Magnesium / Types and Benefits

I have done a few posts lately on the role played by magnesium and articles showing that if your Blood Glucose levels and consequently your insulin levels are high, much of your body's magnesium is excreted through your urine.

One side effect of this is HIGH blood pressure with the typical medical response being to put you on one or more BP prescription drugs or increase your current dose of same. For my money, this is the wrong approach. Look up your current BP meds under google for detailed information on ALL the possible side effects.

In my own situation I found that increasing my magnesium intake can lower your blood pressure and restore your magnesium levels to normal.

What is magnesium? It is a mineral involved in almost every process in your body from hormone processing, muscle relaxation  and proper muscle movement. From a clinical standpoint, it is used to treat high BP, constipation, chronic stress, muscle cramps and even restless leg syndrome.

You can have tests run to determine if you have a magnesium deficiency. If you are a diabetic and ON Insulin or even if NOT on insulin but walking around with HIGH blood glucose levels, you need to do some research on magnesium and determine if you need more than you are getting.

Different types of magnesium:

Magnesium Oxide / is simply bonded to oxygen which your body needs and nothing unnecessary in the product. It has the least absorption rate and at the same time, one of the HIGHEST ABSORBED dose per mg. It is relatively inexpensive and reputed to be a great general purpose magnesium for muscle relaxation, nerve tonic and laxative if dose is too high,

Magnesium Citrate / This is magnesium bonded to citric acid to increase the rate of absorption. This type is commonly used in laxative formulas.

Magnesium Glycinate and Magnesium Amino Acid Chelate / This type bonds the magnesium to the amino acid glycine. Glycine being a larger molecule results in LESS magnesium by weight, however the glycine itself is a relaxing neurotransmitter and enhances magnesium's natural relaxation properties. This might be the BEST form if using it for mental calmness and relaxation.

Magnesium Taurate / This is a less common form and typically taken for cardiac conditions and heart function. It helps the heart muscle relax as well as helping the blood vessels that feed the heart to open and deliver more blood to the heart tissue itself.

Magnesium Sulphate and Magnesium Chloride / This form is used topically although there are apparently some oral preparations as well. Magnesium sulphate is better known as Epsom Salts.

Magnesium L-theronate / This is a new comer to the magnesium supplement arena. I first learned of this through the "Life Extension Magazine" folks and it plays a role in patients with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of cognitive decline.

****** What about an overdose? Several sites indicate 1200 mg as the outside limit and one site indicated up to 5000 mg is the outside limit. I am not a scientist or a doctor so my advice is to..................CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR FIRST before going on a self launched higher magnesium regimen. There is a balance between calcium and magnesium and too much of one can affect absorption of the other. There is also a risk of self medicating and missing or not understanding how more dietary magnesium can interfere with and either INCREASE or DECREASE the effectiveness of prescription drugs you may already be on.****

LOOK INTO IT - ask your diabetes doctor to evaluate your personal situation including medical history, current medications especially INSULIN, before entering new territory with oral magnesium. You can also REQUEST your magnesium level be tested and go from there.

You MIGHT be able to lower your dose of BP meds with your doctor's monitoring if he or she puts you on magnesium supplementation.

God Bless,

Dan

James 5:14  Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.

John 10:10
The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).