MAGNESIUM DEFICIENCY AND IT’S DEADLY CONSEQUENCES: WHO KNEW?

BY
DR. J RENAE NORTON

According to the National Institute of Health, magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. In general, it helps to maintain normal muscle and nerve function. It keeps your heart rhythm steady. It supports a healthy immune system and it keeps bones strong.

That all kind of makes sense if you think about it, but there are some things about Magnesium that are surprising. For example, it also helps regulate blood sugar levels, it promotes normal blood pressure, and it is known to be involved in the metabolism of proteins which provide energy for the body overall.

Even more interesting though from my point of view, is that there is a developing interest in the role that magnesium might play in preventing and managing disorders such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and even diabetes. Based on this research, the federal government recommends that adult men consume 420 mg of magnesium a day. The data is clear that most Americans do not take in anything even close to that amount. (Unfortunately there are no statistics recommending the amount of magnesium needed for women…..What else is new?)

The good news about magnesium though, from a supplemental point of view, is that it is very inexpensive, very easy to find, and causes no side effects unless you abuse it.

Let’s start by defining what magnesium is. It is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body and it is essential to general good health. About half of all of the magnesium found in the body is found in our bones. The other half is found inside the cells of various body tissues. The magnesium that we get from our diet is absorbed in the small intestines and then excreted through the kidneys.

METABOLIC SYNDROME AND DIABETES

As you know if you follow my work, “metabolic syndrome” is a favorite topic of mine. I believe I was suffering from metabolic syndrome so I went on a keto diet and was able to lose the metabolic belly and dramatically improve my metabolism (from 300 calories a day and gaining weight prior to keto, to 1200 calories a day on keto and losing weight.)

My blood sugar levels changed dramatically simply by reducing the number of carbs I ate on a daily basis. I’d say that prior to the keto diet, 50 to 60% of my calories were coming from carbs and that now only about 10% of my calories come from carbs. The upshot is that my blood sugar levels have never been this good, the Metabolic belly, as I mentioned, is gone, and I love eating good fat, so I am a perfect candidate for keto. But most importantly, I am convinced that the keto diet prevented me from ending up as a type two diabetic.

This is important when you consider that the carbs I ate were all from Organic foods, mostly fruits and some vegetables. In other words, unlike most Americans, I did not snack on processed and certainly not on conventional foods and I still ended up with high blood sugar, which was borderline for diabetes and a metabolic belly which drove me nuts.

Unfortunately an alarming number of Americans today suffer from diabetes and metabolic syndrome and they are clueless as to how to remedy the situation. These two things go together because both conditions are the result of bad blood sugar levels and both are also associated with greatly increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

In fact, the estimates suggest that 7% of the population have diabetes and more than 20% are affected by Metabolic Syndrome and don’t know it. That is definitely consistent with my experience. I am a health nut, I eat all organic, and I am at a normal weight now. And yet I was suffering from high blood sugar levels and metabolic syndrome just because I was eating what would normally be considered very healthy carbs, i.e. fruits and vegetables. Did I eat too many? Yes, I’ve binged on fruits. (Not that wild about vegetables.)

So what is metabolic syndrome? It is characterized by insulin resistance, which is a situation in which muscle, liver and/or fat tissues cannot properly respond to insulin signals to bring glucose into the cells. As a result, the glucose, triglycerides and blood pressure levels rise, while the HDL (good cholesterol) declines.

In a five-year long epidemiological study of more than 1000 healthy adults, scientists found that greater magnesium intake was linked to improved insulin sensitivity. I have always taken magnesium and there’s no question in my mind that had I not been taking it, I would have been a full-blown diabetic many years ago. It runs in my family. As it was, my blood sugar levels were always borderline. (That is until I went on a keto diet. Since going on the keto diet, my blood sugar levels have been stellar.)

In another very compelling study, scientists examined the relationship between magnesium intake and the development of metabolic syndrome and its components in healthy young adults. Nearly 5000 Americans aged 18 to 30 were monitored for 15 years. After adjusting for any confounding factors, those in the highest quartile of magnesium intake had a 31% decreased risk of metabolic syndrome! That is huge….

Bottom line; the greater magnesium intake was linked with a lower plasma glucose and weight, smaller waist circumference and higher HDL (high density lipoprotein) which is the good cholesterol. The authors concluded that higher magnesium intake may offer protection against the epidemic of metabolic syndrome in our country.

To be clear, metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that increase the risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. It is defined by the presence of at least three of the following five factors:

• Abdominal obesity: Waist circumference greater than 35 inches (88 cm) in women or 40 inches (102 cm) in men
  (My waist was 36 inches when I started the keto diet. It is currently 28 inches. That was after losing only 10 pounds.)
• High blood pressure: Systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 130 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 80 mmHg
  My blood pressure has always been perfect 120 or less over 60 or 70
• High fasting blood sugar: Fasting blood glucose greater than or equal to 100 mg/dL
  (My blood sugar levels prior to doing the keto diet were strange in that my blood sugar was at its highest in the morning and then typically within the normal range the rest of the day. Currently, it is at its lowest in the morning, which is normal, and consistently low during the day because of the Keto.)
• Low HDL cholesterol: Less than 40 mg/dL in men or less than 50 mg/dL in women
  My HDL had always been perfect until about a year ago at which point it began to drop and my LDL went from pattern A which is the good LDL, to pattern B, which is the bad LDL. I think I was losing the battle with the type two diabetes at that point.
• High triglycerides: Triglyceride levels greater than or equal to 150 mg/dL
  My triglycerides were still good despite the negative changes in my HDL and LDL levels.

SUPPLEMENT WITH MAGNESIUM

So what can magnesium supplements do for you?

According to the research review from Northwestern University, magnesium can address several components of metabolic syndrome by increasing levels of HDL cholesterol, decreasing triglycerides, and favorably impacting glucose levels throughout the day. It also addresses insulin action and insulin secretion, i.e. it regulates insulin.

Magnesium-Rich Foods

Besides supplementing with magnesium, it is very helpful to incorporate magnesium rich foods into your diet. Here are some examples:

• Tofu
• Spinach
• Legumes and seeds.
• Nuts (almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts)
• Peanuts and peanut butter.
• Whole grain breads and cereals (black rice, millet) I am completely wild about a keto bread by the name of HERO. It has one net carb per slice!
• Fruit (bananas, dried apricots, etc.)

Of course, I am known as the supplement queen and it turns out that supplementation with magnesium can prove to be life-saving. In individuals with congestive heart failure, which is a condition in which a weakened heart muscle is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs, magnesium proved to be beneficial in enabling the heart to pump enough blood.

In a controlled double-blind study, 79 patients received either magnesium supplements or a placebo along with optimal cardiovascular medications for one year. For the first month the Magnesium Group received 6000 mg of magnesium oratate and during the following 11 months they received 3000 mg of magnesium orotate. Only 52% of the placebo group was still alive at one year compared with 76% of the magnesium Group! That is a huge difference…

Stay tuned for other conditions that are impacted in a positive way by magnesium in my next article.

If you’re having trouble with any of the problems listed above or if you think you might be a good candidate for supplementation with magnesium and you need some help please reach out to me at 513-205-6543. I’m Dr. Renae Norton, I’m a Wellness researcher, writer and coach and I can help 🙂