If you feel tired, weak, or nauseated… You might have a magnesium deficiency. And you’re definitely not alone. In fact, most people don’t have enough.1
INH Research
And talk about dangerous… This powerful mineral keeps us healthy and prevents serious ailments. Things like hypertension and osteoporosis. But there’s even more to it than that.
Here are five reasons to get more magnesium.
1. Stops Anxiety: Magnesium supports your nervous system. Low levels cause a disruption. This can lead to anxiety and depression. Some experts even believe a magnesium deficiency is a direct cause of depression…2 And about half of the people diagnosed with depression also have anxiety.
Most doctors throw dangerous drugs—like benzodiazepines—at people with anxiety or depression. But just three months of use can raise your Alzheimer’s risk by 51% (among other dangers). Yet numerous studies show that magnesium eased depression and anxiety where these drugs failed. Without any side effects.3
2. Eases Stress: It doesn’t just support your nervous system. Magnesium stops cortisol levels from getting too high. It also helps your body produce melatonin which makes it easier to relax and fall asleep.4 Magnesium may help you fight headaches and fatigue. These are two of the most common signs of stress.
When you’re under stress, your body uses up magnesium faster.5 The result? Even more stress. It can also steal this mineral away from your bones and heart. This is why getting more magnesium from your diet alone may not be enough.
3. Prevents Diabetes: Magnesium can help keep your glucose levels under control. Just look at pistachios. They’re rich in magnesium. One study revealed eating 100 pistachios a day helped lower blood sugar levels by 78%.6
Another study found high magnesium intake cuts risks of diabetes by 33%.7 It can also reduce insulin sensitivity. Diabetics who took 365 mg a day significantly lowered insulin resistance after six months.8
4. Fights Cancer: Magnesium helps lower yourcolorectal cancer risk. About 95% of cases are adenocarcinomas. They begin with a tumor growth. Eventually, these growths can turn cancerous. Yet every 100 mg of magnesium you add to your diet each day lowers your risk of a growth ever developing by 13%. And if you already have a growth, you can reduce the odds of it becoming cancerous by 12%.
Magnesium may also help you avoid pancreatic cancer. One study found just two handfuls of magnesium-rich nuts a week can reduce your risk by 35%.
5. Keeps Telomeres Long: It’s the key to looking younger and living longer… Telomerase is the enzyme that controls the length of your telomeres. Without enough, you may age even faster. And this enzyme depends on magnesium. The mineral helps replicate and stabilize DNA.9
This might be the reason why people die of a magnesium deficiency… Researchers found low levels of magnesium increases death risk by 85%.10 Not getting enough of this mineral could kill you in as little as 10 years.
A magnesium-rich diet contains about 400 mg a day. This might sound like a lot. But it’s not as hard as it seems. Salads are a great start. Try spinach, chopped almonds, avocados, and shrimp. One square of organic dark chocolate contains 95 mg of magnesium.11
You can also find a magnesium supplement. Just make sure you read the label before purchasing. Look for one that gives you at least 200 mg per serving of natural magnesium.
A woman who battled blood cancer for years without success finally halted the disease with turmeric, it has been reported.
Dieneke Ferguson is now leading a normal life after giving up on gruelling treatments that failed to stop it.
Doctors say her case is the first recorded instance in which a patient has recovered by using the spice after stopping conventional medical treatments.
With her myeloma spreading rapidly after three rounds of chemotherapy and four stem cell transplants, the 67-year-old began taking 8g of curcumin a day – one of the main compounds in turmeric. ( Myeloma, also known as multiple myeloma is a blood cancer related to lymphoma and leukemia.)
Dieneke Ferguson had been diagnosed with the blood cancer myeloma in 2007 and had undergone three rounds of chemotherapy as well as four stem cell transplants
Dieneke is still taking 8g of curcumin in tablet form daily — the equivalent of about two teaspoonfuls of pure powdered curcumin
The cancer, which has an average survival of just over five years, was causing increasing back pain and she had already had a second relapse.
But it stabilised after Mrs Ferguson, from north London, came across the remedy on the internet in 2011 and decided to try it as a last resort.
The tablets are expensive – £50 for ten days – but as kitchen turmeric contains just 2 per cent curcumin it would be impossible to eat enough to get the same dose.
Mrs Ferguson, who was first diagnosed in 2007, continues to take curcumin without further treatment and her cancer cell count is negligible.
Her doctors, from Barts Health NHS Trust in London, wrote in the British Medical Journal Case Reports: ‘To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in which curcumin has demonstrated an objective response in progressive disease in the absence of conventional treatment.’
The experts, led by Dr Abbas Zaidi, said some myeloma patients took dietary supplements alongside conventional treatment but ‘few, if any, use dietary supplementation as an alternative to standard antimyeloma therapy’.
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Doctors say Dieneke Ferguson's case is the first recorded instance in which a patient has recovered by using turmeric (pictured) after stopping conventional medical treatments
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Since the turn of the century, more than 50 studies have tested curcumin – the pigment in turmeric that gives it its bright yellow colour
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Dieneke tried Curcumin, a component of turmeric, and five years on, her cancer cell count is negligible. Pictured: Dieneke Ferguson with the Olympics Torch in Brazil
Doctor explains how acute myeloid leukaemia effects patients
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But they added: ‘In the absence of further antimyeloma treatment the patient plateaued and has remained stable for the past five years with good quality of life.’
Since the turn of the century, more than 50 studies have tested curcumin – the pigment in turmeric that gives it that bright yellow colour.
A CENTURIES-OLD EASTERN REMEDY
Turmeric is a yellow spice widely used as a flavouring in the Indian subcontinent and as a food colouring by industry
It is ground from the dried root of an Asian plant called Curcuma longa and has been used in Eastern medicine for centuries
Curcumin - turmeric’s active ingredient - has significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties
Studies have shown it is an effective painkiller and also reduces the risk of lung disease, Alzheimer’s, heart disease and depression
They suggest the spice can protect against several cancers, as well as Alzheimer’s, heart disease and depression.
It has also been shown to help speed recovery after surgery and effectively treat arthritis.
But although it is widely used in Eastern medicine, and has been studied for its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effects, curcumin is not widely prescribed because it has never been tested in large-scale trials.
The doctors wrote that the ‘biological activity of curcumin is indeed remarkable’, including its ‘anti-proliferative effects in a wide variety of tumour cells’.
But Professor Jamie Cavenagh, one of the authors of the paper, stressed it may not work for all patients. He said: ‘A lot of my patients take curcumin at different stages of their treatment. I don’t object to it.
‘Dieneke’s is the best response I have observed and it is clear-cut because we had stopped all other treatment.’
Mrs Ferguson, who runs Hidden Art, a not-for-profit business helping artists market their work, is frustrated doctors cannot recommend the spice and wants more research carried out.
She said: ‘I hope my story will lead to more people finding out about the amazing health benefits of curcumin.’
Myeloma affects some 5,500 people in the UK every year, killing nearly 3,000.
The huge review looking at trial data from more than 100,000 people around the world also failed to show any evidence that the popular supplements can reduce the risk of dying.
The fatty acids, mostly found in oily fish such as salmon and tuna, are known to benefit health when consumed in small amounts in food.
But controversy surrounds the burgeoning industry and hype surrounding omega-3 supplements, which are claimed to prevent a host of ills ranging from dementia and depression to heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
My advice to anyone buying supplements in the hope that they reduce the risk of heart disease is to spend their money on vegetables insteadProf Tim Chico, University of Sheffield
The new research looked specifically at evidence of their impact on rates of heart disease, stroke and death.
“This analysis of many studies shows clearly that omega-3 supplements do not reduce heart disease,” said Prof Tim Chico, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and Honorary Consultant Cardiologist, University of Sheffield, said:
He added: “Such supplements come with a significant cost, so my advice to anyone buying them in the hope that they reduce the risk of heart disease, I’d advise them to spend their money on vegetables instead.”
Scientists from the Cochrane organisation, a global network of experts dedicated to informing health policy, pooled findings from 79 randomised trials involving 112,059 participants.
The studies, conducted in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia, investigated the effect on the heart and arteries of taking omega-3 and fish oil supplements.
Combining results from many trials, known as "meta-analysis," can highlight trends that may previously have been hidden.
In this case the scientists found "high certainty evidence " that long-chain omega-3 fats had "no meaningful effect" on death risk. They also had "little or no" impact on the risk of heart attacks, strokes or heart irregularities.
However there was some evidence that the supplements reduced levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) - the "good" form of cholesterol known to protect arteries from damage.
Lead researcher Dr Lee Hooper, from the University of East Anglia, said: "We can be confident in the findings of this review which go against the popular belief that long-chain omega-3 supplements protect the heart.
"This large systematic review included information from many thousands of people over long periods. Despite all this information, we don't see protective effects.
"The review provides good evidence that taking long-chain omega 3 supplements does not benefit heart health or reduce our risk of stroke or death from any cause.
"The most trustworthy studies consistently showed little or no effect of long-chain omega-3 fats on cardiovascular health. On the other hand, while oily fish is a healthy food, it is unclear from the small number of trials whether eating more oily fish is protective of our hearts."
The findings are published in The Cochrane Library, the collection of databases maintained by the Cochrane organisation.
Given the strong evidence from previous epidemiological studies in favour of omega-3 supplements this conclusion is somewhat surprising, but it needs to be taken seriouslyDr Ian Johnson, Quadram Institute Bioscience
Dr Hooper said there was "moderate" evidence that one type of short-chain omega-3 fat found in plant oils and nuts, alphalinolenic acid (ALA), may provide a small degree of heart protection.
However he added: "The effect is very small - 143 people would need to increase their ALA intake to prevent one person developing arrhythmia (irregular heart beat). One thousand people would need to increase their ALA intake to prevent one person dying of coronary heart disease or experiencing a cardiovascular event."
Commenting on the results, cardiologist Professor Tim Chico, from the University of Sheffield, said: "This analysis of many studies shows clearly that omega-3 supplements do not reduce heart disease .. Such supplements come with a significant cost, so my advice to anyone buying them in the hope that they reduce the risk of heart disease, I'd advise them to spend their money on vegetables instead."
Nutrition expert Dr Ian Johnson, from the Quadram Institute Bioscience, said: "The results show little or no evidence for important beneficial effects. Given the strong evidence from previous epidemiological studies this conclusion is somewhat surprising, but it needs to be taken seriously.
"Either the protective effects of oily fish consumption that are observed in populations are due to mechanisms that cannot be reproduced by relatively short-term interventions with purified omega-3 supplements, or perhaps they are caused by other unidentified environmental factors somehow linked to oily fish consumption."
And those who took this small dose for 18 months also had less brain plaques associated with Alzheimer's. Its mode of action? It crosses your blood-brain barrier where it powerfully quenches inflammation and protects your cognitive function. Plus, other studies show it can help treat depression, tumors, IBD and arthritis.
February 8, 2018
Story at-a-glance
Curcumin, a bioactive ingredient in the spice turmeric, has over 160 potentially therapeutic activities, including anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and anticancer benefits
Recent research suggests curcumin may have long-term effects on your cognitive function by protecting against brain inflammation. By boosting mood, it may also help prevent depression
Compared to controls, patients who took 90 mg of curcumin for 18 months experienced a 28 percent improvement in memory; brain scans also show they had less brain plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease
Research also suggests curcumin may offer potent protection against cancer, and it’s been shown to enhance conventional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy
Consumed alone in its raw form, bioavailability of curcumin is poor; however, there are formulas and methods that improve absorption. The addition of piperine can increase absorption of curcumin by 2,000 percent
By Dr. Mercola
Turmeric, a yellow curry spice used in Indian cuisine, has a long history of medicinal use in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine. Modern science has confirmed many of its ancient claims, and curcumin alone — one of the most well studied bioactive ingredients in turmeric — has been shown to have over 160 potentially therapeutic activities.
Importantly, it has the ability to cross your blood-brain barrier and exhibits potent neuroprotective properties, suggesting it may be useful for neurodegenerative disorders. Researchers at the University of California recently demonstrated it may have long-term effects on your cognitive function by protecting against brain inflammation.1
Curcumin May Protect Against Dementia
The double-blind, placebo-controlled study, published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry,2 included 40 adults between the ages of 50 and 90 who reported mild memory lapses. None had a diagnosis of dementia at the time of their enrollment. Participants randomly received either 90 milligrams (mg) of curcumin (Theracurmin supplement) twice a day for 18 months, or a placebo.
A standardized cognitive assessment was administered at the start of the study and at six-month intervals thereafter, and the level of curcumin in their blood was measured at the beginning and end of the study. Thirty of the participants also underwent positron emission tomography (PET) scans to assess their level of amyloid and tau deposits before and after treatment, which are strongly associated with Alzheimer's risk.
Those who received curcumin saw significant improvements in memory and concentration, while the control group experienced no improvement. The treatment group also reported better mood, and PET scans confirmed they had significantly less amyloid and tau buildup in areas of the brain that control memory and emotion, compared to controls. Overall, the curcumin group improved their memory by 28 percent over the year-and-a-half-long treatment period. As reported by Science Daily:3
"The researchers plan to conduct a follow-up study with a larger number of people. That study will include some people with mild depression so the scientists can explore whether curcumin also has antidepressant effects. The larger sample also would allow them to analyze whether curcumin's memory-enhancing effects vary according to people's genetic risk for Alzheimer's, their age or the extent of their cognitive problems.
'These results suggest that taking this relatively safe form of curcumin could provide meaningful cognitive benefits over the years,' said Small, UCLA's Parlow-Solomon professor on aging."
Curcumin — A Powerful Neuroprotectant
Curcumin has also been shown to increase levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)4 and this may be yet another mechanism that can help explain its neuroprotective effects.5 Reduced levels of BDNF has been linked to both depression and Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers have also discovered that curcumin has an effect on several pathways in your body that may reverse insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia and other symptoms associated with metabolic syndrome and obesity,6 and this too can lower your risk of dementia and Alzheimer's. Autopsies reveal people with high blood sugar tend to have greater amounts of amyloid plaque in their brains, and diabetics have a 65 percent higher risk of Alzheimer's disease than nondiabetics.7,8
Curcumin Shown to Relieve Symptoms of Depression
As in the featured study, earlier research has also demonstrated curcumin's mood-boosting effect, suggesting it may be helpful against depression. A 2017 meta-analysis9 of six short-term, placebo-controlled clinical trials concluded curcumin "appears to be safe, well-tolerated and efficacious among depressed patients," and could serve as a "novel antidepressant." Three of the trials also reported significant anti-anxiety effects.
Another recent study10,11 evaluating curcumin's effect on depression was done in Australia. A total of 123 people diagnosed with major depressive disorder were included in the double-blind, randomized study, receiving either 250 or 500 mg of curcumin extract, 250 mg of curcumin with 15 mg of saffron, or a placebo, for three months.
Compared to placebo, all three treatment groups experienced improvement in their symptoms. Curcumin was particularly effective for those with atypical depression. Interestingly, there was no significant difference in efficacy between the dosages. (On a side note, saffron has also been shown to have antidepressant effects in a number of studies,12,13,14,15 which is why it was included in one of the treatment groups here.)
A second scientific review16 — also published last year — concluded curcumin may be beneficial not only for depression but also on a number of other psychiatric disorders, thanks to its anti-inflammatory effects. According to the authors:
"[C]urcumin can influence an array of biological activities. Many of these, such as its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective and monoaminergic effects are dysregulated in several neuropsychiatric disorders …
[I]n vitro, animal and human studies investigating … curcumin as a treatment for neuropsychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), bipolar disorder … and autism are reviewed … It is concluded that curcumin is a promising, natural agent for many of these conditions …"
Curcumin's Anticancer Effects
In addition to its neuroprotective effects, research also suggests curcumin may offer potent protection against cancer, and has been shown to enhance conventional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy.17 These effects have been demonstrated in animal models treating head and neck tumors,18 and in culture of human breast, esophageal and colon cancers.19,20
For example, curcumin appears to reduce side effects of Mitomycin C — a potent antineoplastic drug that can cause kidney and bone marrow damage with long-term use, as well as secondary tumor growth — while simultaneously improving the effectiveness of the drug.21
Patients treated for chronic myeloid leukemia with chemotherapy also had a reduction in cancer growth factor when curcumin was added to the treatment.22 Protection against radiation therapy was demonstrated in a study using breast cancer patients receiving radiation therapy.23 At the end of the study those taking curcumin had less radiation damage to their skin.
In the video above, Dr. William LaValley explains how curcumin affects cancer growth. Tumors typically take years to develop, and the progression of a cell from normal growth to cancer happens through several stages. Deregulation of physiological and mechanical processes that initiate and promote the growth of cancer cells makes use of hundreds of genes and signaling routes, which is why a multitargeted approach is needed for successful prevention and treatment.
Curcumin has been shown to affect multiple cellular targets,24 triggering a variety of actions that affect the growth, replication25 and death of cancer cells. This multifaceted action of curcumin has made it useful in the treatments of several different types of cancer, including colon cancer,26 pancreatic cancer27 and amyloidosis.28
Importantly, curcumin has been shown to activate the apoptosis (cell death) signaling pathway, enabling the cells to die within a natural time span.29 Cancer cells lose the ability to die naturally, which plays a significant role in the hyperproliferation of cells that eventually end up forming into a tumor.
Cancer cells thrive in an inflammatory environment, and curcumin is able to block the pro-inflammatory response at several points, reducing the levels of inflammatory cytokines in your body.30 The anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin have even been shown to match the effect of some drugs.31 Curcumin also helps support your immune system, which is capable of seeking out and destroying early cancer cells naturally.
How to Optimize Absorption of Curcumin
Since curcumin makes up only 3 percent of turmeric's weight, simply cooking with turmeric will not be enough to produce clinical benefits. To achieve the kinds of results found in studies such as the ones mentioned here, you have to use a supplement that has been optimized for bioavailability. Even in its raw form, curcumin has a very poor absorption rate.
As a general rule, only 1 percent of the product will be absorbed by your body; even supplements that have a 95 percent concentration are absorbed at 1 percent. Researchers have investigated a variety of different delivery methods, including oral, intravenous, subcutaneous and intraperitoneal delivery, as well as a variety of formulations, to optimize bioavailability. The following methods were all found to improve the absorption rate of curcumin:32
When delivered as a nanoparticle
Combined with polylactic-co-glycolic acid
Liposomal encapsulation
Taken orally with piperine, the active ingredient in black pepper.33 In one study, the addition of piperine increased absorption of curcumin by 2,000 percent34
Anticancer doses typically range between 1,200 and 3,000 grams of bioavailable curcumin extract. Since curcumin is fat-soluble, you might be able to further increase absorption by making a microemulsion. Simply combine 1 tablespoon of curcumin powder with one or two egg yolks and 1 to 2 teaspoons of melted coconut oil, then use a hand blender on high speed to emulsify the powder.
Absorption may also be increased through boiling. Add 1 tablespoon into a quart of water that is already boiling. (If you add it to room temperature water and then boil, it doesn't work as well.) After boiling it for 10 minutes, you will have created a 12 percent solution. Drink once it has sufficiently cooled.
The curcumin will gradually fall out of the solution over time and in about six hours it will be a 6 percent solution, so it is best to drink the water within four hours. However it is far easier and more convenient to obtain curcumin that has already been modified to be more available, such as microactive curcumin.
Curcumin May Be a Valuable Supplement for the Prevention of Many Chronic Ailments
Researchers have demonstrated curcumin may affect more than 100 different cellular pathways, thereby helping prevent and/or treat a number of chronic diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders and cancer. By quenching inflammation, curcumin definitely has great medicinal potential.
In addition to being a potent antioxidant in its own right,35 curcumin also boosts the function of your body's own antioxidant enzymes.36Some studies suggest it may even work as well as some anti-inflammatory medications to treat arthritic conditions.37
Several studies have demonstrated an impact on transcription factors and signaling pathways, and have reviewed the molecular mechanisms curcumin uses to regulate and modulate gene expression.38,39,40 Overall, curcumin is powerful, cost-effective and has a low toxicity profile.41 As such, it may be a valuable supplement for many — especially for the aging population, which has not only heart disease and cancer to contend with, but also the looming threat of dementia.
For younger people, curcumin's beneficial impact on pathways that help reverse insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and obesity42are well worth noting. In all, I believe curcumin is one of the more valuable nutritional supplements worthy of consideration for all-around good health, as inflammation drives so many different disease processes. Importantly, its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, thereby lowering inflammation in the brain, may be of particular benefit to a lot of people.
