Magnesium is essential for the body to be able to use calcium and vitamin
C.
It helps convert blood sugar into usable energy. Since magnesium neutralizes
stomach acids, it should not be taken directly after a meal.
Symptoms of Deficiency or Need:
California Governor Pete Wilson on 3/23/94 ordered Dr. Larry Barrett,
the head of the Ca. Dept. of Health, to investigate the possible deaths
of 25,000 Californians per year related to magnesium deficiency, which
causes heart attacks. Dr. Barrett conferred with Dr. Raymond Neutra of
the same department, and they brought in Dr. Arthur Marx from Switzerland.
Dr. Marx conferred with the CDC in Atlanta, and has convened a panel in
Dec. '94 to figure out what to do about the magnesium problem. The panelists
include the above doctors and also Dr. Carl Keen from U. C. Davis, and
some others. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, (retired), writes, "A good
case can be made for the correlation of cardiovascular death with magnesium
deficient water." United States Senator Barbara Boxer (Ca.) writes that
she favors more information about the problem be given to Americans. Senator
Feinstein has not yet responded to the information sent her. - Paul Mason
Researcher
Magnesium is generally lost through processing, and most foods today
are processed, as a walk through any food store will attest. Americans
get 300 mg/day, and the RDA is 350 and the RDI is 400. And Magnesium is
LOST by athletic stress, type A stress, emotional stress, and alcohol intake.
And if Magnesium is consumed with fat, it forms Magnesium soaps in the
stomach and passes through unused, even if you have intracellular deficiency;
under those conditions, as little as 1% of the Magnesium is retained despite
the deficiency. You are unlikely to be as healthy as you think. "Perfectly
healthy" athletes are known to drop dead from arrythmias caused by Magnesium
deficiency.
Women who take birth control pills and anyone who drinks alcohol should
increase their magnesium.
Deficiencies can cause dizziness, depression, muscle weakness and twitching,
hyper-tension, cardiac arrhythmia, chronic fatigue. Magnesium deficiency
is common in diabetics.
Some of the problems that Magnesium supplementation may help are: aging,
aggressive behaviour, alcoholism, amytrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's
Disease, Arrhythmia, Asthma, Attention Deficit Disorder, Autism, Cancer,
Cerebral Palsy, Cerebrovascular, Chemical Sensitivity, Chronic Fatigue,
Cluster Headaches, Cocaine-related Stroke, Constipation, Cramps, Diabetes,
Fibromyalgia, Fluoride Toxicity, Head Injuries, Central Nervous System
Injureis, Heart-Related Conditions, HIV, Aids, Hypertension, Kidney
Stones, Magnesium Deficiency, Menopause, Migraine, Mitral Valve Prolapse,
Multiple Sclerosis, Nystagmus, Osteoporosis, Peripheral vascular disease,
Pregnancy-relate proglems, Eclampsi, Premenstrual Syndrome, Psychiatric
Disorders, Repetitive Strain Injury, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Sickle Cell
Disease, SIDS, Sports-related problems, Stress, Stuttering, Tetanus, Tinnitis,
Sound Sensitivity, TMJ, Toxic Shock, Violence.
Supplemental value:
Recent research shows that magnesium can prevent heart disease and
fatal heart attacks --- perhaps as many as 200,000 deaths per annum in
the U. S.
Alzheimer's Disease is, in many ways, accelerated aging of specific
parts of the brain. "Oxidative stress and neurodegenerative processes are
accompanied by a pronounced magnesium dificiency. This is also true for
diseases associated with premature aging such as Down syndrome". "Magnesium
deficiency affects calcium transport and iron sequestration, impairs mitochondrial
function, and induces radical generation by redox recycling. In contrast,
magnesium administration improves energy and glucose utilization, stablizes
enzymes and membranes, and protests biomolecules against oxidative damage
by reactive radicals. It has been demonstrated that magnesium exhibits
potent chemo- and cardio-protective actions. Newly developed magnesium
salts, with greatly enhanced oral bioavailability and exhibiting extremely
low toxicity, have been used sucessfully to counteract stress and age-related
excitotoxicity in experiments in animals and humans. The administration
of magnesium salts with high bioavailability prolongs life span and reverses
age-related morphological, biochemical, electrophysiological, and behavioral
impairments". "The three major molecular mechanisms that have been identified
as being involved in the irreversible process of specific neuronal death
during aging are glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity, intra-neuronal calcium
overload, and hydroxyl radical-induced peroxidation and oxidative damage
to biomolecules". Magnesium affect all of these mechanisms favorably. Magnesium
reverses the age-dependent decline in melatonin production. I therefore
suggest daily consumption of a highly bioavailable magnesium salt ( ex.-calcium-magnesium).
Suggested Dosage:
Since magnesium (Mg), an essential nutrient, is abundant in the environment
and food supply, it is generally assumed that Mg deficiency is not a problem.
However, the literature indicates that deficiencies may exist in both thirdworld
and industrialized nations and may influence cardiac and vascular diseases,
diabetes, bone deterioration, renal failure, hypothyroidism, and stress.
Because Mg in certain forms is not easily absorbed and no classical symptoms
exist, the problem of Mg deficiency is readily masked, especially in high
risk groups such as diabetics, alcoholics, those taking hypertension medication,
and some athletes. The current Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for the
US is 6 mg/Kg/day, which translates to 420 mg for a 70 Kg man. The estimated
intake in the US is 300 mg/day. Studies show that as much as 3 times this
amount may be needed by the general population and especially by those
predisposed to cardiac disease states. Recommened: 500- 1,000 mg/day.
Notes: Since magnesium neutralizes stomach acids, it should not be
taken directly after a meal.
Where can you get it?
Your local pharmacy
Natural Sources?
Found in most foods, especially dairy, meat, fish, seafood, brewer's
yeast, whole grains, yellow corn, dark green vegetables, lemons, grapefruit,
figs, nuts, seeds, apples.
References
Reference: Melatonin, hydroxyl radical-mediated oxidative damage, and
aging: A hypothesis (1993) J. Pineal Res 14:151-168. Paul Mason
Related Sites
The Magnesium
Website