Magnesium may be called the body’s “master mineral” but it doesn’t get nearly enough attention. Magnesium is involved in more than 300 essential metabolic reactions yet national surveys of American’s dietary habits estimate that 45% of us are deficient in this important mineral.

Why You Need Magnesium

Magnesium plays important roles in the structure and function of the human body. Much of the magnesium, about 60%, is found in the skeleton and about 27% is in muscle. The remainder is found in other cells or fluids. Here’s just a few of the processes that rely on magnesium:

• Metabolism of carbohydrates and fats to produce energy
• Creation of proteins, components of muscles, bones, skin and hair
• Activation of enzyme reactions
• Synthesis of glutathione – the body’s principal antioxidant that protects cells
• Structural component of bones, cell membranes and chromosomes
• Movement of other minerals across cell membranes which affect nerve impulses, muscle contraction and normal heart rhythm.
• Cell-signaling which impacts many other processes including the secretion of hormones that regulate metabolism

Deficiency Symptoms

When deficient in magnesium, it may affect:

• Calcium uptake and utilization
• Cardiovascular health
• Energy levels resulting in increased fatigue
• Muscle strength and stamina
• Gastrointestinal health
• Mood, memory and cognitive function
• Blood pressure levels
• Blood sugar metabolism
• Respiratory health
• Balance and equilibrium
• Potassium uptake and utilization

Sources and Supplements

If magnesium is so important, why are almost half of us not getting enough from our diet? There are multiple reasons ranging from changing dietary habits to modern farming techniques that have stripped the soil of many minerals.

Current recommended magnesium intakes for adults 31 and older is 420 mg for men and 320 mg for women. However, many experts think our magnesium levels should be twice that amount.

The highest dietary sources of magnesium include:

Bran cereal – ½ cup provides about 93 mg
Brown rice – 1 cup cooked delivers 86 mg
Almonds – one ounce (23 almonds) contains 78 mg
Spinach – ½ cup frozen chopped provides 78 mg
Swiss chard – ½ cup cooked has about 75 mg
Lima beans – ½ cup cooked contains about 63 mg
Peanuts – 1 ounce delivers about 48 mg

To fill in any nutritional gaps, magnesium supplements come in a variety of forms including citrate, gluconate and amino acid chelates which may be more absorbable and utilized by your body.

Sources:

Linus Pauling Institute
Natural Society

CNCA Health recently added six new products to its expanding lineup of premium dietary supplements. The full list is below, but since this is Heart Month, we would like to shine a light on one in particular, Hawthorn Extract, because of its long history of support for cardiovascular health.

The traditional use of Hawthorn (Crataegus species) dates back to the 1st century. But it’s only in the last century—with the aid of chemical analysis and clinical research—that we have a better understanding of how and why Hawthorn is effective.

The common, thorny shrub that grows in many parts of the world contains powerful antioxidant flavonoids including oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes (OPCs) and quercetin that support blood flow and help protect the cardiovascular system from free radical damage.

Modern preparations of Hawthorn Extract use the leaves and flowers of the plant as they contain more flavonoids than the berries or other parts of the plant. CNCA Hawthorn Extract is standardized to contain 1.8-2% flavonoids per 450 mg capsule.

Other new products:

5HTP (5-Hydroxytriptophan) – is a metabolite of tryptophan, an amino acid found in turkey, milk and some greens. It acts on the brain and central nervous system by promoting the production of the hormone serotonin. Serotonin levels can affect learning, mood, sleep, appetite and pain sensation.

Acidophilus/Bifidobacter/FOS – this probiotic contains two “friendly bacteria” that promote healthy intestinal flora, digestion and nutrient absorption. This formula also includes natural sugars called fructooligosaccharides (FOS) which provide a food source for the bacteria.

Bromelain – is an enzyme in pineapples that helps digest proteins and also supports healthy inflammatory balance.

Genistein – A phytoestrogen in soy, genistein acts on estrogen receptors to support hormone balance. Genistein has antioxidant properties that promote normal cell function, support immune system function and bone marrow health.

Magnesium Citrate – In addition to Magnesium Glycinate, CNCA Health now offers a citrate form of magnesium. In addition to supporting healthy bones and muscle function, the citrate form also promotes bowel regularity.

CNCA Quality Promise

As with all of our products, the newest additions meet our high quality standards for purity, potency and authenticity and are backed by our 30-day guarantee.

Sources:

University of Maryland Medical Center

Linus Pauling Institute

Medical News Today

University of Maryland Medical Center

Linus Pauling Institute

When a recent study reported that calcium may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, the ensuing wave of concern and controversy was inevitable. For millions of older men and women taking calcium to help maintain bone mass, the study caused undue alarm and a flurry of calls to doctors asking, “Should I stop taking calcium?”

Before you consider tossing your calcium supplements, you should know that there are some serious flaws in the design of this study--even the study authors acknowledge these defects.

Problems with Study Design

As the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) points out, the original study wasn’t designed to measure cardiovascular events. Consequently, confounding factors were not equally distributed across the study groups, which resulted in misleading results.

For example, the calcium supplement group had a population with a greater incidence of high cholesterol at baseline, and also included more smokers who were more likely to smoke for a longer duration. (The association between smoking and heart disease is well-established.)

Also, the data on calcium intakes was incomplete. Study participants did not always provide the supplement brand name or dosage on food questionnaires so calcium intakes from supplements were inaccurate. Also dietary changes over time which affect total calcium consumption were not calculated.

In addition, calcium intake does not equal calcium absorption in the gut. Many factors can affect calcium absorption and utilization—including age, medical conditions and the presence of other nutrients necessary to use calcium in the body. So, drawing any associations between calcium intakes and CVD outcomes without accounting for these factors would be unreliable.

Taken together, these shortcomings in the study design render the association between calcium intake and increased risk of CVD questionable at best.

Inconsistent Results

The flawed study design may explain why the study findings were inconsistent.

Greater dairy calcium intake—that is milk, cheese or ice cream and not supplements—actually had a significantly lower risk of heart attacks. However they found no link between either calcium supplements or food-based calcium intake and strokes or overall cardiovascular disease death. But they did find a link for heart attacks.

Sorting it Out

The bottom line is this: you need calcium at every stage of life, but it is particularly important as you get older as there is a greater risk of falls and fractures due to weak bones. Removing calcium supplements from your diet could put you at an even greater risk for these kinds of problems.

Nutrition experts advise consumers to be aware of how much calcium you get from your diet and then supplement with calcium if needed.

For best utilization, calcium--whether obtained through diet or supplements--should be consumed in small divided doses.

Also, calcium needs other nutrients including vitamins, protein and minerals--primarily magnesium--to be absorbed by your bones. This is why good bone-building supplement formulas contain vitamin D and vitamin K and the correct ratio of calcium to magnesium. The current ratio is 2 to 1 with newer evidence pointing to a 1 to 1 ratio.

If you do take a calcium-only supplement, most medical experts recommend that you take it with meals rather than in isolation.

As with any supplement, speak with your doctor or other healthcare practitioner to determine your own personal needs.

Sources:

Heart

Council for Responsible Nutrition

New Hope 360

Drug Store News

Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism

Since it’s National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month, we thought we’d do our part to start a conversation about bone health--and dispel a few myths about osteoporosis.

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, the key to preventing osteoporosis and maintaining your independence as you get older is taking these five steps—and the sooner you start, the better:

1. Know Your Family History: Speak with your parents and grandparents about your family history of osteoporosis and share this information with your doctor.

2. Know Other Risk Factors: Take steps to eliminate avoidable risk factors and/or reduce their impact.

• Being female
• Infrequent menstrual periods/low estrogen levels
• Low body weight
• Poor nutrition
• Inadequate exercise
• Smoking and drinking alcohol
• Certain medications and medical conditions can affect bone density. Speak with your doctor about ways to minimize these risks.

3. Get Enough Bone-Building Nutrients: While calcium is considered the primary constituent of healthy bones, many other nutrients like vitamin D and magnesium are necessary to promote calcium absorption and utilization. Other trace minerals and vitamins also play a role in healthy bones.

Be sure you eat a balanced diet which includes five servings of fruits and vegetables every day and at least five ounces of lean protein daily.

Daily Calcium and Vitamin D Recommendations

Women

• Under age 50 need a total of 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium* and 400-800 international units (IUs) of vitamin D every day.
• Age 50 and older need a total of 1,200 mg of calcium* and 800-1,000 international units (IUs) of vitamin D every day.

Men

• Under age 50 need a total of 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium* and 400-800 IUs of vitamin D every day.
• Age 50-70 need a total of 1,000 mg of calcium* and 800-1,000 IUs of vitamin D every day.
• Age 71 and older need a total of 1,200 mg of calcium* and 800-1,000 IUs of vitamin D every day.

*This includes the total amount of calcium you get from both food and supplements.

4. Get Enough Exercise : Just as your muscles get bigger and stronger when you use them, bones get stronger and denser when you make them work. And “work” for bones means handling impact, the weight of your body or more resistance such as lifting weights.

To help build or maintain bone mass, weight-bearing exercises (walking, elliptical machine, dancing) should be done for a total of 30 minutes on most days of the week.

• Aim for 30 minutes at one time or break it up during the day. For example, 3 sessions for 10 minutes each will provide the same benefits to your bones as one 30-minute session.
• If you can’t fit 10 minutes in, spread your impact exercises throughout your day by taking the stairs or by parking farther from the store or work.

Muscle-strengthening exercises (lifting weights or using resistance bands) should be done two to three days per week.

• Try to do one exercise for each major muscle group for a total of 8-12 different exercises.
• Try to do one or two sets of 8 to 10 repetitions for each exercise. For example, if you lift a weight 10 times in a row and then stop, you have completed one set of 10 repetitions. You should also rest for about 30 seconds to one minute between each set.
• If you can’t do 8 repetitions in a row, the weight is too heavy or resistance is too much.
• If you can do more than 10 repetitions in a row, you may want to increase the weight or resistance.
• If you have osteoporosis or are frail, you may want to do 10 to 15 repetitions of a lighter weight to prevent injury.

5. Get Tested : If you are a woman who has reached menopause or a man age 50-55, speak with your doctor about when you should have your first bone density test. Depending on your individual health history and other risk factors, you may have this test as early as age 50 or as late as age 70.

Osteoporosis Myths:

I don’t have to worry about osteoporosis, I feel fine. You can’t feel your bones becoming weaker. You could have osteoporosis now or be at risk without realizing it.

I’m a man, osteoporosis is a woman’s health issue. While osteoporosis is common among white women, men and women of all races and ethnicities can develop the disease. Up to one in four men over the age of 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis.

I’m too young to worry about osteoporosis, I’m only 25. Up to 90 percent of peak bone mass is acquired by age 18 in girls and age 20 in boys, which makes youth the best time to build strong bones to last a lifetime. Also, osteoporosis can also strike at any age.

Osteoporosis is an inevitable part of aging. This may have been the view 30 years ago, but today researchers know how you can protect your bones throughout your life.

You’re never too young or too old to improve the health of your bones. Osteoporosis prevention should begin in childhood, but it shouldn’t stop there. Whatever your age, the habits you adopt now can affect your bone health for the rest of your life.

Source:

National Osteoporosis Foundation

If you’re like most Americans you grew up eating PB&J. It is estimated that children consume about 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches by the time they graduate high school. But the love of peanut butter knows no age limit as 89 percent of households in this country consume it regularly.

Despite it’s popularity, there seems to be some debate about whether it’s really good for you. Some call peanut butter a superfood, while others believe it’s too high in fat and calories to be healthy. We’ll give you the facts and let you decide.

What is Peanut Butter?

By law, any product labeled "peanut butter" in the United States must be comprised of at least 90 percent peanuts. Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, a physician wanting to help patients eat more plant-based protein, patented his procedure for making peanut butter in 1895.

Benefits of Peanut Butter:

• Peanut butter is a good source of vitamin E, vitamin B6, folate, niacin, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, zinc, copper, and manganese – which are vitamins and minerals essential for our body’s strength and health.
• Peanut butter is chock-full of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. A recent study found that insulin-resistant adults who ate a diet high in monounsaturated fat had less belly fat than people who ate more carbohydrates or saturated fat.
• Peanut butter is naturally cholesterol-free and trans-fat free.
• Peanut butter has been found to contain phytochemicals (or plant chemicals), which are thought to be beneficial to health. In fact, resveratrol, a phytochemical that is also found in grapes and red wine, is present in peanuts and peanut butter.
• Peanut butter is an excellent source of protein, which your body needs to keep your muscles, skin, bones and other tissues healthy.
• Peanut butter can help you lose weight. It has the enviable combination of fiber (2 g per serving) and protein (8 g per serving) that fills you up and keeps you feeling full longer, so you eat less overall.
• Research shows that eating peanuts can decrease your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic health conditions.
• Once study found that consuming 1 ounce of nuts or peanut butter (about 2 tablespoons) at least 5 days a week can lower the risk of developing diabetes by almost 30%.

How to Buy the Best

Most brands have about the same amount of fat and calories, but there are some other factors such as sodium, sugar and fat-substitutes that make some a better pick.

• Look for brands that contain about 40-60 mg of sodium per 2-tablespoon serving. Too much sodium can mask the peanut flavor.
• Natural brands usually have 1-2 grams of sugar per serving—that’s about half as much as commercial brands. If you are using peanut butter for making savory sauces like satay or combining with a sweet ingredient like jelly, you can save a few calories by choosing an unsweetened brand.
• Choose natural or organic brands for the best peanut flavor.

A Little Goes a Long Way

At about 190 calories for 2 tablespoons, the only potential downside to peanut butter is its calorie count. So, watch your portion sizes and savor every gooey bite.
For more information about the health benefits of nuts, read our Healthy Tips article about the top five healthiest nuts

Sources:

Prevention

Associated Content

National Peanut Board

LiveStrong

When it comes to building and maintaining strong bones as we age, we hear a lot about getting enough calcium and vitamin D. But research suggests that many other nutrients are also beneficial for bone health. Here they are along with some good food sources:

• Magnesium – About 60% of the magnesium in our bodies is found in our bones. Studies suggest that magnesium may improve bone mineral density, and not getting enough may interfere with our ability to process calcium. Sources:  Green Leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale, potatoes, nuts, seeds and whole grains.  Smaller amounts are found in bananas, broccoli, raisins and shrimp
• Phosphorous -- Phosphorus is a component of every cell in our bodies and supports building bone and other tissue during growth. About 85% of the phosphorus in our bodies is found in our bones. Sources:  milk, yogurt, cheese, peas, meat, eggs and some cereals.
• Boron – may enhance calcium absorption. Sources:  Avocado, nuts, peanut butter, prune juice.
• Protein -- We use protein to build tissue during growth and to repair and replace tissue throughout life. We also need protein to help heal fractures. Sources:  Complete protein comes from animal sources including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt. Incomplete protein comes from plant sources including legumes, grains, nuts, seeds and vegetables.
• Potassium -- The role of potassium in bone health relates to the ability of potassium salts to neutralize bone-depleting metabolic acids. Sources:  Milk, yogurt, chicken, turkey, fish, many fruits such as bananas, raisins and cantaloupe, and many vegetables such as celery, carrots, potatoes and tomatoes.

The following vitamins and minerals help certain enzymes and local regulators function properly which in turn helps our bodies form the optimal bone matrix or structure for bone strength. More...

Just when you thought the FDA was done with warnings about prescription proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), the agency recently issued a new one alerting consumers that magnesium levels may drop with the long-term use of this drug class.

The warning was prompted by a review of 61 cases from medical literature and the agency's Adverse Event Reporting System that noted a possible link between PPIs like Prevacid and Nexium and hypomagnesemia when taking them, in many cases, for longer than a year.

Low magnesium levels in the bloodstream can be a serious problem for patients, helping to trigger seizures, muscle spasms and arrhythmias, as well as those taking a PPI with medicines like digoxin, used to treat heart failure or an irregular heartbeat.

You'd assume taking a magnesium supplement could lessen the problems PPIs create, as it's often prescribed, according to the FDA. Three caveats worth mentioning:

• Have a doctor check your magnesium levels with a simple blood test before starting a PPI for the long-term.
• Magnesium supplementation didn't work about 25 percent of the time, forcing patients to stop taking their heartburn drug.
• Be careful about the quality of the magnesium supplement you're taking.

FDA.gov March 2, 2011

CardiologyToday.com March 4, 2011

MSNBC March 2, 2011

A recent review found three of 12 magnesium supplements selected by researchers at ConsumerLab.org for testing failed to meet minimum quality standards. Two of the products identified contained less than 50 percent of the magnesium spelled out on the labeling and a third was contaminated with lead.

Among the name brands tested by ConsumerLab.org were ones produced by Life Extension, Nature's Bounty, Equaline, Puritan's Pride and Vitamin World.

Also compared in the report are variances among such chemical forms as magnesium oxide, amino acid chelates, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium gluconate and magnesium citrate.

You can read more about supplement quality issues here.

ConsumerLab.com May 19, 2009

NPI Center May 20, 2009