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AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER
JULY 12, 2019
ASK DR. KARP
help people prioritize their nutrition concerns so you don’t start worrying about everything. Over-worrying about diet and nutrition usually leads to taking vitamin, mineral or herbal supplements as “insurance.” Avoid going down this path. Is magnesium deficiency a big problem in the US? The simple answer is, “no.” Generally, it is not a nutrient that you need to be concerned about if you are otherwise healthy and eating a variety of food. If you have certain diseases or conditions, like kidney disease, for example, your magnesium intake Ryleigh from Appling, becomes a medical concern GA, writes: “I am won- and then is more important to monitor. Also, some peodering if I have a mag- ple with diabetes can be at nesium deficiency. I eat risk for magnesium deficienlots of foods rich in mag- cy. On the other hand, there are people who take magnenesium, but I didn’t see sium supplements because it listed on the results of of all the pseudo-scientific “buzz” about magnesium on my annual physical social media and its relaexamination blood tionship to vague claims like work. Is it possible that “decreases inflammation,” “reduces Alzheimer’s risk,” I need a magnesium or “cuts chronic disease supplement?” risk.” Like most urban or so Great question, Ryleigh. cial media “factoids,” yes, Magnesium deficiencies are there is some published data rare because magnesium is showing that magnesium present in so many foods. I might be related to the inalways feel that one of the creased occurrence of chronmajor roles I can play is to ic disease. However, there
NO NONSENSE
NUTRITION
is not an overwhelming or decisive amount of evidence at this time. Therefore, there is presently NO recommendation that normal, healthy people take magnesium supplements to reduce or prevent the risk of chronic diseases, like heart disease, stroke or Alzheimer’s. Here is my advice about evaluating whether you need to take a magnesium supplement. If, for some reason, you are concerned about your magnesium levels, then discuss this with your physician. A blood test may be ordered to measure your blood magnesium level. Blood magnesium is not routinely measured in the usual physical examination blood workup (which is why it wasn’t listed in your results), so it has to be specifically requested. Then, if the results of the test show
below normal blood magnesium levels and this information complements what your physician is finding on clinical examination, magnesium might be a concern for you. The first advice would always be to get it from food. However, your physician might recommend magnesium supplements, as a “catch-up,” and then once your blood levels are in the normal range, simply getting the magnesium you need from the food you eat. The idea of taking magnesium just for the heck of it, i.e., to make you “healthier,” is faulty thinking and fraught with problems, including magnesium toxicity or interference of the magnesium supplement with the absorption of other nutrients. It is never a good idea to take a supplement for the general idea it will make you health-
ier. Rather, you need to be a partner with your physician and base health decisions on your personal clinical and laboratory data. Are you showing the signs and symptoms of a magnesium deficiency, like loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and weakness? Are your blood magnesium levels low and do these low levels back up your physician’s clinical findings? If your physician does suggest a supplement, the soluble magnesium salts are generally more bioavailable. These magnesium salts include the aspartate, citrate, lactate, and chloride forms. These forms of magnesium may be absorbed more completely and are thought to be more bioavailable than either magnesium oxide or magnesium sulfate. What’s the “No-Nonsense Nutrition” advice for today? Don’t make personal health decisions based on general recommendations. General recommendations are guidelines, not rules to apply directly to you. What you need to do is see how those general recommendations apply to you, based on your very own, specific, clinical and laboratory findings. Personalizing recommendations is always the way to go. +
Have a question about food, diet or nutrition? Post or private message your question on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/AskDrKarp) or email your question to askdrkarp@gmail.com If your question is chosen for a column, your name will be changed to insure your privacy. Warren B. Karp, Ph.D., D.M.D., is Professor Emeritus at Augusta University. He has served as Director of the Nutrition Consult Service at the Dental College of Georgia and is past Vice Chair of the Columbia County Board of Health. You can find out more about Dr. Karp and the download site for the public domain eBook, Nutrition for Smarties, at www.wbkarp.com Dr. Karp obtains no funding for writing his columns, articles, or books, and has no financial or other interests in any food, book, nutrition product or company. His interest is only in providing freely available, evidenced-based, scientific nutrition knowledge and education. The information is for educational use only; it is not meant to be used to diagnose, manage or treat any patient or client. Although Dr. Karp is a Professor Emeritus at Augusta University, the views and opinions expressed here are his and his alone and do not reflect the views and opinions of Augusta University or anyone else.
Dr. Karp
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