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The
average American consumes only 40 percent of the recommended daily allowance of
magnesium. This has serious consequences, including death, in many people.
- Eighty
to 90 percent of the U.S.
population is magnesium
deficient.
- 70
percent of Americans have mismanaged their diets enough to have some degree of
magnesium deficiency.
- Magnesium
activates 76 percent of the enzymes in the body.
- Potassium
is primarily concerned with the way we use calcium and sodium.
Every
doctor knows about the dangers of potassium deficiency, but few recognize that
almost half of the patients with a potassium deficiency will also be depleted of
magnesium In fact, the low potassium state often
cannot be easily corrected unless magnesium is also given.
Most
mineral deficiencies stimulate an appetite for the deficient mineral, but there
is no "specific appetite" for magnesium although intravenous magnesium
is the drug of choice at the onset of a heart attack, it is not mentioned in the
section on arrhythmias in the 1989 "Compendium of Drug Therapy."
Magnesium
is useful in preventing unwanted calcification in the kidney, bladder and in the
joints.
If a
diet is high in phosphorus (common in many meat dishes as lunchmeats, hot dogs,
etc. and also in soda drinks), the phosphate binds up the magnesium into
magnesium phosphate, which isn't absorbed. Thus, you need more magnesium for
complete balance.
In
disease and stress states, more magnesium is needed. If a person is using
diuretics (water pills), he should make sure his magnesium intake is adequate.
Potassium supplementation is usually needed also. The higher the protein you
consume the more magnesium is needed. When large amounts of calcium are
consumed, you need more magnesium.
Rabbits
can't take a high-cholesterol diet. Their blood fat level goes up, and they get
severe arteriosclerosis/atherosclerosis. However, if you feed them five times
the recommended daily allowance of magnesium, their cholesterol goes down and
they don't get arteriosclerosis.
Magnesium
is a very important ingredient of the green coloring matter in plants
(chlorophyll). Magnesium helps in the use of fat in the diet. In many cases of
individuals suffering from irritability, the blood has shown low values for
magnesium.
Normal
development apparently depends on the presence of magnesium. Approximately 70
percent of the magnesium in the body is found in the skeletal system. At least
half of the magnesium in the body is combined with calcium and phosphorus in the
bones. The remainder is in the muscles, red blood cells and the other tissues of
the body.
Magnesium
ensures the strength and firmness of the bones, and it makes the teeth harder.
Adequate intake of magnesium counteracts acidity, poor circulation and glandular
disorders. Children with magnesium deficiency are very often mentally backward.
Absorption
Influences
The
absorption of magnesium from the intestines may be influenced by (1) the
parathyroid hormone, (2) the condition of the intestines, (3) the rate of water
absorption, and (4) the amounts of calcium, phosphate and lactose (milk sugar)
in the body.
Recent
studies have shown that magnesium deficiency is found in 25 percent of eating
disorders, such as obesity and anorexia nervosa. Symptoms such as weakness, leg
cramps, anxiety and confusion will often clear up with magnesium therapy. A
magnesium deficiency in humans can occur in patients with diabetes, chronic
diarrhea or vomiting.
Heart
palpitations, "flutters" or racing heart, otherwise called
arrhythmias; usually clear up quite dramatically on 500 milligrams of magnesium
citrate (or aspartate) once or twice daily or faster
if given intravenously.
The
optimal daily requirement for children of 20 kilograms of body weight is 0.25
grams (a kilo is 1,000 grams, equal to 2.2046 lbs). A child of 20 kilos would
weigh 44.09 lbs, and for an adult of 70 kilos the requirement is 0.35 grams. The
recommended daily allowance is approximately 200 to 300 mg for men and 300 mg
for women, although specific requirements depend upon body size.
Dangers
of High Calcium
A diet
which is high in calcium increases the body's need for magnesium and also may
increase the excretion of phosphorus and calcium; however, dietary intake of
magnesium remains relatively low. The chemical reaction of magnesium is alkaline
(acid binding). It regulates the acid-alkaline balance of the body.
Magnesium
is one of the nutrients needed to lose weight. Undulant fever is said to clear
up if above-adequate amounts of magnesium and manganese are given.
Without
sufficient magnesium, one cannot control the adrenals, and this lack of control
can result in diabetes, hyper excitability, nervousness, mental confusion and
difficulty coping with simple day-to-day problems. Depressed and suicidal people
often display inadequate levels of magnesium.
Magnesium
helps induce passage of nutrients in and out of cells and thus affects the life
process. It also controls metabolism of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates,
resulting in more normal nutritional levels. Japanese investigators have
discovered that magnesium will relieve asthmatic attacks. They give it
intravenously for acute asthma and orally for prevention.
Human
Cell's Power Plant
The
power plant of human cell is called the "mitochondrion." The
mitochondrion is what generates energy for the cell to use. What everyone refers
to as "energy" is derived from the oxidative reduction of the cellular
respiration. This is done through the mitochondria.
But the
problem arises when the cell is low in magnesium, relative to calcium. Adenosine
triphosphate, the "energy currency" of the
cell, is magnesium dependent. This means it is obvious that the calcium pump at
the cell membrane is also magnesium dependent.
Without
enough "biologically available" magnesium, the cellular calcium pump
slows down. Thus a vicious cycle is established. The low levels of available
magnesium inhibit the generation of energy, and the low levels of energy inhibit
the calcium pump.
The
end result?
The mitochondrion, the powerhouse of the cell and the entire body, becomes
calcified. This is the beginning of aging. It all starts in the cell. First
the cells age. This leads to organ aging. And after the organs age,
individual aging occurs. Since calcium is readily accumulated by mitochondria,
this ion is potentially capable of antagonizing the activating influence of
magnesium on many intra-mitochondrial enzyme reactions.
This
means that every function of your body can be inhibited when the mitochondria
calcify. It's like going through life with the emergency brakes on. Calcium is
the brake. Magnesium is the accelerator. To be in optimal health, there must be
a balance between the two.
Balance
Is Key
Both
minerals are vitally important, but there must be that critical balance.
Andre Voisin
in his book "Soil, Grass and Cancer" wrote: "Calcium content
cannot be considered separately without taking the other mineral elements into
account. It is the equilibrium, and not the individual elements, that govern the
phenomena of life." That's the magic word - "equilibrium."
Everyone
today is concerned with their chronological age. But they should be equally
concerned with their "biological" age. The ratio of calcium to
magnesium within your cells is your "biochemical age."
Tragically,
in many cases, children are now starting to show high cellular calcium levels. For
many people, eating a diet high in calcium and low in magnesium amounts to
"cellular suicide."
Calcification
can cause a thousand illnesses. As the body grows, the calcium migrates from the
hard tissues (bones) to the soft tissues in your body. Few understand the full
scope of this program. It is the most prevalent clinical finding in industrial
cultures.
Where
the calcium buildup occurs depends upon your individual biochemistry. Calcium
deposits in the joints are called arthritis; in the blood vessels it is
hardening of the arteries; in the heart it is heart disease, and in the brain it
is senility.
The
calcification process develops slowly. It occurs gradually over 10, 20, 30
years or more. It can begin in childhood. There is almost no soft tissue in your
body that is immune from calcification, including your various glands.
All of
this fits so well with my basic belief in medicine, which rests upon the word
"balance" - mental, spiritual and physical balance. If we have perfect
peace of mind and soul and eat a nutritional poison-free diet, we will have no
disease, because, after all, each of us in a scientific sense,
is a chemical factory.
Clinical
data: etiological mechanisms and pathophysiological
consequences of magnesium deficit in the elderly
1J.
Durlach, 2V.
Durlach, 3P. Bac,
4Y. Rayssiguier, 5M. Bara,
and 5A. Guiet-Bara
1SDRM,
Hôpital St. Vincent-de-Paul, Paris, France; 2Clinique
Médical U62, Reims,
France; 3Laboratoire de Physiopathologie du
developpement, Faculté
de Pharmacie, Chatenay-Malabry,
France; 4Laboratoire des Maladies Métaboliques,
INRA, Theix, France; 5Laboratoire de la Biologie
de la Reproduction, Université Pierre et Marie
Curie, Paris, France
Summary:
Ageing constitutes a risk factor for magnesium deficit. Primary magnesium
deficit originates from two etiological mechanisms: deficiency and depletion.
Primary magnesium deficiency is due to insufficient magnesium intake. Dietary
amounts of magnesium are marginal in the whole population whatever the age.
Nutritional deficiencies are more pronounced in institutionalized than in
free-living ageing groups. Primary magnesium depletion is due to dysregulation
of factors controlling magnesium status: intestinal magnesium hypo absorption,
reduced magnesium bone uptake and mobilization, sometimes urinary leakage, hyperadrenoglucocorticism
by decreased adaptability to stress, insulin resistance and adrenergic hypo
receptivity. Secondary magnesium deficit in ageing largely results from various
pathologies and treatments common to elderly persons, i.e.,
non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and use of hypermagnesuric
diuretics.
Magnesium
deficit may participate in the clinical pattern of ageing, particularly in
neuromuscular, cardiovascular and renal symptomatologies.
The consequences of hyperadrenoglucocorticism- the
simplest marker of which is non-response to the dexamethasone
suppression test - may include immunosuppression,
muscle atrophy, centralization of fat mass, osteoporosis, hyperglycaemia,
hyperlipidaemia, atherosclerosis, and disturbances
of mood and mental performance through accelerated hippocampal
ageing particularly. It seems very important to point out that magnesium deficit
and stress aggravate each other in a true 'pathogenic vicious circle',
particularly in the stressful state of ageing. The importance of magnesium
deficit in the aetiologies of insulin resistance,
and the adrenergic, osseous, oncogenic, immune and
oxidant disturbances of ageing is still uncertain. Oral physiological magnesium
supplementation (5 mg Mg/kg/d) is the best diagnostic tool for establishing the
importance of magnesium deficiency. Too few open and double blind studies on the
effects of the treatment of magnesium deficiency and of magnesium depletion in
geriatric populations have been done. Further study is necessary to assess the
true place of magnesium deficit in the pathophysiology
of ageing.
Keywords:
Magnesium, ageing, stress, oxidation, neuromuscular system, cardiovascular
system, kidney, bone, immunity, calcium, longevity, hippocampus, hypothalamus, neurotoxicity,
neuroplasticity, pituitary, glucocorticoid,
insulin, catecholamines, taurine,
kainic acid, dyslipidaemias,
fibrinogenaemia, albuminaemia,
oxidative stress, antioxidant systems.
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