Customer Reviews

The Miracle of Magnesium

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While I have long been interested in the mineral magnesium - because of personal health problems as well as my professional training in hospital dietetics - I have found no other book on the subject that describes in layperson language the complexity of magnesium metabolism and the many health problems related to magnesium deficiency, as well as does THE MIRACLE OF MAGNESIUM.

Laypeople need access to this information because most physicians fail to see the connection between magnesium deficiency and, for example, heart disease - America's No. 1 killer! Why? Physicians learn comparatively little about the body's essential minerals in medical college and only recently has an ACCURATE test for measuring body magnesium been made available. Most physicians depend on the serum test for magnesium, not dependable for measuring the ACTIVE form of magnesium. Dr. Dean explains that mineral testing has evolved from taking whole blood measurements to testing for cell minerals to testing for mineral ions, the active component of minerals working at the tissue level. She writes: "Every year for the past forty years" the two dedicated scientists who developed this test "have produced on average a dozen peer-reviewed journal articles on magnesium and ionic magnesium testing. Their research convinces even die-hard skeptics...of the clear need for magnesium supplementation and the absolute requirement for ACCURATE testing."

Health problems Dr. Dean lists as having been successfully treated with magnesium therapy include HEART ARRHYTHMIA, SEIZURES, HYPOGLYCEMIA, COLITIS, HEAVY METAL TOXICITY, ASTHMA, MIGRAINES and NERVE PROBLEMS. I have been diagnosed with each of them -- most before it was known they can be magnesium-deficiency symptoms.

Two years ago I was stricken with periods of rapid heartbeat - a form of HEART ARRHYTHMIA. At first I thought possibly my new anticonvulsant might be causing me to lose potassium since taking extra potassium slowed my fast pulse and when I no longer took potassium my frightening sieges of rapid pulse would periodically reoccur. So I asked my nutritionally-oriented physician if he could test for potassium "leakage". Luckily he knew that for potassium to function it needs sufficient magnesium, and he ordered a 24 hour urine test for potassium, magnesium and other minerals. The test indicated I was excreting excessive amounts of BOTH potassium and magnesium. Follow-up tests showed that while the magnesium in my white blood cells was LOW that the potassium in my red blood cells was NORMAL. Obviously not enough magnesium was reaching my cells. At that point my physician prescribed INTRAVENOUS magnesium, and the night following my first shot I slept better than I had in a long time!

Several months later, following publication of her book, I noticed that Dr. Dean had written: "....magnesium is responsible for maintaining normal potassium and sodium concentrations INSIDE HEART MUSCLE CELLS." She also said that a magnesium deficiency can result in one's having not only arrhythmia, seizures and convulsions but also muscle weakness. MUSCLE WEAKNESS! I recalled that muscle weakness is one of the four major side effects known to be caused by my new anticonvulsant -the anticonvulsant I started taking shortly before I was stricken with rapid-pulse arrhythmia! At the time, I only related muscular weakness to leg and arm muscles. But after reading what Dr. Dean wrote I wondered, "COULD LOW MAGNESIUM BE WEAKENING MY HEART MUSCLES?" It seemed to me that a heart muscle that was too weak to produce a strong beat might beat much more rapidly, trying to pump more blood.

Elsewhere in the book I read, "Magnesium expert Mildred Seelig tells us that the side effects of many drugs may be associated with magnesium deficiency because MAGNESIUM BECOMES DEPLETED WHILE THE BODY IS TRYING TO DETOXIFY DRUGS."

My physician had told me the anticonvulsant I had previously taken - marketed for many years and, therefore, better evaluated - depleted magnesium. Upon reading Dr. Seelig's statement I began to suspect that my new anticonvulsant might be causing my low magnesium level and the low magnesium, in turn, might be weakening my heart muscles and triggering periods of rapid pulse arrhythmia.

In addition to receiving magnesium IVs and taking oral supplements I have paid close attention to Dr. Dean's suggestions for maintaining a healthy magnesium level. For example, she lists which foods and which brands of bottled waters have the highest levels of magnesium, which foods can block its absorption and which foods require extra magnesium for digestion and metabolism.

Just a year ago, following a 24 hour Holter test that recorded my periods of arrhythmia, my cardiologist recommended Digoxin for treating it. Because my arrhythmia had responded to taking potassium, I asked if - before trying any prescription drugs -- he would consider my first trying nutritional supplements that have been successfully used to treat arrhythmia. Unlike three other cardiologists I had consulted, he was enthused about exploring this comparatively new field with me.

His trust in me and my faith in what Dr. Dean had written were rewarded. Following my recent treadmill test, my cardiologist wrote:: "On the standard Bruce treadmill she has an excellent aerobic capacity of 10.1 METS. She completes 53 seconds of stage 3 with a maximum heart rate 158 and no arrhythmia...Recovery is rapid to heart rate 83 within six minutes and her examination and treadmill test electrocardiographically are normal before, during and after exercise."

Jerri Spalding Fredin, 78 years young
September 2003

As a nurse I am required to have 24hrs of CE credits, to renew my license. We can choose from various subjects and titles to accomplish this. I am a Medical/Surgical nurse which basicly deals with every possible ailment out there, so my choice is endless. However, we have noticed a new interest in some of our doctors for monitering the Magnesium levels on their patients. Magnesium is a mineral that got very little attention. I wanted to know why and this book just happened to be one of the selective readings I could choose from.
All I can say is what a fabulous choice! I am willing to bet that anyone reading this book will feel they are reading about themselves. It is astounding the effect magnesium deficiency has on our bodies. As I look at my patients now- it all makes sense.
This book is simple to read and understand. You do not need a medical background. It explains how magnesium deficiencies cause or contribute to certain conditions that we all have experienced, such as: fatigue, muscle cramps, heart palpitations, headaches, sleeping problems and so much more. Then it gives you directions on how you can prevent or solve it before it gets worse. It also shows how magnesium has an important role in heart disease, strokes, Alzheimers, and more.
Dr. Carolyn Dean's book is a very inexpensive investment in your health and will save you not only your money in the long run!

For far too many years the mineral magnesium has been largely overlooked as a nutrient which is essential for good health. Most doctors and laboratories don't even include magnesium status in routine blood tests. Thus, most doctors don't know when their patients are deficient in magnesium, even though the majority of Americans are deficient in magnesium. And magnesium deficiency is very important. In fact, magnesium deficiency is a significant factor -- often the major factor -- in many severe illnesses including heart attacks and other forms of heart disease, high blood pressure, asthma, anxiety and panic attacks, depression, fatigue, diabetes, migraines and other headaches, osteoporosis, insomnia, and most cases of muscular problems. Because magnesium deficiency is largely overlooked, millions of Americans suffer needlessly from the foregoing ailments or are having their symptoms treated with expensive drugs (which often have unpleasant or dangerous side effects) when they could be cured with magnesium supplementation. This excellent and easily-readable new book by Dr. Dean discusses these and other important aspects of the essential mineral magnesium in detail. Everyone who is concerned about his or her health should acquire and read this very important book. So should their doctors.

What would you say about wildly-broad claims for a nutrient, magnesium, that sounds like a "cure-all" for disease? Haven't you been taught that there is no such thing as a "magic bullet"? No such thing as a "miracle"? On the other hand, what if you bought a car and found that about 1/4 of its bolts and nuts were missing. Would it run? Yes, it would likely run, but it would have problems. It would require service, frequent service, and often expensive service. Dr. Dean identifies a critical weakness in American nutrition and medicine essentially identical to those missing bolts and nuts, that being chronic magnesium deficiency. Think of magnesium as bolts and nuts that hold our bodies together and keep us well. Just like missing bolts and nuts makes a car unreliable, magnesium deficiency causes more illness than anyone can imagine. Well, you can imagine it by using the missing bolt and nut analogy. Lets start thinking health with the serious stuff first. You will see that Dr. Dean shows by review of many peer-reviewed medical journal articles that nearly all of the serious/lethal heart conditions such as arrhythmias, tachycardia, EKG & ECG abnormalities, arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, angina, heart attacks (including sudden death heart attacks), high bad cholesterol, blood clots, mitral valve prolapse, type II diabetes, inability to handle "stress" are really nothing more than SYMPTOMS of severe magnesium deficiency. Our hearts and cardiovascular system needs more bolts and nuts to keep it properly working! How much more simple can cardiology get? Supply the correct parts and the body should run like a Swiss clock. Many other "diseases" such as constipation, kidney stones, menstrual cramps, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, PMS, spontaneous abortion, miscarriage, carbohydrate intolerance, ravenous appetite, obesity, low serum calcium and potassium (not correctable with supplements), elevated serum phosphorus, vitamin D resistance, muscle cramps, muscle soreness, backaches, neck pain, headaches, TMJ, muscle tension and twitches, convulsions, headaches, cluster headaches, migraine headaches, hearing loss, ringing in ears, hyperactivity, reduced (lost) intelligence, poor attention span, poor memory, stress disorders, ADHD in children (and adults), insomnia, numbness, tingling, agoraphobia, anxiety, depression, suicidal depression, irritability, panic attacks, addictive behavior (craving for cocaine, tobacco, alcohol other illegal drugs) all - each and every one - are SYMPTOMS of inadequate dietary magnesium. The diseases that are treatable, curable and preventable with magnesium supplementation represent the bulk of "diseases" currently treated with expensive pharmaceutical drugs and hospital treatments. Magnesium deficiency is a pharmaceutical company's treasure! And our worst nightmare! If all Americans supplemented their diets with sufficient magnesium (600 mg magnesium supplemental) per day, there would result a great reduction in the need for pharmaceuticals, physician and hospital services nation-wide. Why should we pay our doctors if they can't get us well by using drugs as a substitute for magnesium? Can you imagine paying a mechanic to fix your car with non-standard parts (drugs)? It should run perfectly, and so should our bodies. The main source of magnesium in the American diet 100 years ago when there was much magnesium in our food was whole wheat, dark green leafy vegetables and nuts. Due to refining wheat, there is little magnesium remaining and people tend to avoid nuts due to their oil content. Most people do not eat enough vegetables. This is why doctors that really care about our health, like Dr. Dean, say that the diets that avoid sugar and refined grain are right for us. Avoid the pitfalls of near zero magnesium-content foods and at least you have some chance of having better health. Water used to have large amounts of magnesium dissolved in it, but modern technology purifies water of its precious nutrients as well as its harmful impurities. Consequently, we have a serious culturally-induced magnesium deficiency that adversely affects all of our lives on a daily basis, and costs this country about 15% of its gross domestic product in un-necessary health costs. What to do? Don't spend money on expensive medical treatments until you have replaced your missing parts (magnesium). Dr. Dean tells you how much to use, why to supplement magnesium, where to get magnesium and when you need magnesium supplementation.

My husband was rushed to the hospital with all of the symptoms of a heart attack. He was in the hospital for two days and had many tests performed , but one test he did not have was the ion magnesium test. The hospital could find nothing wrong with him and sent him home. I was not satisfied with this(what if another attack happened) and I started doing my own reasearch. I knew that magnesium was a relaxant so I looked up magnesium and the heart. I came across Dr. Deans new book, THE MIRACLE OF MAGNESIUM. I figured that my husband was having arterial spasms and when my husband took this information to his doctor, the doctor agreed that yes, most likely this was the problem. My husband is now on magnesium therapy and has not had anymore spasms to date. Thank God for this book, as it is a wealth of information! The word needs to get out on the many benefits of taking magnesium. I too am taking magnesium now. I suffered from PMS and had a tendency to feel kind of blue or down at times. Well I am happy to say that I no longer feel this way! I highly recommend this book to everyone! In good health, Lynn

This book is awesome! I read the complete book in 2 days. I have been taking magnesium for 7 years for heart palpitations, and surprisingly it also relieved my severe menstral cramps that I had been dealing with for decades. The week after I bought this book, two family members ended up at the doctor's office for severely high blood pressure. Their doctors both prescribed diuretics to reduce blood pressure, but both felt worse. I gave them both a copy of this book and they have started taking Magnesium, and their blood pressure is back down to normal and their chest pains are gone. I highly recommend this book to everyone, and think it should be mandatory reading for all doctors.

This book had great information on magnesium and how important a mineral it is. I thought it was easily understandable. Taking magnesium has turned me from being nearly invalid with headaches and muscle pain back into a functioning 30-something again.

An important nutritional review. This book really makes a case for the importance of Magnesium in our diets, and the sad reality that we really don't get enough. A great learning tool. Nicely written.

The Miracle of Magnesium is a wonderful book. Magnesium supplementation has been very important to my overall health and well being. This mineral has helped me deal with such symptoms/conditions as muscle weakness, anxiety, low blood sugar, insomnia and asthma.

My mother recommended this book to me after I complained about "wriggling" chest pains near my heart every now and then. Actually, it had been increasing in frequency when we spoke.

The passage in question is found on page 99, specifically Prinzmetal's angina. Since taking magnesium daily these chest pains have completely gone away, for years now. I believe I was magnesium deficient and this book helped to convince of that fact.

Thank you,
Randall Lusson