Magnesium is high on my list of important supplements
because of its extreme significance in our bodies, and because of the high
incidence of magnesium deficiency due partly to poor diet and partly to
the fact that often the stomach acid necessary to absorb it is
lacking.
Magnesium plays a part in
all the enzyme reactions in the body, and also is essential
(with the other important electrolyte, potassium) for the "firing" of
nerves and muscles. This means that few of the body's vital processes,
among them
take place efficiently when
magnesium levels are low. (Thanks to Dr. Leigh Broadhurst for this list!)
Years ago, natural health
pioneer Adelle Davis put it this way:
"Even a mild
deficiency causes sensitivity to noise, nervousness, irritability,
mental depression, confusion, twitching, trembling, apprehension,
insomnia, muscle weakness and cramps in the toes, feet, legs, or
fingers"
Magnesium deficiency in
children appears to have some pretty devastating consequences. Tourette's
syndrome, and sundry other facial or eye tics and other nervous movements have
been connected
with a magnesium deficiency.
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=11863398&query_hl=2) There is some reason to think
that a magnesium deficiency is connected to ADD/ADHD (http://www.oneaddplace.com/articles/rabiner3.htm), and that supplementing with magnesium can
make a positive difference. Also, low magnesium levels are connected to Type
2 diabetes in children.
A population-based study of
over 2,500 children aged 11 to 19 years found that low dietary magnesium intake
may be associated with a risk of developing asthma. In addition,
some studies suggest that intravenous magnesium can help treat acute attacks of
asthma in children aged 6 to 18.
Where
is Magnesium found?
Reading this list
will give a good idea of why so many children are deficient in this important
mineral! http://www.hoptechno.com/bookfoodsourcemg.htm
Among
older people also, deficiencies of magnesium are common
not only because processed
foods contain low levels of the mineral, but because certain
medications deplete the mineral, and hydrochloric acid (HCL), necessary for
absorption, decreases with age. Some people are inherently lacking in HCL.
A 2000 study of
dietary intake of minerals determined that the average daily level of Mg
consumed by women was 228 mg, versus the 320 mg daily RDA. What proportion
of that was absorbed is, in my opinion highly controversial: consider that
Magnesium levels are usually measured through blood tests, an inefficient
method since most magnesium is stored in the cells. Circulating magnesium is
therefore more a measure of malabsorption than sufficiency, and a deficiency therefore
often goes unrecognized.
Intake
of magnesium through diet and supplements is positively associated with
bone density throughout the whole body, particularly in older white
adults, according to research published in 2005 in the Journal of the
American Geriatrics Society. Researchers say the effects are similar
to that of calcium.
Over 2,000 black and white men and women ages 70-79 years old were asked
to complete a questionnaire to determine how much magnesium they were
receiving from food and various supplements. Additionally, researchers
performed bone mineral density tests on the participants.
The study revealed that those who ingested more magnesium had
significantly higher bone density than those who got the least amount of
magnesium. For every 100 milligram per day increase in magnesium intake,
data showed a 1% increase in bone density.
However, this link was only true for the older white men and women.
Previous research has demonstrated that black men and women may process
vitamin D and other calcium regulating hormones differently than whites,
thus possibly explaining the lack of association between magnesium and
bone density among them in this study.
"Although this [1% increase] seems small, increases across a
population may have large public health impact," states lead
researcher Kathryn M. Ryder.
The recommended daily allowance of magnesium is 320 mg/day for women and
420/mg day for men in this age group. Most people in this age group get
far less than this daily amount.
An Italian study in 2006
found a connection between low Magnesium levels, and muscle wasting in Seniors. (Am J Clin Nutr, 2006; 84(2): 419-26)More
specifically, with "associated with muscle integrity and function,
including grip strength, lower-leg muscle power, knee extension torque, and
ankle extension strength".
Magnesium levels are
adversely affected by
*alcohol
consumption *diuretics and some other medications *antibiotics * diabetes * kidney problems * HRT and
birth control
One of my preferred reference books is Dr. Werbach's Nutritional Influences
on Illness, and I looked in the index to refresh my memory on some of the
actions of magnesium: it did not surprise me to find some 47 health
conditions listed with the relevant research, since some naturopathic
health professionals consider
asthma,
heart problems (particularly arrhythmias) , fibromyalgia, menopause, PMS
and migraine, most kidney stones, and some cardiac problems
all to be, in one degree or
another, magnesium deficiency diseases. Interestingly, mouth ulcers
seems also to be sometimes related to low Mg levels.
The role of magnesium in
cardiac arrythmias was first acknowledged as
long ago as 1945, and in 1989 the American Journal of Cardiology (63(14):43G-46G)
published a study by Dr. Roden saying "the association between
hypo-magnesia (Lynn: hypo= low) and arrythmias ... has long been
recognized. More recently, acute intervention with magnesium in patients
who are not hypomagnesic has demonstrated arrhythmia suppression.."
In cases of High Blood
Pressure, a 1981 study found that 50% of patients with HBP had low magnesium
levels and their hypertension was reversed when their magnesium levels rose. It
is also interesting that many women who develop HBP do so after menopause,
which makes the magnesium connection particularly important for them if they are
on HRT or have digestive issues. As a bonus, Dr. Alan Gaby (NSN Vol.5 #9 p.402)
says adequate levels of magnesium in post-menopausal women increase bone density
levels.
Magnesium is also important
for patients with Cardiomyopathy,
and Dr. Michael Murray reports that magnesium levels "correlate
directly with survival rates". It is unfortunate that many of the
conventional medical drugs used for these conditions, such as calcium channel
blockers, diuretics and beta blockers, deplete the body of
magnesium.
Mentioning Calcium Channel
Blockers brings me to some excellent information in Dr. Ronald Hoffman's book, Intelligent
Medicine,(Simon & Schuster 1997,
p.318-319) where he points out that
the method of action of this class of drugs is to block the spasm-inducing
effect of calcium, thus keeping blood vessels dilated. He points out that
calcium and magnesium compete for the same receptor sites in the smooth
muscle wall of the blood vessel: magnesium is the nutrient that relaxes
spasms, so its presence in greater amounts than calcium will prevent spasms in
the same way calcium channel blockers do.
This is why, when my Doctor
prescribed a calcium blocker, I went away and took lots of magnesium. On a
personal note, I have had no problem with arrhythmias since I took the
precaution of bolstering my magnesium levels.
Dr. Hoffman says his
protocol for patients with advanced heart conditions is to recommend magnesium
in reverse ratio to calcium. i.e., twice as much magnesium as calcium.
Buy his book: it is full of excellent information. I recommend
magnesium bound to either aspartate or citrate as being the most effective for
absorption, and also to avoid the possibility of diarrhea that sometimes
accompanies high doses. I have had a hard time up until now finding a
means to get extra magnesium in meaningful amounts at an affordable price, but
there are now some powdered magnesiums on the market, and I can recommend both
Ionic Fizz Magnesium and Magna-Calm as an excellent strategy. I have
also found a softgel Magnesium 500 mg.
The following information
may be of interest to you:
Magnesium: Research
Misconduct?
For the past 15 years
evidence has stacked up showing patients with acute coronary thrombosis
improve their survival chances by 50 - 82.5% when given intravenous
magnesium of 32-66 mmol in the first 24 hours. The single negative
study showing that magnesium had a worsening effect on survival employed
a far higher dose of magnesium (80 mmol) than the other studies. (European
Heart J, 1991;12:12158), and one other study showing no benefit with
magnesium employed the low dose of 10 mmol in the first 24 hours.
Although it would appear
clear to any first year medical student that magnesium worked well for
coronary thrombosis within the optimal dosage level of 30 - 70 mmol;
that 10 mmol was shown to be too little, and 80 mmol had been shown to
be too much, in 1990/91, the Fourth International Study on Infarct
Survival decided to do a major study which was to definitely determine
whether magnesium was beneficial when used for this purpose. Although
their own meta-analysis of all earlier studies showed that magnesium was
beneficial, the ISIS4 investigators also decided to test magnesium
against the drug Catopril and a coronary vasodilator.
Astonishingly, the ISIS
investigators chose to use the 80 mmol dosage for their study, the
one dosage that had been found to be harmful. It should be
noted that the ISIS4 study was funded to the tune of almost $10 million
by Bristol Myers Squibb, the manufacturers of Catopril. Not
surprisingly, magnesium lagged behind the drugs.
As a result of this
paper, many hospitals ceased using magnesium in their treatment of acute
coronary thrombosis.
The scandalous decision
to use an overdosage of magnesium in this study must have caused the
loss of several thousand lives within the study and many other lives in
other hospitals that have now stopped using magnesium. Both nutritional
pioneer Dr. Stephen Davies and Dr. Damien Downing, editor of the Journal
of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine, criticized the designers
of the study for clearly selecting too large a dose of intravenous
magnesium, and also for giving magnesium too late and then too quickly.
Downing even titled his editorial "Is ISIS4 research
misconduct?" (J
Nutr Environ Med, 1999;9:513)
Now comes Feb 13th 2002, when Dr. Jeffrey L. Saver of the UCLA Stroke
Center told attendees of the American Stroke Association's 27th
International Stroke Conference that using magnesium intravenously by
paramedics transporting acute stroke victims to the hospital resulted in
"dramatic" recovery rates and levels for 25% of the patients.
No side effects were reported at all from a dose of 4 gms given en
route, and 16 gms more infused over the following 24 hours. Dr. Saver
noted that he instituted the study because of the neuroprotective effect
noted for Magnesium in animals.
Magnesium is being studied
in connection with childhood obesity, because of its role in blood sugar
metabolism, and the energy production needed for exercise. A 2003 study (Metabolism 2003 Apr;52(4):468-71)of
obese children with diabetes concluded that they were magnesium deficient,
and even that this deficiency could "underlie the initial pathophysiologic
events leading to insulin resistance". The initial deficiency is
certainly the result of abysmal eating habits, unfortunately common with many
children, which persist as the child grows.
It should therefore come as
no surprise to learn that low magnesium (and calcium) levels can contribute to
weight problems throughout life, partly through a vicious cycle based on a poor
diet with too many empty calories → weight gain; too little magnesium and
low energy levels, therefore no exercise →weight gain.
Reduced magnesium (Mg) levels have been reported in women
affected by premenstrual syndrome (PMS). To evaluate the
effects of an oral Mg preparation on premenstrual symptoms, we
studied, by a double-blind, randomized design, 32 women (24-39
years old) with PMS confirmed by the Moos Menstrual Distress
Questionnaire. After 2 months of baseline recording, the
subjects were randomly assigned to placebo or Mg for two
cycles. In the next two cycles, both groups received Mg.
Magnesium (360 mg Mg) or placebo was administered three times
a day, from the 15th day of the menstrual cycle to the onset
of menstrual flow. Blood samples for Mg measurement were drawn
premenstrually, during the baseline period, and in the second
and fourth months of treatment. The Menstrual Distress
Questionnaire score of the cluster 'pain' was significantly
reduced during the second month in both groups, whereas Mg
treatment significantly affected both the total Menstrual
Distress Questionnaire score and the cluster 'negative
affect'. In the second month, the women assigned to treatment
showed a significant increase in Mg in lymphocytes and
polymorphonuclear cells, whereas no changes were observed in
plasma and erythrocytes. These data indicate that Mg
supplementation could represent an effective treatment of
premenstrual symptoms related to mood changes.
Keywords:
health importance of magnesium, health conditions magnesium, magnesium
rich foods, magnesium heart health, magnesium cramps, magnesium
pms, magnesium arrhythmias, magnesium obesity, consequences
magnesium deficiency, magnesium muscle wasting, magnesium
seniors
Magnesium
and carbohydrate metabolism - http://www.chiro.org/nutrition/magnesium.shtml#carbohydrate_metabolism
The
Magnesium website Online Library - http://www.mgwater.com/list2.shtml
Rapid
recovery from Depression using Magnesium Glycinate - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed&uid=16542786&cmd=showdetailview&indexed=google
Magnesium
and Gallstones - http://www.vitasearch.com/get-clp-summary/37122l
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