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Calcium to magnesium ratio

Posted , 6 users are following.

joy47826
joy47826

This issue came up again yesterday when I talked to a chiro I saw about 5 yrs ago and will see her in mid Nov as she does muscle testing and we will test some of the supplements I take....she saw me before hip replacement mess....so I was getting her up to date on my mess from the replacement...

She has a different opinion than I do on the calcium magnesium intake, I take more magnesium than calcium and now the higher dosing of Vit D....  so doing some research AGAIN, thought I'd throw this out....so many docs just are not "in the know" about the value of magnesium for calcium absorption:

Typically, less than half of calcium intake is absorbed in the gut, the rest either being excreted or potentially forming kidney stones or being transported to soft tissues where it can harden (calcify).

Adequate levels of magnesium are essential for the absorption and metabolism of calcium and vitamin D.

Magnesium converts vitamin D into its active form so that it can aid calcium absorption. Magnesium also stimulates the hormone calcitonin, which helps to preserve bone structure and draws calcium out of the blood and soft tissues back into the bones, lowering the likelihood of osteoporosis, some forms of arthritis, heart attack and kidney stones.

There is a growing amount of scientific evidence pointing to high calcium - low magnesium intake leading to calcification, or hardening, of arteries(atherosclerosis—the number one cause of death in the U.S.), osteoporosis and osteoporotic bone fractures.

Recommendations for calcium intake vary greatly. In the U.S., adults are told to take 1,000 mg per day and women over 50 are told to take up to 1,500 mg. In the United Kingdom, the RDA is 700 mg daily, while the World Health Organization recommends only 400-500 mg.

Often supplementation is taken without consideration for the amount of calcium in the diet both from food sources and water. Many people, especially those consuming dairy products, have high-calcium diets. This can lead to a greater amount of unabsorbed calcium.

"Most people—and most MDs—do not understand the importance of calcium-magnesium balance at a cellular level. The effectiveness and benefits of calcium with respect to bone health and the prevention of osteoporosis are enormously impaired in the absence of adequate levels of magnesium in the body," Dr. **** states.

"If we consume too much calcium without sufficient magnesium," according to ****, "not only will we create stress within the body but the excess calcium won't be utilized correctly and may become toxic. Magnesium keeps calcium dissolved in the blood. Too much calcium and too little magnesium can cause some forms of arthritis, kidney stones, osteoporosis and calcification of the arteries, leading to heart attack and cardiovascular disease..

What I've been taking in recent months is:  500mg magnesium citrate or other quality mag, 3 times per day and 500 to 750mg quality calcium.  

I will see my integrative MD in a couple weeks to go over recent labs and bring this up again.   

2 likes, 61 replies

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  • TreatMeGently
    TreatMeGently joy47826

    Posted

    Hi Joy

    I have a form of arthritis called Ankylosing Spondylitis - I have been gluten and corn free for over 20 years - but take a number of vitamins / minerals regularly.

    i was told 20 years ago to take 2 * magnesium to 1 * calcium ( mag2 1cal) and it has helped me a  lot - I try and take good quality minerals.  I dont drink milk either - but do have Sheeps yoghurt.   The vitamin D link is key also - as you can take loads of vitamin d but if you magnesium is low then it is not converted to be bioavailable.

    i am sure too bat magnesium keeps my gut nice and alkaline - which means less gram negative bacteria such as Klebsiella also associated with my arthritis.

    Re-reading your post I agree with everything you say :-)

    • joy47826
      joy47826 TreatMeGently

      Posted

      T.M.G.!!!   Glad you are on top of things too, I know of AS and I don't deal with that arthritis but OA and Fibro and a mess from hip replacement.....do deal with spondylolisthesis L5-S1 for a long time and spinal stenosis since hip replacement in 2010......lots of of not good things since hip replacement, but no groin pain...so I got rid of groin pain and took on a lot of other pains...

      I've had 2 MRI's since 2010 and good grief, the back mess....but I would NOT do a back surgery.    I exercise some, stretch a LOT and ice and heat and supplements....and ibuprofen..

  • Ozzie0
    Ozzie0 joy47826

    Posted

    Hi Joy,

    Do you know anything about magnesium building up to toxic levels if your kidneys aren'y functioning well?  I've has 2 kidney sugeries.  Also, I just had my thyroid out  and 2 of my parathyroid glands. The doctor has given me 1500 mg of calcium to take, 3,000 units of vitamin D3 and no magnesium.  After this operation, I started to get heart arrhythmeias and put myself, (with my doctor's agreement), on 400 mg of magnesium every other day.  Will this small amount help with the absorption of the caclium and vitamin D?  Thanks, Nancy

    • joy47826
      joy47826 Ozzie0

      Posted

      Gosh Nancy I can't answer that serious question....do you have faith in  your doctor?   Getting another opinion from a naturopath or integrative MD could really be in order...  or another kidney specialist.

      Personally I don't see an issue with 400mg mag every other day, it is certainly indicated for cardio support....maybe someone else here can add a comment or two.

      Why the thyroid removal?   J

       

    • Ozzie0
      Ozzie0 joy47826

      Posted

      Thanks Joy!  I hardly have any faith any doctors...I have been misdiagnosed by many of them, and have found answers on my own when they couldn't.  I wish I could trust them because I am getting weary from all this research. My Dad was a doctor and he was truly gifted.  I think he was one of the last doctors I trusted.

      Anyway, I was given radiation treatments when I was about 3 years old in the 1950's.  It was something they just did to kids before they had their tonsils removed, (to shrink them and then take them out).  Stupid...eh?  They just didn't know any better.  My sister and I developed tumors all over out thyroids and parathyroids and they needed to be removed.  Thank goodness they were benign.  I haven't been so lucky with my kidneys.  I am fighting cancer in both my kidneys.  I've has two operatiolns and that's why my kidney function is not good.  In one kidney they got all the cancer, but in the other, they didn't.  The tumor was sitting on top of an artery and they couldn't remove it all.  I am relying on God to see me throught this.  Many people are praying for me.  I just got back from being rescanned at the Cleveland Clinic.  So far, so good.  No kidney cancer in my lleft kidney....and the cancer is stable in the right.  in fact, there was another tumor growing there last time, and this time it has gotton smaller.  I am truly starting to believe in the power of prayer.

      Good luck to you...and thank you for responding to my question.

      Nancy

    • joy47826
      joy47826 Ozzie0

      Posted

      Happy to hear you are good right now, Nancy....

      When I got on Pycnogenol back in 1995, we were told it "may" prevent cancer....that is the main reason I got on this antioxidant and it's 19 yrs on both grape seed extract and pycnogenol, I trade off on them.

      Never heard about the radiation before a tonsil removal....I had mine out when I was about 5 in 1943...and I think it was my grandgirl who had them out about 5 yrs ago no radiation there either....

      A friend developed nodules on her thyroid and this was from overdosing on Tums....more bad info from a doc....she ended up having thyroid removed, another bad piece of advice....  She's in an HMO system here and I have not the greatest feelings about HMO docs....

      I've seen only integrative MD's for the last 15 yrs when I ended up with a Fibro dx....this  has been a journey for sure....but I feel good about what I do and supps I work with.

      Do you have any clues as to why cancer in kidneys?   

      I'm more into visualization on health and most things actually, and do meditate....  

    • joy47826
      joy47826 Ozzie0

      Posted

      Nancy, did you check the Kidney group here?   How about other kidney support groups at least ask about the mag dosing....wouldn't Cleveland Clinic be able to answer about the mag too?
    • Ozzie0
      Ozzie0 joy47826

      Posted

      Also, in the 1950's I had on-going stomach pain, so they did an x-ray.  They saw I had three kidneys, (two on the right and one on the left).  Since that time, they were always doing IVP dye cat scans to see that nothing was going wrong.  in my opinion, all those years of cat scans and dyes may have started something. My docs have no opinion of what could have started the kidney cancer.  They think it is just luck of the draw.  I do not.

      I'm glad you feel good about what you are doing.  It is so refreshing to hear this.  I think the mind is a wonderful thing...and to be able to visualize wellness is an absolute gift.  It gives us hope when there doesn't seem to be an abundance of it.

      Thanks again for taking an interest in me.  Keep doing well.

      Nancy

    • Ozzie0
      Ozzie0 joy47826

      Posted

      Actually, the kidney surgeon said it was OK to take 400 mg of mag every other day.  But from what I read on the internet, I don't think I believe him...but I'm doing it anyway.  I need to have these heart irregularities stop.

      When you mentioned the kidney group there...is 'there' in England?

    • joy47826
      joy47826 Ozzie0

      Posted

      Well, there is a kidney group on this forum, just go into the groups and find it....then there are support groups for everything it seems today....I even found a support group to ask about ibuprofen use back a while ago....If you are in the U.S. and I don't know, but you could just google:  Kidney issues support groups

      And even do a google:  can I take magnesium if I have kidney cancer or 

      can I take magnesium if I have kidney issues. 

      yahoo has a group for so many health issues, I'm on a couple.  J 

    • joy47826
      joy47826 Ozzie0

      Posted

      I've heard a lot about the dangers of cat scans...I've had 2 MRI's in my life both after hip replacement mess, but would avoid the catscan.   Sounds pretty connecting to me, docs would NEVER admit any wrong doings...they push mamms like crazy, did you see my thread here on mammography.... J
    • Ozzie0
      Ozzie0 joy47826

      Posted

      You are so right!  I'll go look for your thread on mammography.
    • suzanne00
      suzanne00 Ozzie0

      Posted

      Hi Nancy--I'm so sorry to hear about all of the medical issues and problems that you have been going through in your life.  I'm am sending warm feelings your way and hoping for your continued health.  All my best to you!  --Suzanne
  • joy47826
    joy47826

    Posted

    Just got a message from a friend who is very involved in holistic healing and she deals with ME and she takes 1:1 cal/mag as her chiro who muscle tests says this is a good ratio for her.....1000mg  cal and 1000mg mag.

    One of the best forms of calcium I've found and other friends put me onto this is calcium hydroxyapatite and I take 500mg of this one daily....do a search on it's absorption.    I've used this one and also trade off on a food based calcium ... gotta make sure one is getting the best calcium quality. 

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