The Importance of Magnesium to Human Nutrition

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The Importance of Magnesium to Human Nutrition

 

by Michael B. Schachter M.D., F.A.C.A.M.

 

_http://www.mbschachter.com/importance_of_magnesium_to_human.htm_

(http://www.mbschachter.com/importance_of_magnesium_to_human.htm)

 

 

 

 

Magnesium is an extremely important and valuable mineral, whose value for

good health is just being recognized by conventional physicians.

 

 

Virtually, all chemical reactions in the body require an enzyme system to

help the biochemical reaction take place. An enzyme system generally

consists of three parts. They are a specific protein molecule, another smaller

organic compound, which is often a vitamin, such as pyridoxine or vitamin B6,

and finally a charged mineral, such as zinc, copper, manganese or

magnesium. Magnesium is a critical co-factor in more than 300 enzymatic

reactions

in the human body. Each mineral when dissolved in fluids has a

characteristic electrical charge, called its valance. Minerals with a charge of

plus 1,

or univalent cations, include sodium and potassium. Minerals with a charge

of plus 2, or divalent cations, include copper, zinc, manganese and

magnesium. Potassium and magnesium are the most abundant cations found within

the

cells of the body with magnesium being the most abundant divalent cation.

 

 

In the USA, magnesium supplementation is dramatically under utilized by

conventional physicians and is more important in patient therapy than most

physicians realize. There are over 200 published clinical studies documenting

the need for magnesium. In fact, at the 1992 American College of

Cardiology annual meeting, a limited biography on magnesium was the most often

requested item at the National Council on Magnesium and Cardiovascular booth.

 

 

Up until recently, conventional medicine's interest in magnesium has been

only by obstetricians, who have used injectable magnesium sulfate

extensively in the treatment of high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia and

eclampsia

of pregnancy. But, recently conventional physicians have become interested

in treating patients with acute heart attacks, chronic cardiovascular

disease, heart arrhythmias, diabetes, asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome and many

other disorders.

 

 

Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency?

 

 

What are some of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency?

They are outlined beautifully in a recent article by Dr. Sidney Baker.

Magnesium deficiency can affect virtually every organ system of the body. With

regard to skeletal muscle, one may experience twitches, cramps, muscle

tension, muscle soreness, including back aches, neck pain, tension headaches

and jaw joint (or TMJ) dysfunction. Also, one may experience chest tightness

or a peculiar sensation that he can*t take a deep breath. Sometimes a

person may sigh a lot.

 

 

Symptoms involving impaired contraction of smooth muscles include

constipation; urinary spasms; menstrual cramps; difficulty swallowing or a lump

in

the throat-especially provoked by eating sugar; photophobia, especially

difficulty adjusting to oncoming bright headlights in the absence of eye

disease; and loud noise sensitivity from stapedius muscle tension in the ear.

 

 

Other symptoms and signs of magnesium deficiency and discuss laboratory

testing for this common condition. Continuing with the symptoms of magnesium

deficiency, the central nervous system is markedly affected. Symptoms

include insomnia, anxiety, hyperactivity and restlessness with constant

movement, panic attacks, agoraphobia, and premenstrual irritability. Magnesium

deficiency symptoms involving the peripheral nervous system include numbness,

tingling, and other abnormal sensations, such as zips, zaps and vibratory

sensations.

 

 

Symptoms or signs of the cardiovascular system include palpitations, heart

arrhythmias, angina due to spasms of the coronary arteries, high blood

pressure and mitral valve prolapse. Be aware that not all of the symptoms need

to be present to presume magnesium deficiency; but, many of them often

occur together. For example, people with mitral valve prolapse frequently have

palpitations, anxiety, panic attacks and premenstrual symptoms. People

with magnesium deficiency often seem to be " uptight. " Other general symptoms

include a salt craving, both carbohydrate craving and carbohydrate

intolerance, especially of chocolate, and breast tenderness.

 

 

Diagnosing Magnesium Deficiency

 

Aside from the signs and symptoms of magnesium deficiency, how can a

physician diagnose magnesium deficiency? Unfortunately, laboratory testing is

of

limited value. Since magnesium is found primarily in the cells, the serum

magnesium may be normal in spite of a significant magnesium deficiency. The

red blood cell magnesium is a little bit better. Probably the best test,

although certainly not full proof, is the magnesium loading test. In this

test, the patient collects a 24-hour urine sample and the total magnesium is

measured. The patient is then given an injection of a specified amount of

magnesium and another 24-hour urine specimen is collected. The magnesium is

again measured. If the body retains more than a certain amount of

magnesium, then it is concluded that the body is magnesium deficient and is

holding

on to the magnesium that has been injected. Perhaps the best method of

diagnosing magnesium deficiency, however, is the combination of signs and

symptoms of magnesium deficiency, which improve with a therapeutic trial of

either oral or injected magnesium.

 

 

How can one get magnesium from foods?

The best way of insuring enough magnesium is to eat a variety of whole

foods, including whole grains, nuts, seeds and vegetables, preferably food

grown on naturally composted soil. The green color of green vegetables is due

to chlorophyll, which is a molecule that contains magnesium. Avoid refined

processed foods, especially white sugar and white flour products, as most

magnesium is removed from them.

 

 

Prevention and Treatment of Magnesium Deficiency Using Oral and Injectable

Magnesium

 

 

For people who suffer from chronic magnesium deficiency and also to

prevent the development of this condition, oral magnesium supplements can be

quite useful. Magnesium is available in many forms. The cheapest is probably

magnesium oxide, but this form is not absorbed as well as some other forms,

which include chelated magnesium, magnesium glycinate and magnesium

aspartate. Dr. Baker feels that the prescription form of magnesium chloride,

known

as Slow-mag, has been most useful for his patients. I have found that

magnesium taurate, an unusual form of magnesium in which magnesium is

chemically combined with the amino acid derivative taurine, is particularly

well

utilized and beneficial. This is because some of the same effects that one

hopes to get from magnesium, such as the calming effect on the nervous system,

and the strengthening effect on heart muscle, is also gotten with taurine.

So, the two are synergistic together. I use it in all forms of cardiac and

nervous system disorders.

 

 

What about dosage?

 

The recommended daily allowance or RDA for magnesium is 350 milligrams of

elemental magnesium. An important point here is that when reading the label

of a supplement containing magnesium, it is important to distinguish

between the number of milligrams per tablet or capsule of the entire magnesium

complex versus the number of milligrams of elemental magnesium or pure

magnesium. For example, one label of a chelated magnesium states that 4 tablets

contain 4,000 mg of the chelated magnesium complex with 500 mg of elemental

magnesium. The important number is the one that refers to the elemental

magnesium. The other 3,500 mg in this case refers to the amino acid complex

that is bound to the magnesium.

 

 

Keeping this definition of elemental magnesium in mind, many people do

not even get the RDA of 350 mg of magnesium daily. A therapeutic dosage could

easily run between 400 mg and 1000 mg daily of elemental magnesium in

divided doses. In people with normal kidneys, it is difficult to reach toxic

levels of magnesium. However, too much oral magnesium will result in

diarrhea. Recall that milk of magnesia is a laxative containing a magnesium

salt.

Patients suffering from chronic kidney failure must be much more careful

because their kidneys have difficulty eliminating magnesium and a toxic

buildup may occur. Toxic levels of magnesium may lead to depression of the

entire

nervous system and even coma and death. But, this is extraordinarily rare

and occurs only in patients with severe kidney function impairment. In

general, magnesium doses of 1000 mg per day or less are extremely safe.

 

 

Magnesium Supplementation for Various Medical Disorders

 

 

Oral magnesium supplementation may be helpful to a wide variety of medical

disorders including: high blood pressure, asthma, angina pectoris,

coronary artery disease, cardiac arrhythmias, chronic fatigue syndrome, all

types

of musculoskeletal disorders, epilepsy, mitral valve prolapse, anxiety,

panic disorder and many other medical and psychiatric conditions.

 

 

For many conditions, such as acute heart attacks, magnesium given by

either an intramuscular injection or as an intravenous drip, is the preferred

method of treatment. Studies show it reduces the death rate and complications

of acute heart attacks. In spite of its low cost or perhaps as a result of

its low cost, it is not yet given routinely to heart attack victims. Other

patients, such as those suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome also seem

to do better with magnesium given by injection. This may be due to the

superior absorption of injectable magnesium or because high concentrations in

the body are necessary for maximal therapeutic effects. In our office, we

use injectable magnesium extensively, as part of our EDTA chelation bottle,

and for many of the conditions I've mentioned previously.

 

 

Increased use of oral and injectable magnesium, along with a diet rich in

magnesium, should greatly improve therapeutic results for many patients.

 

 

 

About The Author of the Schachter Center for Complementary Medicine, Michael B.

Schachter, M.D., is a 1965 graduate of Columbia College of Physicians &

Surgeons. He is board certified in Psychiatry, a Certified Nutrition Specialist,

and has obtained proficiency in Chelation Therapy from the American College

for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM). Dr. Schachter has more than 30 years

experience in complementary and alternative medicine.

 

© 1996 Michael B.Schachter, M.D.