Questions and Answers.
In my last post, I posed some questions about why we are being misled and deceived about many issues of health but particularly the vital importance of keeping Magnesium (Mg) levels replete and at the same time, not overdosing on Calcium (Ca).
I will answer those questions below. Perhaps you will not agree with my answers but then you do have the opportunity of putting your thoughts in writing by commenting on this post! Or perhaps you have your own questions? We’d love to hear from you!
The vital balance of Mg and Ca
Question 1 – Why are we not being educated by the medical profession on the importance of this vital balance?
My Answer – Did you know that the medical fraternity do not learn about diet, minerals, vitamins and other nutrients in their general medical training, they learn about sickness and drugs. Why is this? Because much of the medical education is funded by drug companies. Big Pharma certainly will not have any vested interest in promoting natural nutrients. There’s no money in it and you can’t patent something natural. They are just large companies who need to make large profits, often at the expense of your health!
Why drugs when there’s a natural remedy?
I was speaking to a young woman who had recently just had her first child. She said she had been put on a blood pressure drug but was now complaining of heart arrhythmia. This is a young mother who had been put on a drug which will likely be prescribed to her for life. Upon my suggestion of supplementing with Mg, she said she would ask her doctor first. I sighed inwardly, knowing that her doctor would probably dismiss the use of Mg and give her another drug for her arrhythmia. I gave her a sample of Mg Chloride solution hoping she would try it before going to the doctor…
Is it something more sinister?
Is there something more sinister going on. Could it be that Big Pharma are pushing their drugs onto the medical profession? Could Big Pharma be actually paying doctors to prescribe their drugs? Pharmaceutical and medical device companies made payments of $3.48 billion to doctors and other health care professionals in the five-month period from 8/1-12/31/2013. (Thomas et al, 2014).
Don’t be afraid to try naturopathy
We are too trusting of doctors. Doctors are only human and don’t know everything. We can easily do our own research in the field that is to do with our own condition. We know more about how we feel than any doctor does. Please take it as read that I’m not advocating not consulting your doctor, I’m talking about doing your homework with regards to your own health and discussing it with your doctor. Don’t be afraid of your medics, they are there to serve you the patient. If he won’t listen to you, go elsewhere. Don’t be afraid to try a naturopathic doctor. These are often trained medical doctors who use both allopathic and naturopathic methods.
Why fortify?
Question 2 – Why are the food manufacturers fortifying our foods with Ca?
My Answer – You know what the ethos of the food manufacturer is? Give the customer what they want. The customer has been told that Ca is the most essential mineral for you and yours, to have healthy bones and teeth. Who’s told the customer this, why the medical community of course and also we’ve seen all the adverts on the telly haven’t we! The adverts say you and your children have to have loads of Ca. So what do we do, we go out and buy this ‘superfood’ thinking that we’re doing the best for ourselves and our family. The more we buy, the more food companies jump on the band wagon, the more it’s advertised and the more we buy.
You can’t win unless you take control.
Meanwhile, the food companies are rubbing their hands with glee at the massive amounts of profits they’re getting from their fortification of our favourite foods. Subsequently the medical profession have always got a nice new drug that Big Pharma has cajoled them into trying on the unsuspecting patient who is now suffering from various complaints due to a simple Ca overdose and a Mg deficiency! Don’t be taken in. Take control of your own health. Do your own research.
A Ca overload leads to Ca migrating to our soft tissue. Any soft tissue will do. It will set up home anywhere in your body including your brain, your heart, your arteries, joints, kidneys, liver, bladder, arms, legs, hands… The excess Ca can over excite your nerves, kill your cells and calcify your body. You will insidiously start to suffer from various complaints like muscle spasms, headaches, angina, fibromyalgia, asthma, anxiety, panic attacks, ADHD, arthritis, hypertension… the list is endless and these conditions are all the precursor to something much more serious like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. As Dr Mildred S Seelig said “Most modern heart disease is caused by magnesium deficiency”.
Calcium without Magnesium
Question 3 Why are we being encouraged to supplement with massive amounts of Ca especially for women and the older generation?
My answer – The medical fraternity advocates that everyone with osteoporosis and arthritis and calcifying type diseases, take extra Ca? Telling an osteoporosis patient to stock up on Ca and eat as much dairy as possible without a mention of Mg is completely the wrong advice and positively dangerous! Dr Dennis Goodman MD wrote in his book ‘Magnificent Magnesium’ “Research indicates that magnesium not only helps to maintain and even restore bone density, but also improves calcium’s ability to enhance bone health by regulating the metabolism and deployment of calcium in the body”.
Yummy Tums!
Question 4 – Why are we being coaxed into taking excessive amounts of Ca Carbonate in antacids such as ‘Tums’?
My Answer: Did you know you can take a days allowable dose of ‘Tums’ and consume a whopping 3000mg of Ca Carbonate, (chalk in other words). So here you are with acid indigestion and so you take your ‘Tums’ (yummy fruit flavours) and you’ll get a little relief which will last a few hours. Then your symptoms return and you take some more. Pretty soon, you’re taking these ‘chalk sweets’ on a regular basis. Not only is this ruining your digestive system by reducing your acid production in your stomach and in effect starving you of nutrients, you’re also taking in vast amounts of Ca. Unless your Mg intake is equal to your Ca intake (highly unlikely as you’d definitely be on the loo for most of the day if you took 3000mg of Mg), this Ca will now be causing all kinds of problems as explained above. Is this ignorance on the part of the antacid companies or is it just irresponsibility and greed?
Is Big Pharma ignorant of Mg Ca balance?
Question 5 – Why do the majority of Ca supplements have none, or very little, Mg in them to balance the Ca?
My Answer – Big Pharma actually produce supplements as well as drugs. Why shouldn’t they, they’re a good revenue stream. Interestingly though, I had a look at one of GSK’s (Glaxo Smith Kline) supplements of Calcium called Os-Cal. The ingredient with the highest milligrams (mg) listed was, of course, Calcium at 600mg per caplet. Magnesium was also listed but guess what? This supplement only has 20mg of Magnesium per caplet and I bet you pound to a penny this Mg will be the cheap Mg oxide which is only 4% bioavailable at most. This is scandalous, this works out at a Ca to Mg ratio of 30 : 1 at best when the balance to aim for should be 1 to 1… Well I suppose it’s a good way of Big Pharma ensuring their patients of the future!
A controlling drug or a natural remedy?
A doctor should know that Mg is completely harmless but vital. It would do no harm to try Mg first. “A doctor with no knowledge of nutrition is like a firefighter with no knowledge of water!” Oceon Robbins – The Food Revolution Network.
What do you really think keeps you in good health? Pharmaceutical drugs or natural metabolic processes that depend on minerals, vitamins and other nutrients. I think I know the answer to that one, don’t you? This image could be a patient’s heart after overdosing on GSK’s Ca supplement for a few years! Still, never mind, GSK is bound to have a drug for it!
Please give us your comments on this immotive subject. Have you had experience of calcification? Do you have any of the conditions mentioned above? If so, how are you coping with them? Have you been prescribed drugs to control your condition?
Ches
Spread the word!
I can’t agree more about trying natural remedies as opposed to drugs. I always believe it’s better than taking medications. I’ve been reading a lot lately about magnesium and how good it is for you, but so is calcium. But like anything else, too much of magnesium and calcium isn’t good either. I didn’t know there were naturopathic doctors . I’d like to see one of these doctors for my health issues too.
Hi Rob, there are quite a few naturopaths that are also medical doctors (MDs). These are the medics who will first look at your nutrient levels and balances and will only use prescription drugs, which after all are not natural for the body, as a last resort. I’m sure you will have a naturopath somewhere in your area. Try a google search. In our modern diet, calcium is the mineral you’re most likely have an excess of. Magnesium, on the other hand, has been depleted in our modern diet and is low in our soils. Magnesium is necessary for all our cells and our energy cannot be produced without it. Most of the time, calcium needs to be kept out of the cell, it needs to be monitored and magnesium is the mineral that does this job. Without it, cells will die of excess calcium intake. Have a look at this short video explaining what happens in our cells Good health to you and yours. Ches
Hello,
thank you for sharing a very interesting article about calcium side effects. I have to point out, you really explain in detail everything we need to know about calcium side effects. I didn’t know a lot of things that I read, that’s why I’m glad that I came across website. Very informative
Thank you Karlo for reading the article. I’m pleased you found it informative. We all need to look after our own health and educate ourselves. That way we can make an informed decision upon the treatment of our illnesses and conditions. Ches
Hello Chess, great article. I actually wasn’t aware that Calcium overuse existed. The only warning I had about calcium was that it inhibits iron absorption, which for me is bad, because I have a mild iron deficiency.
However, thanks for the post. I found it really helpful. I have a two year old son and I’ve made the mistake of emphasizing calcium in his diet. I’ll definitely limit the calcium in his diet. Thanks
Hi Alex and thanks for the comment. Yes, it would be a good idea to monitor Ca intake for you and all your family. Also, get some Mg inside you, it will help with so many areas of your health and you will feel the difference! Make sure the supplement is of good quality, Mg Oxide is no good for bioavailability but Mg Chloride solution or Mg Citrate powder (slightly laxative) are both ideal. If you’re taking iron supplements, take your Mg 2-3 hours apart from your Iron. Good health to you and your family. Ches
Hi Ches,
I actually read another article the other day about deficiencies of vitamins and minerals, and what you have written here is really interesting. I have to agree with you that big industries have a huge hand in what is trending and what info they disclose. This was a really educational read. Keep up the great content
Hi Xander and thanks for the positive comments. Big Pharma have a lot to answer for and the truth will out sooner or later then perhaps we can all start leading healthier lives. Good health to you and yours. Ches
You discuss a problem which goes quite overlooked. That is the side effects that calcium can have in our health and body. I believe good and bad effects can happen both, and it is really important to consider both possibilities. Like your recommendations, well searched and thought out. Keep it up, awareness needs to be raised on the topic!
Thank you Antonis for your comments and thoughts. You are surely correct about the merits of calcium. Both magnesium and calcium are vital for the body but they have to be in balance. The majority of us today are consuming too much calcium to the detriment of our health. Good luck to you and yours. Ches
It’s interesting that doctor’s don’t receive much training in the area of diet and nutrition since I believe it has a lot to do with our overall health. Simply treating sickness with drugs isn’t the answer. I also suspect that many in the medical profession are lured by the financial rewards offered by Big Pharma and are not acting in the best interest of the patient. We all need to educate ourselves about the vital balance between Mg and Ca since clearly doctors won’t be the ones. Nice post!
Hi there Lyn and thanks for commenting on the post. I quite agree with you about the training of our medics and the mistake of treating with drugs alone. You know what they say ‘money is the route of all evil’ and in the case of Big Pharma this certainly rings true! I think we forget that these pharmaceutical companies’ main aim is to make money. Patients’ care is secondary and the FDA is easily persuaded by powerful and influencial companies, to pass their drugs with a little financial aid and coercion! You’re right, education is the key and I always say, do your homework and help yourself! Good health to you and yours. Ches
Awesome post. I really liked your view on the side effects of calcium. I take a multivitamin daily and always try to get extra calcium in my diet as well. But I didn’t know that calcium could migrate to our soft tissue. I also had a calcium deposit in my arm when I was younger. So it makes perfect sense. Keep up the good work
Thanks for the kind comments Joe. You don’t really need to take any extra calcium, our modern diet supplies plenty and in some cases too much! Unfortunately we can’t say the same for magnesium because it is depleted in our diet and is excreted from our bodies easily unlike calcium. The consequences are an imbalance of calcium to magnesium which allows the excess calcium, which does not have enough magnesium to control it, to indiscriminately calcify in our soft tissue. This is what happened to you with your arm. The fact that you were younger belies the concept that it is only the elderly who get calcifications. It is all dependant on our diet and how we absorb our nutrients. A multivitimin is fine as long as it is well balanced. The most important balance of which is 1 to 1 calcium to magnesium. Good luck and good health to you and yours. Ches
As a student and soon-to-be-practioner of homeopathy, I’ve also noticed the massive corruption influenced by Big Pharma on our nation’s healthcare. These greedy officials are willing to have people killed or infected with illnesses by promoting some of their own poisonous drugs and vehemently attacking CAM therapies that offer safer solutions. I am not against all allopathy and I believe that the most ideal way to heal is to use the best of everything of all sides, but this corruption is only making everything worse. The irony is that many medical professionals not connected to CAM acknowledge this fact as well.
Thanks for bringing this crucial issue to the forefront!
Thanks for reading the post Ariel and your comments are much appreciated. It’s great to know that there are practioners like yourself learning the trade of homeopathy and naturopathy. In my mind, it’s the best way forward to keep a healthy body and mind. Yes you are right, many MDs know that allopathy is not the only way and combining all our knowledge along with pharmaceuticals is a better way forward. Prevention though, is much superior to control and this is where I think the medical profession is going wrong. Corruption from Big Pharma, Big Agra and the rest of them, is killing people and that is unforgiveable. Ches
Thank you for a very informative post. I agree that big Pharma is controlling the medical profession.
When they make the supplements that we use they have no interest for us to be healthy. They want us to rely on their drugs so they can continue to reap huge profits.
I have a friend in hospice after years of chemo.
Chemo destroys all blood cells. There is a natural herb that destroys only the cancerous cells and because the drug companies can’t make their huge profits they keep pushing Chemo.Your website does a good service.
Hi there Marty and thanks for reading the article. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for and one day the whole truth will out. The fact that they actually can refute and debunk proven cures through the FDA is a scandal. I’m sorry to hear of your friend who is in a hospice, it’s so sad and in some cases unnecessary suffering. I’ve heard about the natural cures for cancer and although some of them may not be as curative as proclaimed, there are a couple that have been working inordinately better than the dreaded chemo. Those with cancer should not have to fight to get the best treatment! Thank you for your comments. Ches
I read your post titled, “Calcium Side-Effects.” I kind of chuckled when I read the title of your post because I have a relative who is always telling me to drink magnesium for back pain. I’ve had multiple back/neck surgeries since I was involved in an oilfield accident. Plus I was born with Scolioses Class 5, which is bad. Anyway, my cousin is always telling me that magnesium is good for back pain. She’s a freak about Dr. Oz. Not too long ago he was in some kind of trouble for saying that some pill was a miracle pill. I guess you can say I am not so much of a believer in home remedies and vitamines but I definately respect the right of others to believe. I do agree that there is a war between conventional medicine and nonconventional medicine. Doctors will always win because they have the money and large pharmaceutical companies behind them and I don’t know if nonconventional medicine has imperical studies to support there position
Thank you,
Edward Mijarez
Thank you Mijareze for reading the article. Yes, many have tried and tested magnesium and found it to be a boon for many conditions, me included. I consider myself to be a well balanced and a somewhat pragmatic person. My husband is and has always been dealing in the area of chemistry, biology, immunology etc., and he keeps me well grounded. He is exceptionally knowledgeable in areas of research and when he started taking magnesium, I knew there was something in it. Now with my own research, it comes to light that this mineral is somewhat extraordinary and has been the subject of many trials, most of which have been shelved. Myself, my friends and relatives have all benefitted enormously from taking magnesium regularly. If you’ve not actually tried a good quality supplement, perhaps you should give it a go! You can then make up your own mind from your own experience. Good health to you and yours. Ches
This was a really interesting post! I have always felt that we should go natural whenever we can. I always try to look up natural products to help with different issues my children have had throughout the years. I have also heard that too much calcium is not good. I think you are right on the head with that one. I had not heard of using magnesium, other than my mother was a huge proponent for it.
Hi Matt’s Mom and thanks for reading the post. I’m pleased you are aware of the dangers of too much calcium. As for your mum, it’s quite strange that some of the older generation seem to know about magnesium. A couple of my friends had also heard of it but none had tried it. That’s all changed now and those that have started taking a good quality supplement are reaping the benefits. Good health to you and yours always. Ches