Why is magnesium so important to bone health, osteopenia and osteoporosis?
From Carolyn Dean, MD, ND, author of The Magnesium Miracle and Medical Director of the Nutritional Magnesium Association: Magnesium stimulates a particular hormone, calcitonin, which helps to preserve bone structure and draws calcium out of the blood and soft tissues back into the bones, preventing some forms of arthritis and kidney stones. Magnesium suppresses another bone hormone called parathyroid, preventing it from breaking down bone. Magnesium is required to activate an enzyme that is necessary to form new bone. With all these roles for magnesium to play, it is no wonder that even a mild deficiency can be a risk factor for osteoporosis. Further, if there is too much calcium in the body, especially from calcium supplementation, magnesium absorption can be greatly impaired, resulting in worsening osteoporosis and the possibility of kidney stones, arthritis and heart disease. It is unfortunate that the treatment for osteoporosis has been simplified into the single battle cry: Take c
