Advantages of taking minerals and natural health supplements in diet

Next to calcium, phosphorous and potassium, magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral found in the human body. It is essential to every organ, especially the heart, kidneys and muscles. Bone holds over half of the total magnesium concentrations found in the body, while tissue cells and organs hold the remaining stores, except for approximately 1 percent, that is found in the blood.

This widely recognized mineral is responsible for over 300 biochemical actions within the body, including calcium absorption, temperature and heart regulation, muscle and nerve function, DNA/RNA synthesis, enzyme activation, energy production, immune system support and the formation of bone cells. Magnesium has also been found to regulate glucose levels and blood pressure.

This essential mineral is found in a variety of foods including: most nuts and seeds, unrefined grains such as wheat bran , oats and other whole grains, green vegetables like spinach and beets greens, tofu, blackstrap molasses, potatoes (with skin), pumpkin, squash, oatmeal, bananas, chocolate and cocoa . Many herbs are also very rich in magnesium, such as coriander, celery, marjoram, poop seed, dill weed, sage, dried mustard and seaweed. Tap water containing high mineral concentrations or “hard water” is also a good source of magnesium.

Supplemental sources of magnesium are usually seen as magnesium citrate, gluconate, lactate and magnesium oxide, which can be very hard to absorb. As well, magnesium hydroxide is often found in laxatives or antacids and magnesium sulphate is used as a tonic or bath salt.Despite these abundant sources, it is reported that most people do not consume enough magnesium.

Since most of the magnesium can be absorbed through the intestines as a result of dietary intake, it is of great concern to health professionals. Magnesium concentrations rely heavily on the digestive system and kidneys, so if gastrointestinal disorders such as Crohn’s disease are present, magnesium levels will decrease. When the kidneys are healthy however, they will regulate the amount of magnesium excreted by the urine in order to compensate for poor dietary intake, but when the kidneys are also stressed, a magnesium deficiency can result.

For the most part, in spite of the fact that magnesium intake is below recommended levels in the majority of the population, symptoms of magnesium deficiency are relatively rare in the US. Alcoholics, people who are on long-term diuretics and those with uncontrolled diabetes, are the ones who are at risk. Onset symptoms of a magnesium deficiency include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue and overall weakness. If the deficiency continues, such conditions as numbness and tingling, seizures, arrhythmia, muscle contractions, changes in mood and personality and heart spasms can occur.

In cases of a severe magnesium deficiency, secondary deficiencies in calcium , known as hypocalcemia, and potassium, called hypokalemia, can also result.

Like many other minerals; researchers are finding magnesium to be essential for cardiovascular health. Studies show that magnesium is largely responsible for maintaining regular a heartbeat and as such, is often used to treat arrhythmia. Studies suggest that higher blood levels of magnesium are associated with lower risk of heart disease, including stroke.¹

Further studies report that magnesium can improve other conditions in individuals who already suffer form heart disease. For instance, it was shown that 365-mg of magnesium citrate taken twice a day for 6 months, resulted in a 14 percent improvement in the length of time they could endure physical exercise. These individuals also reported less chest pain while exercising than those individuals that received a placebo.²

DASH, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, conducted a study on the efficacy of magnesium to control and regulate blood pressure. Results of their trials concluded that a diet high in magnesium, among other essential minerals, significantly lowered incidences of high blood pressure.³

A further six-year study done by Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) looked of 8,000 healthy men and women. At the end of the trial it was concluded that dietary intake of magnesium decreased the risk of hypertension in women but not in men.⁴

Magnesium is vital to bone growth and development and as such, may play a key role in preventing and treating osteoporosis. Research indicates magnesium clearly improves calcium absorption, Additionally, several well documented studies show magnesium supplements do in fact increase bone mineral density, One further study suggested that magnesium intake also maintains bone mineral density, a key factor in osteoporosis.⁵

Today, diabetes has become almost epidemic and for the most part, researchers blame diet and lifestyle. Diabetes results when there is insufficient production or metabolism of insulin, a hormone produce by the pancreas. Insulin is imperative to energy synthesis, a situation in which sugar and starches are converted into a useable substance to sustain the body’s energy requirements.

Diabetes is characterized as either Type 1, usually seen in children and young adults, whereby the body cannot produce insulin or Type 2, often called Adult Onset diabetes. Diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and results when the body cannot metabolize insulin. There is also a high secondary risk of obesity in Type 2 diabetes. Research shows that magnesium plays a key role in carbohydrate synthesis and possibly the metabolism of insulin. Evidence also suggests that individuals with type 2 diabetes have a further condition referred to as hypomagnesemia, or low magnesium levels. This condition can further contribute to insulin resistance.

A report by the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and Professionals’ Follow-up Study (HFS) reports that over time, the risk for developing type 2 diabetes is much higher in men than in women with lower magnesium blood levels.⁶ A study that has followed a group of healthy women since 1986, looked into the connection between a diet high in whole grains, fiber and magnesium and the risk of developing diabetes. Results concluded that those women who regularly eat a balanced diet high in fiber, grains and magnesium, are at a much-lowered risk of developing type 2 diabetes.⁷

There are several studies contradicting these results however, suggesting further research is necessary, but in any case, health professionals still recommend a balanced diet, free from processed foods, as the best prevention in a variety of health problems.

Magnesium has also shown potential in cases of asthma, ADD, HIV, various digestive disorders such as inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), menopause, infertility and miscarriage, migraines, insomnia, fibromyalgia, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and preeclampsia, a condition in which blood pressure levels spike in pregnant women.

In times of high protein metabolism, such as pregnancy, athletic endurance or recovering from illness, magnesium levels tend to become depleted. The usual recommended daily intake for magnesium in females over 31 is 320 mg and 420 mg per day in men over 31.

Magnesium overdose is rare, however some people who use antacids or laxatives containing magnesium on a regular basis, can be at risk of serious health problems. Symptoms of a magnesium overdose include nausea, vomiting, slowed heart rate, lowered blood pressure, confusion, coma and even death. In one instance, it is reported that a 16-year-old girl ate antacids every two hours instead of the recommended dose of four times a day. Within a short time she was hospitalized and unresponsive, registering levels of magnesium that were five times higher than normal.⁸

Certain medication are known to interact with magnesium including antibiotics, blood pressure medications and diuretics. It is always best to consult a health professional before taking magnesium if you are using medication.

References:

• Liao F, Folsom A, Brancati F, “Is low magnesium concentration a risk factor for coronary heart disease? The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study” Am Heart J, 1998;136:480-90.
• Shechter M, Bairey Merz CN, Stuehlinger HG, Slany J, Pachinger O, Rabinowitz B, “Effects of oral magnesium therapy on exercise tolerance, exercise-induced chest pain, and quality of life in patients with coronary artery disease”, Am J Cardiol, 2003;91:517-21.
• Sacks FM, Appel LJ, Moore TJ, Obarzanek E, Vollmer WM, Svetkey LP, Bray GA, Vogt TM, Cutler JA, Windhauser MM, Lin PH, Karanja N, “A dietary approach to prevent hypertension: A review of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Study, Clin Cardiol, 1999;22:6-10.
• Peacock JM, Folsom AR, Arnett DK, Eckfeldt JH, Szklo M, “Relationship of serum and dietary magnesium to incident hypertension: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study”, Annals of Epidemiology, 1999;9:159-65.
• Tucker KL, Hannan MT, Chen H, Cupples LA, Wilson PW, Kiel DP, “Potassium, magnesium, and fruit and vegetable intakes are associated with greater bone mineral density in elderly men and women”, Am J Clin Nutr, 1999;69(4):727-36.
• Lopez-Ridaura R, Willett WC, Rimm EB, Liu S, Stampfer MJ, Manson JE, Hu FB, “Magnesium intake and risk of type 2 diabetes in men and women” Diabetes Care, 2004; 27:134-40.
• Meyer KA, Kishi LH, Jacobs DR Jr., Slavin J, Sellers TA, Folsom AR. “Carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and incident type 2 diabetes in older women”, Am J Clin Nutr, 1999;71:921-30.
• Xing JH and Soffer EE, “Adverse effects of laxatives”, Dis Colon Rectum, 2001; 44:1201-9.