swims in the city

just how important is magnesium?

When my 8 year old daughter’s hair began falling out. I looked to the doctor for help. When he named it as alopecia I was relieved - until Ithat is I realised that the name alopecia simply means - hair is falling out - well I knew that and so turned to Adelle Davies for help. I found something about magnesium, increased our family magnesium levels diet wise as best I could, especially with regard to milk and her hair began to grow back

8 years later, she had a couple of big ops and got an excruciating pain in her hands which pain killers barely relieved. Again we went to the doc who said keep taking the pain killers – I noticed her hair was also starting to fall out again, so took her down to the chemists, secured a bottle of magnesium tablets and within half an hour of taking two tablets of 250mg magnesium, her pain – which had been apparently consistent for 48 hours, ceased

Birth control implants also seems to cause this hair loss

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Here are some references as I try to understand why these things happen

• While calcium affects muscle contractions, magnesium balances that effect and relaxes muscles.
  
• Someone possibly Michael Murray ND in his Encyclopaedia for Nutritional Supplements said that cramps in hands after surgery may be due to due to magnesium loss - well whoever it was I agree
• Doctors ‘tend to assume that convulsions are caused by brain damage and anticonvulsive drugs are given for years without the slightest attempt to improve the diet’ - Adelle Davis Let's Have Healthy Children- revised edition p 298
• ‘’Irritability, nervousness, jumpiness, trembling and especially sensitivity to noise should immediately be recognised as indicating a probable need for more magnesium…. The deficiency can become so sever that mental depression, muscle weakness and convulsions may occur’ Also Adelle Davis Let's Have Healthy Children - re tranquilisers being prescribed to pregnant women
• Magnesium is essential for the muscles to function correctly, and for proper communication between nerve cells vital for cell division and all reactions with phosphates, if cells become deficient in magnesium, the permeability of their walls changes, potassium and magnesium are lost and replaced by sodium and calcium. .....In deficiency, muscles become weak, the person feels fatigued and may develop an irregular heartbeat. Deficiency of magnesium can lead to the development of kidney stones (due to excess calcium in the body). It also seems to be a factor in myocardial infarction, the heart attacks where a coronary artery becomes blocked: 100 years' ago, the average daily intake of magnesium was three to four times higher than today's RDA, and a study of 1000 post mortems carried out at that time showed that not one individual died from a heart infarction.

• Do vitamin deficiencies cause or worsen seizures? - The only vitamin deficiency known to cause or worsen seizures is a deficiency of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine). which may sometime occur in newborns and infants resulting in seizure, but low levels of minerals in the body can also affect seizure activity - Minerals are essential nutrients. Low levels of the minerals sodium, calcium, and magnesium can alter the electrical activity of brain cells and cause seizures....... Low sodium levels can be caused by medications ie,diuretics (water pills) excessive water intake hormonal disorder .... low magnesium levels can be the result of chronic abuse of alcohol, poor nutrition, constant vomiting leading to seizures...calcium levels can be linked to magnesium levels.
  

• The MOST IMPORTANT role of calcium is to provide for the proper functioning of our nervous system--not to provide strength to our bones--that is secondary.... Calcium provides electrical energy for our nervous system and is what the nervous system of our body uses to send or conduct electrical impulses along the nerves and also provides electrical energy for our muscular system..changes in calcium levels inside the cells provide the energy to contract. When the calcium levels are not correct, mucles become weak or cramps occurr
  

• ‘Many dietary factors reduce calcium uptake, such as foods high
  in oxalic acid (spinach, rhubarb, chocolate), which can interfere with calcium absorption by forming insoluble salts in the gut. Phytic acid, or phytates found in whole grain products, foods rich in fibre, excess caffeine from coffee, colas, tea..., as well as certain medications may all reduce the absorption of calcium and other minerals, or leach calcium from bone. Normal intake of protein, fats, and acidic foods help calcium absorption, however high levels of these same sources increase calcium loss.’

• Symptoms of Tetany Tingling feet lips

Benefits (of magnesium)

• · Aids bone growth
• · Aids function of nerves and muscles including regulation of normal heart rhythm
• · Conducts nerve impulses
• · Works as laxative in large doses
• · Acts as antacid in small doses
• · Strengthens tooth enamel

Possible benefits

• · May help reduce effects of lead poisoning
• · May reduce kidney stones
• · May be used to treat heart disease

Who may benefit from Additional Amounts (of magnesium)

• · Anyone with inadequate calorie or dietary intake or increased nutritional requirements
• · Those who abuse alcohol or other drugs
• · People with a chronic wasting illness
• · Anyone who has recently undergone surgery
• · Vomiting and diarrhoea may increase need
• · With medical supervision may supplement treatment of acute myocardial infarction, cardiac surgery, digitalis toxicity and congestive heart failure

Deficiency symptoms

• · Muscle contractions
• · Convulsions
• · Confusion, delirium, memory and concentration difficulties
• · Irritability
• · Nervousness
• · Skin problems
• · Hardening of soft tissues
• · Hypertension
• · Arrhythmia

What this mineral does

• · Activates essential enzymes
• · Affects metabolism of proteins and nucleic acids
• · Helps transport sodium and potassium across cell membranes
• · Influences calcium levels inside cells
• · Aids muscle contractions

Labels: Adelle Davis, alcohol abuse, alopecia, calcium, convulsions, hair loss, heart rhythm, muscle contractions, vomiting

posted by quoifish @ 8:48 AM