#14 Fight Pain With Magnesium

In a Huffington Post blog (1) the author writes:

Think of magnesium as the relaxation mineral. Anything that is tight, irritable, crampy, and stiff — whether it is a body part or an even a mood — is a sign of magnesium deficiency.

This critical mineral is actually responsible for over 300 enzyme reactions and is found in all of your tissues — but mainly in your bones, muscles, and brain. You must have it for your cells to make energy, for many different chemical pumps to work, to stabilize membranes, and to help muscles relax.

Magnesium is used to treat many things including Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and Restless Leg Syndrome.(2)

Finally, in an article on DrOz.com the author,  Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, discusses magnesium and its use to fight pain:

Clinical experience, as well as research in nerve pain conditions such as pancreatic cancer, has shown that magnesium can be an effective treatment for pain. Although it is clear why magnesium can decrease muscle pain (it makes muscles relax), why it would help nerve pain was less clear. A new study on rats to be printed in The Journal of Physiology confirms our clinical experience that magnesium decreases nerve pain — while also pointing to how it works.(3).

Many people use magnesium to relieve these symptoms which can disrupt sleep. Neuropathy often comes with muscle cramps at night which can wake you from a deep sleep or simply not allow you to get to sleep. Any neuropathy and chronic pain sufferer knows a lack of sleep can make symptoms worse.

Magnesium comes in many forms including tablets and sprays. There are many reports that magnesium sprays are more bioavailable (and therefore more effective) than taking a tablet. A third option, and some believe the best, is to soak in water with Epsom salt baths and foot soaks. Epsom salt is made up of magnesium, sulfur and oxygen (which is nothing like table salt).(4) Still, the most natural way to increase you magnesium is through food including: avocados, tofu, dark chocolate, nuts (almonds, cashews), bananas, and leafy greens.

References:
(1)http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/magnesium-the-most-powerf_b_425499.html
(2)http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-998-magnesium.aspx?activeingredientid=998
(3)http://www.doctoroz.com/blog/jacob-teitelbaum-md/magnesium-pain-relief
(4)https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/epsom-salt-benefits-uses
(5)https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-foods-high-in-magnesium#TOC_TITLE_HDR_10

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