When I trained, one of the most important differences in my nutritional learning to other types was the levels of magnesium and calcium in the body. In most cases, nutritionists will give you a ratio of 2:1 calcium to magnesium BUT the truth is that most people have far too little magnesium and far too much calcium. You can’t process the calcium without enough of the co-factors – and the core one is magnesium.
Over the years, this has borne out. The vast majority of people I see show magnesium deficiency signs rather than calcium ones.
Dr Osborne at the Gluten Free Society has just posted a fab video all about the causes and signs of magnesium deficiency, which is pretty much what I would say to you.
He lists some of the most common magnesium deficiency signs as depression, blood thickness, arterial constriction, bone loss, muscle twitching and pain, and high cholesterol. He makes the point well, too, that most of the meds given for these conditions cause yet more nutritional deficiencies so our best bet is to make sure our lifestyle and diet is not depleting us in the first place. Sound advice.
He also suggests you get what is called a Spectra intracell test to check levels as serum (blood) testing for magnesium is not that reliable. I would agree there and am trying to source the best nutritional deficiency tests currently to offer you. Spectracell is not available in the UK yet, but is if you are in the US. I am pleading with Spectracell, the US company who does this type of testing, currently and will let you know the outcome for us here in the UK.
Meantime, check out the magnesium blog post on the site. Hope you find it useful.
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