Mag Lowers Cholesterol? + Senior Health- High Cholesterol and Magnesium Health

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Mag Lowers Cholesterol?

_http://www.nutritionalconcepts.com/Newsletters/09152007.htm_

(http://www.nutritionalconcepts.com/Newsletters/09152007.htm)

After separately reviewing 18 different studies related to magnesium and

cholesterol, here is what was discovered:

-- Magnesium may lower total cholesterol 6 to 20%

-- Magnesium may lower LDL (bad cholesterol) 10 to 18%

-- Magnesium may reduce triglycerides 10 to 42%

-- Magnesium may raise HDL (good cholesterol) 4 to 11%

How can magnesium at times achieve similar results to statin therapy?

1. Magnesium regulates enzymes that control cholesterol production. In

particular, magnesium targets the same enzyme, HMG-CoH reductase, as statin

medication.

2. Magnesium raises levels of HDL while lowering LDL. Albeit not lowering

LDL as dramatically as statins, the rise in HDL offsets this.

Safety?

While synthetic statin therapy blocks the entire enzymatic function of

cholesterol absorption, magnesium is a natural inhibitor, which either blocks

its function, or allows it to continue, based upon the body's needs at the

time. This is why you will not see the following while taking magnesium:

elevated liver enzymes, muscle pain, myopathy, and other side effects

associated with statins.

How Do I Know if I Need Magnesium?

About 72% of the US population is deficient. The RDA's are too low. Beyond

that, you really need a licensed health professional to gauge what is your

optimal intake. Blood magnesium levels do not reflect true magnesium

status. Other available tests are extremely expensive or very time-consuming.

Note: supplemental magnesium has a laxative effect that may cause

intestinal discomfort or loose stools; however, the bis-glycinate (amino acid

chelate) form does not produce these side effects.

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Senior Health - High Cholesterol and Magnesium Health

_http://www.nutritionalmagnesium.org/health/seniors-health/78-senior-health-

high-cholesterol-and-magnesium-health.html_

(http://www.nutritionalmagnesium.org/health/seniors-health/78-senior-health-high\

-cholesterol-and-magnesium-h

ealth.html)

Another problem related to heart health, and one that has received

considerable attention over the years, is cholesterol.

A fatty substance found in many areas of the body, cholesterol in large

quantities can be dangerous to health. Over time, it can build up on the

walls of the arteries and can cause narrowing or hardening, leading to serious

heart problems. Because cholesterol has obtained such a bad name, many may

not know that it is actually produced in all cells naturally and has

important bodily functions. Cholesterol comes about through a series of

chemical

reactions.

Dr. noff explains, **Cholesterol is important because it is a

steppingstone to the body's manufacture of sex hormones like testosterone

and estrogen. One of the reactions involved in cholesterol production is

called the rate-limiting reaction because it keeps control of the amount of

cholesterol manufactured. The rate-limiting reaction requires magnesium.

**The enzyme for the rate-limiting reaction has two phases: an active

phase and an inactive phase, says Dr. noff. The inactive phase has to have

magnesium tied to it. If you don't have enough magnesium in the cell, that

enzyme cannot be deactivated. As a result, that control point is weakened

or absent; cholesterol continues to be manufactured and the cell cannot slow

or stop it. This can result in a cholesterol buildup. This leads to heart

disease.

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Book: Magnesium, The Nutrient That Could Change Your Life

(http://www.mgwater.com/rodtitle.shtml) Chapter 12: Cholesterol

_http://www.mgwater.com/rod12.shtml_ (http://www.mgwater.com/rod12.shtml)