Magnesium is essential to over 300 processes in the human body including conversion of simple sugars to energy, protein and DNA synthesis, formation of urea (an important waste product), blood vessel tone, bone formation, muscle function, and transmission of nerve impulses.

Magnesium is plentiful inside the body’s cells, but not in the blood plasma in usefully measurable amounts. This, along with the fact that it is a basic element that can't be patented (therefore, no large profit margin) partly explains why magnesium is largely ignored in mainstream health care, where blood plasma levels are standard for interpreting body chemistry. (Yes, there are other useful tests such as salvia and hair analysis that insurance companies don't usually cover.)

Magnesium deficiency is epidemic in much of the U.S. due to depleted soils and the high percentage of processed foods in our diets. Dark soda, calcium supplements, excess dietary fat, coffee, alcohol, and diuretics can block absorption and/or increase magnesium loss. Deficiency contributes to: osteoporosis, depression, heart disease, stroke, heart rhythm problems, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, increased nerve and muscle excitability, decreased norepinephrine and serotonin levels and aging.

Magnesium works to balance many of the effects of calcium in the body such as constriction of blood vessels, and contraction of muscles. A number of studies have shown that increased magnesium intake is associated with lower blood pressure. The incidence of cardiovascular disease is significantly lower in areas of the U.S. and other countries with ground water high in magnesium. In the Honolulu Heart Program study containing 7,172 subjects, the cases of heart disease were reduced from 7 to 4 cases per 1,000 in men who doubled their magnesium intake to over 340 mg. daily. If we represent these statistics the way the Lipitor ad reads, that's a 43% reduction in heart disease.

Magnesium increases calcitonin which, in turn, increases deposits of calcium in bone and blocks uptake of calcium in soft tissues. Magnesium suppresses parathyroid hormone which reabsorbs calcium from bone and increases calcium uptake in soft tissue and phosphate excretion in the urine. Massive doses of calcium block magnesium absorption and inhibits formation of vitamin D3. This may be why Americans have more cases of osteoporosis while consuming more dairy and calcium supplements than any other population. Calcium uptake in soft tissue leads to kidney stones, aneurisms, muscle cramps arthritis, bone spurs, and heart attacks.

According to the December 2003 issue of the Journal of American Medicine (pg 533-8), increased magnesium intake associated with lower fasting insulin concentration.

A study the Annals of Clinical Biochemistry (1987;23;667-670) showed the level of Mg in red blood cells of PMS sufferers was significantly lower than those of the healthy control group. Another study appearing in Clinical Drug Investigations (2007;27;(1):51-8) found a 33.5% reduction in PMS symptoms after subjects were given 250 mg/day for the last 8-10 days of their cycle.

I have used magnesium in my office in combination with herbs to relieve PMS symptoms and to clear up difficult cases of MRSA staff infections when antibiotics have failed. I find it particularly useful for muscle cramps, constipation, fibromyagia, and "Restless Leg Syndrome."

While oral intake of magnesium is useful, let's not forget natural sources such as dark green vegetables, almonds, bananas, salmon, and peanuts.

Magnesium sulfate (aka epsom salts) is very useful in a warm water soak for sore muscle and joints and as a drawing agent for wound cleansing and infection.

I hope this information is useful. I have included sources of some of the studies from medical journals for the benefit of other doctors and patients. Contact totalhealth@frontiernet.net for sources of earlier columns. Information is mostly from double blind studies published in peer journals.