Is There a Real and Measurable Magnesium Conspiracy Affecting our Health?

Oooo! A conspiracy! Well, maybe. In the following thread I will present evidence to support my claim that nutrition has adversely changed in the last 50 years, and it is not JUST magnesium, however that is the primary necessary element that I will focus upon.

This is not a new conspiracy. In fact, there are studies and Senate documents which exist (at least in the U.S.) as far back as the 1930’s.

I will be using many diverse sources. I urge you to consider the information along with your assessment of the veracity of the sources.

First, a little background on the importance of magnesium and where it comes from.

Magnesium (Mg) may be the most overlooked mineral. No one has yet popularized a simple way to remember it, in the way that we usually associate potassium with bananas, calcium with bone health, and sodium with blood pressure. But magnesium is an incredibly versatile and important nutrient that many doctors, nutritionists, and researchers believe is the single most important nutrient for human health.
It is essential for over 300 different chemical reactions in the body, including maintaining your energy level, helping you relax, and sustaining the health of your heart and blood vessels. Unfortunately, in most of the developed world, magnesium deficiency is probably the most common nutritional deficiency. Because it has so many crucial functions, and because it appears to protect us from serious conditions that are most prevalent in the developed world, magnesium really is the “miracle mineral.”

Doctor Oz show

Magnesium is an abundant alkaline element in the earth’s crust, occurring naturally in several minerals like dolomite, vermiculite and clay soils like montmorillonite. It is the third most dissolved element in sea water, and seafoods are among the foods highest in magnesium. Alkaline soils and humus-rich soils generally contain more magnesium that acidic soils. Magnesium found in the form of magnesium ions (Mg2+) in the soil (in solution or bound to soil particles) is the most important for exchangeable magnesium. However, magnesium ions are at risk of leaching along with nitrates and calcium.

Dave's Garden

So what has changed? “We get it!” (you say) …….. pure magnesium is not naturally occurring on the surface of the earth, but combined in other compounds is possibly the most abundant mineral on Earth. Plants need it, we need it, plants absorb it and we eat the plants. So, what’s the problem???

“We conclude that the most likely explanation was changes in cultivated varieties used today compared to 50 years ago,” Davis said. “During those 50 years, there have been intensive efforts to breed new varieties that have greater yield, or resistance to pests, or adaptability to different climates. But the dominant effort is for higher yields. Emerging evidence suggests that when you select for yield, crops grow bigger and faster, but they don’t necessarily have the ability to make or uptake nutrients at the same, faster rate.”

UT Texas

A similar study of British nutrient data from 1930 to 1980, published in the British Food Journal,found that in 20 vegetables the average calcium content had declined 19 percent; iron 22 percent; and potassium 14 percent. Yet another study concluded that one would have to eat eight oranges today to derive the same amount of Vitamin A as our grandparents would have gotten from one.

Scientific American

Over the past 60 years there have been fundamental changes in the quality and quantity of food
available to us as a nation. The character, growing method, preparation, source and ultimate
presentation of basic staples have changed significantly to the extent that trace elements and
micronutrient contents have been severely depleted. This trend, established in a review of the
5th Edition of McCance & Widdowson’s The Composition of Foods, is still apparent in this
review of the 6th edition of the same work.

mineralresource.co.uk

So what, really, has happened? Well, over-planting, failure to rotate crops, and hybrids. Hybrids, while producing more food for the world, ever-demanding of more and more, deliver far less nutrient than in the past. In short, the soil itself has become depleted. It collectively needs to rest. When I was a kid, it was common and routine to plant “green manure” – often mustard or other quick-growing crops that were planted to be tilled into the soil to replenish the mineral content of the soil. In current ages, there just isn’t the time to be kind to the soil. There is great need. There is also the thought that money is more important to the mass growers and corporations than health. You don’t like our products, grow your own! Take it or leave it, but know that you’d have to either use supplements to augment your food or consume (in some cases) nearly twice the amount of green, leafy vegetables to get the same amount of magnesium and other nutrients as your ancestors got.

So what does it hurt? We all seem okay.

Maybe. Maybe not.

Nearly EVERYONE has signs of magnesium deficiency but we don’t realize it…

Symptoms include:

Constipation, High blood pressure (Hypertension), Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia, Behavioral disturbances, Lethargy, Impaired memory/thinking, Seizures, Fatigue, Sleep disturbances, Pain, Muscle cramps, Chronic back pain, Headaches, Migraines, Muscular pain, Tendonitis, Anger, Aggression, ADHD, Brain fog, Tension, Anxiety disorders such as OCD

collective evolution

Let’s say it’s true. Suppose many or most of us are magnesium deficient. What to do about it?

First, find out. Hey, you’re overdue for a physical, right? Don’t tell me you’re not. Go get checked out, particularly if you might have some of the symptoms in the above list.

Beyond that, listen to your doctor. S/he might advise the addition of supplements into your diet, and might also advise an increase in foods rich in magnesium.. Or not.

I could be full of beans (which are high in Mg), but either way, be informed. You decide. It’s your health.

I grow my own vegetables organicly. I use plenty of Azomite rock dust constantly in my gardening. It is 0.5 % MG. I grow old heirloom varieties of many types of vegetables year round. You can get Azomite rock dust on Amazon for a bit over 40 bucks for a 44lb sack. Ive gone through 60+ lbs of it so far, and the plants and fruit trees just love it. Oranges and lemons grow to twice the size they were before. Pepper plants get loaded with big sweet peppers. Tomatoes and peppers are much sweeter, and healthier. I put a tablespoon of Azomite in the soil when I transplant baby vegetable plants, then disolve Azomite, Kelp, and fish emulsion in a 55 gallon barrel of areated water then pump them to each of my plants a couple times a month. I always balance the pH to around 6.5-6.7 before application. Happy Gardening!

a reply to: argentus


And our wines.. Even that fresh stuff in the pretty box.

ecowatch.com...

inhabitat.com...

Any wonder why dis-ease and birth defects are off the charts? Now not only do You have to fret that You'll be able to afford another mouth but now worrying about 3 arms/3 legs is into hyperdrive...

namaste

P.S. And to point towards the phenomenon of "Synchronicity" I just had a blood draw this a.m. to check to see what the #s are and "Thank You" for reminding folks to be their own best health advocate, 'many' doctors are now more concerned about filling script pads and people's proclivity to take the "easy route" doesn't bode well..

Stay Hydrated My Friends.

I was told that your body cannot absorb Calcium without Magnesium. So we take Mg Supplements every other day especially when taking Calcium.

Thanks OP for an informative and insightful post, I will be checking this out
And thanks visitedbythem for the azomomite tip

S&F

a reply to: argentus

Timely post!

Since the first of the year, I've had more migraines than I have had in the last 8 years.
In the last month, I have had a severe cramp overtake one leg and another cramp in the other leg that just lingered.
In the opposite hand, the fingers felt stiff all of a sudden.

Since I have obamacare, I cannot afford to get a lot of blood work done, but I do listen to my body.
What has changed in the last few months is me trying to save money and buy a non-brand name magnesium citrate powder.
This magnesium citrate had no taste, and no laxative effect....I suspect it also had almost no magnesium.

I switched to a brand name....and the cramp in leg went away.
The hand went back to normal.
Time will tell if the migraines again fade away....but I am confident.

I cheerfully take supplements.
I completely believe we have over-farmed soil....and the result is foods with far less vitamins and minerals.

FTR....a good Mg suppl.

a reply to: ChesterJohn

As is probably obvious, I'm not a physician. I have heard that also -- to combine Mg with zinc and/or calcium. There are a few sources that disagree, such as this one and moreover suggest that Mg is better absorbed on an empty stomach.

We read and read and think and decide, and maybe learn. There sure is a lot of information out there. It's definitely a personal choice. Myself, my Darlin' and me take magnesium a couple of hours after dinner.

originally posted by: DontTreadOnMe
a reply to: argentus

Timely post!

Since the first of the year, I've had more migraines than I have had in the last 8 years.
In the last month, I have had a severe cramp overtake one leg and another cramp in the other leg that just lingered.
In the opposite hand, the fingers felt stiff all of a sudden.

Since I have obamacare, I cannot afford to get a lot of blood work done, but I do listen to my body.
What has changed in the last few months is me trying to save money and buy a non-brand name magnesium citrate powder.
This magnesium citrate had no taste, and no laxative effect....I suspect it also had almost no magnesium.

I switched to a brand name....and the cramp in leg went away.
The hand went back to normal.
Time will tell if the migraines again fade away....but I am confident.

I cheerfully take supplements.
I completely believe we have over-farmed soil....and the result is foods with far less vitamins and minerals.

FTR....a good Mg suppl.

Sounds like Sodium/Potassium balance. Maybe different types of sparkling water (carbonated) would help. They all seem to have different levels of these mineral in them?

High sodium = salty things = high blood pressure which leads to bloating and migraines.

a reply to: ChesterJohn

i think it depends what you are trying to do.....take calcium or take magnesium.

I take calcium earlier in the day....and I take one of these kinds of supplements....to hopefully optimize calcium absorption...and I don't take a large dose of calcium daily.

If i am wanting to supplement my body with Mg, I take it alone....also on an empty stomach.

a reply to: visitedbythem

Way to go! You grow your own, you know what goes into it (mostly). I do the same, although I use primarily powdered seaweed dug into the soil and also mixed with water to make my own 'miracle grow'. Seaweed has all the right elements -- even down to the trace elements... boron molybdenum* etc.-- that plants need, and all in the right proportions. Kismet.




*yay! I spelled it right! Just goes to prove that a degree in Chem is worth something

a reply to: JimNasium

I didn't think about the wines, but now that you point it out, it seems fairly intuitive. Thank you!

a reply to: stormcell

I dunno about that....and I'm hesitant to suppl with Potassium...beyond the standard 99 mg.
I also avoid carbonated water/sodas.

Another cramp-sufferer here that has only been helped by consuming lots of extra Mg.

Thanks Argentus, I was so happy to see your post.

I use this stuff.

Calm

Flouride depletes your body of magnesium. I have been drinking spirutein shakes to replenish my vitamins. I highly recomend it!!!

a reply to: argentus
Is it true that the human body only absorbs 4% of its magnesium intake? This is something I was told but from someone who is not a biologist.

a reply to: SargonThrall

I don't know. There's not a lot of studies on it, and a bunch of what might be hyperbole, like this, which indicates 20-50% bioavailability.*


* that sounds like a made-up word, but what do I know?

a reply to: SargonThrall

It depends on what kind of Mg you take....this is probably more than you want to know about absorption...I think it is more than i want to know.
afibbers.org... [.pdf file]
I do know that Mg that lists Albion or TRAACS on the label is said to be some of the best quality.

reply to: argentus

Thanks for the article, know the symptoms well. Trying to get enough high mag foods in my diet hasn't worked. Have got 5 different forms of mag supplements - do some research folks Biomag works good but there's some tricky stuff on ions.

I agree there is a problem, another solution would be appreciated - I feel like I'm a drug dependant.

a reply to: Peter Brake

This is not medical advice, just a question. Have you tried taking supplements on an empty stomach? It really has made a difference for me and my Bride. Something to consider.

a reply to: argentus

I don't have much to add, except my support of the position of the OP through lots of reading and personal experience. Mg takes a long time to bring levels up. I recommend eating more Mg-rich foods and supplementing, ideally with Mg-Citrate.

Getting (and keeping) your levels up results in subtle miracles. It may be gradual and not all that immediately noticeable, but your health and well-being, overall, will improve in profound ways.

Note - Most Mg tests don't provide great information, as only a fraction is detectable in blood, and not necessarily in levels conmeasurate with the rest of the body. It is a safe assumption that unless you've been actively working towards Mg sufficiency, you are severely deficient. Most of us are.

Thanks for the thread OP. This is far more important than most people realize. It's sad how little attention this gets, when it should be the top health/nutrition priority.