Natural Supplements For Allergies: Magnesium

Magnesium
A cofactor in more than 300 enzymatic reactions involving energy and nerve function, magnesium stimulates adrenal and immune function, relaxes smooth muscles, and serves as a natural bronchodilator and antihistamine. Numerous studies prove that intravenous administration of magnesium can stop acute asthma attacks when conventional drugs have failed.

In one study, ten children suffering from acute asthma attacks (peak expiratory flow averaged at less than 60%) were treated with an intravenous infusion of up to 2 g of magnesium, while a control group of ten received a saline placebo. None of the patients had responded to earlier conventional treatment with beta-2 agonists or corticosteroids. Thirty minutes after treatment, the magnesium group experienced significant improvement in peak expiratory flow and a great reduction in asthma symptoms, compared to the control group. This improvement persisted for at least 90 minutes following treatment. Inhaled magnesium(3 mL) has also proved as effective as nebulized salbutamol (a conventional drug) in blocking bronchial constriction in severe asthma attacks.

Oral supplementation of magnesium is also useful in minimizing asthma symptoms. In a double-blinded, controlled study conducted at City Hospital in Nottingham, England, researchers placed 17 asthmatic subjects on a low-magnesium diet for a week, after which they administered oral magnesium supplements (400 mg daily) to some subjects while treating the rest with placebo tablets. A week later, the researchers provoked all subjects with an asthma-inducing irritant. The magnesium-treated group experienced a significant reduction in asthma symptoms compared to the placebo group.

Conventional asthma drugs, especially glucocorticoids (prednisone, hydrocortisone, etc.) have been shown to disrupt magnesium absorption, leading to magnesium deficiency in asthmatics. Magnesium deficiency can cause anxiety, muscle tremors, confusion, irritability, and pain. Processed food or foods cooked at high temperatures can be depleted of their magnesium content.

Food sources: tofu, nuts and seeds, and green leafy vegetables, especially kale, seaweed, and chlorophyll. Supplements: magnesium is absorbed well when taken as an oral supplement and will increase the measurable levels inside red and white blood cells. Magnesium glycinate, fumarate, or citrate are usually better absorbed with less of a laxative effect. Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate), an old-fashioned remedy, is an excellent addition to a bath, but has a strong laxative effect if taken as an oral supplement. RDA: 400 mg; therapeutic dose: 500-1,000 mg. Precautions: very high doses of magnesium (30,000 mg) may be dangerous if kidney disease is present. Doses of 400 mg or higher may produce a laxative effect, causing diarrhea.



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