[Calcium & Magnesium Episode 3] For those who ate calcium but neglected magnesium | Dr. Esther Yeo

Dec 13, 2024Ehotyshamull Joy

Magnesium is underrated

Magnesium is just as important as calcium

Just as important as calcium, an underrated mineral is magnesium. Magnesium is the mineral that gave life to the earth. The leaves of plants photosynthesize through chlorophyll, and magnesium is a key mineral that makes up chlorophyll. Without magnesium, we would not be able to expect the flourishing of plants and animals as we do today.

Calcium-magnesium is a needle and thread, a mineral couple

Magnesium and calcium always move together, like a thread on a needle. Calcium and magnesium are a pair of minerals that, like sodium and potassium, have opposite actions (antagonism). For example, calcium induces nerve cell excitability, while magnesium induces inhibition. Calcium causes constipation, while magnesium causes diarrhea. The most common side effects of calcium are caused by eating a lot of calcium, but it can also be caused by eating less magnesium, which inhibits the action of calcium

So, what is the most stable ratio of the two?

Atherosclerosis and kidney stones, which are known to be side effects of calcium supplements, have also been linked to magnesium deficiency. Conversely, if you consume too much magnesium, you may develop calcium deficiency even if you consume adequate amounts of calcium. At the end of the day, the right ratio matters. In general, calcium and magnesium are known to be the most stable in a ratio of 2 to 1. In fact, the concentration of calcium in human blood is 2.2~2.6mmol/L and magnesium is 0.65~1.05mmol/L, which is about twice as high as magnesium. In most mineral formulations, calcium and magnesium are also formulated in a 2-to-1 ratio. The important thing is not to emphasize calcium alone and become deficient in magnesium.

Nicknamed Magnesium, what is his role...?

Magnesium acts as a coenzyme that helps more than 300 enzymes that control metabolism function properly. That's why it has so many nicknames. It is sometimes called a "natural sedative" because it stabilizes the nerves, and it is also called a "natural cholesterol lowerer" because it lowers cholesterol levels.

Magnesium deficiency

A lack of magnesium can lead to a variety of symptoms. Loss of appetite, vomiting, depression, numbness in the hands and feet, muscle cramps, and premenstrual disorders in women may worsen. In severe cases, epileptic seizures, arrhythmias, and coronary artery spasms can be life-threatening. If you notice frequent wriggles in your eyelids or facial muscles under your eyes, or frequent cramps in your limbs, magnesium deficiency may be the cause. In this case, magnesium supplementation is a good treatment.

So, what are the benefits of magnesium for the human body?

So, what are the benefits of magnesium in the human body? In 2012, the European Society of Clinical Nutrition (Eur J Clin Nutr) conducted a meta-analysis of 22 papers and found that magnesium lowered blood pressure levels by 2~4 mmHg. In 2010, the American Heart J Association observed a 12-year study that found that people with magnesium blood levels of 0.88 mmol/L or higher had a 38 percent lower risk of sudden cardiac death than those with a blood level of 0.75 mmol/L. A 2011 Am J Clin Nutr study of more than 88,000 female nurses in the U.S. was followed over a 26-year period and found that the group taking magnesium supplements had a 34 percent lower incidence of sudden cardiac death. A 2012 meta-analysis of more than 240,000 people in seven studies by the American Academy of Clinical Nutrition found that supplementation with an additional 100 mg of magnesium per day reduced stroke by 8 percent. In two meta-analyses (J Intern Med 2007 and Arch Intern med 2007), 100 mg magnesium supplementation per day reduced the incidence of type 2 diabetes by 15~23%. In addition, a study published in the Journal of Geriatrics (J of Am Geriat Societ) in 2005 showed an improvement in bone density as a result of prescribing magnesium to 2,038 people aged 70~79.

But let's not jump to conclusions

However, all of these findings are observational studies with low causal value. Randomized clinical studies are needed, and there are few studies on magnesium yet. Therefore, it is difficult to conclude that magnesium intake can prevent adult diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.