(Science Daily) — Researchers from the University of Hertfordshire have found that magnesium supplements may offer small but clinically significant reductions in blood pressure. In a paper published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the researchers also discovered that the size of the effect increased in line with increased dosage.
Cardiovascular diseases cause almost fifty per cent of deaths in Europe and contribute significantly to escalating healthcare costs. Elevated blood pressure or hypertension is a major risk factor for mortality from cardiovascular and renal disease. Causes of hypertension include (but are not limited to) smoking, sedentary lifestyle, a diet high in sodium and an inadequate intake of other minerals such as potassium, calcium and magnesium.
“Until now, there’s been inconclusive evidence regarding the effect of magnesium supplements on blood pressure,” said Lindsy Kass, Senior Lecturer and registered nutritionist at the University of Hertfordshire. “So we conducted a meta-analysis by analysing data from twenty-two trials involving 1,173 people to assess the effect of magnesium on blood pressure.”
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wow not news to me, cardiologist Dr Stephen Sinatra has been telling people for years to take magnesium (don’t take magnesium oxide – its not a good form)
Not new to me, I have been taking magnesium for some years, my natural calcium channel blocker with no nasty side effects.
I am on my 10th medication to try to control my blood pressure. I have had terrible side effects and no clear results. Please tell me what form of Magnesium to take and what quantity.
Thank you so much.
My sympathies, I was in the same situation a few years ago, taking a cocktail of drugs daily, the bad thing about it that several medications mixing in the stomach can create different compounds with a new repertoire of side effects, probably the worst was clonidine because it can cause a rebound effect of adrenaline release, those episodes sent me to the emergency room with a BP of 260+ along with a rush of adrenaline way past of being thrilling, not a good feeling, I assure anyone.
I went to several clinics all the way to Mayo to find a cause to my HBP, at the end everything was OK except too much salt consumption, that was the diagnosis. (I will add cigarettes and whisky but would not make a big deal of it with the doctors)
Before that one doctor diagnosed me with malignant hypertension, the word malignant worried the hell out of me, I didn’t know what it meant, I went from doctor to doctor, each one adding a new medicine to my portfolio, several times in the ER with doctors shaking their heads because my BP would not come down, one ER doctor even threatened me with an IV drug if it did not come down, needless to say all that drama made things worse, the body has a tremendous ability to raise BP or lower it, the cortisol from stress is very damaging, I became obsessed with HBP, I developed a bad case of white coat syndrome to the point that even I couldn’t take my own BP because I would listen to the machine for any sounds of strain, the smallest change in the pitch of the noise would tense me up to the point that all it would say is “error” and that would tense me up even more because I would imagine it was so high it was beyond the range of the machine, after three years of all that crap I said enough, I will not worry about it anymore, if I kick the bucket so be it, today I am on a small dose of a diuretic and Mg, “my CCB”, and a change of life style.
Loosing weight is mandatory, if overweight and want to lose mms of pressure, a flat belly, and being in shape and good healthy eating and no smoking/alcohol is mandatory and probably you can kick those drugs goodbye, provided there is not an underlying medical reason, those can be easily detected by medical examinations.
The type of magnesium I take is magnesium citrate, very absorbable, generally found in the health food stores, magnesium oxide has a poor absorption rate and if you take too much it will send you to the potty in a hurry, although all forms of Mg will if there too much in the body.
Around 400mg is the daily recommended dosage, account for what you eat in your diet and make up the difference with supplemental Mg, I take about 100 to 200 mg a day, there is a product called “natural calm”, it comes in a powder form and you can play with the amount you take, you have to learn by experience and feel when is too much on your body and when you are lacking, too much will weaken you and make you slow mentally, that is a sign that you are low in calcium since Mg is a Calcium antagonist, remember Calcium is the throttle and Mg is the brake, Mg relaxes and Calcium excites, learn the balance, too much of a good thing is also bad.
All in all Mg is a wonderful mineral and so essential for so many function in the body, is good to relieve muscle sores and joint pains and calm the nerves.
The latest I read is about the way salt works to raise BP, besides the increase in fluid volume seems like salt coerces the release of adrenaline and that is the main causative factor of HBP.
Copper along with vitamin C is essential to build connective tissue like tendons cartilage and veins, making them elastic, elasticity is essential for BP control, plus is a protection against aneurisms and ruptures, a word of caution, nobody wants to take more copper than the daily recommended dosage as copper is a strong stimulant, a good example of too much is as bad as too little. It needs to be in balance with zinc, too much zinc will decrease copper.
If you have more questions don’t hesitate to ask.
One thing they hardly ever mention as a cause for HBP is stress My blood pressure with calcium chanel blocker was 130/76 and palse 60. ^ months ago my wife lost most of her sight due to mascular degenerative disease and also has COPD which continues to get worse. She takes 13 medications which i manage,plus groceries,cooking,house cleaning etc. This has caused a lot of extra stress and my blood pressure stays at 165-175/90 but pause stays 65. Hate the thought of more drugs but there don’t seem any other way. weight is good,I exercise regularly and on heart healthy diet. 70 years old.
to much magnesium will cause diarrhea. start with low ,about 200 mg and sloly add more mg. I don’t know what for is best to use. I do know Dr.OZ reconmended 600 mg of calcium and 400 MG to take at bedtime for insomia. It didn’t work for me as the calcium made it painful to pee and the magnesium gave me diarrhea. I quit the calcium and now take 250 mg of Magnesium.So far so good,however I don’t think it helps my blood pressure .
I think it does depend on the form of magnesium. As mentioned above it can cause diarrhea, should not be taken in large amounts (whatever ‘large’ means…) and not over prolonged periods of time, and it may have drug interactions. The reality is supplements are just another form of ‘drugs’ and, especially if taken to try to alter blood pressure, one really should consult with a doctor. One can not know whether mineral supplements could put something else out of balance. Too much magnesium can cause blood pressure to fall too low too. The best results with lowering my BP to a more or less acceptable level is the John McDougall vegan ‘diet’. It is by no means perfect, still borderline at the clinic, but a lot better than before I became a vegetarian. I still eat meat and dairy products on the odd occasion, but seem to tolerate them less now I am mainly eating vegan food. Dietary changes (they have to be adhered to) help in many instances.
If you have a lot of weight to lose and are not very fit, patients really should consult a doctor or a dietician.
A vegetarian diet does indeed make a difference. I’ve been veg for 16 years causing my BP medication to lower my pressure too much. I now take only 25mg of Atenolol and that’s soon to go.
Just checked and my calcium supplement has magnesium oxide in it. Why is that not a good form?