"ZINC IN OLD MICE FACILITATED A COMPLETE RECOVERY OF THYMUS GLAND FUNCTION AND REGROWTH OF THE ORGAN WITH GREATER IMMUNE EFFICIENCY

". . . zinc [in old mice] facilitated a complete recovery of thymus gland function and regrowth of the organ with greater immune efficiency."

Spinach has a high zinc content.

Maybe there isn't a master mineral.  Maybe all essential minerals are masters of health.  I recently wrote about the magic of magnesium.  But why are minerals in general so important?  Is it just general, good maintenance?  Maybe.  Or is it that minerals are essential in digestion, like breaking down proteins?  Maybe it's not the class of nutrients that's so important as how well any single nutrient interacts with our biology to produce desired outcomes.  

For example, I recently read Bill Sardi's "Reassessment of Vitamin C Therapy and Cancer," published at his site and picked up by Lew Rockwell.  What astonished me wasn't actually the benefits of Vitamin C or the benefits of Vitamin C therapy on cancer.  What struck me was the study by Abram Hoffer.  

Enter a forgotten investigator in the war against cancer — Abram Hoffer MD, a nutrition-minded psychiatrist based in Canada who was known for his use of high-dose niacin therapy to treat schizophrenia.  Vitamin C therapy for cancer could easily be dismissed except for Dr. Hoffer’s strikingly successful use of oral vitamin C (12,000 mgs/day) to achieve prolonged survival times.

So Hoffer produced astounding results in his cancer therapy, but no third party ever tested or examined his results to find out why he was successful.  And to show you just how successful he was, check out this chart:

Here is Dr. Hoffer’s 5-year survival data:

Oral Antioxidant Therapy & End-Stage Cancer

Abram Hoffer MD, Journal Orthomolecular Medicine, Volume 15, 2000

No. of patients treated/vitamin C: 441

No. of patients in control group (chemo, radiation): 54

SURVIVAL CONVENTIONAL CANCER TREATMENT [i.e., chemo-therapy]
Year 1: 28%

Year 2: 15%

Year 3: 15%

Year 4: 13%

Year 5: 11%

VITAMIN C TREATMENT*

Year 1: 73%

Year 2: 56%

Year 3: 48%

Year 4: 44%

Year 5: 39%*

Consisted of 12,000 mg oral vitamin C as ascorbic acid, mega-dose niacinamide, beta carotene, zinc.

What is equally astounding is that no one checked his work.

Steven Hickey and Hilary Roberts, researchers from Manchester, England, also report on Abram Hoffer’s exceptional results with oral vitamin C in the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine. [Journal Orthomolecular Medicine 2013]  Reasons for the astounding effect of oral vitamin C were not explored, however.

Sardi found that in addition to the oral Vitamin C, that Hoffer also administered Zinc.  But which kind.  There are different kinds of zinc, 7 different zinc supplements in all [actually, there are more]:

• 
  

1.  Chelated Zinc.

2.  Zinc Orotate (some claim that this is the best form)

3.  Zinc Picolinate.

4.  Zinc Gluconate.

5.  Zinc Acetate.

6.  Zinc Oxide.

7.  Zinc Sulfate.

So at least from Sardi's article it's not clear which zinc was used.  And though the benefits of zinc are reported almost everywhere, take a look at very specific, very important organ that responds nicely to zinc.  That organ?  Your Thymus gland.

Dr. Hoffer treated his patients with an array of other nutrients including zinc.  Zinc is the key nutrient that primes T-cells in the thymus gland that shrinks with advancing age.

Shrinkage of the thymus gland, located below the chest plate (sternum) is progressive with advancing age.  The thymus gland is responsible for activating T-cells that are essential for immune system maintenance.   The thymus gland shrinks at a rate of about 3% per year till middle age and then 1% per year thereafter.  [Frontiers Immunology 2013]  There are no present therapies offered by physicians to regenerate the thymus gland even though they are widely documented and available.

This information should spike everyone's radar.  More on the thymus gland and zinc. 

Remarkably, zinc supplied to old mice facilitated a complete recovery of thymus gland function and regrowth of the organ with greater immune efficiency.  Researchers conclude that age-related thymus gland shrinkage and immune system dysfunction are not intrinsic and irreversible and largely depend upon zinc adequacy.  [International Journal Immunopharmacology 1995]

Imagine folks who've suffered childhood diseases and have had to endure chronic conditions their whole life.  If only they'd known about the combination of zinc and Vitamin C. So there's that.  Then there's this. 

A recent study is instructive.  Vitamin C, aspirin, and zinc were administered to laboratory rats given a chemical to induce colon cancer.  Aspirin and vitamin C maintained normal colon cells in 87.5% of the animals whereas zinc showed a 100% reduction in tumor incidence. [Asian Pacific Journal Cancer Prevention 2013]

All this to prove that Vitamin C as a cancer therapy works but works mainly because of the pair.  When used alone Vitamin C didn't always perform.  It still did better than chemo, or conventional therapies, but it performed off the charts in the presence of zinc.  One more note on cancer therapy.  Check this out.

When vitamin K3 is combined with vitamin C therapy, cancer cells die by autoschizis – that is they are split and utterly destroyed. [Ultrastructural Pathology 2010]

The synergistic use of vitamin E as alpha tocopherol succinate and synthetically made vitamin K3 plus ascorbic acid is also proposed as a further enhancement of vitamin C cancer therapy. [PLoS One 2012]

Not surprisingly, the addition of quercetin to vitamin C + vitamin K was more effective in killing cancer cells than the two vitamins alone in a lab dish study. [Alternative Medicine Reviews 2010; British Journal Cancer 2010]

This is hopeful stuff.  It was upon this recommendation that I tried Zinc Orotate. 

Zinc orotate is a chelated form of zinc that is more readily absorbed by the body than any other zinc supplement available. Manufacturers of it will usually boast about having this type, because they have good reason to. Zinc orotate passes through the membranes of cells easily, and it pulls the highest amounts of accompanying minerals into the cells, which leads to higher tissue concentrations of zinc and other beneficial nutrients

But I felt nothing.  Absolutely nothing.  Was that nothing feeling the result of that powerful absorption?  Who knows? Then I read this article by Sardi on zinc acetate.  I could not believe what an energetic rush I got.  And it centered around the heart and the spine.  I thought "Wow! This stuff is potent."  Turns out that the zinc acetate was waking up my thymus gland.  

Given what I read on the internet, Sardi outstrips most in his details and exhaustive research, that exhaustive work to compare stories, and find out what was missed and why.  Talk about dedication.  

The other form of zinc I have taken is Chelated Zinc.  See, the nice thing about Sardi is that he explains which organ responds so well to a specific nutrient.  In the case of zinc it is the thymus gland.  Then he does background study on it and finds out that with age people's thymus gland shrinks.  And when that shrinks, you're going to have lowered immunity. All the other articles on the web tell you that zinc is good for immunity, which sounds good but is no where near the specificity of Bill Sardi.  Amazing, really. 

There are essential minerals for health, then there are trace minerals.  Both equally important, one more than the next? FitDay sums it up:  

Five percent of your diet typically includes macro minerals and trace minerals. Macro minerals are minerals that you need in quantities greater than 100mg/day and make up about 1 percent of your total body weight. These include sodium, chloride, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium. Trace minerals are elements that are needed is smaller amounts, 1-100mg/day by adults and are less than .01 percent of totalbody weight. These include Copper, Chromium, Fluoride, Iodine, Iron, Molybdenum, Manganese, Selenium, and Zinc. Trace Minerals are inorganic matter that cannot be destroyed by cooking or heat and are essential to the body for a variety of processes.

Macro Minerals

1.  Sodium.

2.  Chloride.

3.  Potassium.

4.  Phosphorus.  [despite this being a macro mineral, people's teeth are a mess today.  What's causing that?  Lifestyle?]

5.  Magnesium.

6.  Calcium: good for teeth and bones.  You know where to get it--milk and meat products.

Trace Minerals

1.  Copper.

2.  Chromium.

3.  Fluoride. 

4.  Iodine.

5.  Iron.

6.  Molydenum.

7.  Manganese.

8.  Selenium. 

9.  Zinc.

10.  Cobalt.

Together, I count 16 minerals in all.  But the lists that I have found range from 11 to 17 to 19 as in the list I compiled below, so there seems to be some debate as to which minerals are trace or macro or necessary for health.  And here I thought I was going to add or organize information into bite-sized, manageable tidbits.

1.   Lithium orotate.

2.   Reacted calcium

3.   Calcium-Magnesium

4.   Chromium

5.   Iron

6.   Magnesium

7.   Magnesium-Potasium

8.   Selenium.

9.   Phosphoros.

10.  Zinc.

11.  Stromium.

12.  Sodium

13.  Copper

14.  Manganese

15.  Molybdenum

16.  Iodine.

17.  Sulfur

18.  Fluoride. 

19.  Cobalt

Also, almost all the articles I read at sites like NCBI, KnowledgeofHealth, Natural News, and others point out deficiencies.  Why are Americans deficient in these nutrients?  Isn't this knowledge built in the local culture, local wisdom of its people?  You would think.  But one reason that Americans are deficient is precised because of what we consume, like alcohol, or people turning Vegan to for lifestyle or eating too many nuts or vegetables.  There are nutrients in daily foods called anti-nutrients that actually block minerals from getting absorbed into our system.  Is it entropy?  

My guess is that if you eat beef, cheese, milk, yogurt, eggs, and green leafy vegetables that you're getting the best multivitamin known to man.  Some folks recommend nuts for Vitamin E, but nuts contain an anti-nutrient called phytic acid, which blocks the absorption of calcium, zinc, magnesium, and others.  If a population is experience a deficiency in these minerals, it doesn't seem like a good idea to eat foods that block their absorption.  And why are nuts so prevalent in our stores and diets?  Is it because of the Mediterranean Diet craze?  Who knows?  But definitely pasteurized nuts have grown in popularity since I was a kid.  And the only packaged nuts we ate were sunflower seeds, peanuts, and corn nuts.  Stores used to have a bin of assorted nuts in shells.  Yeah.  At Christmas time my dad would buy bags of walnuts that we'd shell on the dining room table and pick from.  It was never the kind of thing where we open a bag and start eating them like, well, peanuts.

The latest mineral on my Top 5 List is zinc.  Wow!  This stuff is restorative.  I mean if you're in to taking supplements and all, I would definitely make zinc a priority.  You can find zinc in foods, of course, with oysters having the highest level of zinc than any other food.  So you want lots of zinc through food, eat your oysters. But if you're shell fish averse, you'll want to supplement.  

So I go to the internet not so much to prove as much as I do to corroborate my claims and findings.  We all know that zinc is good for us, but how good?  Where is it best served and what organs are best served by adequate zinc or zinc supplementation?  

John Phillip reports at Natural News that . . . 

Researchers at Duke University Medical Center and chemists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology collaborated to study the effects of zinc on brain function. Scientists experimenting with mice used a chemical that binds with zinc to eliminate it from the brain of the test animals. They found that in the absence of the mineral, communications between neurons was significantly diminished and that zinc is vital for controlling the efficiency between nerve cells in the hippocampus.

For more than a half century, scientists have understood that high concentrations of zinc are deposited within nerve cells; called vesicles, they package the transmitters which enable the nerve cells to communicate. The highest concentrations of brain zinc are found among the neurons of the hippocampus that control the high functions of learning and memory.

Clearly, if you're looking for brain support, zinc is the way to go. But we're always hearing about fish oils or gingko biloba and others as brain food.  And they are.  But these lowly minerals tend to take a back seat in the miraculous department until you're deficient in them.  And how does one become deficient in zinc, magnesium, and calcium?  Phytic acid is one way, one of a series of anti-nutrients available to us in our stores that end up in our diet. Nuts are a big one. The phytic acid in nuts blocks the absorption of minerals in our system.  Does the phytic acid deplete the minerals? I don't know, but I would say that blocking is no picnic either. We want magnesium in our bodies.  We need calcium for bones and teeth.  One of the things that phytic acid does is block or deplete phosphorous, which is the essential mineral for our teeth.  You want to keep those bones in your head for a lifetime?  Then consume foods high in phosphorous.

Then the question of which kind of zinc.  And there are several. The first zinc supplement that I took was Zinc Orotate on the recommendation of an online article.  In fact, I went through 2 bottles of them, thinking that this was the best of the zinc forms. I really did not feel anything.  Even overdosing on Zinc Orotate, nothing.  The next zinc I tried was Zinc Acetate on the implied recommendation of Bill Sardi.  

But for best absorption, Sardi recommends Zinc Gluconate and Zinc Methionine:  

SUPERIORLY ABSORBED FORMS OF SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRIENTS: VITAMINS, MINERALS, & TRACE MINERALS

1.  Zinc gluconate: Zinc methionine.

2.  Inorganic selenium as selenite, selenite: Organically bound selenium in a natural full array of protein-bound forms (Seleno Excell®).

3.  Iron as ferrous sulfate: Iron as carbonyl iron (Ferronyl).

4.  Magnesium oxide: Magnesium chloride, carbonate, malate, glycinate, gluconate, threonate, others. 

Further, Sardi lists some conditions that zinc improves

       Zinc deficiency is associated with a low sperm count. 

Zinc deficiency increases the prevalence of dental caries. 

Zinc deficiency in the skin is associated with psoriasis and acne.  Patients with these skin conditions are likely to have normal blood serum levels of zinc.

Zinc supplementation is associated with 14% reduction in preterm birth.  

Zinc is only recently appreciated as an essential nutrient to prevent age-related bone loss, a.k.a, osteoporosis.

A skin rash condition (acrodermatitis enteropathica) which emanates from an inherited disorder of zinc absorption is resolved by zinc supplementation.Zinc carnosine is a remedy for H. pylori infection and gastritis.

Crohn’s disease results in poor zinc absorption.  Researchers successfully used 110 milligrams of zinc sulfate (providing 75 mg of elemental zinc) to quell recurrence of symptoms of Crohn’s disease (10 of 12 patients experienced resolution of their “leaky gut” problem).  

Resolution of a leaky gut!  That is news, incredible news. 

                     

"Celery can help protect teeth and its enamel by cleaning the surface of the teeth"

First, it doesn't hurt to learn first what enamel is. Wikipedia says it is "a very hard, white to off-white, highly mineralized substance that acts as a barrier to protect the tooth but can become susceptible to degradation, especially by acids from food and drink." 

Second, I guess an accounting of what causes us to lose enamel is also in order.  Arizona Family Dental has provided us with an interesting list:

1)  Dry mouth.
2)  Acid Reflux.
3)  GI Tract issues.
4)  Taking acidic medicines such as aspirin or antihistamines.
5)  Low-salivary flow.
6)  Genetics.
7)  Bruxism or teeth grinding.

A glaring omission, however, in this list is the consumption of sugary foods--candy, cakes, pies, children's cereals, pastries of all kinds.  It does mention acidic foods but only in relation to aspirin and antihistamines.  There are equally acidic foods that are consumed daily that we all should look out for.  One is coffee. Then there's tea.  Love both.  Have to be careful with both.  Tea and coffee also contain naturally occurring fluoride.  I don't know what your position is on fluoride.  I tend to think that it is a neuro-toxin. That it's not good for your brain or your autonomic nervous system. Yet I see people drinking coffee and tea everywhere daily.  I drink coffee but at greatly reduced levels.  I like the bullet-proof coffee. Provides a nice boost, if that's what you're looking for from coffee. Sometimes, it's just comforting.  Other times it helps to fight off the cold.  

Sarah Corriher at HealthWyze (I love these folks) makes the point that 

After consuming sugary foods or drinks, the enamel of teeth becomes weaker; especially within the first hour of consumption. Brushing the teeth during this period leads to increases in abrasive damage. This damage usually becomes significant by the time a person reaches middle age.

I have in this blog recommended Vitamin C for healthy teeth here and here. Am I wrong?  Not quite.  Vitamin C is important to maintain gum health. Gum health means tooth health, for the gums and their blood vessels feed the roots and cementin of our teeth. Even Dr. Andrew Saul from DoctorYourself, has advocated Vitamin C for healthy teeth.

Take extra vitamin C. Tooth health is dependent on gum health, and gum health is more closely related to vitamin C than to any other nutrient.  The first symptom of scurvy is easily bleeding gums.   

So from a logical standpoint, I was not wrong.  It's Vitamin C serum levels in your blood that we're talking about.  But it's the form of Vitamin C you're taking that matters.  Chewable Vitamin C for kids leaves a residue of C on their teeth.  When C is consumed this way, it actually weakens your enamel.  Why is Vitamin C bad for tooth enamel?  Acids.

Corriher again, 

Vitamin C is destructive to tooth enamel, so chewable pills may lead to increased cavities, particularly in those who are lacking minerals, such as calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin C should never be taken in a manner which leaves residues of it on the teeth for an extended time. Some well-intentioned toothpaste manufacturers have misguidedly added vitamin C or "citrus" to their formulas, without realizing the dental problems that this presents. Similarly, some alternative medicine sites on the Internet recommend cleaning the teeth with lemon-based solutions. Citrus acids have the tendency to make the teeth feel clean. This occurs partly because the acid strips the teeth of everything, including the minerals bonding with them. It can cause long-term enamel damage; especially when it is combined with abrasives or stiff bristle brushes.

Okay, so if it's not Vitamin C that is best for your teeth, what is? Calcium and phosphorous.  Here is a list of phosphorus-rich foods. Fish is a great source of phosphorus, so are dairy products.  This site says that dairy products are your best source of phosphorus, so if you like sardines and other fish and cheese, yogurt, and milk, then you're doing just fine.  Ms. Corriher concludes with this

Those who suddenly start experiencing tooth decay should know that it is often a symptom of a phosphorus deficiency. It is a common problem for vegetarians. Phosphorus is best obtained through meats, fish, and dairy products. It is in seeds and some nuts, but not in sufficient quantities. Fructose causes a decrease in phosphorus, which is one reason why sugar seems to cause cavities. Technically, sugars and carbohydrates can be harmful too, but the greatest factor is the connection between phosphorus depletion and the intake of fructose.

Those suffering from periodontal diseases such as gingivitis should look in the direction of CoQ10. Gingivitis sufferers are invariably deficient in co-enzyme Q10. It has shown good success with topical application, so mouth rinses are now available with this ingredient. In addition, CoQ10 is created by the body during exercise. Chlorophyll can also reverse gum disease, and it was once an ingredient of popular toothpastes.

Foods that Increase Tooth Enamel by Tiffany Tseng at Symptom Find.

1. DAIRY PRODUCTS                                                           
Dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, kefir and cheese, have plenty of calcium and phosphorous that can help strengthen teeth enamel and help with re-mineralization. They also promote saliva secretion, which can have a preventative effect, as saliva protects teeth against bacteria and balances the mouth's pH level. For those who are lactose intolerant, enriched soy milk can be a good alternative as it usually also have added calcium.

2. CELERY                                                                            
Celery, considered an "abrasive" food item due to its high fiber content, can help protect teeth and its enamel by cleaning the surface of the teeth. Its fibrous nature also requires longer chewing time, which can promote saliva secretion and maintain a healthy pH level in the mouth. The gums, which are also integral to healthy teeth enamel, are also massaged in the chewing process to ensure its health.

3. STRAWBERRIES                                            
Strawberries are full of antioxidants and vitamin C, which are important in maintaining the overall health of the oral cavity. Strawberries also have a natural exfoliating effect due to its malic acid content, and can also help whiten your teeth while removing enamel harming tartar. There is no need to actively rub the actual fruit on the teeth, however, as an excess of malic acid may actually do harm and dissolve tooth enamel. To keep your teeth enamel and oral cavity healthy, just incorporate strawberries in your diet, as a snack or a healthy dessert.

Your Vitamin D as ordered with spinach and cherry tomatoes.  What's not to like?

4. VITAMIN D                                                                       
Studies have shown that vitamin D is a nutrient that plays a key role in regulating proteins that create tooth enamel. Hence, foods rich in vitamin D, such as fish oil, cold water fish, or enriched egg yolks, are great for strengthening and possibly re-mineralizing tooth enamel. For example, canned sardines is a great super food, rich in vitamin D, for strengthening tooth enamel, as you can also eat the bones of the fish for added bone-strengthening calcium and fluoride.

5. ANIMAL PROTEIN                                                           
Most animal proteins, such as chicken and beef, contain phosphorus, which is a mineral essential to healthy tooth enamel. Indeed, when phosphorus is paired with calcium and vitamin D, healthy bones and teeth are created. Tofu may be an alternative option for vegetarians, as it contains a good amount of protein, and may also have the added benefits of calcium and magnesium.

6. SESAME SEEDS                                                             
Sesame seeds are similar to celery in that it is also an abrasive food that can help "brush" the surface of teeth and remove bacteria causing debris. They are also high in calcium, which is important in bone and teeth formation, and are extremely easy to incorporate into the diet. Toss a handful of toasted sesame seeds on your next snack or meal, or blend it into your smoothie for some enamel protection.

7. VITAMIN  K                                                                  
Essential for bone growth and mineral absorption, vitamin K can help strengthen teeth enamel when paired with vitamin D. Cruciferous vegetables, such as kale and broccoli, are high in vitamin K and other immune-boosting nutrients that can also contribute to healthier gums and teeth. Other great sources for this vitamin include egg yolks, hard cheese, pasteurized butter, fermented grains, and naturally-cured salami.

8. PARSLEY                                                                         
Parsley has been used as a natural breath freshener for ages. This herb is known for its anti-bacterial properties and may help prevent bacteria that can lead to loss of tooth enamel. Next time, chew some parsley in place of sugary gum or breath mints; not only will it freshen your breath, it can also save your teeth from sugars that can deteriorate enamel.

9. TEA                         
Naturally high in antioxidants for a healthier oral cavity, almost all leaves that brew tea also contain fluoride, which protects tooth enamel from decay. Green tea, in particular, also contains the antioxidant polyphenol, which protects the teeth by preventing plaque from adhering to its surface. As an added bonus, freshly brewed tea may also help eliminate bad breath for a more presentable smile.

10. WATER                                                       
Drinking water can ensure a clean mouth, as it washes away trapped debris between teeth that serves as a breeding ground for enamel harming bacteria. For the sake of your teeth, it is also advisable to swish and rinse the oral cavity with water after drinking or eating highly acidic or enamel-dissolving foods, such as alcohol, coffee, or lemons to keep the harsh foods from dissolving teeth surface and enamel. By keeping yourself hydrated, your body can also have a stronger immune system to potentially help ward off gum disease, which in turn, can be detrimental to tooth enamel.

Read more at http://www.symptomfind.com/nutrition-supplements/foods-that-strengthen-enamel/#GtDFXJi57qtv13oi.99

Magnesium: The Master Mineral

Perhaps more than anyone or as much as anyone, I have complaints about how information is presented in all of the nutritional journals. Even as I sit here in a coffee shop I am listening to a woman describe the demise of a friend's husband who went in for gastrointestinal complaints only to learn from his doctor that he had Stage 4 cancer with the doctor giving him 6 to 12 months to live. The medical industry has to create terminology for shock and awe. "Stage 4!!!  Oh, no!!!  It can't be!!!?  This is what I don't like--that doctors, trained monkeys inside the drug/military/industrial complex, are now in the business of offering life sentences instead of offering life-enhancing options, something that will awaken strength, revive energy, and extend life while improving its quality.  Acupuncture is one energy medicine.  They're in the business of increasing Chi.  Chiropractic care does the same thing.  It realigns your spine for greater energy flow.  There.  I'm not a doctor and I've provided two therapies that effectively and are proven to increase energy.  Increased energy means one's body works better, works stronger and more effectively.  But these trained monkeys get to peddle their narratives on the rest of us, narrowing our options instead of presenting a large range of choices.  Oh, they're very scientific, as if that means anything.  How many times do we read where scientific reports were skewed, biased, or otherwise fraudulently concocted to serve the financial reports or political interests of this or that industry or institute?    Just because vitamin or food or nutritionist guru says this or that about any vitamin or mineral doesn't mean that it is going to perform as promised.  Why? Because the reports are hardly ever specific.  Is this a marketing strategy to leave people open to trying and spending thousands of dollars on this or that vitamin or mineral?  Perhaps. That may be the likeliest answer.  Some point to the FDA's regulation on health claims.  If someone can say that Vitamin C cures colds, the fact that it cures renders Vitamin C a medicine, products under strict purview of the FDA. as though it is just an unfortunate thing.  So instead of being specific in their claims, authors cite studies to give weight and authority to their vagueness.  This is not good enough, so don't accept claims that are so vague.  Ask the question, "What do you mean?"  Insist on specifics, on specific meaning.  Some of the best, most well-known nutrition writers, like Mercola, Sardi, Blaylock, Saul, Weston Price, are regularly vague.  Here's one instance.  Sounds interesting, but there is so little if any specific support or citation to make the claim even remotely actionable.  I still read and cite despite the fact that they are frequently vague with their claims. Terms like "improves," "builds," "increases," "raises," "enhances" do not prove anything. They offer hope.  What's that great advice?  Oh, yeah, trust but verify.

Dr. Sircus magnesium and scarring. 

First, magnesium's heart benefits:

I cannot emphasize enough the beneficial effects of magnesium supplementation on the health of blood vessels. Magnesium plays a major role in the operation of the endothelial cells, which line vessels and allow for better blood flow.

Abnormally functioning endothelial cells are the earliest and most important change that occurs with atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) — hence raising stroke and heart attack risk. Magnesium reduces inflammation in blood vessels (the real cause of atherosclerosis), deters platelets from adhering to the walls of blood vessels, and reduces free-radical damage to body tissues.

That comes from Dr. Blaylock.  Magnesium relaxes blood vessels. That is important if you have any hardening of the arteries or veins. Whereas calcium strengthens or hardens blood vessels, magnesium softens them.  Ideally, you want both in an optimal ratio.  But I really liked the "reduces free-radical damage to body tissues" part. That should give courage to anyone with heart complications.  That should help in figuring things out.  He goes on . . . 

It is important to understand that when a person has a heart attack or stroke, it is not because plaque has occluded the blood vessel; it is because a blood clot has stuck to the wall of the vessel and blocked the flow of blood.

By reducing the ability of platelets to stick to vessel walls, magnesium greatly reduces the chance of a blood clot forming. (In general, black people have very low magnesium levels, and despite having lower cholesterol than Caucasians, they have higher risks of strokes and heart attacks.)

"magnesium greatly reduces the chance of a blood clot forming." Is there anything about that statement that you did not like?  I am trying to understand the downside to magnesium.  I'd wished that someone would've told me of this mineral years ago.  Perhaps I would have scoffed at it then.  I knew better.  I didn't.  That was just my ego talking over my biology.  

One of the reasons that I started writing on food and nutrition is that I was beside myself with how doctors, colleagues, and television commercials pimped drugs willy-nilly.  Even with all of the fatal and debilitating caveats we listen to, if you could follow the fine print or the warp-speed with which they were reported in commercials, people still asked their doctor for them thinking that it was the easy cure, the very thing that would bring them back from the brink.  

Blaylock goes on . . . 

I find it ironic and upsetting that most doctors prescribe the anti-clotting drug Plavix to protect against clotting. Plavix is associated with very severe side effects — some even fatal — and it is very expensive. It works no better than using magnesium, omega-3 oils, ginkgo biloba, or garlic extract, all of which have few side effects and are much less expensive.  So opt for magnesium.  

Its benefits are far-reaching.  For insomnia, there is nothing better. I prefer it much better to the melatonin.  Melatonin relaxes your muscles too much.  You wake up feeling like a numbing zombie. Don't know how doctors or nutritionists can recommend that. Incredible.  

Beyond sleep, magnesium improves blood vessel integrity, large and small blood vessels.  

One condition that has resisted treatment is progressive small vessel strokes involving cerebral arteries in the brain. In the beginning, one typically experiences few symptoms with this condition. But as more of these tiny blood vessels become blocked, a person can experience paralysis, loss of vision, or a gradual loss of mental function. Conventional treatments are hazardous, costly, and rarely work.

As mentioned above, magnesium improves blood flow in these tiny blood vessels, along with reducing inflammation and helping to prevent clotting. Other supplements that can reduce the conditions that lead to small vessel strokes include:

• Vitamin C (buffered forms)

• Curcumin

• Quercetin

• Ellagic acid

• Hesperidin

• Grape seed extract)

• White tea

It is also important to drink plenty of fluids, as this improves blood flow. 

 Seems to me if you want to ward off stroke, age-related dementia or dementia of any kind, then maintaining adequate doses of magnesium in your body throughout the day would be one, and a very important one, strategy.  How can you not be interested in this, "As mentioned above, magnesium improves blood flow in these tiny blood vessels . . . ."  If you're taking care of elderly relatives, would it not make their lives more painless, more pleasant? Then . . . ? 

Next, we've got Alan Watson from Diet Heart News.  Are you seeing a pattern here?  Articles on magnesium show up in journals and reports on the heart.  Ergo, magnesium is good for the heart. But idiots like me want to know specifics.  I want to know specifically how it is beneficial.  I like hearing about the benefits, but I also want proof.  Most people don't provide proof.  It's the proof that will save you time and money.  

As the late Dr. Atkins was quick to point out, while magnesium is the most important mineral for the heart, few cardiologists bother to (1) test for it properly and (2) prescribe it to their patients. While potassium is more abundant within our cells than magnesium, potassium on average is also 5 to 10 times more abundant in our food. (You don’t have to eat carb-dense bananas to ensure adequate potassium levels.)

Okay, that's good intel.  The nutritional and food media are always telling us how we need our potassium.  Perhaps.  But it seems to me that we're more likely to deplete our stores of magnesium than our abundant supplies of potassium.  I love bananas but their sugar doesn't jibe with me.  I eat bananas with peanut butter.  A delicious snack and certainly more nutritious than the banana all by itself.  So just know that potassium is more abundant in our bodies than magnesium.   

Although potassium is present in highest amounts, magnesium is dominant in regulating essential biochemical processes. Calcium also plays an important role in human chemistry – both are present in the blood, bones, and muscles – but magnesium is predominant in muscle cells and tends to control and balance other mineral electrolytes including calcium, potassium and sodium.

Okay, this too is good intel, "magnesium is dominant in regulating essential biochemical processes."  I don't know how many times I've heard a similar version of this cited by almost everybody, that "magnesium along with chocolate is responsible for 300 biochemical reactions in the body."  Okay.  Of those 300, which are the most important?  It's the irresistible, grandiose vague statements drive me crazy.  Be specific.  Cite one.  Cite five.  Cite all three hundred.  Yet people get away with these claims without ever having to be specific.  So I chase some of the specifics down online.  This statement gets to specifics, but magnesium is predominant in muscle cells and tends to control and balance other mineral electrolytes including calcium, potassium, and sodium.

Note well, magnesium is abundant in muscle cells and controls and balances other minerals in the cells, including calcium, potassium, and sodium.  Interesting.  So, of those 4 minerals, which do you think is the most important?  Yeah . . . .  Check out how magnesium regulates these other minerals:

The heart and the smooth muscles in the blood vessels are particularly sensitive to the balance of calcium and magnesium. Magnesium has a relaxing effect; calcium makes them more rigid. As a natural calcium-channel blocking agent, magnesium displaces and excludes excess calcium within cell membranes. As a natural muscle and artery relaxant, magnesium sufficiency is a key factor in maintaining normal blood pressure and heart beat.

Again, there's magnesium's role in heart health.  Just sayin'.  When I first tried magnesium supplements, I felt a flush, a sense that the blood volume increased or reached more places in my body.  The feeling was fuller, larger, building.  From a clinical standpoint, I don't know if that was good.  I don't have ways to measure if that experience was beneficial to my heart or if my heart was overwhelmed or struggling.  But after that building flush I do know that I felt better, more relaxed, less stressed.  I liked the effect.  

Overall, magnesium ensures that the heart can pump a larger volume of blood without increasing oxygen requirements. Magnesium’s anti-platelet activity enhances the flow of blood in all blood vessels and without the tendency like aspirin to promote bleeding. In the Physician’s Health Study, participants who took aspirin (Bufferin) had twice as many hemorrhagic strokes as those who took a placebo.

That comes from Alan Watson, who founded Diet Heart News. Part of the sifting through information means finding credible authors. Creating a curation site at least shows dedication and commitment to information on the subject.  His article lists 10 important functions of magnesium. 

Blood tests do not tell the whole truth on magnesium levels.  This is another way in which the drug/ military/industrial complex holds sway.

1.  Routine blood tests do not reveal intracellular magnesium. When your doctor says “your magnesium is fine,” she simply means the 1 percent normally found in the blood is present. A correlation does not exist between blood (serum) and intracellular magnesium. The measurement of magnesium in serum has very limited medical significance.

If your diet leans toward too many highly processed carbohydrates, you should definitely supplement with magnesium.

2.  Metabolizing highly processed carbohydrates – food products with corn syrup, sugar, flour, and box cereals – cause magnesium losses in the urine. Magnesium is required for optimum blood sugar control.  Poor blood sugar control, in turn, increases the rate of magnesium excretion further impairing blood sugar metabolism. (Dr. Atkins referred to type 2 diabetes as a magnesium deficiency disease.)

What I glean from the following is that calcium and potassium are more abundant, both in our bodies and in our food supply, than is magnesium.  For this reason, it is important, perhaps necessary, to supplement with magnesium.  Not everyone likes manufactured supplements.  And we can't just pick up any food to get the magnesium, for a calorie is a calorie and it will satiate us.  We may not feel hungry enough to eat that extra serving of spinach or chard. Further, if you drink coffee, a popular diuretic, on a regular basis, you probably should supplement with magnesium.

3.  Commonly prescribed diuretic drugs prevent the kidneys from recycling magnesium (and potassium and sodium), yet most doctors tell their patients to supplement with calcium – not magnesium. Excess calcium from supplements and so called fortified food products aggravates the important calcium-magnesium balance in favor of calcium.

Stress depletes magnesium.  I think we often feel lucky to have survived a stressful situation that we're grateful to gained life. Since we didn't lose our life, we don't think that we've lost much. Hubris perhaps?  Magnesium supplementation may be in order. 

4.  Stress of all kinds causes loss of magnesium. Extreme exercise, running, sweating, and even shivering in the cold promotes magnesium excretion. Anger, driving in rush hour traffic, depression, guilt, and fear all involve sympathetic nervous system activation, increased adrenaline – and loss of magnesium.

Magnesium is important for gut health.  Manufacturers of Pepto Bismal, Milk of Magnesia, Alka Seltzer, and others have bigger budgets.  These might treat the short-term symptoms, but do not treat the causes of gastrointestinal problems.  

5.  We need stomach acid to absorb minerals. Our bodies require magnesium to produce stomach acid. A magnesium deficiency reduces stomach acid which, in turn, reduces mineral absorption. (Keep in mind that the symptoms of excess and insufficient stomach acid are the same.) Don’t reach for an “antacid,” get your intracellular magnesium tested instead.

 Tell me again how doctors know best . . . . 

6.  Due to low stomach acid, reduced nutrient absorption, and the use of diuretic drugs for hypertension, the elderly are at greatest risk of magnesium deficiency. Most cases go unnoticed because doctors do not perform intracellular testing (see #1 above) and quite often discourage any type of nutritional supplementation.

You don't want to be deficient in magnesium.

7.  A quick way to produce kidney stones in animals is to put them on a magnesium deficit diet. Magnesium increases the solubility of calcium in the urine, helping to prevent stone formation. Also, most patients with Chronic Fatigue, fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and MS are deficient in magnesium and would likely benefit from supplemental magnesium.

Want to take better care of your teeth?  The answer is not the dentist. It's magnesium:

8.  Magnesium, boron, strontium and many other minerals add significantly to the quality of bones and teeth. Magnesium regulates the absorption and utilization of calcium. Without sufficient magnesium, bone-building and joint health suffer. Regardless of calcium intake (usually too much), magnesium deficiency leads to arthritis, brittle bones, and osteoporosis.

That should be a concern for all people of all ages.  Bone health.  We all want strong, long-lasting, healthy teeth that can withstand the sugary assault and battery on those gorgeous things that make up our smile, you know--that thing that wins people over to ourselves, that has persuasive effects on others.  If your teeth are bad, you'll have a difficult time persuading others.  I wish this weren't true but it is.  Imagine someone with missing teeth or bad teeth.  What do we do when we see this?  We go closed mouth and feel sorry for the man or woman.  If you don't want people to feel sorry for you, then take care of your teeth.

Then there's heart.  

9.  Concentrated 18 times greater in the heart muscle than in the bloodstream, magnesium regulates heart beat. Magnesium is vital for the heart, arteries, and the cardiovascular system. People dying as a result of obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and coronary heart disease have this in common: intracellular magnesium deficiency.

Wow.  If that's not a selling point, I don't know what is.

I mentioned earlier that I did not konw what the optimal ratio between calcium and magnesium should be.  Watson at least gives us a starting point: 1:1 or 2:1 in favor of magnesium.

10. Supplemental calcium and magnesium should be in a 1:1 ratio or perhaps a 2:1 ratio in favor of magnesium. (Multiple vitamins fail in this regard and often contain cheap, poorly absorbed calcium carbonate and magnesium oxide. While natural whole food is always our best source of minerals, magnesium levels in food have declined substantially during the past 100 years (USDA testing). Remember, too, that we cannot absorb minerals in food or supplements without adequate levels of fat-soluble vitamins A & D – found only in animal food. To increase your mineral absorption, use butter (vitamin A) and lard (vitamin D) on a regular basis.

 I cannot believe the details of this guy.  Fantastic!

Remember, too, that we cannot absorb minerals in food or supplements without adequate levels of fat-soluble vitamins A & D – found only in animal food. To increase your mineral absorption, use butter (vitamin A) and lard (vitamin D) on a regular basis.

See, this is helpful.  Telling a client that he has 6 to 12 months to live is not.  That only raises stress Got stress?  Take magnesium.   

Next, I was interested in internal scarring.  And given how magnesium restores small blood vessels and soft tissue, I thought, maybe, you know, that magnesium may have some benefits there. So I Googled it and found an interesting article from Dr. Sircus on inflammation and systematic stress.  What are his credentials?  He is an allopath with studies in oriental medicine and a Veritas Medical practitioner.  I don't know what that means and how it compares or contrasts with a medical doctor, whether it's an upgrade or not. 

UPDATE, Sun., Oct. 16, 2016, 4:45pm, MT: 
It appears I am guilty of the very thing I complained about: being vague.  In fact, I omitted even the basic critique of my recommendation of magnesium, that being the fact that in not all circumstances is magnesium of benefit.  Taking too much is a serious risk.  And with all the talk about deficiency, one could get into trouble trying to compensate for any perceived and unmeasured or self-diagnosed deficiency.  With supplements not only is there a real risk of taking too much, but your supplement might contain a less effective, more toxic forms of magnesium. One benefit of getting your nutrients from food is that you're less likely to overdose and get sick or worse.

Magnesium oxide is a popular supplement because it is inexpensive, but it’s important to know about the risks and problems associated with it. One thing to know about magnesium oxide is that it is non-chelated, so it doesn’t absorb well compared to other supplements, says Natural News. Chelated minerals have been chemically combined with amino acids so that the body can used them better. 

Magnesium oxide also can cause other side effects. Users commonly experience diarrhea with magnesium oxide, according to Drugs.com. Some other magnesium supplements also cause diarrhea, while some types don’t seem to have that effect and are gentler on the body.

 That comments only on magnesium oxide's poor absorption.  Byt there are some real hazards associated with this variety of magnesium that the manufacturers will never tell you about.  And if you take too much of the bad stuff, they'll only point to your bad judgment as the cause of ill health or demise.  Check out the first article in this list.

Breathing Magnesium Oxide can irritate the eyes and nose. Exposure to Magnesium Oxide can cause “metal fume fever.” This is a flu-like illness with symptoms of metallic taste in the mouth, headache, fever and chills, aches, chest tightness and cough. ... Magnesium Oxide is a white powder

There is more.  Remember that calcium hardens arteries and magnesium softens them?  Taking too much magnesium can cause problems.  Read here:

Humans take in between 250 and 350 mg/day of magnesium and need at least 200 mg, but the body deals very effectively with this element, taking it form food when it can, and recycling what we already have when it cannot.

 There is no evidence that magnesium produces systemic poisoning although persistent over-indulgence in taking magnesium supplements and medicines can lead to muscule weakness, lethargy and confusion.

But which type of magnesium do I take?  Good question.  And here are some very good answers.