On July 8, 2010 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about the use of quinine (Qualaquin) for night time leg cramps. The basis for the alert were reports of “serious and life-threatening blood-related reactions, including serious bleeding due to severe lowering of blood cells (platelets) and a condition known as hemolytic-uremic syndrome/thrombocytopenic purpura which, in some cases, may result in permanent kidney damage”. In actuality, Qualaquin has only been FDA-approved for the treatment of malaria. However, it is frequently used “off-label” to reduce the incidence and severity of nocturnal leg cramps. The reason for this is pretty straight forward: quinine improves cramping symptoms in many patients. But the issue of potential toxicity must also be taken into account. Fortunately, there are several dietary supplements that may offer a safer way to achieve a cramp-free night’s sleep. (1)
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There is an enormous gap between what we know and don’t know in the field of alternative and complementary medicine. Countless questions remain unanswered simply because there isn’t enough financing and resources to test in a scientific manner. That’s why it’s vitally important to put to use every last study that has been conducted. Because even the slightest of experiments can yield important clues that help bridge the knowledge gap. Read more »

Some people “age better” than others in terms of external measures of beauty and youth. But regardless of outward appearances, you can count on this: if you’re lucky enough to grow old, significant changes will occur in the internal nooks and crannies of your body. Cursory examinations of older patients sometimes miss some of these shifts. An example is detailed in the December 2009 issue of the journal Magnesium Research. A group of Italian scientists reveal that “plasma magnesium (Mg) concentrations are remarkably constant in healthy subjects throughout life, while total body Mg and Mg in the intracellular compartment tend to decrease with age”. The authors go on to say that “dietary Mg deficiencies are common in the elderly population” and are likely a result of excess urinary loss, poor intestinal absorption and reduced bone stores of Mg. The relevance of this lack of magnesium cannot be underestimated as it may contribute to the likelihood of many health concerns such as asthma, chronic fatigue, inflammation, muscle loss (sarcopenia) and more. Read more »

My parents, Giuliana and Gianfranco, have contributed greatly to my understanding of natural medicine. Anyone who knows my folks will tell you that they’re among the most generous and kindhearted people you could ever hope to meet. Being exposed to that type of example has obviously been of tremendous value. But perhaps the most important gift they’ve given me with respect to my profession is allowing me to learn through their experience. They’ve placed their faith and trust in me as a consultant in most of their health care decisions. Part of this long term arrangement involves me designing a tailor-fit diet, exercise routine and supplement program for them both. Along the way, I’ve learned some lessons – chief among them is that it’s absolutely vital for me to fully comprehend and explicitly convey why I recommend what I recommend. Read more »

It’s too bad there aren’t lobbying groups that represent specific foods, practices and supplements. If there were, I could sit back in my office and take meetings all day long. An advocate for wild Alaskan salmon might drop by one afternoon and fill me in on the latest news about the healthiest ways to cook this prized fish. Or maybe a cheerleader for magnesium could make an appointment to reinforce the case for including plenty of this essential mineral in women’s diet in order to discourage cardiovascular disease. I’d even welcome a visit from a good, old fashioned dentist touting dental floss as a way of boosting brain performance in seniors. But alas, this type of lobbyist simply does not exist. That’s why I often travel around (offline and online) to track down such information. I am, in essence, an unpaid lobbyist for all of these causes. Read more »

When most people think about minerals and diabetes the first thing that comes to mind is the trace element chromium. It’s a reasonable association since chromium has been used extensively to help manage blood sugar in type 2 diabetics for decades. But there are other minerals that are often lacking in diabetic and pre-diabetic individuals. If these deficiencies are addressed, it may reduce the damage that poor blood glucose control can bring about. Read more »

Yesterday, I highlighted some recent studies about the heart healthy effects of magnesium. Today I want to give you a sense of just how broad a range of conditions magnesium can impact. Read more »

The most popular mineral of our current age is undoubtedly calcium. Almost everyone knows that calcium is essential to keep our bones and teeth strong. When we’re young, our parents often urge us to drink milk or fortified juices because of their calcium content. But there’s another macro-mineral (a “major” mineral that needs to be consumed in dosages of more than 100 mg per day) that often goes unnoticed. It’s so important that I want to devote two days to some of the recent findings about it. The mineral I’m referring to is magnesium.

The Heart of the Matter

It’s hard to find an organ or system that isn’t affected by magnesium. Magnesium plays a role in over 300 vital biochemical processes in our bodies. These processes range from the formation of our skeletal system to the ability to generate energy to the contraction of our muscles.

One of the areas in which magnesium plays a very important role is in relation to cardiovascular health. So today I want to highlight several recent studies on the benefits of magnesium in managing the health of the heart and circulatory system.

In November of 2008, a study was published in the Journal of Human Hypertension. In that study, 82 diabetic volunteers with high blood pressure were prescribed either a magnesium supplement (containing 450 mg of magnesium) or a placebo for a 4 month period. The ages of the participants ranged from 40 to 75 years of age.

The group receiving the magnesium had a significant decrease in their systolic and diastolic blood pressure (the top and bottom numbers). The magnesium supplementing group also experienced a rise in their HDL cholesterol levels (the “good” cholesterol). Both of these changes are consistent with improved heart health.

Another study published one month later offers some additional insights into the role of magnesium and the health of our hearts. This particular study was a review of 14 previous studies that measured the effects of drinking “hard water” on cardiovascular disease. Hard water is a source of water that is rich in minerals.

In total, this review utilized data on over 2,900 people. After pouring through all the data, the authors of the study concluded that they “found significant evidence of an inverse association between magnesium levels in drinking water and cardiovascular mortality”. In other words, higher levels of magnesium in drinking water led to lower rates of heart related deaths.

The two previous studies are powerful pieces of information. But they offer more of a preventive type of application for magnesium. One question that often comes up is whether magnesium has any role in more advanced cases of heart disease. In any such case, it’s obviously very important to work closely with a knowledgeable health care practitioner. And hopefully, such a practitioner will at least consider the role that magnesium could possibly play in an integrative approach to treatment. Here’s one example why:

A brand new study in the International Journal of Cardiology set out to determine whether a form of magnesium known as magnesium orotate could help manage the symptoms and improve the quality of life of patients with severe heart failure.

A total of 79 patients were split into 3 groups. One group received 6,000 mg of magnesium orotate. The second group received 3,000 mg of magnesium orotate. The final group was given a placebo. The trial took place over the course of 11 months. All of the patients in this study continued to use their prescribed medications and were closely monitored by their cardiologists.

After a year had passed, the researchers analyzed the data on the patients in the study. Here’s what they found:

• About 76% of the patients using the magnesium orotate were alive after one year.
• Only 52% of the placebo group survived one year.
• Those taking the magnesium also found a nearly 39% improvement in their symptoms. This indicates an improvement in the quality of life.

Because of these results, the authors suggest that magnesium orotate may be a useful addition to conventional therapy for severe congestive heart failure.

I just want to point out that magnesium orotate is a special form of the mineral. It’s thought to be well absorbed, but it’s also very bulky. In other other words, you typically need to take quite a bit of it in order to get a significant amount of elemental (actual) magnesium. It’s my understanding that most magnesium orotate supplements contain about 6-7% elemental magnesium. Based on that percentage, 6,000 mg of magnesium orotate would equal about 400 mg of actual magnesium (and the 3,000 mg dose would provide about 200 mg of magnesium).

Tomorrow, I’m going to focus on some other applications for magnesium supplementation. I’ll also list some of the best foods sources for this invaluable mineral.

Be well!

JP