The Magnesium Report
Magnesium, the Stress Mineral
Billie J. Sahley, Ph.D., C.N.C.
Magnesium is essential in over 300 enzyme reactions in the body; it is involved in almost every bodily function. Magnesium is required in more than fifty biochemical processes, and is the number one stress mineral affecting all 657 muscles in the body. Over the past several years the focus has been on calcium for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, to lower blood pressure and to keep muscles in the body operating properly. Few people, if any, know that magnesium is needed for the same reason plus many more.
In the process of trying to get sufficient amounts of calcium, most everyone pays little attention to their intake of magnesium. Like calcium, magnesium also helps assure that you have strong bones and teeth, lower blood pressure and maintains muscle health. While calcium is needed for muscle contraction, magnesium is required for muscle relaxation.
According to Sherry Rogers, M.D., an expert in the field of environmental medicine and magnesium research, many people have spastic conditions that are clearly caused by a deficiency of magnesium. Dr. Rogers' research has shown the following conditions are due to a magnesium deficiency: asthma, migraines, colitis, angina, chronic back and neck pain, muscle spasms, arrhythmias, vasculitis, PMS, hypertension, eye and muscle twitches, kidney stones, stiffness, cystitis, tremors, seizures, Raynaud's disease, infertility and nystagmus. Other physical conditions that are directly linked to magnesium deficiency are fatigue, vertigo (dizziness), psychosis, confusion, eclampsia, diabetes, constipation, phlebitis, exhaustion, TIA's (transient spasms of the arteries in the head), refractoriness to potassium therapy and insulin.
In her book Tired or Toxic, Dr. Rogers describes patients with chronic back and neck pain, constant muscle spasms, and trigger points as being very magnesium deficient. Magnesium deficiency leads to neuromuscular malfunctions such as tremors, convulsions, high excitability, behavior disorders, neuromuscular pain, and depression. Magnesium acts as a muscle relaxant. The stress of pain lowers serum magnesium. The extent of depletion is greater thereby increasing the pain level.
Many professional athletes complain of recurrent back spasms that keep them out of competition for several days at a time; this is an indication of magnesium deficiency. Everyone in sports should be taking adequate magnesium daily. Mildred Seelig, M.D. magnesium specialist and author of The Magnesium Factor, recommends athletes in sports and training take at least 6-10 mg/kg/day or 2.7-4.5 mg/lb/day of magnesium to replace the losses from sweating, competition stress and exertion. In many cases athletes who become totally depleted had to be given an I.V. to bring up their level. Men, 200-220 lbs. should take 600-1,000mg daily. Women, 140-160 lbs., should take 400-680 mg daily. If the pain is intense and chronic, an I.V. of magnesium can bring up the level of magnesium. Follow up with daily oral doses of Mag Glycinate or MagChlor 90 to keep the magnesium level up.
Science News in 1988 reported the average American diet provides less than half or 40% of the magnesium that a person requires in a day. Sweating accelerates magnesium loss and magnesium deficiency can cause sudden cardiac arrest. It is probable that magnesium deficiency contributed to the sudden deaths of runner, Jim Fixx, Boston Celtics, Reggie Lewis, and Hank Gathers. Sherry Rogers, M.D. in her Health Letter, May-June, 1995, states having a normal magnesium level vastly increases your chances of surviving a heart attack. In a study of 22 patients admitted with cardiac arrest, serum magnesium was drawn immediately. When the data was analyzed later, they found the patients that entered with low magnesium levels were unable to be resuscitated—100% died. But of those who entered with a normal serum magnesium level, 60% were successfully resuscitated and lived. Genetic differences in magnesium utilization may account for differences in your body’s response to stress, anxiety, depression, trauma or injury. Research documents your heart cannot function efficiently without the needed amount of magnesium. Sports, stress, and work tax the heart. If the muscle is lacking magnesium, it does not relax between contractions and recover normally to a regular beat.
Many patients who complain of PVC's (premature ventricular contractions) have low levels of magnesium. This condition causes a great deal of anxiety Increasing magnesium intake often stops PVC's. Is magnesium important? Your life could depend on it!
Conditions associated with magnesium deficiency include: gastrointestinal disorders such as mal- absorption syndromes due to bowel resection, prolonged diarrhea, alcoholic cirrhosis, and pancreatitis. Other conditions associated with magnesium deficiency are osteoarthritis, depression, premenstrual syndrome, increased histamine release, swelling, edema, fluid retention, hyperthyroidism, cardiovascular disease, insomnia, excessive perspiration, and body odor. Diuretic therapy, excessive lactation, renal disease, and endocrine disorders also have magnesium deficiency reports.
For those who suffer from chronic pain, magnesium is a must. The stress of chronic pain lowers magnesium levels, which in turn, causes an increase in pain. Fibromyalgia sufferers all have a magnesium deficiency. That is why they have so many hot spots and muscle spasms.
Antidepressants and pain medications only treat the symptoms. Magnesium corrects the deficiency so that muscles are nourished, and the pain decreases.
This vital mineral is a major partner in the more than 300 enzymatic reactions in the body including the generation of cellular energy and muscle relaxation. Anyone who drinks alcohol is undoubtedly deficient in magnesium. Even a small amount drains magnesium levels. Alcoholics are all nutritionally deficient, but especially in magnesium which they so desperately need. Colas and other soft drinks rich in phosphates inactivate magnesium. Chronic stress and anxiety also deplete available magnesium. Vitamin B-6 increases magnesium absorption.
Women in menopause begin a sort of bone crisis. At this time rapid decrease in bone mass occurs. Women not taking supplements sustain more fractures than those taking a regular supplement program that includes enough magnesium.
In summary, remember several major points. As with many minerals, the average diet is deficient. The usual diet only provides 40% of the R.D.A. Dr. Mildred Seelig, M.D., a nationally recognized magnesium specialist, estimates that over 80% of the population is magnesium deficient. Considering all the research showing the importance of magnesium to our health, we should all reevaluate our magnesium intake.
References:
Cohen, Jay S. The Magnesium Solution for High Blood Pressure, Garden City Park, NY: Square One Publishers, 2004.
Cohen, Jay S. The Magnesium Solution for Migraine Headaches, Garden City Park, NY: Square One Publishers, 2004.
Rogers, Sherry A. Tired or Toxic? Syracuse, NY: Prestige Press, 1990.
Sahley, Billie J. The Anxiety Epidemic. San Antonio, TX: Pain & Stress Publications, 2007.
Sahley, Billie J. A Natural Approach to Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain. San Antonio, TX: Pain & Stress Publications, 2010.
Seelig, Mildred, M.D., MPH The Magnesium Factor, New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2003.
This article is not intended to give medical advice or replace the services of a physician. It is for educational purposes only.