Magnesium: General Health Benefits and Use in Treating TMJ

Basics

Magnesium is essential for life. Over 300 biochemical processes are dependent on magnesium. It is crucial for energy production (ATP), DNA and RNA synthesis, reproduction, and protein synthesis, muscular contraction, blood pressure regulation, insulin metabolism, cardiac excitability, vasomotor tone, nerve transmission, and neuromuscular conduction. (1) Specifically, it is critical for 16 classes of enzymes, 2 cell membrane functions, 3 functions as a calcium antagonist, and 5 structural tasks. (2) I can’t stress enough how important it is to make sure you get adequate amounts of this wonder-mineral.

Sources

Drinking water supplies ten percent of our magnesium. (3) The best source is green vegetables due to chlorophyll, which contains large amounts of magnesium. (4) Many other foods contain magnesium, dairy being the exception. (5) Despite the number of foods containing magnesium, the majority of Americans are deficient. (6) The RDA for magnesium is 420 mg for men and 320 mg for females. (7)

Metabolism and Testing

Cells contain the majority of magnesium. Most magnesium is bound to the principal mineral of bone called hydroxyapatite. The bones release magnesium when needed, causing the amount detectable in the blood to remain reasonably constant. Intestinal absorption is not directly proportional to magnesium intake but is dependent mainly on magnesium status. The lower the magnesium level, the more of this element is absorbed in the gut. Thus relative magnesium absorption is high when intake is low and vice versa. The kidneys regulate magnesium levels through excretion. The organ can conserve magnesium during magnesium deprivation by reducing its discharge; on the other hand, rapid excretion in cases of excess intake is healthy. (8) For this reason, blood tests rarely indicate whether a person is deficient. (9) There are more advanced tests available that are beyond the scope of this discussion.

Low Magnesium

Typically, Lower serum levels are observed after endurance exercises and also during the third trimester of pregnancy. (10,11)  Conditions associated with hypomagnesemia include alcoholism, poorly-controlled diabetes, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, short bowel syndrome, endocrine disturbances, and kidney disease.  

Many common drugs, including antibiotics, chemotherapeutic agents, diuretics, and proton pump inhibitors, can cause magnesium loss. (12,13)

Low magnesium status is known as hypomagnesemia. Alzheimer’s disease, asthma, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), insulin resistance, type-2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cardiovascular disease (e.g., stroke), migraine headaches, and osteoporosis are all associated with low magnesium status. (14) Because so many aspects of health hinge upon proper magnesium levels, I am going to spend some time going over some of the worse ones.

Problems Associated With Magnesium Deficiency

Energy

Breakdown and energetic utilization of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats (which takes place in the mitochondria in the form of ATP production) are dependent on magnesium.  Specifically, ATP exists primarily as a complex with magnesium. Magnesium inhibits calcium-induced cell death and contributes to the preservation of the mitochondria. (15)

Diabetes

Studies have shown a high prevalence of lower intracellular magnesium concentrations in diabetics. (16) Magnesium supplementation results in a significant improvement in fasting blood glucose and insulin sensitivity. (17)

Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension and atherosclerosis, are linked to low magnesium. High blood pressure is the most significant risk factor in cardiovascular disease, and magnesium tends to lower it. (18) As I mentioned earlier, magnesium is a natural calcium antagonist and improves blood pressure and peripheral blood flow. Its actions as an antihypertensive, antidysrhythmic, anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant agent can be of benefit in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. One 12 year study showed that those in the highest magnesium intake level had a 40% reduction in sudden cardiac death when compared to those in the low magnesium group. (19)

Migraines

Studies have found that patients with cluster headaches and classic or common migraine, especially menstrual migraine, have low levels of magnesium. A recent study demonstrated that attack frequency was reduced by 41.6% in those supplementing with magnesium. (20)

ADHD

A group of children given six months of magnesium supplementation with ADHD, demonstrated a significant decrease of hyperactivity, compared to their clinical state before supplementation and to a control group. (21)

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s patients in clinical and laboratory studies have decreased levels of magnesium in various tissues. Studies of rat models demonstrate that magnesium is neuroprotective and may show promise in treating those suffering from the disease. (22)

TMJ Disorders, Clenching, Grinding, Sleep, And Stress

I recommend magnesium as a general health aid. Specifically, I recommend it for my patients who are clenching and grinding their teeth. Since clenching and grinding are secondary to lack of restorative sleep, stress, and muscle tension, magnesium is ideal. First, it is an agonist of the calming neurotransmitter GABA. (23) The more GABA there is, the calmer you are. At the same time, magnesium is an antagonist of NMDA, which is an excitatory neurotransmitter. Magnesium inhibits your NMDA receptor, which drastically reduces excitability. (24) Magnesium helps relax muscles by regulating the membrane potential with calcium. Control of calcium influx at the cell membrane stabilizes the course of contractions and regulates muscle tone, causing relaxation. Melatonin (the sleep hormone) production is dependent on magnesium. As I have previously stated, grinding of the teeth is usually secondary to poor sleep. (25)

Supplementation

One of the products I prefer is called Natural Calm. I recommend one teaspoon in a glass of water before bed. Caution must be exercised as too much magnesium will act as a laxative. Due to the body's tight regulation of magnesium, there is little risk in overdosing. Magnesium supplementation may influence the absorption of tetracyclines, mycin and fluoroquinolone antibiotics, bisphosphonates, calcium channel blockers, and skeletal muscle relaxants, so you should consult with your physician before supplementing with magnesium. Renal failure can lead to hypermagnesemia, so you should not supplement in cases of kidney disease.

Summary

Since every system in the body depends on magnesium, you should make sure you are getting enough in your diet. You can use an app like My Fitness Pal or Chronometer to monitor your status for a week or two. Be aware that many common drugs can lower your magnesium without being detectable on a simple blood test. The most common ones are antibiotics, the stomach acid-lowering drugs called PPI’s, and blood pressure pills, among others. Underlying conditions like diabetes, ulcerative colitis, and kidney disease can also lead to low magnesium status. Magnesium supplementation is generally safe, but it can interfere with certain drugs. Also, some conditions can cause poor clearance of magnesium. You should always consult with your doctor before considering supplementation. If you think you are grinding your teeth, consult with your dentist first, as magnesium supplementation is more adjunctive treatment. In many cases, indications for adjusting the bite, orthodontics, or an occlusal guard take precedence.