Magnesium Deficiency: More Common Than You Thought!

Do you ever suffer from unexplained fatigue, or weakness, heart arrhythmias, muscle spasms or even eye twitches.  If so, low magnesium levels could be the culprit.  Magnesium is a mineral used by every mineral in your body, especially your heart, muscles and kidneys. 

Magnesium is stored in your bones and organs, so it is often difficult to detect a deficiency through a blood test.  In fact, only 1 percent of magnesium in your body is distributed in your blood.  It has recently been referred to as the “invisible deficiency”. 

It is estimated that up to 80 percent of Americans are not getting enough magnesium and may be deficient.  Other research shows only 25 percent of US adults are getting the recommended daily amount of 310 to 320 milligrams for women and 400 to 420 for men.  New research is showing that magnesium also plays a major impact on not only heart and bone health, but also human health and disease.  It is found in more that 300 different enzymes in your body and is critical for your body’s detoxification process.  Some other roles magnesium plays includes:

• ·       Activating muscles and nerves
• ·       Creating energy in your body by activating ATP
• ·       Helping digest proteins, carbohydrates and fats
• ·       Serves as building block for RNA and DNA synthesis
• ·       Acting as a precursor for neurotransmitters like serotonin

That being said, magnesium deficiency has been proven to cause or trigger 22 medical conditions, according to Dr. Dean and her latest book, The Magnesium Miracle.  Some of these include; anxiety, panic attacks, asthma, bowel disease, depression, diabetes, detoxification, heart disease, nerve problems and migraines.  (Mercola)

Early signs of magnesium deficiency include loos of appetite, headache, nausea, fatigue and weakness.  If left untreated, this can lead to more serious symptoms such as numbness and tingling, muscle contractions, seizures, personality changes, abnormal heart rhythms or coronary spasms.

Some foods to include in your diet to help increase magnesium levels include seaweed, spinach, swiss chard and green leafy vegetables, beans, nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower and sesame seeds, and avocados.   However, most foods grown today are deficient in magnesium and other minerals, so getting enough isn’t simply a matter of eating magnesium-rich foods (although this is important too). According to Dr. Dean:

"Magnesium is farmed out of the soil much more than calcium… A hundred years ago, we would get maybe 500 milligrams of magnesium in an ordinary diet. Now we're lucky to get 200 milligrams.”

Herbicides, like glyphosate also act as chelators, effectively blocking the uptake and utilization of minerals in so many foods grown today. As a result, it can be quite difficult to find truly magnesium-rich foods, so supplementing with a good quality magnesium supplement is sometimes recommended if you are magnesium deficient. (Mercola)

Works Cited

Mercola, Dr. Mercola.com. 19 January 2015. 26 August 2015 <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/01/19/magnesium-deficiency.aspx>.

Are You Dealing With Chronic Fatigue?

According to the Solve ME/CFS Initiative (SMCI), about 1 million Americans suffer from CFS, and the syndrome disproportionally strikes more women than men. The Institute of Medicine estimates the prevalence of CFS may be as high as 2.5 million, with 84 to 91 percent of them being undiagnosed.

Symptoms characteristic of CFS include the following. As you would expect, these symptoms correlate with many other diseases and conditions, making a correct diagnosis notoriously difficult to obtain. Since there's no known cure for CFS, all treatments are currently directed at relieving these symptoms.

• Extreme fatigue and weakness, difficulty maintaining upright posture, dizziness, balance problems, and fainting
• Post-exertional malaise, lasting 24 hours or longer
• Muscle and joint aches and pains
•  Sore throat, swollen glands, and periodic fevers and chills
• Chronic headaches
•  Brain fog, cognitive dysfunction, and/or lack of concentration
•  Insomnia, and/or unrefreshing sleep, night sweats
• Irritability, depression, and mood swings 

Chronic fatigue syndrome is undoubtedly a challenging condition, but there is hope. A number of different lifestyle changes have been shown to increase your chances of recovery, including the ones covered in this article:

·       Exercising according to your ability, with a focus on increasing the amount of exercise you can handle. Research shows that a combination of aerobic activity and strength training can improve pain and fatigue symptoms. Gentle exercise such as yoga can also be an excellent part of your exercise program – and yoga benefits the mind as well as the body.

·       Supplementing with nutrients important for cellular energy synthesis, such as ubiquinol and D-ribose, as well as supplying your body with the basic vitamins and minerals through a healthy diet.

·       Eating foods rich in glutathione precursors, and foods high in sulfur and/or selenium to encourage glutathione production. The American Healthcare Foundation presents a valuable summary of the benefits of glutathione in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome. Its primary value is its ability to promote healthy immune system function. And, while it has nothing to do with the generation of cellular energy per se, it helps eliminate toxins that can disrupt cellular energy synthesis. Its antioxidant capacity also helps prevent or reduce the pain response.

These are just a few steps that may help in the battle of fighting chronic fatigue. However, many other factors need to be considered such as blood sugar management, thyroid function and the state of your adrenals. Proper evaluation of these systems are necessary to understand the full picture of what is actually driving the chronic fatigue. If you would like to have an assessment and understand what state your body is in so that you can get the proper help, please give our office a call for a complimentary consultation with one of our doctors.

In Health, 
Dr. Brad Niewierowski 

 

Source:  Energy Boosting Strategies That May Help Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Mercola.com  November 13, 2015