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MAGNESIUM…Miracle Mineral!

April 4, 2025

⚠️ IMPORTANT HEALTH NOTE

This information is a summary and does not contain all possible details about this product or your specific health needs. Always seek the advice of your health care professional if you have any questions about this product or your medical condition. This information is not intended as individual medical advice and does not substitute for the knowledge and judgment of your health care professional. This information does not contain any assurances that this product is safe, effective, or appropriate for you.

Why Magnesium is Essential: The "Miracle Mineral"

Magnesium is a crucial nutrient that supports over 300 metabolic enzymes/functions in the body, making it indispensable as a cofactor. However, many people do not get enough of it, leading to various health issues. A lack of this critical nutrient is a major factor in many common health problems.

Magnesium Deficiency in the U.S.: The Facts

  • 60% of Americans do not consume the recommended daily magnesium intake.
  • 19% of Americans consume less than half of the recommended amount.
  • Modern diets contain 10 times more calcium than magnesium, leading to imbalances.
  • 80% of the population may be deficient, yet standard blood (serum) tests often fail to detect it because only 1% of the body's magnesium is found in the bloodstream. If blood levels drop, magnesium is immediately pulled from bones and muscles.

Why Magnesium Deficiency is Increasing

  • Lower food quality: Magnesium levels in soil and food have declined.
  • Higher toxin exposure: Environmental toxins increase the body’s need for magnesium.
  • Poor absorption: Many people lack efficient magnesium absorption due to diet and health conditions.
  • The Problem with Testing: Magnesium is its own worst enemy because it doesn't lend itself to easy measurement. A debit in bones and muscles (leading to deficiency symptoms like muscle spasms or angina) can occur even while a serum blood test appears normal.

Key Functions of Magnesium

Magnesium is vital for:

  • Energy production & transport
  • Protein synthesis
  • Nerve signal transmission (in the brain and throughout the body)
  • Muscle relaxation (heart, blood vessels, digestive tract, fallopian tubes, and skeletal muscles)
  • Bone and teeth health
  • Detoxifying heavy metals (e.g., mercury)
  • Balancing cholesterol & lipid digestion
  • Neutralizing/Maintaining pH balance (reducing acidity in the blood from poor diet and chemical toxicity)
  • Neurotransmitter production (e.g., serotonin, which regulates mood)

Temperature regulation

Signs of Magnesium Deficiency

If you’re lacking magnesium, you may experience:

  • Muscle issues: Spasms, leg cramps, restless legs, eye twitches.
  • Sleep problems: Insomnia.
  • Mental health concerns: Anxiety, mood swings, depression.
  • Heart health risks: High blood pressure, angina, heart palpitations.
  • Cognitive issues: Poor concentration, brain fog, vertigo, and confusion.
  • Headaches & migraines.
  • Digestive issues: Constipation, IBS.
  • Fatigue & chronic pain conditions (like fibrositis/fibromyalgia).

Health Conditions Linked to Magnesium Deficiency

Dr. Linda Rapson, a specialist in chronic pain, estimates that 70% of her patients with muscle pain, cramps, and fatigue show signs of magnesium deficiency.

Conditions associated with low magnesium include:

  • Mitral valve prolapse
  • Migraines & chronic headaches
  • ADHD & autism
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Anxiety & mood disorders
  • Asthma & allergies
  • Cystitis (Bladder spasms)
  • PMS symptoms & menstrual cramps

Magnesium is essential for overall health, yet most people don’t get enough. Supplementation is crucial, but the method of supplementation matters for effective absorption.

Absorption & Supplementation: Choosing the Best Forms

Oral magnesium is poorly absorbed, except in chelated forms. The method of supplementation is critical in terms of effective body utilization.

Best Forms of Magnesium for Maximum Absorption

  1. Magnesium Glycinate & Magnesium Bis-Glycinate (Highly Absorbable & Gentle)
    • Best for: Anxiety, sleep, muscle relaxation, nerve function.
    • Highly bioavailable and easier on digestion compared to other forms.
    • Less likely to cause digestive discomfort.
  2. Magnesium Citrate (Best for Constipation & Digestion)
    • Helps with constipation by drawing water into the intestines.
    • Supports bowel regularity and peristalsis.
  3. Magnesium Oxide (NOT Recommended)
    • Very low absorption (only 4%).
    • Mostly acts as a laxative rather than providing cellular benefits.

Recommended Daily Magnesium Dosage

  • Orally: 5mg per pound of body weight or 100mg of ELEMENTAL Magnesium 3-4 times per day (Dr. Carolyn Dean, MD).
  • Topical/Transdermal: Topical cream (20% Magnesium Chloride) can be applied directly to skin or painful areas (highly concentrated so may cause the skin to tingle). An ounce or more of magnesium oil a day all over the body is recommended for six months to recover cellular levels.

Transdermal Magnesium Therapy (Magnesium Chloride)

Transdermal therapy offers an exciting breakthrough, including in sports medicine. It:

  • Enhances recovery from athletic activity or injuries.
  • Reduces pain and inflammation while propagating quicker regeneration of tissues.
  • Increases flexibility, strength, and endurance.
  • Once applied, the body transports it to whichever tissues need magnesium the most.

Application Notes:

  • Massaging into arthritic joints will frequently render almost instant reprieve from pain.
  • Magnesium oil in a hot bath will impart a very relaxing soak while delivering a vast amount of magnesium to cells (great for restless legs).
  • Sprayed into the mouth a number of times per day will invigorate the medulla elongate and stimulate enamel on the teeth.

Side Effects & Safety

  • Very low toxicity potential – safe for regular use.
  • Avoid magnesium oxide – only 4% absorption, leading to laxative effects.
  • Use Magnesium Glycinate or Bis-Glycinate if you experience digestive issues with other forms.
  • For IBS with diarrhea or loose bowel movements, use magnesium oil or cream instead of oral supplements.

Comprehensive Health Benefits

Both oral magnesium and transdermal magnesium chloride have been shown to help with:

  • Heart & Circulatory Health: Aids in hypertension (high blood pressure), assists in stroke prevention & recovery, supports cardiac health, and relaxes spastic blood vessels, improving circulation (which helps with pain/numbness in fingers and extremities).
  • Brain & Nervous System Support: Improves insomnia and memory function, has a calming effect on the nervous system, helps anxiety & panic attacks by regulating adrenal stress hormones, and supports central nervous system health, reducing vertigo & confusion.
  • Metabolism & Detoxification: Essential for insulin function – helps diabetes by enhancing glucose metabolism; Magnesium is crucial for the removal of toxins & heavy metals, including mercury; balances cholesterol levels (cholesterol synthesis cannot occur without it), aiding heart health; prevents tooth decay by regulating calcium-phosphorus balance in saliva.
  • Chronic Conditions & Pain Relief: Reduces muscle spasms, fibromyalgia, & joint pain; helps asthma by reducing histamine production & bronchial spasms; eases bladder spasms (cystitis); relieves PMS symptoms & menstrual cramps; supports cancer patients by replenishing magnesium lost through chemotherapy (and reduces risk of colon cancer); improves symptoms in autism and ADHD.

Key Magnesium Facts

  • Magnesium is the “Lamp of Life”: Found at the core of chlorophyll, which converts light into energy in plants. Chlorophyll is identical to hemoglobin, except for the magnesium atom at the center, which is replaced by iron.
  • Magnesium & Insulin: Needed for both the action and manufacture of insulin; insulin transports magnesium into cells from the blood, and low magnesium leads to insulin resistance. In diabetics, magnesium is considered the elixir of life.
  • DHEA Levels: Topical Magnesium Chloride raises DHEA levels (the "Master Hormone" and biomarker for aging), which can help reduce chronic inflammation, immune dysfunction, depression, and risks associated with heart disease and certain cancers.
  • Antioxidant Power: Essential for producing glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant, which defends against damage from smoking, radiation, cancer chemotherapy, and toxins like alcohol and drugs.
  • Cholesterol Biosynthesis: Mg2+-ATP controls the rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis that is targeted by statin drugs. Magnesium is also needed for the enzyme LCAT (lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase), which lowers LDL-C and triglyceride levels while raising HDL-C levels.

Why Do We Love the Beach?

The ocean provides a natural magnesium boost through:

✔ Magnesium-rich seawater ✔ Aerosolized iodine ✔ Vitamin D from sunlight ✔ Grounding from the sand

Final Thoughts

Cholesterol, Glutathione, Chlorophyll, Insulin, DHEA, and DNA all interact with Magnesium to work effectively. Ensuring adequate magnesium intake improves overall health and longevity.

References

  1. Magnesium Oil, Ancient-Minerals.com
  2. Sircus M, OMD. Transdermal Magnesium: A New Modality for the Maintenance of Health.
  3. Dean C, MD. The Magnesium Miracle. Total Health, 29(1):32-33. www.totalhealthmagazine.com
Magnesium Products Available from LabNaturals, Inc./ Murray Avenue Apothecary:

• Elemental Magnesium Chelate: 150mg Elemental Magnesium per capsule
(migraines replacement, muscle tension, pain, anxiety)

• Magnesium Miracle Mineral Powder/ Taste Free

• Magnesium Citrate: 120mg Elemental Magnesium per capsule
(great for constipation)

• Magnesium 20% Cream: 1 nickel-sized to quarter-sized dab = approx. 200 – 400mg of Elemental Magnesium
(muscle spasms, massage, migraines, restless legs)

*FDA DISCLAIMER: This product has not been evaluated by the FDA. It is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult your physician when changing any recommended treatments or medication dosages.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a summary and does not contain all possible information about this product. For complete information about this product or your specific health needs, ask your health care professional. Always seek the advice of your health care professional if you have any questions about this product or your medical condition. This information is not intended as individual medical advice and does not substitute for the knowledge and judgment of your health care professional. This information does not contain any assurances that this product is safe, effective, or appropriate for you.