I often ask people if they are taking magnesium and I get the reply, I take a tablet. Unfortunately most tablet Magnesium is poor quality and the dose is too low to create a desire effect.
Cardiovascular Consequences of Magnesium Deficiency
Hypertension – Magnesium is intricately involved in the relaxation capacity of vascular smooth muscle cells as well as the regulation of the cellular organisation of other cations important for maintenance of healthy blood pressure. Magnesium depletion can also result in endothelial dysfunction and impair the release of nitric oxide from the coronary endothelium. Since nitric oxide is also an inhibitor of platelet aggregation, magnesium supplementation may be a promising therapy in the treatment of hypertension and atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis and Calcification – Magnesium deficiency can lead to calcifications in the heart, liver and skeletal muscles. Magnesium depletion also increases inflammatory processes in connective tissue throughout the body, which is a key driver of plaque development and progression.
Arrhythmias – Magnesium deficiency reduces the activity of sodium-potassium-ATPase, leading to higher levels of sodium and calcium and lower levels of magnesium and potassium in the heart. This increases vasoconstriction in the coronary arteries, which can induce coronary artery spasms, myocardial infarction and arrhythmias.
Coronary artery disease – Numerous studies indicate an increased rate of death from heart disease in low-magnesium drinking water (soft water) areas. Treatment with magnesium has been shown to inhibit thrombus formation, supress platelet aggravation and inhibit arterial thrombi after vascular injury.
