Relationship between magnesium and hypertension
The Women’s Health Study is one of the most influential medical studies. This followed nearly 30,000 female health professionals who are over 45. It is still going now after 30 years.
One of the many observations is the relationship between magnesium and hypertension (high blood pressure).
The study showed that magnesium intake was inversely related to hypertension; that those with low magnesium had much higher chances of developing hypertension. Indeed, it seems as if magnesium can help many conditions including cramp, heart rhythm, mood, sleeping and many more.
This should not surprise because of the special role of magnesium in governing muscles and nerves. Calcium is the mineral that causes muscles to work and nerves to carry impulses. Magnesium helps return muscles and nerves to a resting state.
How does magnesium help hypertension? Our blood vessels have a special type of muscle called smooth muscle. Just as magnesium deficiency can cause cramp or tightness in our skeletal muscles, so low magnesium causes smooth muscle to lose its natural suppleness. This can impede blood flow and force the heart to pump harder to circulate blood.
The main mechanism is that magnesium is a powerful calcium channel blocker (many hypertension medications are calcium channel blockers). This allows the smooth muscle in blood vessels to relax thus allowing for enhanced blood flow.
The challenge is to get the right forms of magnesium in the right doses. My preference is to use three different forms of magnesium: Natural marine magnesium from seawater, well-proven magnesium citrate and probably the most effective, magnesium glycinate.
We then need to get the right doses. This is where one-a-day supplements can be difficult as you cannot modify the dose. My magnesium has a dosage range of 1-4 capsules so can be customised to a person’s needs.
Science buffs will know that magnesium and calcium are in the same column in the Periodic Table. It is unsurprising then that these two essential minerals control nerve and muscle function. In muscles, calcium dominates magnesium when muscles contract.
Magnesium should then dominate calcium in the relaxation stage. If magnesium is low, then calcium dominates both stages.
What this really means is that inadequate magnesium is a recipe for cramping, and stiff, sore and tired muscles. A tell-tale sign of low magnesium is muscle cramps, especially at night. We need to be aware that dehydration, low salt intake and some drugs, notably statins, can affect muscles.
While muscle cramps are uncomfortable, it is the effects of low magnesium on heart (cardiac) muscle that are frightening as it can affect electrical impulses and blood flow in the heart.
The best way to think about magnesium is its effects on ‘tubes’ in the body, especially blood vessels.
Our muscles contain tiny blood vessels that bring oxygen and nutrients to our muscles. With sufficient magnesium, our blood vessels should open (dilate) after contraction.
Low magnesium does the opposite whereby blood vessels narrow and can then spasm.
In our skeletal muscles, this can bring muscle tightness and cramp. In smooth muscle that lines our blood vessels, this can cause blood-flow restriction and can lead to hypertension.
It is not just blood vessels that are affected; it is our heart muscle, eyes, lungs, gastrointestinal tract and in women, their reproductive tracts. This is why magnesium is so helpful for PMS.
For people without symptoms, I recommend my multi-mineral/ vitamin/antioxidant complex as it includes magnesium. If you are symptomatic, I recommend adding my triple formula magnesium that combines marine magnesium, magnesium citrate and magnesium glycinate.
John Arts (B.soc.sci, Dip Tch, Adv. Dip.nut.med) is a nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health Ltd. For questions or advice contact John on 0800 423559 or email john@abundant.co.nz. Join his newsletter at www.abundant.co.nz.