[CO-CURE] MED: Oral, IV, injected and transdermal magnesium and M.E. (HFME)

[Guest guest]

A new paper is available: Oral, IV, injected and transdermal magnesium and M.E. by Jodi Bassett of HFME

This paper explains: What are the many benefits of magnesium? What are the symptoms of magnesium deficiency? What is the appropriate dose of magnesium for M.E. and how do you know if you are deficient? How safe is magnesium?

What are the extra benefits of transdermal magnesium?

Information on magnesium is particularly important for anyone taking calcium supplements that is NOT taking at least as much magnesium as calcium.

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Oral, IV, injected and transdermal magnesium and M.E.

Copyright © Jodi Bassett June 2010.

Taken from http://www.hfme.org/researchmgandme.htm

An excerpt:

The amount of research on the topic of magnesium is 'staggering' according to magnesium expert Dr Carolyn Dean. Magnesium (Mg) is the fourth most abundant mineral found in the body. Magnesium makes up approximately 0.05% of the body weight, around 50 - 60 % of which is found stored in the bones and teeth. Most of the remaining 40 - 50% is found in muscles and soft tissues with the brain and the heart having a high concentration.

Metabolic cardiologist T. Sinatra MD considers L carnitine, CoQ10, D ribose and magnesium the 'awesome foursome of cardiovascular health' and writes, 'More than seventy-five years ago, medical scientists declared magnesium to be an essential nutrient, indispensable to life.'

Jay S. Cohen MD, author of The magnesium solution for high blood pressure , makes the statement that, 'Most doctors are wary of supplements that come with all sorts of promises and miracle stories. They should be and so should you. Fortunately, magnesium comes with scientific evidence that dwarfs the evidence presented for many top-selling prescription drugs.'

.. Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in over 300 enzyme actions in the body . Magnesium is essential for proper mitochondrial function, and can improve mitochondrial function. Mg is critical for cell metabolism, growth of cells, cell division, cellular homeostasis and the production of ATP. Mg produces and transports energy. Mg helps to transport other minerals across cell membranes and affects cell mechanisms controlling muscle and nerve cell activity. Mg is important for the metabolism of many essential nutrients and substances, including calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, sodium, hydrochloric acid and acetylcholine.

.. Magnesium calms the brain and CNS as well as the muscles and the heart. Mg can be helpful in reducing neurological overstimulation and raising the threshold for seizures. Optimum Mg levels are associated with deeper sleep and more refreshing sleep. Mg is necessary for the production of melatonin.

.. Magnesium improves cardiac function and is essential for normal heart function. It is the heart's most important mineral. Mg is effective at preventing or reducing spasms within blood vessels in the heart, and keeping the heart rhythm steady.

.. Magnesium reduces homocysteine levels, and regulates the synthesis of cholesterol (by inhibiting the enzyme required for cholesterol synthesis).

Mg can raise HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol.

.. Magnesium improves muscle function, and treats and prevents muscle cramps and gastrointestinal and oesophageal spasms.

.. Low magnesium levels often contribute to or cause chronic pain. Mg both works to block pain reception and also can act on the sources of pain. It can therefore treat the causes of pain, rather than purely offering symptomatic relief. Causes of pain treated with Mg may relate to inflammation, toxicity, cell wall rigidity, mineral deficiencies or imbalances, and so on. Mg is also highly effective for relieving pain because it is a non-competitive antagonist of the N-Methyl-D-Aspartate

(NMDA) receptor site.

.. Magnesium is essential for detoxification and protects cells from aluminium, mercury and lead etc. It may protect the brain from the toxic effects of certain chemicals. Two of the principal conditions that allow glutamate to shift form a neurotransmitter to a dangerous neurotoxin are low ATP levels (with any cause) and low Mg levels. Mg can improve symptoms of chemical sensitivity.

.. Magnesium acts as a cell tonic and reduces inflammation in blood vessels (as measured by reduced levels of C-reactive protein).

.. Magnesium is essential for proper nerve impulse transmission.

.. Magnesium is essential for calcium management and reducing calcium deposits in arteries (a risk factor for artery blockages and thromboses).

Normal levels of magnesium prevent calcification of organs and tissues.

Without adequate magnesium, calcium will not function as it should. If magnesium levels in the body are low, calcium is taken out of the bones and teeth and into the tissues.

.. Magnesium helps the body metabolise sugar and is essential for the synthesis and absorption of protein foods. Without Mg insulin is not able to transfer glucose into cells, meaning that glucose and insulin build up in the blood causing various types of tissue damage. Mg keeps insulin under control, without Mg episodes of low blood sugar can occur.

.. Magnesium improves asthma and allergies. Histamine production and bronchial spasms increase with Mg deficiency.

.. Magnesium improves immune function (white blood cells require adequate magnesium to function).

.. Magnesium can improve PMS symptoms and is essential during pregnancy.

.. Magnesium activates vitamins B1, C and E.

.. Magnesium helps to maintain the structural integrity of DNA.

.. Magnesium taken in transdermally indirectly boosts DHEA levels (and avoids the side effects of synthetic DHEA supplementation). DHEA is the most prevalent and essential hormone in the human body.

.. Magnesium deficiency contributes to stroke and heart attack, and magnesium can aid in recovery after a stroke. Mg has an important role to play in preventing blood clots and keeping the blood thin (much like aspirin but without the side effects).

.. Magnesium deficiency often contributes to or causes headaches and migraines. (Mg can trigger dozens of health conditions if it is deficient.) . Magnesium improves skin and gum health, and strengthens hair and nails as well as bones and teeth. Mg deficiency causes an unhealthy balance of phosphorus and calcium in saliva, which damages teeth.

.. Magnesium is found in unprocessed whole grains, greens, nuts and seeds (and chocolate).

What are the symptoms of magnesium deficiency?

Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include muscle cramps, restless legs syndrome, heart palpitations, morning stiffness, cramps, chest tightness or inability to take a deep breath, chocolate cravings and headaches or migraines. Raising magnesium levels to optimum may also help stop oesophageal spasms and tremors or shakiness, reduce pain levels, treat vertigo, make sleep deeper and more restful/refreshing, as well as reduce sensitivity to sudden loud noises and bright lights and neurological overstimulation generally.

With more severe magnesium deficiency numbness, tingling, seizures, personality changes, frequent urination, extreme hunger and thirst, blurry vision that changes from day to day, abnormal heart rhythms, and coronary spasms can occur.

Magnesium deficiency can cause a number of symptoms which can mimic anxiety or behavioural disorders or depression. These include symptoms such as anxiety, panic attacks, anger, nervousness, disorientation, hyperactivity and restlessness with constant movement, loss of appetite, nausea, lethargy, depression, and insomnia. (Magnesium deficiency is one cause of these symptoms but is of course not the only possible cause.) For more information on the symptoms of magnesium deficiency see the Magnesium for life website or the website of magnesium expert Dr Carolyn Dean.

How common is magnesium deficiency?

Magnesium deficiency is very common. In 2006, the World Health Organization reached consensus that a majority of the world's population is magnesium deficient. The US Daily Value for magnesium is approximately 320 mg per day for women and more than 400 mg per day for men. These magnesium dosages are considered far too low by holistic medicine experts and experts in the field of magnesium, yet many people (72% of participants in one 1995 study) do not even reach these low targets.

Research shows that most people only take in only about half these listed amounts, or less. The reasons for such low magnesium intake are the mineral depletion of our soils, the popularity of processed foods (magnesium is lost when food is refined) and the increase of calcium intake, via dairy products or supplements, without a corresponding increase in magnesium (as high calcium intake impedes proper absorption of magnesium). It is also a problem that fluoride in our water supply binds to magnesium particles and renders them unavailable for use in our body, and that where there are digestive problems magnesium may not be well absorbed even when the diet is high in magnesium. The use of diuretic drugs also severely depletes magnesium.

Thus while eating a whole food diet containing the foods high in magnesium such as whole grains, greens, nuts and seeds is important, magnesium supplements are also necessary.

What are the different ways that supplemental magnesium can be taken?

Magnesium can be taken orally in the form of tablets, capsules, powders or liquids, administered via injection or IV, or absorbed transdermally (through the skin).

Oral magnesium supplements are poorly absorbed even by those with no digestive problems (10 - 50%), so absorption can be a real problem in a disease like M.E. where there are significant gut issues and problems.

Because absorption is so low, oral doses of magnesium need to be high but this can lead to gastrointestinal problems. The laxative effect is a limiting factor with oral magnesium, that is not present or is very much reduced with transdermal, IV or injected magnesium. Thus magnesium may not be able to raised to optimum levels with oral magnesium alone.

Magnesium injections or IVs are probably the best and fastest way to take in magnesium (as Cheney explained in his 2007 lecture). But this option is not always practical or accessible for all patients, particularly as magnesium may need to be injected several times per day, long-term.

Transdermal magnesium is better absorbed than magnesium taken orally, and can be almost as effective as magnesium injections. Its use is far less involved and perhaps safer than injections or IVs, when transdermal magnesium is used at high doses. Transdermal magnesium experts have observed that this method of taking on magnesium seems to have the advantage of letting the body absorb magnesium where it is needed and only as much as is needed. In contrast, the amount taken orally and via injection involves a lot more guesswork and potential for side effects from too high a dose.

However, these experts have also made it clear that their observation and opinion that only as much transdermal magnesium as is needed is absorbed has not yet been proven in studies, and that more research is needed in this area.

There are also other benefits to using magnesium oil over other forms of magnesium. Transdermal magnesium, magnesium taken in through the skin, can indirectly raise DHEA levels, making this form of magnesium a useful treatment for menopausal symptoms and PMS symptoms. Enhanced natural production of DHEA can also help promote adequate sleep (in accordance with circadian rhythms). DHEA is the master hormone from which many other hormones are made (eg. estrogen). Raising DHEA levels naturally avoids the problems caused by supplementing these other hormones directly. (Estrogen hormone replacement raises risk of blood clots, for example and while synthetic DHEA is a commonly-used nutritional supplement, evidence points to the greater safety and effectivenes of naturally-produced/endogenous DHEA, including lower risks from adverse effects, according to magnesium expert Mark Sircus Ac OMD.)

IV and transdermal magnesium bypasses the liver (reducing the load on the liver). Mark Sircus Ac OMD, says, Transdermal (skin) application of magnesium is actually superior to oral supplements in many ways and is the best practical way magnesium can be used as a medicine besides by direct injection. Transdermal magnesium delivers high levels of magnesium directly through the skin to the cellular level, bypassing common intestinal and kidney problems associated with oral use.

Magnesium deficiency can inhibit oral magnesium absorption, and so IV or transdermal magnesium may be necessary for a time if magnesium deficiency is severe, to help the person overcome this problem. IV and transdermal magnesium also do not have the same limits on the rate and amount of uptake and assimilation as oral magnesium.

According to magnesium expert Mark Sircus Ac OMD, magnesium deficiency can be corrected via oral magnesium supplements in 6 - 12 months, via transdermal magnesium in 4 weeks, and in 2 weeks via IVs or injections.

Excerpt ends.

To read on (or see a fully formatted version of the abive text) see:

http://www.hfme.org/researchmgandme.htm

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Partial referenece list:

Reference and recommended additional reading list . Transdermal magnesium therapy : A New Modality for the Maintenance of Health by Mark Sircus.

.. The miracle of magnesium by Dr Carolyn Dean.

.. The Sinatra Solution by T. Sinatra MD . The Magnesium Factor by Dr. Mildred Seelig MD. NPH, MACN. A renowned researcher of magnesium, Dr. Seelig advocated the use of transdermal magnesium to boost magnesium levels.

.. Stand Back and Watch the Miracle Working Power of Magnesium by Dr Carolyn Dean . The Vita-Nutrient Solution by Dr Atkins

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Please read the cautions in the full length paper before starting any new treatment, including magnesium.

Best wishes everyone,

Jodi Bassett

--

The Hummingbirds' Foundation

for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis:

www.hfme.org

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I talk all day and every day about magnesium but many people are focused on

calcium. Women especially are led to believe that calcium, and lots of it,

is necessary to keep their bones from crumbling away. Medically we just

imagine that bones are made of calcium and don't realize the interplay

between the two. However, if you've read anything I've written about

magnesium, you'll know that magnesium is the dynamo behind calcium. They are

both necessary and equally important for strong bones and many other

processes in the body.

Calcium (in the carbonate, citrate and gluconate forms) is only 4-10%

absorbed. Unlike magnesium, calcium doesn't flush itself out with diarrhea

if you take too much. Calcium, instead, causes constipation and builds up in

the body. Some researchers are saying calcium supplements are responsible

for an increase in calcification causing heart disease, kidney stones, gall

stones, heel spurs and fibromyalgia. Part of that buildup has to do with the

fact that few people take magnesium with their calcium. It also has to do

with the type of calcium taken. Dr Carolyn Dean.

Transdermal (skin) application of magnesium is actually superior to oral

supplements in many ways and is the best practical way magnesium can be used

as a medicine besides by direct injection. Transdermal magnesium delivers

high levels of magnesium directly through the skin to the cellular level,

bypassing common intestinal and kidney problems associated with oral use.

Mark Sircus Ac OMD

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