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Magnesium and
Aging
Michael Lam, MD, MPH
www.DrLam.com
(READING
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Contents
Introduction
Is There A Magnesium Deficiency
Problem?
3 Causes for Widespread
Magnesium Deficiency
Blood Test for Magnesium Level
How Much Magnesium Is Enough?
Common Symptoms of Magnesium
Deficiency
Clinical Uses of Magnesium
A.
Prevention and Management of osteoporosis ( PPMO)
B. Prevention of Cardiovascular
Diseases (CVD)
C.
Pre-menstrual Syndrome, Diabetes, Depression, and Chronic Fatigue
Discussion
Introduction
Magnesium (Mg) is a ubiquitous element in nature. Both
plants and animals have an absolute requirement for magnesium, a mineral
that plays a central role in photosynthesis in plants, and many of the metabolic
reactions in animals.
Magnesium is a cofactor in over 300 enzymatic reactions in human beings.
It is required for sodium, potassium, and calcium homeostasis, as well as
for the formation, transfer, storage, and utilization of ATP (the energy
currency in our body) at the cellular level. You cannot live without
magnesium. The lower the cellular
level of magnesium, the faster disease states develop and the faster aging
progresses. It's that simple.
Is There
A Magnesium Deficiency Problem?
 The
fact is that only about 25% of Americans meet the Recommended Dietary
Allowance (RDA) of 300 - 400 mg per day for magnesium. Most American
women get only 175 - 225 mg per day, and men 220 - 260 mg. To get enough
magnesium from the diet, one needs to consume about 2000 calories a day.
Nuts, whole grains and legumes are high in magnesium.
3 Causes
for Widespread Magnesium Deficiency
A. Low Dietary Magnesium Levels from the North
American Diet: In countries where a refined diet is the norm, such as North
America, there is a universal deficiency in magnesium intake from the diet.
99% of the magnesium in sugar cane is lost when it is refined to white sugar.
80 - 96% of magnesium content in wheat is removed when refined to white
flour. Magnesium is not added back to the soil, nor to "enriched flour"
after the germ and bran layer have been removed. 50% of the magnesium may
be lost during the cooking process into cooking water. The Asian diet, which
is whole-food based, typically provides 500 - 700 mg of magnesium per day,
while the Western diet provides one-third that amount.
B. Intestinal Absorption: Consumption of soft drinks (pop or soda) decreases the body's absorption
of magnesium. In the intestines, the phosphoric acid in soft drinks
and the phosphates in baking powers combine with the magnesium to form magnesium
phosphate, an insoluble precipitate that is excreted through the feces.
The typical high-dairy, high
fat North American diet contains almost four times as much calcium
as magnesium. This unbalanced ration
coupled with the high fat content tends to suppress magnesium absorption.
Further, high levels of dietary or supplementary magnesium tend to suppress
calcium absorption.
Excessive supplemental calcium
taken to encourage bone growth in children and prevent osteoporosis in adults
leads to a decrease in magnesium absorption.
To maximize dietary absorption of magnesium, give up ice cream (which is
often high in sugar and fat), chocolate (high in sugar and fat), soft drinks
(high phosphate content), loud music (noise = stress), pizza (high in fat),
milk shakes (high in calcium, sugar and fat), and potato chips (high in
salt and fat). Does this sound like something the average American could
do?
C. Urinary and Fecal Magnesium Loss: Magnesium
can be recycled through the kidneys, with a 95% recovery rate. However,
alcohol promotes magnesium loss, as do
diets high in animal protein, sugar, sodium, and calcium. High
blood levels of adrenaline and cortisol (hormones released during stress)
cause serious urinary magnesium losses. Excessive noise and heat stress
also promotes urinary magnesium losses.
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