calcium and magnesium - time for some googling etc.

[Guest guest]

This is a vexed issue, isn't it?! ;=) I think we need to keep our feet firmly

planted on terra firma over this. I am therefore grateful to this post, to which

I

now respond. (Couldn't get to my computer earlier today - electricians here

again today, but all done now! ;=) <big sigh of relief>)

 

> For what it's worth, I have been told not to take a magnesium supplement at

> the same time as a calcium supplement. In fact. I was told that magnesium

> should not be taken with any other minerals -- don't know why.

 

Neither do I ;=) If anyone knows, please let us know? And let us know also the

source of the info (always helps!)?

 

But to the statement above, that's a bit odd isn't it - I'm not doubting it,

just

thinking it a bit odd because calcium and magnesium comes together as a

supplement quite often and also comes together in soymilk, for eg. I guess

we've got some googling to do, eh? LOL

 

>The amount

> ot magnesium required is 1/2 the amount of calcium.

 

Okay, I based my one-to-one ration on some info that Robert Cohen included

at the foot of his article on calcium and soymilk (he cites in message #3304 in

our archives some scientific studies, names the journals). Elsewhere I had

read and two-to-one ration, as you say (that is 2 parts calcium to one part

magnesium). I haven't exhausted the possibilities of googling by any means,

but it looks as if Cohen stats might be more than a bit off.

 

There's lots of info out there, but I did come across this dandy little bit of

goss:

 

06 June 2002 Letter to the Editor by Syd Baumel re `Cohen's Law':

http://www.vegsource.com/articles/baumel_cohen1.htm

AND

02 June 2002 Letter to the Editor by Stephen Walsh re Cohen:

http://www.vegsource.com/articles/walsh_cohen1.htm

 

Heh heh heh.

 

Further reading around?

 

For a site about soy and nutrition try this one:

 

http://www.nsrl.uiuc.edu/aboutsoy/soynutrition.html

(from the NSRL - Natiional Soybean Research Laboratory (in the USA))

 

On Calcium and Magnesium, try:

 

http://www.publix.com/wellness/greenwise/feature/Article.do?id=271 & childId=

372

(a commercial site)

 

which says in part (cuz this is good to quote here, I think):

 

`Some signals that you're low in calcium include brittle nails, insomnia,

irritability, muscle cramps and twitching, and tooth decay. Just keep in mind

that it's important to balance calcium with other nutrients as well.

 

`For most of the life span, you need about half as much magnesium as

calcium. That's why most bone-building supplements contain a 2:1 calcium to

magnesium ratio. Hormones produced by the parathyroid control calcium

absorption, and this gland depends on magnesium to do its work. Eating

more magnesium-rich foods (beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains) or taking

magnesium supplements will increase your absorption of both minerals. If you

find yourself craving chocolate and suffer constipation, muscle cramping, or

pain in your back or neck, you may be low in magnesium. The recommended

daily allowance for this mineral for adolescents and adults is between 320

and 420 mg a day. If you're getting too much, you'll notice loose stools, though

magnesium is very safe to take.'

 

AND

 

`Vitamin D can increase calcium absorption as much as 65 percent, and it

also helps balance calcium and phosphorus, protecting against bone loss.

Unfortunately, only a few foods (egg yolks, fatty fish, fortified dairy and

soymilk, and organ meat) contain this fat-soluble vitamin.'

 

Okay? I should point out that this final par speaks precisely to your warning

about being careful to take vitamin D. Thanks for that reminder!

 

>You can only absorb 600 mg of calcium at any one time, by the way.

 

How far apart does one need to space the intake, then? Per meal, I assume?

Sounds about right.

 

Okay, thanks for all this - and please, everyone, do send in about this matter

if

you know anything that will help! After all, we need to pool info, exchange

info, and discuss *conflicting* info here (and there's always lots of that) -

not

just sound off on what we think we know. Well, at least *I* do ;=) The rest of

you seem to know a lot more.

 

Best,

 

Pat ;=)