We all know that Lyme disease sufferers need magnesium like a fish needs water and a cow needs grass (even though these days, cows don’t often get grass!). The average “healthy” human could use a little extra magnesium, too, but many don’t get enough and disregard its importance.
Magnesium is involved in over 300 enzymatic processes in the body, and plays a huge role in cell physiology. It enables the body to rid itself of toxins, prevents aging and aids in cellular regeneration. Just for starters. In the Lyme disease patient, magnesium is depleted for several reasons, including the fact that it’s one of borrelia’s favorite foods.
Replenishing magnesium is vital for healing. While most of us take oral forms of magnesium, evidence suggests that receiving this nutrient trans-dermally is much more effective, and especially for Lyme disease sufferers. Why?
According to Dr. Shealy, transdermal therapy creates “tissue saturation”, whereby the mineral is sent directly to body tissues at a high dose, without any loss or faulty processing through the GI tract. In contrast, when taken orally, magnesium can be inefficiently absorbed for several reasons. First, and especially if a person takes too much at once, it creates a laxative effect, pushing the mineral through the body before enough of it gets absorbed into the tissues.
Secondly, when magnesium is released into the gut, other nutrients that may be present there, such as calcium, can inhibit its uptake into the body. Also, chelating agents in the intestines may bind with magnesium, preventing its absorption. Finally, people with leaky gut syndrome (that’s just about all of us Lyme sufferers, isn’t it?) and vitamin deficiencies may be unable to properly process magnesium through the gut. The body requires vitamins in order to utilize minerals, and where these are lacking, the body won’t be able to use minerals, either. And leaky gut just makes a huge mess of all digestive affairs, including where magnesium is involved.
Transdermal magnesium is thus an efficient, quick way to bypass the pitfalls of the gut, and is a great way to flood the cells with this much-needed mineral. Magnesium chloride, when used as a body spray or a foot soak, can dramatically raise magnesium levels in a relatively short period of time. Intravenous magnesium chloride can also be given to those who are severely deficient, and according to Dr. Shealy, ten shots of 1-2 grams of magnesium chloride, given over a ten week period, are sufficient for restoring levels, although keep in mind, this guideline is for “healthy” folks. Lyme disease sufferers may require more.
For more information on where to purchase transdermal magnesium, visit: www.magnesiumforlife.com