Magnesium – Not Just the 8th Most Abundant Mineral in the Earth’s Crust
If you read the post on the front page, just scroll down to Magnesium 101 cont’d….
You really don’t want to know how many supplements I take but Magnesium is the supplement at the top of my list.
It is estimated that at least 68% (and some estimates are as high as 90%) of the US population is deficient in magnesium. Why is this a problem? Magnesium is a critical component in over 350 enzymes so that its deficiency may manifest in all organ systems.
Required for more than 300 biochemical functions, Magnesium supports muscle and nerve function, a steady heartbeat and blood pressure, immunity, bone health, energy production and protein synthesis. Magnesium is more important than calcium, potassium and sodium as it regulates all 3 of them.
Magnesium is necessary for the “spark of life”. The brain and the heart which both produce lots of electrical activity are very sensitive to levels of magnesium.
What are some of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency? Low energy/Fatigue, Headaches/Migraines, PMS, High Blood Pressure, Anxiety, Depression, Difficulty Sleeping, Restless Legs, Chronic or Acute Pain, Osteopororosis, Irregular Heartbeat, Arthritis, ADD and the list goes on…… The bottom line is every cell, all 70 trillion of them, need adequate magnesium to function or they will die.
What depletes magnesium? Modern farming techniques which cause mineral depletion in the soil and food processing so you don’t even get enough magnesium in the food you eat even if you do eat the foods that are supposedly full of magnesium. Excess phosphates (meat, sodas), Alcohol, Caffeine, Sugar, Stress, Excess sodium, Prescription Drugs, Low Thyroid, Diabetes, Chronic Pain, Excess calcium and the list goes on…..
Magnesium 101 Cont’d….
How can calcium deplete magnesium? Calcium and Magnesium need to be in the correct ratio which is 2:1. Pasteurized milk has a ratio of 8:1. More calcium doesn’t fix a calcium deficiency, magnesium does.
Magnesium is a natural sedative and can be used as an antidepressant. It regulates neurotransmitters and can help anxiety, depression, insomnia, muscle spasms. It is responsible for the uptake and release of many hormones, nutrients and neurotransmitters.
The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry (2010) reported that 68% of Americans are deficient and in the same study showed that when the intake of magnesium increases the symptoms of anxiety and depression decrease. Recommended dosage 650 mg daily. Another report showed 800-1000mg of magnesium daily helped people with leg cramps by helping nerve endings in the muscles relax during a cramping spasm.
Magnesium and Heart Disease and Arrhythmia. A deficiency may increase the heart rate as magnesium works with calcium to ensure proper heart function. Magnesium relaxes smooth muscles (the heart is a muscle) and calcium constricts smooth muscle.
If you get frequent headaches, think magnesium. There is some thought that a magnesium deficiency may trigger muscle contractions that cause a migraine.
Here is just a short list of things that can cause Magnesium Deficiency (there are many more) and I think most of us can find a few to check off on this list that pertain to us.
Alcohol, Amphetamines, Burns, Calcium (high levels block magnesium absorption), Carbohydrates (especially white sugar, high fructose corn syrup, white flour), Chronic Pain, Coffee, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Dieting, Diuretics (even potassium sparing diuretics do not spare magnesium), Heavy Sweating from endurance sports/Over Training, Insulin, Sodas (especially colas, diet and regular, Sodium/High Salt Intake, STRESS – physical/mental, anything that gets your fight or flight reaction, Surgery.
Foods that are rich (or should be) in Magnesium: Spinach and all dark leafy green vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, avocados, potatoes, tomatoes, bananas, many fish like cod, bluefish and herring and whole, unrefined grains. Getting enough from food alone is almost impossible.
To Test or Not to Test? Many people look at the symptoms and look at the causes and choose to do a “therapeutic trial”. This means just adding a magnesium supplement to your regimen and see if you feel better. I personally would have the test hence my earlier post on having a holistic and integrative doctor.
Testing for Magnesium Deficiency: The standard blood test only tests the magnesium in the blood at that instant in time. It is basically unreliable. Why? Just because you have enough magnesium in your blood does not mean you have enough in your cells. The body releases magnesium from its “stores”, the bones, in order to try to maintain the levels in the blood. A more accurate test is the RBC Magnesium blood test. It tests the average amount of magnesium in your cells over the past four months.
Ways to supplement: Pills, Powders, Epsom Salts or “Oil”. Our family has tried them all. We now use magnesium “oil” because magnesium is poorly absorbed orally and absorbed much better transdermally. We came to this conclusion because we were not able to get our very low levels up with the pills and powders. The brand we use is Ancient Minerals but there are several others and all can be ordered from Amazon.
We like the Ancient Minerals Lotion better than the oil and if you have trouble sleeping, consider the Ancient Minerals “GoodNight” with melatonin. My college students love it.
However, if you have no major issues and you believe you need or want to add magnesium to your regimen, we like Bluebonnet Nutrition Chelated Magnesium. We also like Natural Vitality Natural Calm Powder which comes in a variety of flavors and you add to warm water and drink. We have also used Epsom Salts in the bath but Epsom Salts are magnesium sulfate and the oil is magnesium chloride which is a more natural form but in a pinch Epsom Salts help especially for muscle cramps (take a bath 3x week with 2 cups of Epsom salts for 15 minutes+).
When looking at labels, look for magnesium amino acid chelate (aspartate, glycinate, ascorbate, taurate or citrate). Avoid magnesium carbonate, sulfate, gluconate or oxide – they are the most commonly found forms in the cheap stuff and are poorly absorbed
For more information about Magnesium check out www.ancient-minerals.com and the book The Magneisum Miracle by Carolyn Dean, M.D. and N.D.
You can purchase Bluebonnet and Natural Calm at www.iherb.com which is the best and least expensive place to buy supplements (use coupon code BOT164 on first order for $5 discount).
Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is not intended to substitute for medical counseling. Intentional Health does not treat, prevent, cure, or diagnose any disease or ailment.