PRO-
CESSES |
Magnesium deficiency in soil - today's common
use of potassium and phosphorus based fertilizers causes these minerals
to be taken up by plants in preference to magnesium and calcium;
magnesium
and calcium used up neutralizing nitric acid in acid rain; herbicides/pesticides
kill bacteria/worms that enable plants to absorb minerals. |
Water-treatment methods - deplete
mineral content, including magnesium; water from deep wells supplies more than
surface water, typically the source of city water. Most filtered, bottled
water provides little or no magnesium.
Fluoride in water / toothpaste -
binds magnesium |
| Magnesium lost in food processing and refinement
- 80+% lost in flour milling. Not in the oils
of magnesium-rich nuts/seeds |
Soaking / boiling / broiling /steaming foods**
- leaches magnesium into the water or drippings. Magnesium is in the
broth or vegetable water; |
COND-
ITIONS |
Malabsorption Disorders - Prevents
effective use of magnesium: any intestinal inflammatory disease.
E.g. Crohn's, celiac disease; leaky gut; gluten / casein insensitivities;
fungi/parasites; fat malabsorption (greasy /offensive stools;
magnesium binds
to unabsorbed fat; usually no gall bladder, gallstones) |
Removal of any part of small intestine -
reduces magnesium absorption
Low stomach acid production - needed
for digestion, decreases with age |
Mental and Physical stress -
any "fight or flight" reaction increases
magnesium need;
Eg. worry/anxiety, perfectionism, anger, guilt, lonliness, fear, overwork,
lack of sleep, troubled relationships, career/financial pressure;
Type A's (aggressive; living on adrenaline,
time pressure, and stress) drain the body of
magnesium - Prolonged psychological stress raises ADRENALINE,
the stress hormone, which depletes magnesium.
Surgery / Chronic Pain / Large area burns
/ Chronic Disease / infections / extreme temperatures
Stress causes magnesium deficiency /
magnesium deficiency
magnifies stress reaction - Studies associate the stress hormones
ADRENALINE and CORTISOL
with decreased magnesium. Stress decreases stomach acid (HCl)
needed for effective magnesium digestion/absorption; |
| Sweating / Diarrhea / Excessive vomiting
- causes loss of magnesium. Eg. regular
use of saunas / steam rooms. |
Larger people - have higher amounts
of magnesium in their body, which lowers magnesium absorption, regardless
of source. |
| Diabetes - magnesium excretes in urine with
sugar |
High bloodINSULIN
levels |
| Aging - > 55 may impair magnesium
uptake. |
Excessive physical exercise / over-training |
| DIET |
Sugar, caffeine, coffee,
tea, sodas, alcohol ALL increase magnesium excretion
in the urine
 Alcohol - more than 7 drinks / week (significant loss)
Coffee (significant loss)
Tea - tannins bind magnesium
Soda - (diet or not, especially
colas) - most dark colored sodas contain phosphates, which bind with
magnesium in the GI tract, rendering it unavailable to the body.
Refined sugar - not only lacks
magnesium, since sugar-refining removes magnesium-containing molasses from
sugar cane, but it also causes the body to excrete magnesium through
the kidneys.
Average consumption of carbonated beverages has increased 10-fold
since 1940, and is certainly responsible for the body's reduced availability
of both magnesium and calcium.
Dean C. The Magnesium Miracle. New York:
Ballantine Books; 2007.
Weiss GH, Sluss PM, Linke CA. Changes in urinary magnesium, citrate
and oxalate levels due to cola consumption. Urology 1992;39:331-3.
Brink E. J., Beynen A. C., Dekker P. R., Beresteijn E.C.H., Meer R.
Interaction of calcium and phosphate decreases ileal magnesium solubility
and apparent magnesium absorption. The Journal of Nutrition. 1992; 122:580-586
Seelig M, Rosanoff A. The Magnesium
Factor. New York: Avery Books; 2003.
Heaney RP, Rafferty K. Carbonated beverages and urinary calcium excretion.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2001; 74:343-347.
|
| Phytic acid - in cereals,
most grains, nuts, seeds; binds magnesium; |
| High carbohydrate intake -
white sugar/flour, HFCS; |
| Trans fats / excess saturated
fat - alter cell membrane integrity disrupting magnesium transport in/out
of cells |
| Highly refined table salt intake |
| Oxalic acid ( e.g. in
rhubarb, spinach, chard, cocoa, almonds) - intake may form insoluble
magnesium salts with magnesium |
| High
calcium levels -
blocks
magnesium uptake. E.g. from overuse of calcium carbonate antacids. |
| Low
potassium
levels - can increase urinary loss of magnesium |
| Vitamin D,
calcium
and phosphorus - reduce magnesium uptake. A high phosphorus blood level tends
to cause magnesium and calcium levels to be low |
| High or low protein diets -can
decrease magnesium absorption |
| Dieting - reduces
magnesium
intake; causes stress; |
| DRUGS |
Amphetamines, Antacids, Antibiotics,
Cocaine, Corticosteroids, insulin, diuretics (even potassium
sparing types) / birth control pills, Estrogen
Replacement Therapy, heart and asthma medications, Phentermine or Fenfluramine
(appetite suppressants), Warfarin
(anticoagulant),
Cyclosporine (immunosuppressant). EXTRA
magnesium is protective. These drugs
deplete body's magnesium
|
