Magnesium is a naturally occurring mineral we can get through our diet.
It’s responsible for a lot in your body, involved in over 300 biochemical reactions.
Magnesium supports your immune system, keeps your blood glucose levels in check, your bones strong, your heartbeat steady, and maintains your nerve and muscle functions, to name just a few of magnesium’s crucial roles.
It also helps support the roles of protein, calcium, and vitamin D in your body, so without magnesium you’re in dire straits indeed.
You can get magnesium in your diet from dark leafy green vegetables, as well as bananas, avocados, almonds, cashews, tempeh, and dairy products.
But what happens if you’re deficient in magnesium?
Causes Of Magnesium Deficiency
Deficiency in magnesium is common in people who overconsume alcohol. This is primarily because alcohol encourages your body to pass magnesium through your urinary tract. However, there are other causes of magnesium deficiency, including:
- Malabsorption (due to a gastrointestinal disease, or recent surgery)
- Age (elderly people are far more likely to be magnesium deficient)
- Type 2 diabetes
Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency
If you’re experiencing one of the below symptoms, you may be deficient in magnesium. They can be broken into three categories – early, moderate, and severe deficiency.
Early Deficiency
Early signs of a magnesium deficiency include:
- Nausea
- Unexplained fatigue
- Muscle weakness
- Loss of appetite
- Unexplained vomiting
Moderate Deficiency
Signs of a moderate magnesium deficiency include all of the above symptoms, plus:
Abnormalities in the heart rhythm
- Tingling
- Numbness
- Irritability
- Muscle contractions
- Muscle cramps
- Seizures
Severe Deficiency
Signs of a severe magnesium deficiency include all of the above, plus:
- Calcium deficiency
- Potassium deficiency
How To Treat Magnesium Deficiency
If you believe you may be deficient in magnesium, contact Dr. JJ. A magnesium IV may be able to help you.
A magnesium IV can be particularly effective if you have a compromised gastrointestinal system, whether due to an inflammatory bowel disease or a recent surgery, or if you have allergies to many key dietary sources of magnesium.
To find out whether or not a magnesium IV is right for you, ask Dr. JJ.
Other Benefits Of Magnesium Intravenous Therapy
Injection of magnesium intravenously has been shown to increase the rate of survival after a heart attack.
It has the ability to smooth arrhythmias, lower blood pressure and improve the outcome for patients undergoing stent placement for blocked coronary arteries.
Asthmatic, COPD, and chronic bronchitis patients may benefit from this therapy because IV magnesium relaxes the spastic bronchial tubes (airway) associated with these disorders.
This is an important therapy for diabetics suffering from retinopathy (eye damage), and may help to improve the insulin sensitivity.
Patients suffering from kidney stones may also benefit from this therapy.
If you have one of the above conditions, talk to Dr. JJ about whether a magnesium IV is right for you.
