Magnesium under the Microscope

Posted on by Selina Spanswick

{Ten minute reading time}

Magnesium may not have the same reputation as its well-advertised mineral counterparts calcium and iron, but it is no less significant to health. It plays physical roles in structures as fundamental as chromosomes, cell membranes and bones, and it is required for hundreds functions in the body [1]. Consequently, health problems considered to relate to magnesium deficiency range from insulin resistance, coronary heart disease and hypertension, to migraines, osteoporosis [2] and inflammatory bowel disease [3]. Unfortunately, there are factors that limit magnesium availability and absorption, meaning the majority of Westerners is technically magnesium deficient. In previous posts you have been introduced to sources of magnesium in food, transdermal applications and mineral water and in order to help you get the magnesium you need. In this post, you’ll find out more about magnesium and its roles in the body, health and disease.

What functions does magnesium perform in the body?

Energy and metabolism

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a molecule that provides the energy for virtually all metabolic processes, but in order to be biologically active, it exists as a magnesium complex (MgATP). This helps to explain why magnesium is needed by over 300 different functions in the body. Magnesium is also essential to the digestive enzymes that enable the metabolism of lipids and carbohydrates, which in turn, provides the body with energy.  [1].

Muscle contraction and relaxation

As previously mentioned, ATP exists primarily as MgATP. This molecule is crucial to the chemical actions regulating muscle contraction and relaxation [1]. Without it, the body is prone to muscular tightness and spasm.

Nerve impulse conduction

Magnesium is needed to transport other ions (e.g. Ca+, Na-) across cell membranes, thus playing a crucial role in the transmission of nerve impulses throughout the body, including impulses affecting normal heart rhythm.

More vital functions

Magnesium is required in the chain of reactions that enables parathyroid hormone secretion, and therefore is involved in calcium regulation. It is also involved in the synthesis of the antioxidant glutathione- a constituent of almost every cell in the body and with the role of alleviating oxidative stress and inflammation, i.e. keeping cells healthy. In the cells, magnesium is also required for the production of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA) and other proteins. There is speculation, too, that magnesium is needed for wound healing due to the influence of extracellular magnesium on cell migration [1].

The scope of magnesium’s importance to systemic health or dysfunction is due to its involvement in activities of cell replication, cell building, cell maintenance and intra-cellular communication, as well as its roles in enzyme functions and endocrine homeostasis. Magnesium really is THE multitasker of the body.

How much magnesium do I need?

Normal blood (serum) magnesium concentrations range between 0.75 and 0.95 mmol/L. These levels are both tightly and largely controlled by the kidneys, which, typically excrete 120 mg of magnesium into urine daily [4]. Serum magnesium, however, makes up only 1% of magnesium in the body and is considered a poor indicator of magnesium status. Interestingly, well over 50% of magnesium is present in bones and the rest is found in muscles and soft tissues including brain tissue [5].

For women aged over 30 years, the Australian NHMRC estimates an average requirement of 265mg per day and recommends a daily intake of 320mg, as not all the magnesium will be absorbed [4]. The values are higher for pregnant women and younger women and for men.  More information is available online at the Nutrient Reference Values website.

The United States’ NIH provides a tolerable upper limit for women of 350mg of magnesium in the form of supplements. Large doses of oral magnesium supplements and magnesium based medications can result in diarrhoea, nausea and abdominal cramping [2] and indeed, magnesium can be the major constituent of laxative medications. The NIH clarifies that consuming larger amounts of magnesium from food sources does not pose these same risks, because healthy kidneys are able to regulate the excess through urine output [2] presumably due to the more incremental metabolism of magnesium in food. From this point of view, sipping a soluble magnesium supplement throughout the day is preferable to taking large single doses provided by tablets [6].

How do I know if I am magnesium deficient?

No single test is considered sufficient for testing magnesium levels.  Serum magnesium at less than 0.75mmol/L is termed hypomagnesaemia (low blood magnesium). It is more commonly seen in intensive care units or in elderly people with kidney disease.  It is a serious condition- left untreated, it has life threatening consequences [3].

There is research suggesting that in order to preserve vital serum levels of magnesium, the body may redistribute magnesium from bones, muscles and tissues to the blood, when magnesium is in short supply. The inference is that when serum magnesium levels sit with in the normal range, the tissues may be experiencing deficiency [6]. (See also the summary at the end of this post.)

Confounding factors

One confounding factor in magnesium deficiency is that our food sources have also become less abundant in magnesium due to changes to agriculture that have involved the development and mass planting of high-yielding, fertiliser-dependent grain crops. These methods have reduced the content and availability of magnesium in the soil. Researchers found that before 1968, there were on average 115–126mg/100g of magnesium in (dry) wheat compared to 91–101mg/100g after 1968, an average decrease close to 20% [7].  Similar declines in the mineral content of grains have been reported for zinc, iron, iodine and vitamin A. Deficiency is also observable in plants grown in low magnesium soil. They grow shorter, sparser root systems and paler foliage compared to their well-nourished counterparts.

It affects animals, too. Grass tetany occurs when large quantities of potassium fertilisers have been added to the soil. The potassium ions inhibit the absorption of magnesium ions by the grasses, leading to magnesium deficiency and subsequent muscle spasms in the grazing animal [7].

Medications, some of which are prescribed in conditions where magnesium deficiency was a co-factor can exacerbate magnesium deficiency. Protein-pump inhibitor medications for reflux worsen malabsorption, and loop diuretics and thiazide diuretics have been found to increase wasting of magnesium [2]. Ask your doctor to monitor your magnesium levels when taking these medications.

Magnesium as medicine

In the mountains of Slovenia an underground spring is a source of water containing or 1040mg/L of magnesium. It is so potent that it is called Donat Mg and it is marketed to relieve constipation. The magnesium in Donat Mg is in the form of magnesium sulfate, and together with sodium sulfate (also present in the spring’s water), it draws moisture into the intestinal matter and stimulates gut peristalsis. It is therefore recommended on the bottle that consumption is limited to 500mL/day [8]. In hospitals, magnesium is prescribed for constipation, especially for patients on opioid pain killers, and you may be familiar with the name Milk of Magnesia, which is one such laxative. High enough doses of magnesium will eventuate in diarrhoea which inhibits vital nutrient absorption, so the dosage needs to be reduced immediately, should that occur.

In a nutshell

With magnesium depleted from our soils and in scare amounts in metropolitan tap water, the likelihood of you being deficient in magnesium is apparent. Add to that a diet lacking in nuts, seeds, greens and beans and it is reasonable to assume you are not meeting your daily magnesium needs. Magnesium deficiency can show itself with symptoms such as agitation, confusion, anxiety, irritability, restless leg syndrome, muscle spasms and weakness, and sleep disorders. Even without these symptoms, if you are tired of feeling tired, or of suffering with sluggishness, make some changes to your diet and water intake. In addition, supplement with quality topical applications or water soluble oral magnesium.  Besides feeling better, you will be taking a positive step towards safeguarding yourself from chronic diseases including heart disease and diabetes.

For more magnesium information, see previous blog posts Magnesium. Know What You’re Missing!, Transdermal Magnesium, and Mineral Waters and Magnesium.

Photo credit: fdecomite via VisualHunt / CC BY

  1. Higdon, J., V. Drake, and B. Delage. Magnesium. 2001 October 2013 [cited 2017 27 March]; Available from: <lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/magnesium>.
  2. Supplements), N.-I.-o.-H.-O.o.D. Magnesium fact sheet for health professionals. 2016 11 February 2016 [cited 2017 27 March]; Available from: <www.ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium- HealthProfessional/ >.
  3. Longmore, B., Magnesium – the quiet ubiquity, in Australian Pharmacist. 2016, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia Ltd. . p. 38-41.
  4. Australian-NHMRC and New-Zealand-Ministry-of-Health, Magnesium, in Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand Including Recommended Dietary Intakes. 2006, Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Publications. p. 193-200.
  5. Nica, A.S., et al., Magnesium supplementation in top athletes-effects and recommendations. Medicina Sportiva: Journal of Romanian Sports Medicine Society, 2015. 11(1): p. 2482.
  6. Nutritional-Magnesium. Magnesium Health Overview. 2012 [cited 2017 28 March]; Available from: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MyiijnGZeU&t=1s>.
  7. Guo, W., et al., Magnesium deficiency in plants: An urgent problem. The Crop Journal, 2016. 4(2): p. 83-91.
  8. Zdravilišče-Rogaška. Effects (of Donat Mg). Medical Centre Rogaska 2015 [cited 2017 28 March ]; Available from: <http://www.rogaska-medical.com/en/donat-mg/effects>.

Disclaimer

Acupuncture Nest provides scientific information for the general public on the health aspects of lifestyle factors such as relaxation, rest, mind-set, exercise and diet (including the constituents of foods, beverages and supplements). The information is made available with the understanding that the author and publisher are not providing medical, psychological, or nutritional counselling services on this website. The information should not be used in place of a consultation with a health care professional.

The information on dietary factors and supplements, food, and beverages contained on this website does not cover all possible precautions, side effects, interactions, uses and actions. It is not intended as medical or nutritional advice for individual problems. Liability for individual actions or omissions based upon the contents of this website is expressly disclaimed.

Transdermal Magnesium

Posted on by Selina Spanswick

Did you know that simply taking a bath can increase your magnesium absorption? Take relaxation to the next level with transdermal magnesium.

A staple of the bathroom cabinet, Epsom salt has been long hailed for its ability to relax and ease tired, sore muscles. It comes as little surprise then that the secret to its success lies in its other name, magnesium sulfate.

500 grams of Epsom salt dissolved in a bath of hot water will form magnesium ions that are able to cross the skin barrier into the blood and tissues, with excess excreted by the kidneys [1]. The same is true for soaking feet in a hot bucket of aqueous Epsom salts, and for hot Epsom salt compresses. Swapping showers for baths means your daily routine can also become your daily meditation and magnesium booster, in one!

It is still essential to maintain a diet rich in dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds and wholegrains to guarantee your magnesium intake is in good shape, and so too your amino acid, vitamin and fibre intake. However, since soils are depleted of many minerals including magnesium, and time to prepare foods so often seems scarce, supplementing magnesium may be necessary to ensure your levels are optimum. Baths and regular topical applications will help you achieve this. [See cautions for supplementing at the end of this article.]

A bath in a bottle!

Aqueous magnesium chloride is also absorbed through the skin. It is sometimes labelled liquid magnesium or magnesium oil, a solution that is not oil at all, but does have an oil-like, slippery feel. One such topical magnesium supplement, naturally sourced from Victorian underground aqueducts, is Australian owned Karma Rub.

You can make a preparation of magnesium oil yourself by saturating magnesium chloride salt with water. Magnesium oil can be applied directly to the skin and in ten minutes it will be absorbed. Although it leaves a little salty residue, it has been suggested that the skin absorbs magnesium three times better than the gastro-intestinal tract (which absorbs only 30% of ingested magnesium) [2]. Sufferers of IBS or other gut disease may indeed find it more effective, as diarrhoea and inflammation diminish magnesium absorption by the gut [3]. This is what makes transdermal magnesium a sensible option for magnesium supplementation.

Each method has its own advantages: magnesium oil can be applied directly to the site of pain, and baths have the benefit of being very relaxing. Both methods are obviously appropriate for pain relief, especially post-exercise and in conditions such as arthritis, myalgia, spasms or cramps. However, their benefits are much wider reaching due to the many roles magnesium plays in human biology. A future blog post, Magnesium under the Microscope, will give more detailed information.

So before you reach for the pills, remember it is easy to supplement your magnesium intake and aid muscle relaxation by enjoying more baths or keeping a bottle of magnesium oil at hand. Karma Rub comes in a variety of sizes, making it convenient to keep in your sports bag, handbag or drawer to boost your magnesium on the go, or to apply it when computer posture or a stressful day leads to tight neck and shoulder muscles. For more information visit karmarub.com.
______________________________
Cautions for supplementing
 Continue reading Transdermal Magnesium

Magnesium Matters

Posted on by Selina Spanswick

Over 50% of Australians are headed for chronic health problems, all related to a single mineral deficiency. Let’s change that!

Our standard diet, while rich in calories, is lacking in fibre and an assortment of nutrients, especially magnesium. Preventable chronic health problems, related to magnesium deficiency alone, range from insulin resistance (the precursor to diabetes), heart disease and high blood pressure, to migraines, osteoporosis [2] and inflammatory bowel disease [3]. These problems don’t happen over-night. They’re happening now, gradually, due to life-long eating patterns, distorted dietary information and the comfort of cultural norms. It is so normal, that another Australian is diagnosed with diabetes every 5 minutes.

Familiar indications of magnesium deficiency include agitation, confusion, anxiety, irritability, restless leg syndrome, muscle spasms and weakness, sleeping problems and cardiac arrhythmias [3]. These seemingly unrelated symptoms are due to magnesium’s involvement in well over 300 vital functions in the body [4].

Due to the radical shift towards mass farming and refined and processed food, the average daily diet today is expected to contain 150-230mg, close to half the recommended intake of 320mg/day for women aged over 30 [5] [6]. Foods that make up the bulk of the typical Western diet are relatively low in magnesium, i.e., white flour (in bread and pasta), white rice, sugar, milk and cheddar cheese, and the same can be said for most meats and fruits [6] [1].

So which foods are high in magnesium?
You may remember from high-school science classes that magnesium sits in the centre of the chlorophyll molecule, the photosynthesising agent in plants, responsible for their green colour [7]. Not surprisingly then, green leafy vegetables and seaweeds are rich sources of magnesium. Seeds, nuts and wholegrains are also rich sources.

  • English spinach has been found to contain 87mg/100g of magnesium with around 156mg in a cooked, one cup serving.
  • Pepitas (pumpkin seed kernels) have as much as 535mg /100g
  • Linseeds, wheat bran, caviar and sunflower seeds have 390-325mg/100g
  • Oat bran has approximately 225mg/100g
  • Almonds, Brazil nuts and quality dark chocolate have between 180-145mg/100g.
  • Most legumes, including baked beans and edamame have between 110-135mg/100g [1]
  • Other less dense sources that tend, like leafy greens, to be eaten in larger portion sizes are fish, prickly-pears, dried figs, raw artichokes, avocados and bananas.

It is easy to make some changes to your shopping habits and diet to ensure you are eating magnesium rich foods every day. Try starting your day with a bowl of premium muesli, and choose a lunch abundant in leafy greens. By dinner time, you’ll be well on your way to meeting your daily magnesium needs and keeping well now and in the future.

For more information on additional sources of magnesium, see future blog posts Mineral Water, Transdermal Magnesium, and Magnesium under the Microscope. You may also find www.dietandfitnesstoday.com a helpful resource for learning more about the mineral content in foods.

Photo credit: CAJC: in the PNW on Visualhunt

  1. Bodyventures. Magnesium. Diet and Fitness Today n.d.; Available from:
    dietandfitnesstoday.com/magnesium.php.
  2. Supplements), N.-I.-o.-H.-O.o.D. Magnesium fact sheet for health professionals. 2016 11 February 2016 [cited 2017 27 March]; Available from:
    ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium- HealthProfessional/ .
  3. Longmore, B., Magnesium – the quiet ubiquity, in Australian Pharmacist. 2016, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia Ltd. . p. 38-41.
  4. Higdon, J., V. Drake, and B. Delage. Magnesium. 2001 October 2013 [cited 2017 27 March]; Available from: lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/magnesium.
  5. Nutritional-Magnesium. Magnesium Health Overview. 2012 [cited 2017 28 March]; Available from: youtube.com/watch?v=4MyiijnGZeU&t=1s.
  6. Nica, A.S., et al., Magnesium supplementation in top athletes-effects and recommendations. Medicina Sportiva: Journal of Romanian Sports Medicine Society, 2015. 11(1): p. 2482.
  7. Guo, W., et al., Magnesium deficiency in plants: An urgent problem. The Crop Journal, 2016. 4(2): p. 83-91.
Disclaimer

Acupuncture Nest provides scientific information for the general public on the health aspects of lifestyle factors such as relaxation, rest, mind-set, exercise and diet (including the constituents of foods, beverages and supplements). The information is made available with the understanding that the author and publisher are not providing medical, psychological, or nutritional counselling services on this website. The information should not be used in place of a consultation with a health care professional.

The information on dietary factors and supplements, food, and beverages contained on this website does not cover all possible precautions, side effects, interactions, uses and actions. It is not intended as medical or nutritional advice for individual problems. Liability for individual actions or omissions based upon the contents of this website is expressly disclaimed.