The Journal of Nutrition published a study by doctors at the National Cancer Center in Tokyo, Japan involving 40,000 men and 46,000 women, an reassuringly large sample for testing.
The 40,830 men and 46,287 women were followed up for 8 years. This study did not include an analysis of supplement use among participants. It focused strictly on magnesium intake from foods and dietary sources.

The study showed that higher intake of dietary magnesium was strongly associated with a decreased risk of colorectal cancer (colon cancer) in men. The study, however, showed no such correlation among the women. Investigators speculate that this discrepancy between the genders may be partly due to differences in alcohol consumption. Japanese men consume nearly four times as much alcohol as women, and that magnesium may counteract the oxidate stress of alcohol.

The investigators acknowledge that beneficial associations between magnesium intake and CRC risk may include the influence of other nutrients from foods, as participants with higher intakes of magnesium also tended to consume higher intakes of foods rich in calcium, zinc, fiber, folate, B-6 and vitamin D. Researchers conclude by stating “Increased intake of magnesium-rich foods is recommended if other studies, including randomized control trials, confirm our findings.”

The findings show a strong 52% reduction in colon cancer among men whose daily intake of magnesium was 327mg or greater, as opposed to the group whose intake was 238mg or less.

This was the latest of several studies suggesting a link between insufficient magnesium intake and colon cancer, including a Swedish study that showed magnesium reducing the chances of colon cancer in women. This study included supplements, and readers should note that Swedish women and Japanese women have very different genetic predispositions and diets.

Two things that are worth repeating here…

One is that increased consumption of magnesium  rich foods almost guarantees that you will be getting more of all kinds of good nutrition. Again, foods that are high in magnesium tend to be very healthy and nutritious foods to begin with. So, by targeting more magnesium in your diet, you are in fact improving your diet in countless ways that you do not even know of.

The second point is the relation between alcohol and magnesium. While not mentioned by the doctors in the study above, alcohol consumption is know to decrease the magnesium levels in your cells. Obviously, eating a magnesium rich diet would help to counteract this. This may have also played a role in the Japanese study, as Japanese men do tend to drink much more than Japanese women (though many Japanese women are surprisingly strong drinkers as well).

Keep this in mind if you drink more than you should, and at least try to balance it out with a healthy diet of foods high in magnesium.

I mean, who wouldn’t want lead-free chocolate? Would we deny our body the same health consideration we give our Toyota’s gas tank? Worse, would we knowingly feed lead to our kids?

Obviously, this fear is so great that company’s can sell cocoa “superfoods” under names such as Xocai and Chava Vital Chocolate. The ad I clicked for Xocai promises “Healthy Chocolate Eat Dark Chocolate Enjoy health benefits Earn money while doing it.” Notice the lack of punctuation. That’s so they can jam more words in and still be under the maximum character count allowed by many ad companies. Notice also how they sell “earn money.” That’s a good indicator that it’s not about the chocolate..or even about the health. They appeal to 3 things fear of death, hunger for sweets, and desire for money. Everything’s there but sex, but the word count restrictions probably forced them to leave that off.

Apparently though, Xocai has been making some people money, as this multi-level marketing racket is still around, and now even has competition, from Chava Vital Chocolate. Chava’s health chocolate is also another multi-level marketing company, but they are very slick. Their ads are almost good enough to make be dig into my pocket and pay $145 for a box of chocolate wafers that looks very much like one I can get at my local supermarket $5.

They, too, say they can make me rich, if I just send in $29.95 for a marketing kit. (I didn’t look at the upsells, but $29 probably just gets your foot in the door.) Heck, 12000 people a month visit this website…they’ve got me thinking.

Ah, forget it, I’M too old to go for this crap. Let’s look at the facts:

• These outrageously priced health chocolates are probably pretty good quality. I guess this because for a fraction of the price they’re charging, it’s possible to sell the finest chocolates available. At $145, you’d think they would cover their bases in this regard.
• They have wisely guessed that many consumers will just search for lower priced super fine chocolates on the net, at places like this guide to organic chocolates. But, Xocai and Chava are prepared. Xocai chocolate includes acai berry extracts, and Chava chocolate includes a mysterious almond extract. I know little about either, except that you can obtain them separately elsewhere for much less expense. Let’s stick to the chocolates.
• Cocoa does in fact have many benefits. Besides being one of the world’s richest sources of dietary magnesium, it is loaded with flavinols and anti-oxidents. It goes on..a Cornell University study showed that cocoa powder has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine, and up to three times the antioxidants found in green tea. Cocoa is a good source of calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium, manganese and some of the B Vitamins. It has a high content of sulfur, which helps build strong nails and hair, as well as healthy and beautiful skin, helps to detoxify the liver, and supports the healthy functioning of the pancreas. The heart-healthy flavanols found in cocoa, especially the epicatechins, stop fatty substances in the bloodstream from oxidizing and clogging the arteries. They also help prevent blood platelets from sticking together to cause blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes – all without the negative side effects associated with the use of aspirin and other pharmaceutical blood-thinners. Cocoa also contains the amino acid Tryptophan which makes serotonin and prevents feelings of depression. Cocoa contains dopamine, phenylethylamine (PEA), anandamide MAO Inhibitors – good for both the brain and the heart Phenylethylamine (PEA) increases mental alertness and the ability to concentrate, and can be of help to students taking tests, as well as to senior citizens who want to retain their mental capacity. Other studies have suggested that consuming dark chocolate produced an increased sensitivity to insulin (which indicates a protective effect against diabetes.
• Cocoa has other things that may or may not be good for you, though on balance cocoa seems pretty darn healthy. Chocolate, on the other hand, usually has enough sugar, oils and additives to balance against the benefits of the cocoa content.
• Raw cocoa is probably much healthier than processed cocoa powder. In fact, scientists in Spain discovered that they could boost the flavinol levels in cocoa by 7 times when they skipped the conventional fermentation and roasting steps used in processing cocoa beans.
• Cocoa beans may have relatively high levels of lead. There are several studies, and even the Nigerian cocoa board admits as much. The lead may come from the process after harvest, partly because Nigeria still uses unleaded gasoline that affects the local air. It may be from the soil, or from agricultural chemicals. Yet, it’s there, especially in cocoa from Nigeria. Still, while large chocolate companies need to buy large volumes of beans and can’t get around this issue, smaller chocolate companies can be more particular about what cocoa they buy. Also, one study compared the levels of lead to those found in boiled shrimp. So the levels are not off the food charts. They are just high when compared to most foods.
• Buying cold-pressed, or raw chocolate might be a good idea – and it is widely available on the web. There is no need to buy Xocai or Chava chocolate unless you plan to get rich selling it to the next sucker down the line. And while I would guess that health chocolate is lead-free, I haven’t actually seen any proof of it in the form of objective tests.

Cocoa is a super food high in magnesium, and I recommend moderate consumption. Don’t rely on it as a cure-all. And stay away from the brands that have highly touted health claims and which use multi-level marketing, unless you have money to burn. And remember, chocolate can be healthy, but health chocolate can be harmful to your wallet – so use the money to buy some nice fresh foods instead.

At least sometimes.

This shouldn’t be a surprise, despite the demonization of fat, it has been a staple part of the human diet dating back to dawn of hunting and fire. Indeed, insufficient fat was a much bigger concern throughout most of history. As always, abundance turns the world upside down, and fat got on the wrong side of many dieticians, not to mention dieters.

Well, here’s a reason to make sure you have at least some fat in your diet. But, before you get too exited, evidence has shown that excess fat can actually block the absorption of magnesium.

So here goes – things that help you absorb more magnesium:

FAT

A study by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Vol. 80, No. 2, 396-403, August 2004) looked at a small group of people to compare their absorption of carotenoids when eating salads with fat-free dressing as opposed to regular salad dressing with oil. Lo and behold, those who went fat-free absorbed almost no carotenoids, suggesting that the fat was needed for the body to access the nutrients.

I am very much opposed to “fat-free” concoctions for a number of reasons, not least being the manufactured crap they use to trick your body into tasting fat. Here’s another. If you’re worried about too much fat, do the old fashioned thing and reduce your portions. Your portions may be small, but at least they’ll be real, delicious and healthy.

VITAMIN C

Often cited as assisting magnesium absorption, there is very little evidence either way. But, since vitamin C is generally good for you, I’d rather err on the side of taking my supplements.

VITAMIN D

A 1972 study in the International Urology and Nephrology Journal in the Netherlands suggested that vitamin D could be helpful in assisting patients who needed greater absorption of magnesium through the intestine. This has been backed up by other studies, including “The Journal of Nutrition” study published in 1991.

However, and this is a big “however,” the 1991 study showed that vitamin D greatly increased the excretion of magnesium through the urine!

Easy come, easy go.

The jury is out on Vitamin D, but at the very least vitamin D supplements would seem to be unnecessary for magnesium absorption.

CALCIUM

This is a biggy. Many websites will tell you that calium is a magnesium antagonist, inhibiting its entry into cells. Other sites will tell you that they need each other. Magnesium helps calcium to work, and vice versa. They are in fact friends.

Not to confuse you, but all of the above appears to be true. Maybe it’s best to think of calcium of magnesium as a turbulent married couple (or even Tweedledee and Tweedledum)- not always helpful to each other, yet they both need the other. There’s a fine balance between the blow out fights, the affairs, and the love and support.

In the case of magnesium and calcium, many people have decided that the ration of 2 parts calcium to one part magnesium is this perfect ration.

This 2 to 1 ratio appears to be plucked out of thin air.

In fact, in Japan, which has a very low rate of heart disease, the ration is closer to 1/1.

The only thing I can say here is to take it easy on the calcium supplements.

VITAMIN B6

Long term, and massive doses, of oral vitamin B6 appear to boost magnesium levels. Since massive doses of anything should only be administered by a competent physician, just put this in the back of your mind. B6 shots will temporarily boost magnesium levels, and at the same time crash your calcium levels. So while B6 does encourage magnesium retention, it’s not something you’d want to try lightly.

A GOOD MEAL and MINERAL WATER

If you’re getting your magnesium from mineral water, a 2002 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that, while 50% of the water’s magnesium was absorbed when drunk without food, that amount greatly increased when the water was taken with a meal. To which we say “bon apetit!”

Going back to the fat, since most magnesium rich nuts, such as almonds and cashews, contain oil, you’re probably better off munching on them. So far as other supplements to boost your magnesium absorption, just forget it. Keep your consumption of alcohol, caffeine and carbonated drinks to a minimum, eat fresh foods, and especially green leafy things. Don’t go into mad scientist mode trying to make the perfect supplement concoction. Eat foods high in magnesium and enjoy life!

Is Magnesium Safe During Pregnancy?

As long as you don’t overdo it, yes. The United States daily requirements for magnesium are actually increased in pregnant women as follows:

Adult Female: 300mg

Pregnant Female: 320mg

Breastfeeding Female: 350mg

That’s too little according to many sources. The Baby Center goes even farther:

Pregnant women, 19 to 30 years of age: 350 milligrams (mg) of magnesium per day
Pregnant, 18 and younger: 400 mg
Pregnant, 31 and older: 360 mg
Breastfeeding women, 19 to 30: 310 mg
Breastfeeding, 18 and younger: 360 mg
Breastfeeding, 31 and older: 320 mg

There is some evidence that magnesium helps prevent the uterus from contracting too soon, though this is still inconclusive. Magnesium certainly helps prevent cramps, though.

Magnesium citrate, on the other hand, is something that the FDA recommends taking only when the benefits outweigh the risks.

In BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in August 2007, two studies are cited. The first study concluded:

“Additional magnesium appeared to benefit the fetus during labour. Significantly fewer showed fetal heart rate irregularities, meconium-stained liquor and partogram abnormalities. The supplemented group also had fewer late stillbirths either before or during labour.”

“It must be stressed that these secondary findings, although of interest, need to be substantiated by further work. Until then, supplementation cannot be recommended but poorly nourished women should be encouraged to eat a diet that contains adequate magnesium, in particular brown – rather than white – bread.”

The second study had the following comments:

“In our commentary, we recommend further research to find out whether improving calcium intake from before pregnancy might reduce not only blood pressure, but associated problems such as protein in the urine as well. We suggest that fortification of staple foods might make the benefits of adequate calcium intake available to all pregnant women, not only those with access to antenatal care.”

“While these studies show that the consumption of certain minerals during pregnancy results in favourable outcomes for mother or baby, it must be stressed that in these studies, the intake of supplements are carefully measured.”

“Women should attend their antenatal clinics so that tests identifying problems can be carried out. If they are interested to know more about supplementation, they should speak to their GPs and midwives for further advice.”

“We should note that women who do not have a deficiency in magnesium or calcium need to be careful about taking extra supplements if they don’t need it.”

So, while magnesium looked like a plus, these were undernourished women in the study. Assuming you have a healthy diet, you may want to think twice about using magnesium supplements.

There are several other studies, and while most suggest that magnesium is  beneficial for the fetus, almost all balance that by saying that the results for well-nourished women may be different.

So What to Do?

In light of the research, try eating better. An extra serving of spinach, nuts or halibut each day may do wonders. If you really feel the need to take supplements, at least try to make sure the dosage is not much over the RDA of 350mg.

If you live in San Francisco, this study is good news, as sourdough bread is available everywhere. If you live elsewhere, or you want to be adventurous, you may want to try making sourdough bread yourself. The tricky part of this is making what’s called the sourdough starter.

Sourdough starter is a bubbly, fermenting mess of flour and water that gives the sourdough its tangy flavor. It’s also what will boost your magnesium levels.

Organic and (even better) whole wheat bran flour is the way to go here. You want lots of natural microorganisms to help the fermentation. (The bran flour is magnesium superstar to start with, too.)

For the fast method, all you need is to blend one cup of flour with one cup of warm water in a wide-mouth jar to get started on your sourdough culture. To ensure success, add a few wash organic grapes (which will have yeast on the skin) or a started such as kefir. These are not necessary, but they will make it more of a sure thing. If you choose to go it without these added ingredients, try starting with just a half tablespoon of flour with 3 tablespoons of water. The add equal amounts of flour and water each day for a week until you have a full cup.

A clear glass will allows you to see how the culture is developing – and, believe me, you will want to check it often. Leave the jar in a warm and light location, at around 70 to 80° Fahrenheit (21 to 27° Centigrade). If temperatures go over 100° Fahrenheit (38° Celsius) you will end up killing the culture. A cloth or paper towel should be placed loosely over the top of the jar to help keep it moist and to keep out bugs.

Every day, you need to empty out half of your starter culture, and fill the jar again by adding equal amounts of water and flour to the level it was at before you emptied half. It will be ready for use anywhere from 5 days to a month later, depending on temperature and location. This is weird thing about starter – telling when it’s ready.

Just remember, though, that once its ready it just continues to get better – so don’t feel rushed. As long as no purple mold shows up to kill it all off, you’re good to go.

Sourdough starter is alive, and thus it must be fed regularly. When not using your starter, it is important to dump out half the batch from time to time, and mix in fresh flour and water to equal the lost volume. Exactly how often this should be done depends on storage temperatures and the local strain. An active starter should be fed daily (if not multiple times per day depending on temperature and other conditions). See the note below about dormant starters.

Sourdough is best stored at room temperature or slightly warmer. Anything outside of this range will

How the starter might look

change the proportions of the bacteria and yeast, which affects the flavor of the result. It can be safely stored in the fridge, but temperatures over 80F are too hot. If you store your starter in the fridge, then let it sit out several hours after feeding before returning it to the refrigerator. This allows the yeasts to get active and feed. The temperature in the fridge is enough to slow down the yeast, but not the lacto-bacteria. So after a while your starter will begin to smell boozy and have a sharper tang to it than you might want. To fix this, just dump out 90% and start the feeding cycle again. When it’s ready, you can slow things down by putting in covered (but not too tightly) in the fridge.

To make sure that your starter is full strength before committing it to a dough, you should check to see if it quadruples its size if fed and left for an hour. Feed starter by adding equal amounts of water and flour, and put ¼ cup in a measuring cup. If it hits the one cup marker in an hour or so then it is ready to go. If not, then it needs to be fed more. Accelerate your feeding schedule until it passes the test.

There’s a wonderful explanation of this at breadtopia.com, with a helpful video as well.

Making your own sourdough is a wonderful experience, and a super way to really soak up all the magnesium you need.

In a sense, this is a new way to supplement the magnesium your body needs. Yet, in another sense, it is a very old way. Epsom salts were discovered when the town of Epsom in the south of England became famous for its bath waters many centuries ago. It wasn’t too long before people learned to boil down the water to extract the “salts” for their own use. The active ingredient in the salts was magnesium sulfate.

Epsom salt baths and poultices have since been used to treat everything from sore feet, muscle pain and skin blemished to asthma. Unlike oral magnesium supplements, epsom salts and transdermal magnesium have a long history of use.

This is what led me to look at transdermal magnesium oil.

First off, though, this magnesium oil is actually magnesium chloride rather than the magnesium sulfate used in epson salts – and is a much more effective delivery of magnesium. Yet, what research there is has shown that transdermal application has real potential. Dr. Norman Shealy, MD, Ph.D. is a neurosurgeon who specializes in pain treatments. His research showed positive results achieved with transdermal magnesium supplements in pain treatment and headaches. In addition, the transdermal application completely avoided the common problem of diarrhea that is encountered when using oral supplements. (Not to mention the real question of the additives that are used with many oral supplements, which may be dangerous themselves.) In his research, the patients used either foot baths or spray-on applications over the whole body.

Positive results reported from transdermal magnesium include reduced anxiety, better sleep, reduced tooth decay, smoother skin, reduced muscle pain and more (most of which are explained elsewhere in this website).

Why magnesium chloride instead of the magnesium sulfate found in epsom salts?

One answer is that magnesium sulfate is rapidly excreted from the body by the kidneys, making many of the benefits of epsom salts short-lived. On the other hand, magnesium chloride, which is found in unrefined sea salt, is much more easily metabolized by the body.

There are many positive reports from doctors and people who use transdermal magnesium, and I am rather swayed by it myself. Still, the skeptic in me wants to see what government agencies say, which tends to take a very restrictive and conservative view toward these things. Unfortunately, all I could come up with was the FDA saying that transdermal application was considered a “new” treatment.

Still, since the very same agency already recognizes the value of magnesium therapy in many areas, the only question is whether transdermal is a viable option in addition to dietary sources of magnesium. Scouring various forums shoes that people are really delighted with the results. Remarkably, I have not seen any negative reports from users at all.

I will report on my own experience, and happy to share with others here. Are you using transdermal magnesium? For what? How is it working?

If you would like to try for yourself, this company (Ancient Minerals) provides a great source of magnesium oil and bath supplements.

Comments are open…

Maybe it’s a happy coincidence, but foods high in magnesium also tend to be incredibly healthy. In that vein, two studies by Harvard researchers suggested that a diet of magnesium rich foods can help prevent the onset of Type II diabetes.

The 2007 National Diabetes Fact Sheet estimates that 23.6 million people in the USA suffer from diabetes, the vast majority of those being Type II. It was also the 7th leading cause of death in the USA in 2006.

Two separate teams of researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School (HMS) published their findings on magnesium and the associated reduced type II diabetes risk in the January 2004 issue of Diabetes Care.

One study used data from the Women’s Health Study (WHS) to track 38,025 women from 1993 through 1999. The other study looked at 85,060 women identified by the Nurses Health Study (NHS), and who were tracked for 18 years, and 42,872 men chosen from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study who were tracked for 12 years.

The participants in both studies were adults. None had any personal history of diabetes, cardiovascular disease or cancer.

Magnesium was shown to have played a positive role in reducing the risk of type II diabetes in both studies. The WHS team concluded that only overweight and obese women would have a reduced risk of type II diabetes onset with increased magnesium intake, while the NHS study found that men and women of all weight groups would have decreased type II diabetes risk.

HMS Assistant Professor of Medicine Simin Liu, the study’s author, said he believed the studies differed because of differing definitions of “overweight.” In the WHS study, a woman was considered overweight if her BMI (total body fat), was above 25, which is the lower limit of an overweight categorization as defined by the National Institute of Health.

The NHS study, though, used a BMI of 27 to define an overweight person. HMS Assistant Professor of Medicine Frank B. Hu, the study’s author, said this was because 27 is the median BMI for overweight people. He added that his findings on dietary magnesium intake were independent of BMI and would not have changed with a different BMI index. He defended his study as the more accurate study because of the larger pool of participants in the NHS group.

In spite of these disagreements, both studies agreed that the general population would benefit from increased dietary magnesium intake, and that Americans generally fall short of the recommended levels of magnesium rich foods in their diet. This has been one factor suggested as a cause of the increasing cases of type II diabetes in the population.

A previous Harvard study, published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, suggested that higher dietary magnesium intake may reduce the risk of developing type II diabetes, because women with higher magnesium consumption tend to have greater insulin sensitivity. Decreased insulin sensitivity, also called insulin fasting, is the immediate cause of type II diabetes.

“The primary concern here is not which group is affected the most,” Hu commented“Whether you are overweight or obese or not, you need enough magnesium.”

Magnesium Supplements Do Not Have This Same Effect

Even while magnesium rich foods have shown a positive effect in preventing diabetes, the studies further found that multivitamins and other magnesium supplements have not shown similar effects.

“The NHS study didn’t show any supplemental effect of magnesium, only of magnesium-rich foods,” said Dr. Liu.

“This suggests that there may be something else in those foods that works with magnesium to reduce diabetes risk. For now, I can only recommend foods that are rich in magnesium.”

Magnesium rich foods include whole grains, nuts, and green leafy vegetables, broccoli, tofu and other items.

Hu and Liu both agreed there should be continued research to better determine the effects of magnesium and magnesium supplements on type II diabetes.

You betcha!

Magnesium Filled Chocolate

Benefits of Chocolate

Magnesium in Chocolate

One of the benefits of chocolate is significant amounts of magnesium. Peter Meisel, of the Department of
Pharmacology, Ernst Moritz Arndt University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany, says “a bar of this chocolate supplies the recommended daily allowance of magnesium.”

Jean Mayer, of the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (J.B.B.), Tufts University, Boston, Mass., said “Consumption of flavanol-rich dark chocolate (DC) has been shown to decrease blood pressure (BP) and insulin resistance in healthy subjects.

Estimates range from over 100 mg of magnesium per 100 grams of chocolate, but lets start with the cocao bean. At 131 mg per 100 grams, raw cocoa powder, which is extracted from the cocao bean with the fats removed, would seem to be the richest natural source of magnesium we know of. That’s great…but who eats raw cocoa powder? It’s more reasonable to look at 25-30 mgs of magnesium in your chocolate, the kind you buy at the store, and that all depends on the cocoa content. 70% or higher cocoa content chocolate is a good snack. This applies specifically to dark chocolate, not milk chocolate.

Milk chocolate only has about 25% of the magnesium that dark chocolate does.

That hot cocoa you drink on a cool morning does more than just satisfy a sweet tooth, as long as it is rich in cocoa powder. (In fact coconut milk with cocoa is another super magnesium concoction-and tasty!)

This would seem to be to good to be true, but it has been sufficiently verified to gain the acceptance of the medical community.

A new study, which involved a review of three prior studies, suggests eating about a bar of chocolate a week can help cut the risk of stroke and lower the risk of death after a stroke. Neurologist Gustavo Saposnik at St. Michael’s Hospital, University of Toronto says the evidence is still limited, but he suggests further investigation.

One study they looked at found that 44,489 people who ate one serving of chocolate per week were 22% less likely tohave a stroke than people who ate no chocolate. Another study found that 1,169 people who ate 50 grams of chocolate once a week were 46% less likely to die following a stroke than people who didn’t eat chocolate.

Going back a little farther, Jean Calment lived to the age of 122, healthy to the end in 1997. She attributed herlongevity to olive oil, two cigarettes a day and a kilo (2.2 pounds!) of chocolate per week. Admittedly, this is liking asking someone why they have a full head of hair. Ms. Calmert was blessed with longevity, and at the veryleast we can say that 2 kilos of chocolate a week didn’t likely shorten her life.

Still, there’s enough here to say that dark chocolate covered almonds are one doozy of a magnesium boost. Almonds are high in magnesium as well.

The only question here is this: Can we make up for our magnesium deficiency by indulging in daily chocolate binges?

Well….maybe that’s not such a good idea.

Here’s the bad news (you knew there had to be a catch, right?)

Chocolate is still a junk food. While the magnesium in chocolate will be a benefit, as will the anti-oxidants in it, you are getting a lot of other stuff you might be better off without. Sugar, for one. Fatty calories for another. While magnesium works to prevent the onset of adult Type II diabetes and reduce inflammatory diseases, the sugar will be working to screw up your insulin levels and increase inflammatory conditions.

Chocolate also has high copper levels, which can bring on a number of problems over years. Accumulated copper levels actually worsen many of the conditions that magnesium makes better.

This is not meant to scare you, as chocolate is a pleasurable food. Just keep in mind that it’s not a cure-all, and shouldn’t be overindulged in.

So, if you want something sweet and fun, buy all means make sure it’s chocolate with a high cocoa content. Mixed with almonds is even better. While your main source of magnesium shouldn’t be the magnesium in chocolate, there’snothing wrong enjoying the benefits of chocolate at your usual dessert or snack time.

Magnesium deficiency keeing you awake?

Magnesium Deficiency – What are the Signs?

A magnesium deficiency is very hard to detect without a visit to the doctor for an actual test of your blood levels. However, there are some factors in your life that may suggest deficiency in magnesium that are worth looking at first. These factors fall into two categories:

1- Symptoms of magnesium deficiency
2- Things you are doing or drinking that leach magnesium from your body

Let’s look at the symptoms first, varied as they are:

Insomnia-
Tiredness and insomnia (funny how there go hand in hand) are the earliest signs of a deficiency. You are restless at night, and may wake up frequently. During the day, you’re just tired. Any reason for this? It could be stress, yet stress itself is know to use up the body’s magnesium.

Nausea and vomiting, with loss of appetite-
Another early sign.

Later stage signs of numbness, muscle twitching, irregular heartbeat and coronary spasms-
These are scarier. Nothing like laying awake at night with insomnia, and feeling your heart struggle. It certainly was enough for me to start looking at sources of magnesium in food.

Headaches-

These are frequently reported, and I have personally heard from people who have stopped chronic headaches that they have suffered for as long as 2 years by simply upping their consumption of foods high in magnesium. Others have supplemented the foods with magnesium “oil,” a topical application.

There are numerous other signs that cover just about everything you can imagine, including depression (insufficient magnesium lowers the body’s production of the neurochemical serotonin), mood swings, jumpiness and more.

Remember, even before you consult with a doctor, there is no harm in increasing your natural intake of magnesium. It is only with supplements that you need to be careful of dosage.

Now…take the symptoms above and consider what you are doing to your body that might be draining you of magnesium.

Stress, both mental and physical, excess coffee, sugar, salt, alcohol and sweetened sodas all have an effect. So does tobacco and excess sweating. Various medications are also know to deplete the magnesium in your body.

Moreover, there’s the big issue of excess calcium. Yes, it’s possible to take in too much calcium, which ironically has the effect of making your bones weaker. Excess calcium depletes your magnesium. Osteoporosis and fragile bones can actually be caused by calcium rather than prevented.

On the other hand, too much magnesium is simply not possible when you source it naturally from food.

If you can identify with some of the signs above, it’s a very good idea to start increasing your magnesium intake immediately. Follow the links above to see what foods you need, and get ahead of any magnesium deficiency that may be dragging you down in every area of your life and health.

USA                             Canada

Infants up to 3 years old:         40-80 mg                20–50 mg
Children 4 to 6 years old:         120 mg                    65mg
Children 7 to 10 years old:      170 mg                    100–135 mg
Adolescent to adult males:      270–400 mg        130–250 mg
Adolescent to adult females:   280–300 mg        135–210 mg
Pregnant females:                        320 mg                    195–245 mg
Breast-feeding females:             340–355 mg         245–265 mg

This chart is for “normal” people. If your body is expelling more magnesium than it should, you will need higher doses.

But taking supplements, you should consult a doctor. It is possible to get too much magnesium when you are using most supplements. Also, if you are taking any medication at all, you should confirm with your doctor that magnesium supplements with not interfere with them. If you have heart disease or kidney problems, check with your doctor as well about these.

With that in mind, lets look at how to add magnesium to your body.

First off, most magnesium supplements can be enhanced by taking additional vitamins that aid in magnesium absorption. Starting with chelated magnesium (the kind that is best absorbed by the body) you can aid your magnesium supplements by the following:

? Calcium (one or two parts calcium for one part magnesium)
? Vitamin C (helps your body utilize magnesium)
? Take your supplements with food
? Avoid taking vitamin D, which can interfere with magnesium

If you miss a does of magnesium, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, just skip the missed does. In other words, do not double dose.

Next up….which supplements to take?

This is where I get a bot stuck. The fact is, oral supplements do not absorb well. On top of that, they affect the digestive tract and could increase the chance of diarrhea. For some things, oral supplements, but for magnesium I highly doubt their efficacy.

On the other hand, the effectiveness of epsom salt baths are well established. Going on this, I tend to believe that transdermal (absorbed through the skin) supplements may be the way to go. I put a banner on the front page, just above the list, and also provide a link here to what may be the best option so far as this goes – from a distributor called Ancient Minerals.

I am still open to hearing more, and encourage comments from other people who have tried magnesium oils for skin applications. So far, they seem far superior to magnesium supplements.