Re: magnesium - a ridiculous amount of info

[Guest guest]

Magnesium August 2001. Kd

(file on the enzymeandautism board)

Forms of Magnesium

After looking into magnesium for months, what I came away with is

that magnesium comes in two types: soluble forms/organic (aspartate,

malate, glycinate, citrate and succinate etc.) and insoluble

forms/inorganic salts (chloride, carbonate, oxide). Overall, the

chelated magnesium and magnesium glycinate are often referred to as

being very absorbable.

The soluble ones are pretty equally absorbed and as a group are much

better absorbed than the insoluble group. Of the insoluble group, the

oxide is the best absorbed. The insoluble group is far more likely to

cause loose stools/diarrhea than the other group. If magnesium

nutrition is what you want, go for the soluble group. If constipation

is the issue, then some insoluble forms are okay. The loose stool

effect (if not wanted) can be minimized by taking the magnesium with

food.

Most of the products I saw on the shelves at the store were a mixture

of magnesium types. Sometimes I would see a bottle of a specific type

of magnesium, such as Magnesium Citrate. But the ones marked just

Magnesium were usually a mixture. And some had as many as 4-5

different types in the mixture.

Although I have spent some time looking at magnesium sources, there

seems to bevaried opinions. Here is a reputable source from a book on

nutrition:

" Magnesium chelated with amino acids is probably the most absorbable

form. Less absorbable forms include magnesium bicarbonate, magnesium

oxide, and magnesium carbonate. Magnesium oxide is probably somewhat

better than magnesium carbonate (dolomite). The newly available salts

of magnesium aspartate or citrate, both known as mineral

transporters, have a better percentage of absorption. "

http://www.healthy.net/asp/templates/article.asp?

PageType=article & ID=2060

What chelate form means:

" Magnesium Chelate (Amino Acid): A chemically reacted magnesium ion,

bound to 1 or more amino acids, thus allowing the magnesium to enter

through the intestinal wall via the amino acid pathway rather than

active magnesium diffusion. A true reacted chelate differs from

simply mixing the amino acids and minerals which is often referred to

as " chelated " . "

http://www.nutraceuticals.com/reactedmagnesium.htm

You need to balance out how absorbable a product is versus the

quantity of the mineral that is in it versus the price.

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Magnesium in the Body

Many times the chelated forms of anything are very absorbable and

this explains why. Next is a link to a short summary of magnesium and

its role in the body:

http://www.auravita.com/secure_check.asp?

prodpage=http://www.auravita.com/healthnotesonline/ukinet50/Supp/Magne

sium.asp

An even shorter summary:

http://health.yahoo.com/health/Diseases_and_Conditions/Disease_Feed_Da

ta/Magnesium_in_diet

--------------------------

Recommended Dosing

RDAs:

350 mg/day for adult males over age 18

280 mg for females over age 18

320 mg for adult females - pregnant

355 mg for females lactating 0-6 months

340 mg for females lactating 6 months+

400 mg for males ages 15-18

300 mg for females ages 15-18

270 mg for males ages 11-14

280 mg for females ages 11-14

170 mg for children ages 7-10

120 mg for children ages 4-6

80 mg for children ages 1-3

60 mg for infants ages 0.5-1.0

40 mg for infants ages 0-0.5

These amounts are for healthy people. A person in an unwell or

deficient state would need more. Most places recommend a 2:1

calcium:magnesium ratio for regular function, not including a

deficient state. When I was researching this, I looked up the amounts

in a reference book in the HFS. The average recommended

amount was generally 1000 mg/day for ADHD, anxiety disorder,

migraines, sleep disorders, autism and some of the autoimmune

disorders. These are probably for an adult and so a child should have

1/2 or 1/3. This puts it around 300-500 mg/day. I haven't found an

upper limit to magnesium, and have read several places there is no

known toxicity.

Also, we saw again and again that there was not a toxicity problem

because the body does not store magnesium as it does calcium. The

body excretes what is not used. Your upper limit will be when you

notice continuous loose stools.

Here is a link to children's doses for vitamins, minerals and herbs.

You may need to piece the url together since it is so long:

http://www.alternativeparenting.com/health/natural_remedies/herbal_dos

age.htm

NOTE: Excessive magnesium inhibits calcium and excessive calcium

inhibits magnesium - although I didn't seen any amount as given

as " excessive " for magnesium. Calcium had the number of 2500 mg/day

most likely for an adult - from the Encyclopedia of Nutritional

Supplements at the HFS. It is a balancing act.

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Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency

Magnesium deficiency is associated with fibromyalgia, chronic

fatigue, migraines, and a bunch of other ailments. Supplementing with

magnesium has helped many of these conditions in clinical studies.

The symptoms of magnesium deficiency are irritability, tantrums,

seizures, insomnia, muscle cramps/twitching, hyperactivity and poor

digestion among others. Magnesium is needed for proper electrolyte

function, over 300 enzyme functions, and calcium absorbtion.

I also found it very interested to read that one of the primary

sources of dietary magnesium is whole grains and cereals. If one goes

100% gluten free, you would be loosing a main source of magnesium,

and could go deficient especially if you are also supplementing with

extra calcium to make up for the casein free part.

Higher amount of magnesium may cause a laxative effect (milk of

magnesium, epsom salts).

--------------------------------------

References

I am currently using Natural Calm. It is a very absorbable magnesium

citrate powder that you dissolve in water and drink. I like heating

it and drinking it like tea - it has a very mild citrus/orange taste.

There is a web site

www.naturalcalm.com and you can get it at your health food store.

Here is the site for Natural Calm magnesium

http://www.naturalcalm.net/home.shtml

Even if you aren't interested in this product, it has LOADS of

information on magnesium, how is affects different conditions, how

calcium and/or magnesium deficiencies are created AND you can ask for

a free sample to be sent. I got a free sample in the HFS and, if it

is the same sample, it contains 3 full teaspoons which is 1 serving.

Although for a child you would give at least half and start lower.

The price on the web site is the same as it is at my HFS.

Magnesium is supposed to help with pain, migraines, chronic fatigue,

fibro and other conditions. This is supposed to be quickly absorbed.

The literature says it can work " in minutes " and so I made some as

soon as I got home. About 20 minutes later, my headache was

significantly better. It is used by doctors and clinics according to

the literature.

The Brainchild Night-Cal supplement contains the following,

each 2 Teaspoon Dose of NightCal:

Calcium from Kreb's Chelates450 mg

Magnesium from Kreb's Chelates50 mg

Potasium Alpha Ketoglutarate100 mg

Selenium from Selenomethionine100 mcg

Vitamin D-3 as Cholecalciferol100 IU

The direct link with description is:

http://www.brainchildnutritionals.com/Night_Calx.html

Here is a link to a pretty thorough, but easy to follow, description

of magnesium from HealthWorld Online.

http://www.healthy.net/asp/templates/article.asp?

PageType=article & ID=2060

" Magnesium chelated with amino acids is probably the most absorbable

form. Less absorbable forms include magnesium bicarbonate, magnesium

oxide, and magnesium carbonate. Magnesium oxide is probably somewhat

better than magnesium carbonate (dolomite). The newly available salts

of magnesium aspartate or citrate, both known as mineral

transporters, have a better percentage of absorption. "

It also says that calcium and magnesium should be taken inbetween

meals, on an empty stomach for best absorption.

" The many enzyme systems that require magnesium help restore normal

energy levels. Because of this function and its nerve and muscle

support, magnesium may also be helpful for nervousness, anxiety,

insomnia, depression, and muscle cramps. Magnesium is also given as

part of a treatment for autism or hyperactivity in kids, usually

along with vitamin B6. "

---------------------------------------------

Clinical indications of magnesium deficiency were associated with the

following:

·ADD/ADHD

·Alzheimer's disease

·Anxiety

·Asthma

·Attention deficit disorder

·Autism

·Auto immune disorders- all types

·Cerebral Palsy- in children from magnesium deficient mothers

·Chronic fatigue syndrome

·Chronic pain

·Congestive heart failure

·Constipation

·Crohn's disease

·Depression

·Diabetes mellitus

·Endometriosis

·Fibromyalgia

·Gut disorders- including peptic ulcer, Crohn's disease, colitis,

food allergy

·Headaches

·Hyperactivity

·Hypertension

·Hypoglycemia

·Insomnia

·Irritable bowel syndrome

·Menopause

·Migraines

·Multiple sclerosis

·Muscle cramps

·Muscle weakness, fatigue

·Osteoarthritis

·Osteoporosis

·Parkinson's disease

·PMS

·Psoriasis

·Schizophrenia

·Stress

·Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

·Tension

·Ulcerative colitis