Magnesium Health Article

Standard medical practice

DIAGNOSIS. The levels of magnesium in a patient's blood or body fluids can help diagnose several illnesses. A high magnesium level in the blood may indicate kidney failure, hypothyroidism, severe dehydration, Addison's disease, or overingestion of antacids containing magnesium. A low blood level of magnesium may indicate hypomagnesemia. Because 99% of the body's magnesium is contained in its cells, blood tests can only measure the approximately 1% of magnesium that is extra-cellular (circulating in the bloodstream). This makes it difficult to diagnose low magenesium levels.

Fortunately, magnesium levels in urine can also aid diagnosis. High levels of urinary magnesium may indicate overconsumption of supplemental magnesium, overuse of diuretics, hypercalcemia (too much calcium in the body), hypophosphatemia (too little phosphate in the body), or metabolic acidosis (high blood acid levels). Low levels of magnesium in the urine may point to hypomagnesemia or hypocalcemia (too little magnesium or calcium in the body), an underactive parathyroid gland, or metabolic alkalosis (high blood alkaline levels).

TREATMENT. Magnesium is used to treat tachycardia (excessively rapid heartbeat) and low levels of electrolytes (chloride, potassium, and sodium). It helps manage premature labor, and can be given prophylactically to prevent seizures in toxemia of pregnancy. In 2002, a major international study verified the effectiveness of magnesium sulfate in preventing eclampsia, a potentially fatal seizure condition in pregnant women. Not only is it effective, but at a cost of about $5 per patient, it proves less expensive as well.

Magnesium helps control seizures resulting from hypomagnesemia associated with alcoholism, Crohn's disease, or hyperthyroidism. Magnesium injections are also used to treat acute asthma attacks.

Magnesium preparations may be given as antacids in the treatment of peptic ulcers and hyperacidity. They are also given as laxatives for the short-term relief of constipation or to empty the patient's bowel prior to surgery or certain diagnostic procedures. Magnesium hydroxide is used to treat patients who have been poisoned by mineral acids or arsenic.

Magnesium in the form of magnesium sulfate is known as Epsom salts. It can be taken by mouth as a laxative, but is also used externally to reduce tissue swelling, inflammation, and itching from insect bites, heat rash, or other minor skin irritations. Epsom salts can be applied to the affected skin or body part in moist compresses, or dissolved in warm bath water.

Recent research indicates that magnesium deficiency may contribute to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), as well as to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a sometimes-deadly inflammation that destroys the bowel in premature infants. Magnesium may also be useful in treating attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and migraine headaches.

Alternative medicine

HOMEOPATHY. Phosphate of magnesia is a staple homeopathic remedy, called Magnesia phosphorica (Mag. phos.) It is recommended for symptoms that are relieved by the application of warmth and gentle pressure, such as hiccups accompanied by colic in infants, menstrual cramps that are relieved when the woman bends forward, and abdominal pain without nausea and vomiting. Patients who benefit from Mag. phos. are supposedly less irritable or angry in temperament than those who need Colocynthis or Chamomilla.

NATUROPATHY. Naturopaths emphasize the importance of proper food selection and preparation to obtain an adequate supply of nutrients in the diet. They maintain that modern methods of agriculture promote overcropping and soil depletion, which they believe reduces the amount of magnesium (and other minerals) available from food grown in that soil. The processing and refining of wheat and rice, which discards the magnesium contained in the bran, wheat germ, or rice husks, also reduces the amount of magnesium in these foods. For these reasons naturopaths often recommend organic produce, which they believe contains higher levels of minerals, and suggest that they not be overcooked or boiled in too much water. In addition, this water, or "pot liquor," is often rich in magnesium that cooks out of the vegetables. It should not be discarded but saved for use in soups or stews.

Many naturopaths believe that the official government recommended daily allowance (RDA) of magnesium is too low. They think that it should be doubled to about 600 or 700 mg daily for adults. Most recommend the use of dietary supplements containing magnesium to make up the difference.

Naturopathic practitioners regard magnesium to be important in the relief or cure of the following conditions:

• Mitral valve prolapse: Magnesium deficiency may lower the body's ability to repair defective connective tissue, including defective mitral valves.
• Atherosclerosis.
• Certain psychological conditions, including apathy, decreased ability to learn, memory loss, and confusion.
• Kidney stones: Magnesium increases the solubility of certain calcium compounds that form kidney stones if they are not excreted in the urine.
• Hypertension: Hypertensive people often have lower levels of magnesium within their cells than people with normal blood pressure.
• Angina pectoris: Magnesium is thought to relax spastic arteries and help prevent arrhythmias.
• Osteoporosis: Many osteoporosis patients have low levels of magnesium in their bodies.
• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and menstrual cramps: Some women report relief from the symptoms of PMS when taking magnesium supplements.
• Naturopaths also treat asthma, epilepsy, autism, hyperactivity, chronic fatigue syndrome, noise-induced hearing loss, insomnia, and stress-related anxiety with supplemental magnesium.