Matol Calcium & Magnesium
Much More Than Healthy Bones and Teeth
by Georges Morisset, Pht
Matol's Health & Nutrition Board

Calcium and magnesium, two alkaline minerals, play vital roles in maintaining our health each in their own way. We have long known calcium's essential role in the formation and maintenance of bones and teeth and in reducing the risk of fractures, particularly among the aged and those at risk of or suffering from osteoporosis. More than 75 million adults suffer from this disease in Europe, North America and Japan.

What many people do not know is calcium's equally important role in regulating the heart rate, transmitting nerve impulses between the brain and the organs, and preventing muscle cramps. Another littleknown but well-documented fact is that calcium is involved in the activation of several enzymes including lipase, which breaks down grease during digestion.

An article published recently in Pediatrics reports that about 30% of boys and 10% of girls in North America consume the recommended daily intake of 1300 mg a day. The daily North American average for 9 to 18 year olds is estimated at less than 850 mg. Yet, bone development reaches its maximum rate at the age of 12 for girls and 14 for boys.

Similarly, average daily consumption among North American adults is around 743 mg a day whereas our daily needs vary between 1200 and 1600 mg a day, in maximum doses of 500 mg, since our bodies cannot absorb more than that at one time.

You should also know that magnesium and vitamin D must be taken together with calcium for it to be absorbed by the bone cells.

Something New for Type 2 Diabetes
A survey recently published in Diabetic Care, reveals that a dose of 1200 mg of calcium combined with 800 IU of vitamin D can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes by 33%. If only the over 20 million North Americans diagnosed with type 2 diabetes had known.

Magnesium Helps Prevent Cardiovascular Disease and Reduces Inflammation
In recent years, many discoveries about the beneficial effects of magnesium have brought it out of calcium's shadow. Magnesium is now recognized as the most important mineral in the human body.

Magnesium is involved in more than 350 biochemical processes that ensure the proper functioning of the cells in our muscles, nerves, organs and bones. Its most important role is in preventing cardiovascular disease. It is estimated that if all North Americans regularly took magnesium supplements, deaths related to cardiovascular disease, our number one killer, would decrease by approximately 150,000 a year!

Magnesium relaxes and dilates blood vessels, improves blood circulation and lowers blood pressure. This action can prevent spasms in the heart and coronary arteries, a wellknown cause of angina and heart attacks. It also eliminates cardiac arrhythmia, helps prevent blood clots and protects against damage caused by free radicals.

It has very recently been discovered that magnesium also helps reduce the development of inflammation, an important risk factor for heart disease.

Help for Those Suffering from Migraines and Asthma
Around 36 million North Americans who suffer from vascular migraines can hope for a marked reduction in their pain if they take magnesium. The facts are there: 50% of those suffering from migraines have a magnesium deficit. Magnesium relieves asthma by relaxing bronchial muscles and helps keep respiratory paths open. Asthmatics, take note.

To Prevent Disease and Suffering
Get your daily ration of magnesium to prevent nocturnal cramps or restless leg syndrome, reduce the risk of colon cancer or kidney stones, maintain bone density, protect against periodontal disease, and help in the recovery of sensorineural hearing after sudden loss. Remember the important role magnesium plays in the production of energy and maintaining the pH balance, its effect as a muscular relaxant, its contribution to regulating normal body temperature, its work escorting toxins through the liver and, last but not least, its essential role in preventing constipation. Despite all these benefits, the figures demonstrate that 50% to 90% of North Americans have a magnesium deficiency. Average consumption is estimated to be 200 mg a day while the recommended dose is 600 mg. You can draw your own conclusions!

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