Does Your Calcium Create more Problems than it Solves?

[Guest guest]

DOES YOUR CALCIUM CREATE MORE PROBLEMS THAN IT SOLVES?

 

Healthy Solutions, Spring 2003

Dr. Cathy Carlson-Rink

 

 

 

It is important to take a supplement that provides key nutrients for

maintaining bone mass. But can too much calcium be a problem? More than you ever

thought possible.

 

North Americans have the highest rate of

pasteurized milk and calcium supplement consumption - yet still have

the highest rate of osteoporosis in the world. This is because too much

calcium can deplete magnesium, zinc and iron(1), setting the stage for

osteoporosis and fragile bones.

 

Why, when North Americans have the highest rate of pasteurized milk and calcium

supplement consumption - do they still have the highest rate of osteoporosis in

the world?

 

 

When choosing a calcium supplement it is important to consider several

key factors: Higher Magnesium to Calcium Ratio - High doses of calcium

causes magnesium deficiency. Magnesium deficiency negatively influences

 

the quality of bone, has been linked with arteriosclerosis and can

cause calcium to deposit in soft tissue.2 Without adequate magnesium,

calcium cannot be properly utilized and becomes a pollutant rather than

a nutrient.

 

A study by Dr. Abraham that used a ratio of 1.2:1 magnesium

to calcium, along with other nutrients (co-factors) resulted in

significant increases in bone mass (3). So, I recommend this higher

ratio of magnesium to properly utilize both supplemented and dietary

calcium in the body.

 

Liquid Form - Liquid supplements provide enhanced availability, as they

do not require breakdown by the digestive tract before the active

ingredients can be released and absorbed. Liquids also have a much

larger surface area to volume ratio that allows for a greater number of

absorption sites in the digestive tract. Decreased absorption of

calcium supplements has been noted with patients with osteoporosis (2).

 

Form of Calcium - I recommend calcium lactate and gluconate, which are

ready to absorb because they are in an ionized and soluble state. Their

absorption is approximately 45% even with low stomach acid, compared to calcium

carbonate at only 4%. Those with low gastric acid (1/3 of

people over age 60 and close to 1/2 of post-menopausal women) can

absorb these forms of calcium. For those who have adequate acid levels,

ionized calcium is still a benefit because it can be taken at any time

and will not interfere with the absorption of co-factors since it does

not need food to increase stomach acid.

 

Dose of Calcium - I recommend low doses of calcium because they allow

for the absorption of other nutrients (co-factors) which are absolutely

essential for the proper utilization of calcium. Large doses of

calcium, especially without the presence of adequate magnesium can

cause the body to deposit calcium in soft tissue where it causes

problems such as kidney stones and arteriosclerosis.

 

Fruit Juice and Herb Base - The presence of fruit juice has been shown

to enhance mineral absorption and retention (4) because it enhances stomach acid

and because certain nutrients, such as calcium and zinc,

only absorb together in the presence of food. A formula with added

digestive herbs will stimulate digestion and reduce the common side

effect of bloating.

 

Added Co-factors - Clinical trials have shown vitamin D enhances the

absorption of calcium (2). Zinc helps form the proteins found in bone

tissue, is involved with the formation of the bone matrix, and also

enhances the action of vitamin D.

 

Unless food is present, calcium interferes with the absorption of co-factors, so

it should not be found in high amounts in a non-food based multivitamin. Take

your multi and calcium supplement at least 2 hours away from each other for the

best results.

 

No Harmful Additives - 70% of calcium supplements tested were found to

be contaminated with lead (5). Ensure that heavy metal testing has been

completed on your calcium product. A quality supplement will also

guarantee no pesticide residues, preservatives, food colouring or added

sugar.

 

A liquid supplement that provides lower, absorbable doses of calcium,

with a higher ratio of magnesium and a balance of added co-factors, is

safe to take throughout one's life cycle. Those who have adequate

absorption and proper utilization of calcium throughout their life are

at the least risk for osteoporosis.

 

Resources

1. Gaby, Alan R. Every Woman's Essential Guide to Preventing and

Reversing Osteoporosis Prima Health, 1990

2. Peacock, M., Calcium Absorption Efficiency and Calcium Requirements

in Children and Adolescents. American Journal of Nutrition, 1991. 54:

p. 261S-265S.

3. Abraham, G. E., and H. Grewal, A Total Dietary Program Emphasizing

Magnesium Instead of Calcium. Effect on Mineral Density of Calcaneous

Bone in Postmenopausal Women on Hormonal Therapy. Journal of

Reproductive Medicine, 1990 35: 503-507.

4. The Experimental Study of the Absorption and Utilization of Oyster

hell mixed with Fruit Juice. Wei Shen Yen Chiu, 1997. 26 (5): p.

333-6.

5. Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements by Michael Murray, 1996,

Prima Publishing

 

 

About Dr. Cathy Carlson-Rink

Dr. Cathy Carlson-Rink is a licensed Naturopathic Physician and

Registered Midwife. She completed her Bachelor of Science degree with

Distinction in Physical Education through the University of

Saskatchewan and her Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine (N.D.), with a

postgraduate specialization in Midwifery, from Bastyr University. She

is recognized across Canada as the first licensed Naturopathic

Physician also practicing as a Registered Midwife. She is a member of

the B.C.N.A., the C.N.P. of B.C., and the C.N.A., and an instructor of

Obstetrics and Pediatrics at the Boucher Institute of Naturopathic

Medicine.

 

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Post subject: Milk & Calcium Toxicity

 

 

Milk & Calcium Toxicity

 

The third dietary cause of inadequate intracellular magnesium is

competition by calcium. This is one very obvious cause, particularly

to people who have gone off their ridiculous calcium supplements and

dairy products diet and gotten much better in just a day or two.

 

To those people that refuse to eliminate calcium supplementation

(perhaps due to previous advice from a physician), I offer my

condolences and hope that you have a good long-term health care

insurance policy.

 

People ask me if I worry about not getting enough calcium by " over "

emphasizing magnesium. People seem to want to

supplement their already calcium-rich, dairy product laden diets

with calcium too, not magnesium. Some people are actually afraid to

stop drinking milk, even though they are toxic from drinking too

much of it and supplementing with calcium to theoretically " prevent

osteoporosis " .

 

Why?

 

The dairy industry has used " osteoporosis prevention " as a marketing

tool for calcium. However, milk and calcium supplements do not seem

to be the correct answer. In countries where dairy products are

commonly consumed, there are actually more hip fractures than in

other countries. When put to the test, most studies show that dairy

products and calcium supplements have little effect on osteoporosis.

 

As surprising as that may be, when researchers have measured bone

loss in postmenopausal women, most have found that calcium intake

has little effect on the bone density of the spine. There is also

little or no effect on bone at the hip, where serious breaks can

occur. Some studies have found a small effect from calcium intake on

bone density in the forearm. The overall message seems to be that,

as long as one is not grossly deficient in calcium, calcium

supplements and dairy products do not have much beneficial effect.

 

Science magazine (August 1, 1996) noted: " ...the large body of

evidence indicating no relationship between calcium intake and bone

density. " Why not?

 

For one thing, hormones very carefully regulate

the amount of calcium in bones.

 

Other studies have shown that increasing magnesium intake increases

bone absorption of calcium.

Why?

 

The balance of calcium and magnesium must be maintained, and

since there is plenty of calcium in our diets, bone density

increases from extra magnesium is an automatic reaction. On the

other hand, simply increasing calcium intake does not fool these

hormones into building more bone, any more than delivering an extra

load of bricks will convince a construction crew to build a larger

building.

 

Psychiatrists have known for many years that loss of

hormonal control of calcium causes severe mental illnesses

(dementias) including depression. Apparently, long term, stress with

excessive calcium intake and limited magnesium intake can cause loss

of hormonal control of calcium.

 

What happens to people that go cold-turkey on dairy and calcium

supplements? In the spring of 1998, I had a heel bone density test

done using the new FDA approved Sahara ultrasound test for

osteoporosis, which is made by the Hologic Company. The test cost me

$20 and was totally painless, as are all ultrasounds. It was

conducted by a respected local clinic, so what did I have to loose?

 

My 1998 test result was taken when I was 58. I had a new test done

in Spring of 2003. These are my test results for 1998 and 2003. My

wife said I was (and still am) very hard headed, and these tests

confirm her observations. Until

 

I became depressed in 1999, I had

been practicing the high-calcium-is-good-for-you-concept too. My

bone density has fallen a bit, but my bone density is still 1

standard deviation higher than average. My heel bone density remains

high, and T-Scores changed from +0.6 to +0.1 over the five years.

These T-Scores are indicative of very low risk of bone breakage from

osteoporosis.

 

Obviously my bone density was not damaged by no-more-

calcium-than-I-can-obtain from vegetables. Also, I drink de-ionized

(essentially distilled) water without any mineral content, so that

is not a source of hidden calcium. My mental health is much better

with low calcium and I very much believe in very low calcium as a

healthy way of living, but only if there is adequate magnesium.

Please contact Hologic and find a local clinic that can do this test

for you before you terminate calcium. Recheck each year.

 

Calcium toxicity is something that even the National Dairy Council

has a great concern, saying near the bottom of their page: " However,

overuse of calcium-fortified foods, calcium supplements, or antacids

containing calcium may increase risk of calcium toxicity,

characterized by high blood levels of calcium, kidney damage, and

calcification of soft tissues. "

 

High blood levels of calcium are called hypercalcemia, which can

 

cause: nausea, vomiting, alterations

of mental status, abdominal or flank (kidney) pain, constipation,

lethargy, depression, weakness and vague muscle/joint aches,

polyuria, headache, coma (severe elevation) and death (particularly

in the elderly who are more sensitive to excess calcium).

 

Kidney damage includes kidney stones. Do you really want to have

 

" calcified soft tissues " ?

 

They include calcified arteries (hardening of the

arteries), calcified heart valves (mitral valve prolapse), and

calcified tendons.

 

As we age, calcium also accumulates in the soft

tissues of the body. When calcium deposits in dead tissue, it is

called dystrophic calcium (like atherosclerotic plaques).

 

When excess calcium becomes deposited in living tissue, it is called

metastatic calcium (like arteriosclerosis).

 

Heart attacks and death often result from excess accumulations of

calcium in these conditions but do not occur from excess magnesium,

which appears

highly protective. When calcium gets into cells, the cells turn on,

whatever " on " is for those cells.

 

In the case of stress-induced depression and related mental

disorders,

the cells are the neurosynaptic cells of the brain discussed in

depth here.

 

When calcium enters a muscle cell, the muscle contracts. If

excessive

calcium stays there, the muscle stays contracted and results in

severe pain.

 

The familiar knots in our upper backs and necks are

just such calcified muscles that are stuck in the " on " or contracted

position. The pathological version of this condition is called

fibromyalgia where there are many such knotted muscles.

 

The extreme example of this is rigor mortis (as in death), in which

all the muscles of the body are flooded with calcium and contract -

permanently.

 

As we age, we accumulate more and more dystrophic and metastatic

calcium, and become stiffer and stiffer. The solution,

balance excess calcium with excess magnesium, or simply don't

indulge in the Calcium-At-Any-Cost campaign!

 

Feel like you have been lied to? Yes? You are right.

 

Interestingly, physicians now,(finally) report that low blood

calcium can be caused by underactive parathyroid glands, low calcium

in the diet, severe burns or

infections, pancreatitis, kidney failure, or low blood magnesium.

 

Which of these six possible ways to develop low blood calcium is

most likely to be cause of low calcium in the Western diet?

 

Anybody remember magnesium fortification or magnesium promotions by

any company? Any danger here? No.

 

How about calcium promotions and advertisements? Aren't they

everywhere? Yes!

 

Given this apparent intent to poison Americans with calcium, why

would anyone be

concerned at this juncture about overdoing magnesium?

 

Is this Al Qaeda's secret weapon for killing Americans? NO!

 

We invented this one all by ourselves, probably thanks to the NIH's

unbalanced consensus statement on calcium (a monograph absent

balance with magnesium).

 

Nothing that I am saying should be construed to mean

anything more than we must feed ourselves in a way that keeps our

magnesium and calcium balance correct, or, in many of our cases,

reestablish a proper, healthy calcium magnesium balance, nearly

always by reducing calcium overloads and increasing magnesium.

 

If we don't want to balance our calcium and magnesium ratios using

supplemental magnesium and a low calcium diet, we can always allow

psychiatrists to do it with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

 

All of these effects are exaggerated in space flight, and pose

serious problems of heart attacks during flight and post flight.

 

In addition to the previously described ischemic mechanisms which

may

lead to calcium overload of the myocardium and the arterial wall,

and potentially leading to a myocardial infarction, other conditions

complicating space flights, can precipitate calcium overload with

cell necrosis, i.e. catecholamine elevations, insulin resistance and

magnesium ion loss and deficiency.

 

A major effort is in place to maintain magnesium serum levels during

space flight, because loss of

magnesium during space flight is found to be a limiting factor on

space flight duration.

 

The loss of magnesium is much greater in men

and current interest in women in space flight is stimulated by their

lower losses of magnesium.

 

Candida albicans yeast is a serious problem in space flight because

it depletes acidophilus bacteria and

would greatly reduce magnesium absorption.

 

One might hypothesize that female astronauts are strongly interested

in preventing vaginal

yeast infections in space flights and that they use acidophilus, a

major promoter of magnesium absorption prophylactically, thus

explaining these differences.

 

Scientists and physicians will want to read this ten-page report

titled " Calcium and Magnesium Deposits in Disease " , by Mildred S.

Seelig, MD, MPH of the American College of Nutrition, a world-class

expert on magnesium.

 

This article points out that most abnormal mineral deposits are

calcareous,

occurring in areas of tissue damage

that can be caused by magnesium deficiency.

 

Topics covered:

 

Mineralization of arteries and heart by calcium excess, magnesium

deficiency. Atherogenic and/or calcemic diets.

 

Low magnesium and spontaneous myocardial infarction. High vitamin-D

and/or phosphate

diet intensifies magnesium deficiency. Stress and catecholamines.

 

Mitochondrial lesions of ischemic hearts resemble those of magnesium

deficiency.

 

Diabetes increases myocardial calcium (Ca) 400 times

normal.

 

Mineralization by calcium of human arteriosclerotic arteries

with aging due to lifelong magnesium deficiency.

 

Infantile and juvenile cardiovascular calcification resemble

experimental

magnesium deficiency. Cardiovascular calcification in diabetes

mellitus and renal failure, kidneys, urolithiasis, effect of

magnesium in preventing. Soft tissue calcification inhibition by

magnesium. Chrondrocalcinosis, enlarged joints, pseudogout Ca-PP-

dihydrate.

 

Apatite formation. Inhibit subcutaneous calcification by

injection of CaATP with magnesium.

 

Articular calcification of uremia. Interstitial and periarticular

calcinosis. Myositis ossifacans. Tendons. Fluoride toxicity. Vitamin-

D toxicity. Placenta calcification. Pancreatic calcification. Ocular

calcification.

 

Cardiovascular damage prevented by magnesium. These and other

similar conditions, even in absence of magnesium deficiency, may be

responsive to magnesium treatment over a one year period.

 

The " Calcium-At-Any-Cost " campaign currently underway in the United

states appears identical to the " Vitamin D-At-Any-Cost " campaign of

the early part of the twentieth century.

 

After many years of campaigning for a diet richer in vitamin-D,

people began to get far

too much with serious consequences. Normal exposure to sunlight

provides enough vitamin-D to satisfy healthy bodily processes for

most of us (exceptions including clinical cases of Season Affective

disorder (SAD), and possibly dark-skinned people living in low-

sunlight conditions).

 

Supplementing with vitamin-D, pills, enriched breakfast foods,

milk, and other sources of vitamin D led to an

epidemic of 'calcification' of 'soft' tissues, such as the kidney,

heart, aorta, muscle, hypercalcemia, decalcification of bone,

muscular weakness, joint pains, and various other symptoms, all

being symptoms of excess calcium. The " Vitamin D-At-Any-Cost "

campaign was replaced by the " Calcium-At-Any-Cost " campaign, which

has failed us too.

 

It is time to get serious and address the real problem, magnesium

deficiency. EDITORIAL OPINION: If a health consciousness revolution

occurs and magnesium gets the attention

currently afforded calcium, great displacement is likely in

medicine, because much of modern clinical practice appears built on

the foundation of faulty calcium-magnesium balances.

 

For those of us that have consumed too much calcium relative to

magnesium, excess calcium has become a neurotoxin.

 

For example, I used to be so sensitive to calcium, that a single 500

mg calcium dietary supplement induced in me a strong feeling of

depression

within 1 hour (relievable with 400 mg magnesium). To me, this is

clear evidence that either treatment-resistant or stress-induced

depression are not necessarily psychological or psychiatric

disorders (although depression certainly can be).

 

Rather, these forms of depression are a disorder of calcium /

magnesium balance.

 

Many people, women usually, e-mail me saying that magnesium did not

terminate their depression. I always respond with a request for them

to review their dietary supplements and dairy intake for calcium.

 

Invariably, they report between 1000 and 2000 mg daily intake of

calcium, as dietary supplements plus dairy, or that they used a non-

ionizable compound of magnesium, such as magnesium carbonate,

magneisum oxide or magnesium hydroxide. People have also used

magnesium chelates of undescribed nature, magnesium aspartate or

magnesium glutamate with greatly worsened symptoms.

 

I report back to them that in my opinion their calcium intake is

preventing their recovery and their choice of magnesium compounds is

wrong. Those

that make the suggested changes usually report back to me with

really nice words of praise and thanks you notes for their very

speedy recovery.

 

From these results and others, we can infer that

large doses of ionic magnesium in the treatment of depression and

other disorders either: (a) restore hormonal control of calcium or

(b) rebalence the calcium / magnesium serum ratio.

 

In my opinion, re-balancing the calcium / magnesium ratio is more

likely. Why?

 

The effects of magnesium, although extremely strong, are short-

lived; and continued magnesium supplementation is usually required

to maintain well being.

 

If hormonal control were re-established, it seems to me that we

would not need continued large doses of

magnesium daily. This is not to say that over a long time, hormonal

control may eventually result, particularly if we eliminate sugar

and other high glycemic index foods from our diets and supplement

with chromium and possibly vanadium.

 

Viewed under a dark field microscope, these red blood cells taken

from a Gulf War medical reporter show many small spikes sticking out

from their surfaces.

These cell-surface spikes are produced by

severe intracellular magnesium depletion and excess calcium

resulting in echinocytes.

 

I wonder if presence of echinocytes is predictive of who will

benefit from magnesium therapy in treatment

of depression and other disorders.

 

I suspect magnesium treatment eventually eliminates echinocytes,

restoring the picture of normal

red blood cells. From this microphotograph, overdoing calcium

supplements and foods rich in calcium (especially dairy products)

and ignoring magnesium dietary intake appears to result in visible

cellular " calcium toxicity " .

 

This photograph is amazing; and should illustrate a new way of

determining severe, potentially life- threatening calcium/magnesium

imbalance. The presence of spikes

would prevent spiked blood cells from flowing smoothly through

arteries and veins.

 

It seems to me that spiked red blood cells (echinocytes) passing

through the arteries and arterioles of the heart and brain could

trigger strokes and heart attacks and all

precursor symptoms associated with these disorders.

 

Remember magnesium is used to regulate receptor sites for

neurotransmitters, and is active in the hippocampus (the emotional

center of the body). Our children may be at great risk because they

think they need to remain thin to be accepted.

 

Those foods that are high in magnesium that would help them cope

with the stresses of

growing up (school yard bullies, PMSing teen girls, and teen life in

general) are not on their plates. However, milk and cheese products

are on their plates, and calcium/magnesium imbalances may contribute

to school violence in manic or manic depressive (bi-polar) students.

 

Without enough magnesium, these young people can loose control over

their moods, sometimes with devastating results. Violence or

meanness to others has not been reported in the medical literature

to be caused by insufficient magnesium except in some ADHD, mania or

manic-depressive patients.

 

Consequently, I am not worried about

ADHD, manic, manic depressive, or depressive patients getting too

much magnesium, rather I am concerned that our calcium / magnesium

balance be corrected.

 

My worries about milk are additive to what some scientists worry

about concerning homogenized milk. " Homogenizing cow's milk

transforms healthy butterfat into microscopic spheres of fat

containing xanthine oxidase (XO) which is one of the most powerful

digestive enzymes there is.

 

The spheres are small enough to pass 'intact' right through the

stomach and intestines walls without first being digested.

 

Thus this extremely powerful protein knife, XO,

floats throughout the body in the blood and lymph systems. When the

XO breaks free from its fat envelope, it attacks the inner wall of

whatever vessel it is in.

 

This creates a wound. The wound triggers the arrival of patching

plaster to seal off that wound.

 

The patching plaster is " cholesterol " .

 

Hardening of the arteries, heart disease, chest pain, heart attack

is the result. " Atherosclerosis,1989;77:251-

6. If you really want the scoop, and don't mind reading about

the " pus " in milk, enjoy this site. Milk gives people gas too.

 

Some depressed people appear to need more calcium because laboratory

tests show that they are in a negative calcium balance.

 

That means they leak not just magnesium (hypomagnesemia), but

calcium too. They

may have accelerated bone loss perhaps from post menopausal

osteoporosis or other diseases or disorders. They are in a bad

predicament.

 

If they increase calcium they often become more depressed. If they

decrease calcium they believe that they risk breaking bones from

osteoporosis or osteomalacia.

 

Magnesium deficiency is usually associated with hypocalcemia (low

blood calcium), hypophosphatemia (low phosphate), and/or hypokalemia

(low potassium).

 

Hypokalemia or hypocalcemia are important clinical complications of

hypomagnesemia. When a person is unresponsive to

treatment for hypokalemia or hypocalcemia, magnesium may have been

depleted. What to do?

 

The medical literature clearly supports taking more magnesium and

taking *boron* supplements or eating foods high in

*boron* to help prevent the loss of these critical minerals.

 

Hypokalemia can also be treated by switching from plain table salt

(sodium chloride) to Celtic Sea Salt.

 

Hypocalcemia has been treated with calcium supplements, but in

depression and hyperemotionality, the doses needed are much lower

and can be easily be obtained from lower

calcium content food (non dairy).

 

How about CalMax, the heavily TV promoted calcium supplement with

magnesium? NOT FOR US! NO!

 

Why not? First, CalMax is very expensive,and second it has a highly

absorbable compound of calcium (calcium gluconate) and a poorly

absorbed magnesium compound (magnesium carbonate).

 

Although CalMax is on the right track, the ratios of calcium (400 mg

per dose) versus magnesium (200 mg) are biologically

misleading because the calcium is so much better absorbed than

magnesium.

I estimate that CalMax is the biologically functional

equivalent of 400 mg calcium and about 75 mg of magnesium.

 

Consequently, to get 1000 mg (for example) of biologically available

magnesium from CalMax daily, one would also get over 5000 mg of

calcium, which is decidedly unhealthy.

 

How about Coral Calcium? HA!

How about Caltrate? HA! You figure these out for yourself!

 

Calcium has been hyped as an anti-cancer agent recently on TV.

 

However, these scientists reported in 1986 that large amounts of

calcium supplements are promoters of cancer relative to the clear

anti-cancer action of both zinc and magnesium supplements. These

scientists reported in 2003 that large supplements of calcium

increase the rate of prostate cancer.

 

This is not to say that normal intake of calcium found in foods

causes cancer, rather large amounts

of supplemental calcium does nothing to help prevent it and appears

to promote prostate cancer.

 

Cadmium is a well-known cancer causative agent, which is inactivated

in the body by both zinc and magnesium

supplements but not by calcium supplements according to these

scientists.

 

Consequently protection against cancer is afforded by

zinc and magnesium supplementation, but not large doses of calcium

supplements; and very large intake of calcium supplements should be

considered to be promotive of cancer.

 

In fact, a comprehensive review of the evidence links the

consumption of milk from cows

treated with bovine growth hormone (IGF-1 or insulin-like growth

factor 1) with an increased risk of breast, prostate and colon

cancer. IGF-1 is known to stimulate the growth of both normal and

cancerous cells

 

I had an Exatest intracellular mineral test done in March of 2003, 3

years after starting and very carefully maintaining a low calcium

diet (zero calcium supplements, and nearly zero dairy products).

 

I was concerned that after 3 years of extremely low calcium intake

that perhaps I had " over done it " . I was very surprised to find that

my intracellular calcium was out-of-range-HIGH.

 

The high intracellular calcium made my intracellular

phosphorous/calcium ratio extremely low and my intracellular

magnesium/calcium too low.

 

I had tried to limit my sodium intake (like our doctors tell us to

do), and was amazed to find that both my intracellular potassium and

sodium levels were also out-of-range-LOW.

 

See my full report from IntraCellular Diagnostics here for overall

results and here for

individual element concentrations and ratios. I strongly urge all to

take this test before starting a magnesium repletion program and

monitor progress after first month of treatment, and again on a

regular monthly or bi-monthly basis.

 

You may be surprised to find very low intracellular magnesium and

very high intracellular calcium are seriously affecting your health.

 

To avoid possible circadian rhythm errors, test at the same time

each day, preferably between 9 and 10 AM. Why do you think we have

been lied to about the extreme

importance to supplement our diets with calcium?

 

Why do you think that billions of people throughout the non-Western

world have never supplemented their diets with calcium and never

drink milk and have no osteoporosis?

 

This figure from Dr. Seelig's new book (The Magnesium Factor) shows

that in 1977 Western countries having the highest dietary calcium to

magnesium ratios (Finland, United States and Netherlands) had

rampant ischemic heart disease.

 

More data here. On the other hand,Japan with a one to one ratio of

calcium to magnesium had about 1/10 the incidence of ischemic heart

disease.

 

Why do we keep pushing the idea that more and more calcium is

healthy; when in fact, it is a principal cause, perhaps the main

cause, of heart disease and deaths in the United States?

 

Are there some vested commercial interests at work here?

 

Why doesn't the National Institute of Health speak to

this horrifying issue? Why doesn't the Food and Drug Administration

act?

 

Why do doctors, nutritionists and dietitians push this toxic

drug? Are they stupid?

 

If there is any good to come from taking away our rights to free

choice of vitamins, minerals, herbs and amino acids through

implementation of the treaty provisions of CODEX, one

would hope that calcium supplements would be prohibited. Not likely!

 

I suspect that vested interests will prevail and magnesium

supplements will be restricted, but not harmful calcium, sodium or

sugar.

 

Dr. Seelig points out that immediately after this data was

released in 1978, Finland took action and people started consuming

much more magnesium and potassium and much less calcium and sodium,

and that now Finland has a ischemic heart disease rate lower than

Japan.

 

Did the U.S. take similar action? Ha! You gotta be kidding!

 

Like calcium and magnesium, phosphate is essential to every cell in

humans, plants, animals – every living thing. It is necessary for

many of the biochemical molecules and processes that define life

itself.

 

Phosphate is a charged group of atoms, or ion. It is made up

of a phosphorus atom and four oxygen atoms (PO4) and carries three

negative charges. The phosphate ion combines with various atoms and

molecules within living organisms to form many different compounds

essential to life.

 

Some examples of phosphate's role in living matter include: (1)

Giving shape to DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid),

which is a blueprint of genetic contained in every living cell. A

sugar-phosphate backbone forms the helical structure of every DNA

molecule, playing a vital role in the way living matter provides

energy for biochemical reactions in cells.

 

The compound adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is extremely

dependent upon adequate magnesium for its function) stores energy

living matter gets from

food (and sunlight in plants) and releases it when it is required

for cellular activity.

 

After the energy, in the form of a high-energy phosphate bond, is

released the ATP becomes a lower-energy adenosine diphosphate (ADP)

or a still lower-energy adenosine

monophosphate (AMP) molecule. These will be replenished to the

higher-energy ATP (or ADP) state with the addition of phosphate by

various mechanisms in living cells. The forming and strengthening of

bones and teeth. We get phosphate from the foods we eat.

 

These examples show the phosphorus content of some foods (mg/100

grams of various foods).

 

Milk 93

Lean Beef 204

Potatoes 56

Broccoli 72

Wheat Flour 101

Cheddar Cheese 524

 

Do we get too much phosphate? For some people eating too much

cheese, yes, they are getting too much calcium and phosphate,

contributing significantly to magnesium deficiency.

 

High phosphate (phosphoric acid) content soda (Coca Colas and Pepsi

Colas) probably should be avoided, if for no other reason they are

also high in glucose. Am I greatly worried about too much phosphate

in our diets?

 

Not yet, but only if we avoid cheese and its dual phosphate and

calcium load.

 

In summary, we can do much with our diet. We can ingest enormous

amounts of magnesium (and fight off diarrhea), or we can save money

by using less magnesium, ingest few or no high carbohydrate foods

(especially sugar, corn syrup, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages,

bread, cakes, pancakes and waffles ), terminate our

fascination with dairy and calcium (along with cheese's excessive

phosphate), and supplement with probiotics to regain our mental

health and defeat depression. Also, we will not need those nasty

antidepressants!

 

http://coldcure.com/html/dep.html#milk

_________________

JoAnn Guest

mrsjoguest

DietaryTipsForHBP

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The complete " Whole Body " Health line consists of the " AIM GARDEN TRIO "

Ask About Health Professional Support Series: AIM Barleygreen

 

" Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future "

 

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/AIM.html

 

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