hormones, slowing calorie burn, and, in some cases, influencing mood in ways that affect eating and activity patterns.
With hypothyroidism, your metabolism slows down, you burn fewer calories, and your body tends to store more fat and fluid, all of which contribute to gradual weight gain.
For Heather, it was a double whammy of challenges to overcome if she ever wanted to achieve a healthy weight.
As a result of these diagnoses, Heather’s doctor offered her the popular weight loss drug Ozempic, which she refused to take.
‘I’m very wary about taking any medications at all, even over-the-counter for headaches. The most I took a day was a prenatal and postnatal or multivitamin, outside of medication I have to take for my thyroid,’ she said.
Instead, Heather began to research how to manage her PCOS in the hope this would move the dial in her weight loss journey.
Heather started by making small tweaks to her diet, such as cutting out gluten and dairy. She also committed to walking 10,000 steps a day.
Slowly, the weight began to drop off. Within six months, she’d lost 15kg (33lb, or 2st 5lb). Soon, she was overjoyed to discover she was pregnant with her second child.
Heather’s secret was taking magnesium oxide regularly, in addition to a diet and exercise routine tailored to manage her PCOS symptoms (pictured today)
She paused her weight loss goals to focus on a healthy pregnancy and time with her new baby. But by 18 months post-partum, she began exploring changes that could better manage her PCOS – and, in turn, support sustainable weight loss.
Heather found that nutritional deficiencies are often discussed in the PCOS community, with magnesium frequently highlighted for its potential benefits.
Research shows magnesium may help address several underlying issues in PCOS, including stress, insulin resistance and inflammation.
So, Heather asked her gynaecologist about magnesium and was recommended magnesium oxide.
‘Magnesium was the first supplement I took that was so impactful for me,’ she said.
After taking it daily each evening with plenty of water, Heather experienced significant benefits.
‘Magnesium oxide has helped me with my mood swings, insulin resistance, hunger cravings, headaches, migraines, back pain and bowel movements,’ she said.
‘It got rid of my “moon face” in less than two weeks, and I noticed a significant reduction in food noise after taking that.’
The weight started falling off again, with Heather dropping 4kg (9lb) in just the first week of taking the supplement.
Within a year, she’d lost a whopping 40kg (88lb, or 6st 4lb), on top of the 15kg (33lb, or 2st 5lb) she had shed before falling pregnant with her second child.
This brought her total weight loss to 55kg (121lb, or 8st 9lb).
Heather said magnesium wasn’t a weight loss ‘silver bullet’ but it made her symptoms manageable enough for a healthy calorie deficit to finally make a difference.
It also prompted her to tackle other common PCOS deficiencies – like vitamin D, zinc and copper – which all play a role in supporting magnesium’s effects.
Her experience motivated her to become a certified coach in gut health, wellness and weight loss, focusing on helping women manage PCOS symptoms sustainably.
Heather’s experience lines up with advice from Dr Zac Turner, a biomedical scientist and general practitioner, who often sees magnesium playing a supportive – but not headline – role in weight loss.
‘Generally speaking, magnesium isn’t a weight loss hack – it’s certainly a lifestyle hack because it works across multiple different systems in the body,’ he told the Mail.
‘Magnesium can help reduce the stress in our bodies that is often attributed to weight loss. It helps reduce inflammation, cortisol levels, and improves gut health and sleep.
‘It doesn’t work as a stimulant or appetite suppressant. But I find that people who have used it, especially in a routine, have the best success.
‘If you can help improve your gut health and sleep health, such as by taking magnesium, you’re going to generally get a response [and lose weight] with whatever dietary approach you use.’
There are more than ten types of magnesium available, and when you take them matters – yet most people, Dr Turner notes, don’t know the difference.
For instance, magnesium citrate and magnesium oxide should be taken in the morning with plenty of water, because they help regulate bowel movements and ease muscle cramps and aches.
In contrast, magnesium glycinate and magnesium L-threonate are best taken in the afternoon to support your nervous system and manage stress. These types can also promote deeper, more restful sleep.
‘Magnesium glycinate can help stimulate parasympathetic activity, often referred to as “rest and digest”,’ Dr Turner said.
You can boost your magnesium intake through food by including cashews, spinach, peanuts, almonds, black beans, avocado, edamame and dark leafy greens in your diet. Dr Turner suggests a daily handful of mixed nuts if you prefer not to supplement.
He personally mixes a powdered magnesium supplement into his large water bottle twice a day, along with vitamin C, creatine and protein.
New to DailyMail+? Read more of our health coverage
Revealed: The cheap supplement that turbo-charges how well Mounjaro and Wegovy work, keeps you losing weight if it’s slowing – and experts say ALL patients coming off weight-loss jabs should take to avoid piling the pounds back on
Slash your cholesterol by a third in just a month… hundreds of thousands are on a new diet that’s transforming lives. Here are the exact foods you need to avoid a life on statins: MEIKE LEONARD
I ignored my itchy legs and common sleep complaint. Then doctors found something horrifying on a scan. I’d left it far too late
Can’t stop clearing your throat? This is the surprising reason why, when you should be worried – and exactly how you can get rid of the irritating problem for good
This is the mortifying Mounjaro side-effect everyone is too ashamed to admit they suffer from – and the clever dosing trick that will cure you AND help you shed the pounds
The tiny diet change that brought down my sky-high cholesterol WITHOUT statins or drugs. Mike was told he risked a heart attack or stroke. His GP was astonished by his results – now experts say it really does work
Why you’ve stopped losing weight on Mounjaro – and how to fix it: These are the sleep, alcohol and diet issues standing in your way… and the harsh truth about ‘microdosing’
