Re: for Kim or anyone - magnesium deficiency and manuka honey

[Guest guest]

Hi Mindy,

Yes, magnesium deficiency (MgD) " can " show up in blood work; however,

keep in mind that by the time blood work shows " low out of range, "

then you're not just low, you're dangerously low.

If you're on Cystic-L, then maybe you remember the June 30 post from

a 33-yr. old mother with CF. She has hearing and balance damage from

aminoglycoside antibiotics, seizures, muscle cramps, fibromyalgia,

osteoporosis, low PFTs, insomnia, and I think diabetes... along with a

whole host of other problems. (Remember me mentioning that these

things are attributed to MgD?)

Anyway, a year ago, as her health continued declining, I wrote to her

privately suggesting she have her Mg checked. But I don't think she

ever did. Well, here it is a year later and she ended up in the

hospital with 25% lung function and unable to breathe even on full

oxygen. In the hospital her doctor checked her *blood* Mg level and

found it was 0.3! Normal blood Mg is 1.8 - 2.3.

So they gave her IV Mg but her kidneys wouldn't hold it so she had to

stay in the hospital until they got her kidneys and Mg functioning

together. Now she's home on oral Mg and said she's feeling much

better.

But see, that's the danger -- if you get too deficient then it may

takes weeks or months of Mg therapy bring total body Mg back into

balance. And in some cases the kidneys may never hold on the Mg again.

I know of a doctor who now can't hold Mg so he has a port to do

nightly IV magnesium.

Remember, I've mentioned before that Mg blood levels only measure the

amount of Mg in the blood, *not* total body Mg. Only 1% Mg is found in

the blood, 60% in bone, and the rest is intracellular (in the cells).

Those three percentages are what equals " total body Mg. " So you

absolutely can't rely on blood work to tell you total body Mg. And

that's the point most doctors seem to forget.

Last November I had to have an employment physical, and my doctor

automatically included Mg in the blood work. The level came back 1.9.

At that time, I'd been taking 400-500 mg. Mg a day for two months.

Imagine what the level would have read had I *not* been supplementing.

And chances are, at 1.9 blood level, then my total body Mg was

actually low out-of-range, not in-range. Scary thought.

About manuka honey -- there are numerous studies in clinical settings

(hospitals) showing that manuka honey stops Staph a., MRSA, and PA

infections in open wounds and burns.

I've wondered if eating a couple tablespoons of manuka honey a day

wouldn't have the same effect on PA and staph in the lungs. But I've

never read any evidence that it would.

I've not seen manuka honey in grocery stores but it's probably

available at speciality stores, and I've seen it on many web sites.

The only reason I've never bought any is I'm not familiar with

companies that produce manuka honey. I want to be sure I'm getting a

good quality product.

Anyone from NZ or AU have any recommendations?

Kim

> Hi Kim,

>

> Can magnesium deficiency show up in blood work?

>

> Do you know anything about manuka honey?

>

> Eagerly anticipating your reply(ies). Thanking you in

> advance.

>

> Mindy