Magnesium is one of the most essential nutrients in maintaining optimal health; there is no question that magnesium is one of the most studied minerals in nutrition. It's a mineral that bathes the cell and seems to stabilize it, calming your body at a metabolic level, a microscopic level. If there is a tendency - whether in the cells of your heart or lungs, your muscles, or your blood vessels - to overreact, magnesium soothes and relaxes the body. Research on magnesium's benefits dates back to the early 1930s, and recently we've seen a renaissance in our study of this mineral." 7 In the human body magnesium serves many crucial roles and is involved in a quartet of minerals that also serve the same function. The human body needs magnesium, calcium, sodium and potassium in the processes of helping to transmit electrical impulses across nerves and muscles, regulation of blood pressure, bone building and more. The electrical impulses generate what is called neuromuscular contraction. If you don't have proper magnesium your muscles will begin to cramp. If you consume these minerals in proper levels you will feel younger, lose weight, and see blood pressure fall.
Magnesium is required for the production and transfer of energy from protein synthesis for contractility of muscle and excitability of nerves plus it is a co-factor in a myriad of enzyme systems. Most Americans don't get enough magnesium in their diet. Studies say the intake has been dropping steadily over the last 100 years. Coincidentally, or maybe not, blood pressure has been rising over the last 100 years.
Magnesium contributes to pH balance. It is important to distinguish between the element magnesium and the compound magnesia. Magnesia causes diarrhea whereas magnesium helps in the maintenance of healthy bones, ligaments, and hormonal regulation. Magnesium is known for its calming nature as it works on the nerves in a cathartic manner, the soothing properties of magnesium help induce restful sleep. "Approximately one and one-half of magnesium are found in the body tissues, and at times up to three ounces. Magnesium contributes to the alkalinity of the body and acts as a natural laxative for the bowel. In addition, it calms nerves, makes the body more flexible - especially in muscles, nerves, ligaments, tissues, joints and tendons." 8
Magnesium combats acids, toxins, gases and impurities and cools the body. It benefits the brain through the neutralization of phosphoric by-products of heavy brain activity or over consumption of phosphorus foods. Humans must have the biochemical form of magnesium. Magnesium assists in the body's uptake of both potassium and calcium, and a magnesium deficiency promotes deficiencies in calcium and potassium. "Sixty percent of tissue magnesium is located in the skeleton. Most of the rest is within the cells. Magnesium is required for the activation or structure of more enzymes than any other mineral. Many magnesium - dependent enzymes cannot use any other mineral as a replacement for magnesium." 9 So it is easy to understand why magnesium is so vital to our well being.*
7. Richard Firshein, D.O., The Nutraceutical Revolution, (Riverhead Books, New York, 1998) page 18.
8. Bernard Jensen, Ph.D., The Chemistry of Man, (Bernard Jensen, 1983) page 227.
9. Dr. Lawrence D. Wilson, Nutritional Balancing and Hair Mineral Analysis (L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc., 1998) page 314.
