Equipping People To Make Sense Of What They Are Told
Because of the interaction between phosphate and magnesium ions, magnesium ions are
essential to the basic nucleic acid chemistry of life, therefore, are essential to
the cells of all known living organisms.
Over 300 enzymes require the presence of magnesium ions for their catalytic action,
including all enzymes utilising or synthesising ATP, or those that use other nucleotides
to synthesise DNA and RNA. ATP exists in cells normally as a chelate of ATP and a
magnesium ion.
Magnesium is a vital component of a healthy human diet. Low levels of magnesium in
the body has been associated with the development of a number of human illnesses
such as:
Asthma.
Diabetes.
Osteoporosis.
Serum magnesium levels may appear normal even in cases of underlying intracellular
deficiency, although no known mechanism maintains a homeostatic level in the blood
other than renal excretion of high blood levels. Intracellular magnesium is correlated
with intracellular potassium.
Magnesium is absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, and more is absorbed when status
is low. Magnesium appears to facilitate calcium absorption.
Low and high protein intake inhibit magnesium absorption, and other factors such
as phosphate, phytate, and fat affect absorption.
Involved in:
Assists with the formation of bone and teeth and assists the absorption of calcium
and potassium.
Assists in controlling blood pressure.
Assists the parathyroid gland to process vitamin D.
Assists with enzyme activity.
Cellular metabolism.
Muscle tone of the heart.
Relaxing the muscles (calcium stimulates the muscle).
The production of energy.
Best taken with calcium, Iron, vitamin B group and vitamin E.
Food sources: Coffee, Cocoa, Dark green leafy vegetables - Legumes - Nuts - Shellfish
- Whole grain.
Some people under stress may have low magnesium levels, indicating that magnesium
may be beneficial to those under stress.
An important element in all known forms of life. Inorganic phosphorus has a major
role in biological molecules such as DNA and RNA where it forms part of the structural
framework of these molecules. Living cells also use phosphate to transport cellular
energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Nearly every cellular process
that uses energy obtains it in the form of ATP. ATP is important for phosphorylation,
a key regulatory event in cells.
Phospholipids are the main structural components of all cellular membranes.
Calcium phosphate salts assist in stiffening bones.
Involved in:
Assists Bone and teeth formation.
Assists most metabolic actions in the body (kidney functioning, cell growth, contraction
of the heart muscle etc).
Deficiency may result in:
Fatigue
Cramping legs
Muscle weakness
Slow reflexes
Acne
Dry skin
Mood changes
Irregular heartbeat.
Food sources - Dairy - Fish - Meat - Poultry.
Best with vitamin D and A , iron, manganese and protein as well as unsaturated fatty
acids.
