Posted by JLx on July 10, 2006, at 14:58:45
In reply to Re: my symptoms:, posted by dessbee on July 10, 2006, at 6:20:30
> Please be careful with magnesium supplements. They can actually worsen depressive symptoms.
I would caution against certain FORMS of magnesium, such as magnesium aspartate and magnesium glutamate which are contraindicated for depressives but otherwise think it's far more likely that magnesium will help many people's depression as evidenced in this study about depression and magnesium deficiency.
Significant Magnesium Deficiency in Depression
http://www.healingpeople.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=356&Itemid=147
"The finding of significant magnesium deficiency in depressed patients is a of considerable interest, both scientifically and clinically. Magnesium is the natural calcium channel blocker. Clinically, magnesium deficiency has been associated with cardiac arrthymia, hypertension, myocardial infarction, strokes, anxiety, migraine, panic attacks, epilepsy, osteoporosis, immune dysfunction, as well as chronic fatigue, acute musculoskeletal pain and reflex sympathetic dystrophy; all illness with high incidence of concomitant depression. (Refs. 6-14).
Magnesium is significantly affected by blood levels of lithium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium. Intestinal absorption of magnesium is inhibited by high levels of intestinal calcium, fat, protein pr phosphorus. Urinary excretion of magnesium is increased by most diuretics as well as by stress, epinephrine, nonepinephrine and caffine. All lead to urinary magnesium loss (Refs. 15-18).
Major potential dietary sources of magnesium are hard water; dark green, leafy vegetables; carrots; beets; sesame seeds and legumes. Magnesium deficiency may result in inadequate intake of magnesium; high calcium intake; high intakes of sodium, protein, fat, potassium, wheat, alcohol, sugar, or caffine; diarreha; diyretics; laxative abuse; severe stress (Ref. 11,8). Interestingly, it has been demonstrated that 70% of men and 80% of women do not take in even the daily recommended allowance of magnesium (Ref. 11). And, as would be expected, the nutrition of depressed patients is usually very inadequate.
The neurological and metabolic consequences of magnesium deficiency are widespread. Magnesium is a major regulator of all membrane potentials, as well as neuronal and muscular tone. Thus, magnesium deficiency prevents normal nerve cell stability.
Magnesium also plays a synergistic role with taurine, both of them assisting in stabilization of cellular membrane potential as well as being natural calcium channel blockers (Ref. 19). The clinical use of calcium channel blockers in neurological disorders such as migraine may be obviated with far less "side effects" by administration of magnesium taurate.
Our personal clinical studies have indicated that at least 78% of chronically depressed patients are deficient in taurine (Ref.20). With an even higher incidence of magnesium deficiency, it is easy to understand some of the many symptoms accompanying depression....
It may well be that magnesium taurate alone will be as effective as the average antidepressant which helps no more than 50% of depressed patients (Ref. 21). Magnesium taurate is less expensive and has virtually no risk, as long as renal function is normal."
I have read both "The Miracle of Magnesium" by Carolyn Dean, M.D. and "The Magnesium Factor" by long time magnesium researcher, Mildred Seelig, M.D. and if I weren't already taking magnesium for depression, I would be taking it for my general health otherwise.
JL
poster:JLx
thread:664920
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20060704/msgs/665768.html