Who'da thunk it?
Written: Nov 30 '00 (Updated Dec 11 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Necessary for proper metabolic and electrolytic function
Cons: Can alter needed dosages of medications
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| Trawma's Full Review: Magnesium |
Ever dropped five grand on an emergency room visit? I did--last night. Or rather, my insurance company did--thanks, Altius--we love you around here. See, my heart has been doing some mighty strange things lately--arrhythmia (usually benign, sometimes deadly), mild angina (again, usually nothing, sometimes dangerous), and an all-around lousy feel. After blaming the problem on sleeplessness and caffeine for a while, I realized last night, as the pain and mad skipping kicked in once again, that this was not something to be messed with it. The heart's pretty important in that whole "drawing breath" scheme of things. So I went to the emergency room, had chest x-rays (good), blood work (excellent), an EKG (great), a stress test (marvelous), had my blood oxygenation checked (98%--very good), etc. And learned all about magnesium.
What did I learn?
I learned that diet and intense exercise, especially when combined with stress and lactation, can seriously deplete magnesium. I learned that hypomagnesium can cause numerous problems, including, but not limited to, arrhythmia, angina, fatigue, insomnia, and nausea. Welcome to my world these past few weeks.
So, what does magnesium do? Let me share with you some of the things a lack of magnesium has been linked to:
Angina
Anxiety disorders
Diabetes
Arrhythmia
Constipation
Arthritis
Congestive Heart Disease
Asthma
Auto immune disorders
Cavities
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Depression
Eating disorders
Fibromyalgia
peptic ulcer
Crohn's disease
Colitis
Food allergy
Heart Disease
Arteriosclerosis
High cholesterol
Multiple Sclerosis
High Blood Pressure
Hypoglycemia
Impaired athletic performance
Lou Gehrig's Disease
Insomnia
Migraines
Alzheimer's
Mitral Valve Prolapse
Muscle cramps
Kidney Stones
Muscle weakness, fatigue
Obesity
Thyroid disorders- hyper, hypo, and autoimmune
Osteoporosis
Parkinson's Disease
PMS
Irregular menstrual cycles
Raynaud's Syndrome
Stroke
Insulin resistance
Magnesium deficiency has also been linked to numerous problems in infants borne of deficient mothers.
Wow, huh? Pretty impressive for a mineral I'd never taken seriously. Believe me, I take it seriously now.
Magnesium is a jack of all trades--from stabilizing DNA to maintaining electrolyte balance, transmitting hormones and neurotransmitters to protecting cells from aluminum, mercury, lead, cadmium, beryllium and nickel, magnesium is absolutely necessary for proper physical functioning. Magnesium levels can be depleted by strenuous exercise, profuse, frequent sweating, alcoholism, stimulant use, mega-doses of calcium, high caffeine intake, the use of cyclosporin, diabetes, diarrhea, use of diuretics or insulin products, dieting, high sodium intake, high intake of refined sugars, surgery, or high emotional stress levels. If you suffer any of the above and experience angina, arrhythmia, insomnia, fatigue, constipation, migraines, etc., ask your doctor about magnesium. While it is difficult to measure accurately, it can be done. Obviously, if you are suffering any symptoms of cardiac distress, seek medical attention immediately!
Dietary sources of magnesium are legumes, nuts, dried fruits, whole grains, and dark green leafy vegetables. Supplementation should be done carefully, and magnesium supplements should be of the chelated (glycinate, lysinate, or amino acid chelate) variety--avoid oxides or ionized magnesium, as they are poorly absorbed, and can cause diarrhea, which may actually worsen magnesium deficiency. If you begin a magnesium supplement regimen and suffer diarrhea, consult your physician--magnesium injections are available and highly effective. While hypermagnesium (too much) is very rare (even with supplementation), it CAN happen, and it can be deadly--do NOT take mega-doses of magnesium. Magnesium supplements can also be very dangerous to those with kidney disorders--do not begin taking supplements without medical supervision if you suffer kidney disease or some other condition that compromises kidney function.
The "formula" commonly used to determine proper supplementation is as follows:
2.5-4.5 mg per pound of ideal body weight (do NOT use this scale for children!). If you suffer one or more conditions that would indicate deficiency, more may be needed--consult a physician or nutritionist for guidance.
Magnesium supplements should be taken in two doses with meals--refrain from taking in the evening, as magnesium can have an energizing effect, interrupting sleep.
WARNING--Do NOT begin a magnesium supplement regimen if you are taking anti-depressants, including herbals. Do not take if you are taking melatonin, cholesterol lowering medications, insulin, thyroid medication, sleep aids, diuretics, or other prescription medications. Magnesium supplements can alter the necessary doses! Absolutely consult your physician if you are on any maintenance dose of any drug!
I'm not a doctor. Please, PLEASE do not self-diagnose and self-medicate! Magnesium is some amazing stuff, but it can be dangerous. Worse, if you misdiagnose yourself, you could die. So make sure you're getting the proper amount of magnesium, and if you suspect a deficiency, consult a physician or nutritionist.
Information on magnesium deficiency-related ailments and dosages taken from the following sites:
http://www.execpc.com/~magnesum/
http://www.lww.com/JASN/1046-66737-99dotm.html
http://www.health-heart.org/vitamins.htm
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed/
Recommended:
Yes
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