Mg and Ftiends

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Magnesium dietary mineral

Magnesium plays an important role in at least 300 fundamental

enzymatic reactions and for that reason is of vital importance in our

health.

Magnesium is required for

Magnesium helps with formation of bone and teeth and assists the

absorption of calcium and potassium. Where calcium stimulates the

muscles, magnesium is used to relax the muscles. It is further needed

for cellular metabolism and the production of energy through its help

with enzyme activity It is used for muscle tone of the heart and

assists in controlling blood pressure. Together with vitamin B 12, it

may prevent calcium oxalate kidney stones. It helps prevent

depression, dizziness, muscle twitching, and pre-menstrual syndrome.

It can help prevent the calcification of soft tissue and may help

prevent cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and certain forms of

cancer, and it may reduce cholesterol levels. Magnesium assists the

parathyroid gland to process vitamin D, and a shortage here can cause

absorption problems with calcium.

Deficiency of magnesium

A severe deficiency caused by mal-absorption, chronic alcoholism,

renal dysfunction, or the use of certain medications can cause

neuromuscular manifestations, and personality changes can occur. Many

cardiovascular problems are indicated with magnesium in short supply

and rapid heartbeats as well as fatigue, irritability, and seizure

can occur. Insomnia, poor memory, painful periods, depression,

hypertension and confusion may also indicative of magnesium in short

supply. It is used for the management of premature labor, and for the

prophylaxis and treatment of seizures in toxemia of pregnancy. A

deficiency may also be a contributing factor to incontinence in older

people and bedwetting in children.

Dosage

The dosage underneath is the (RDA), but be aware that this dosage is

the minimum that you require per day, to ward off serious deficiency

of this particular nutrient. In the therapeutic use of this nutrient,

the dosage is usually increased considerably, but the toxicity level

must be kept in mind. Males 19-30 years 400 mg per day Males >30

years 420 mg Females 19-30 years 310 mg Females >30 years 320 mg.In

supplementation it is normally taken in dosages of 750 - 1,000 mg per

day.

Best used with

It is best taken with calcium, iron, B group vitamins as well as

vitamin E.

When more magnesium may be required

It has been found that people under stress have low magnesium levels,

indicating that magnesium may be beneficial to those under stress.

Enemy of magnesium

Consumption of alcohol, diuretics, high levels of zinc and vitamin D

may increase your magnesium requirement. This will also apply if you

are taking diuretics (water pills), have diarrhea or perspiring

heavily as well as taking large amounts of vitamin C.

Other interesting points

Magnesium is being investigated for the treatment of migraine

headaches.

Food sources

Magnesium is found in dairy products, fish, meat and seafood, as well

as in legumes, apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, whole grain

cereals, nuts, dark green vegetables, and cocoa, while hard water and

mineral water may also supply it in fair quantities.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=search & DB=PubMed

The effect of magnesium oral therapy on spasticity in a patient with

multiple sclerosis.

Rossier P, van Erven S, Wade DT.

Rivermead Rehabilitation Centre, Abingdon Road, Oxford OX1 4XD, UK.

The effects of magnesium glycerophosphate oral therapy on spasticity

was studied in a 35-year-old woman with severe spastic paraplegia

resulting from multiple sclerosis (MS). We found a significant

improvement in the spasticity after only 1 week from the onset of the

treatment on the modified Ashworth scale, an improvement in the range

of motion and in the measures of angles at resting position in lower

limbs. No side-effects were reported and there was no weakness in the

arms during the treatment.

PMID: 11136367 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Eur J Neurol. 2000 Nov;7(6):741-4. Related Articles, Links

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=search & DB=PubMed

Manganese, copper, and zinc in cerebrospinal fluid from patients with

multiple sclerosis.

Melo TM, Larsen C, White LR, Aasly J, Sjobakk TE, Flaten TP,

Sonnewald U, Syversen T.

Department of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science and

Technology, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway.

The concentrations of manganese, copper, and zinc in cerebrospinal

fluid (CSF) from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and patients

with no known neurological disease (control group) were measured.

Manganese and copper levels were determined by two different

analytical methods: atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and high-

resolution inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS),

whereas zinc levels were determined by HR-ICP-MS only. Manganese

levels (mean+/-SEM) were significantly decreased in the CSF of MS

patients (1.07+/-0.13 microg/L, ICP-MS; 1.08+/-0.11 microg/L, AAS)

compared to the levels in the control group (1.78+/-0.26 microg/L,

ICP-MS; 1.51+/-0.17 microg/L, AAS). Copper levels were significantly

elevated in the CSF of MS patients (10.90+/-1.11 microg/L; ICP-MS,

11.53+/-0.83 microg/L, AAS) compared to the levels in the control

group (8.67+/-0.49 microg/L, ICP-MS; 9.10+/-0.62 microg/L, AAS).

There were no significant differences between the CSF zinc levels of

MS and control patients. The physiological basis for the differences

in manganese and copper concentrations between MS patients and

controls is unknown, but could be related to alterations in the

manganese- containing enzyme glutamine synthetase and the copper-

containing enzyme cytochrome oxidase.

PMID: 12835484 [PubMed - in process]