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Vitamins and Minerals

Magnesium for Depression Anxiety and other Conditions


By Ellen Landauer - 2007-07-14
Find more articles like this in our Vitamins and Minerals category.

Do you know that depression and anxiety are among a long list of magnesium deficiency symptoms? Research has shown that magnesium deficiency can not only play an important part in depression, but also can be a contributing cause of irritable bowel syndrome, and attention deficit disorder. Magnesium deficiency is epidemic throughout the western world; over 80% of Americans are low in magnesium!

  
Do you know that depression, anxiety as well as brain fog, aching muscles, and irritablity are among the many symptoms of magnesium deficiency?

Research has also shown that magnesium deficiency can play an important part in depression, irritable bowel syndrome, and attention deficit disorder. Do you know that magnesium deficiency is epidemic throughout the western world? Over 80% of Americans are low in magnesium!

Magnesium is one of the four electrolyte minerals. The other three are calcium, potassium, and salt.

These are the minerals we need the larger quantities of in our diets. Trace minerals, such as selenium, zinc and copper, also some with exotic names like vanadium, are needed in much smaller amounts than the four electrolytes.

Of all the minerals, magnesium is the hardest to absorb because of its large molecular structure. Therefore, it is important to make sure you are getting a generous amount.

Magnesium helps the body absorb calcium, and strengthens bones and teeth.

It helps stabilize heart rhythm, and maintain healthy blood pressure levels. Magnesium is also very important in allowing muscles to relax, and in reducing stiffness in muscles. Other functions that require magnesium are nerve transmission and digestion. For these reasons, it is vitally important that fibromyalgia sufferers get enough magnesium.

Interestingly, many symptoms of magnesium deficiency, such as depression, chronic pain, and intolerance to stress, are common to fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue.

Several hundred bodily functions as well as that many different kinds of enzymes require magnesium. Magnesium deficiency can affect any organ system in the body!

If you have any of the following, you may be deficient in magnesium:

1 - heart arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)
2 - muscular tension or tight muscles
3 - chronic fatigue
4 - depression
5 - night sweats
6 - muscles easily become injured, strained, or torn
7 - constipation (sluggish colon)
8 - muscular weakness
9 - muscle cramps in legs or feet
10 - chronic pain in hips or knees
11 - dizziness
12 - nausea
13 - loss of bladder control
14 - migraine headaches
15 - cold hands and/ or feet
16 - low or mid-back pain
17 - high blood pressure
18 - chronic diarrhea or loose stools
19 - carpal tunnel syndrome
20 - intolerance to stress
21 - over or underactive thyroid
22 - arthritis
23 - osteoporosis
24 - epilepsy or seizures
25 - crawling sensations on the skin
26 - calcification of soft tissue in the body
27 - attention deficit disorder

Magnesium deficiency can occur for various reasons:

1 - Lack of magnesium in the diet

2 - Prolonged strenuous exercise without replenishing the minerals (muscle contraction requires calcium, muscle relaxation requires magnesium).


3 - Poor absorbtion:

a) Magnesium as well as calcium requires Vitamins A & D to be absorbed and utilized.
Many folks don’t get enough of these two vitamins, which also are needed to absorb calcium. High-quality cod liver oil (Carlson Labs is the best I know of), and/or wild-caught salmon are good sources of Vitamin A and D.

b) Not enough hydrochloric acid in the stomach - it takes acid to bring minerals into solution to be easily absorbed.

4 - Excessive stress will deplete the body of minerals and particularly magnesium.

5 - lots of carbs, particularly refined carbs, also alcohol and too much coffee.

Clients in my World-Class Wholesale Supplement Program have reported feeling happier and more relaxed when taking magnesium supplements.

Remember, not all magnesium supplements are easily absorbed! Some of the best forms of magnesium include; magnesium citrate, magnesium glycinate, and magnesium taurate. It is also very important to obtain your magnesium supplement from a reputable company to make sure you are really getting a pure, potent product.

An excellent strategy is to take a few different forms of magnesium supplements, as well as including magnesium-rich foods such as dark greens and fresh raw almonds, walnuts, and other nuts in your diet.

Ellen Landauer is a Health Seminar Leader and Coach with 3 decades experience, and a Certified Advanced Rolfer with a practice for over 25 years. Her mission is to empower people to achieve optimal health as a gateway to the joy of higher human functioning. Ms. Landauer has initiated a wholesale supplement program for a limited number of selected applicants.

For more information on the wholesale supplement program, optimal health and/or Rolfing, please visit at: http://wwwfibromyalgiachronicfatiguecom.blogspot.com

Copyright 2007 - Ellen Landauer. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

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