Not all research is equal
Prostate problems? I do a lot of research before writing my articles and there’s one thing I really have to watch out for. Modern research is very suspect. You have to be really careful that the studies you are citing do not have a conflict of interest associated with them. Making sure the research is from a bona fide research establishment which has not been ‘hired’ by a pharma company is imperative. It is claimed that 50% of research and studies now are bogus or manipulated. This will always be to favour the drug or procedure in question. Often big
pharma put their research out to study groups, doctors and researchers. They are paid enormous amounts of money to produce results that favour the drug or procedure. This will often be to the detriment of the end user, YOU!
Old research on the prostate
Research that was done in the last century, is much more reliable. This was before the big pharmaceuticals took over. Most of the researchers were doctors or other medical practioners who were principled and honourable. Just because a study is old, doesn’t mean the results are not worthy. If a study proves a point or comes up with a definitive conclusion, then that study is as dependable as any study done today, if not more so. Unfortunately, many older studies are passed by or ignored, just because of their age. This is sad, because there are some real gems out there. One of them is to do with the prostate.
Dr Favier and mineral balances
A Dr Joseph Favier wrote a book in the 1960s. It was about mineral balances and health and it dealt specifically with the mineral magnesium. The book explained about the importance of magnesium (Mg) as a medication and how necessary it was for the health of the body. There is a specific chapter about Mg’s effect on the prostate. The book is out of print unfortunately and I haven’t been able to obtain a copy as yet.
Mg Chloride and the prostate
Dr Favier credits a Dr Stora for being the first to discover Mg chloride as a treatment for urinary problems of the prostate. Back in 1930, he informed the Medical Academy of France of what he had discovered. A few days after, the famous Dr Pierre Delbet submitted a similar report. His studies showed the same results with magnesium chloride.
All physicians were on Mg Chloride!
When Dr Favier and Dr Stora discussed the treatment, Dr Favier decided to consult with some of his physician friends. Much to his surprise he found they were all taking magnesium chloride! Of the five he spoke with, four of them had problems urinating, particularly at night. After taking the magnesium, they all found their nighttime difficulties abated or disappeared.
10 out of 12 cured
Another doctor, Dr Chevassu, had some data regarding 12 prostatic patients who he treated with magnesium. Out of the 12, 10 were cured. Of the other two, one went missing and his results were not known. The other patient was not cured but his condition had improved with just his nightly urination problem remaining. What was a bonus is that these patients had an improvement in their general wellbeing. There was something about the magnesium that was making them feel better in themselves.
77 year old
One of Dr Chevassu’s patients was a 77 year old man who could not pass urine at all. He had to be cathetered regularly every day. Although he regained the ability to urinate, he was going 5 times a night with the bladder never fully emptying. Magnesium treatment was started on December 14th and went on until the 21st February 1930. The frequency of urinations went from 5 times a night to 3 times with a low residue of 20 grams. The patient was well pleased. Thinking himself cured, he stopped the medication. Three days later, the frequency increased and the residue went up to 126 grams. Of course, the treatment was resumed. By the 21st March the patient’s frequency had reduced to 2 to 3 urinations per night.
Prostatectomy operation cancelled
Another of Dr Chevassu’s patients who had complete retention of urine was to have an operation to remove his prostate. Dr Chevassu thought the operation too dangerous and started magnesium chloride tablets. The patient started to urinate and left the hospital without having the operation. He carried on taking the magnesium chloride after leaving hospital. From then on he had no difficulty or pain when urinating. He was so grateful to the doctor that he made a point of visiting him regularly as a friend.
On Mg, nobody suffered prostate problems.
In his book, Dr Favier remarks that among all the men who had been taking magnesium chloride for years none of them, to his knowledge, had ever suffered any further symptoms of prostate problems.
Dr Pierre Delbet’s observation
Dr Pierre Delbet who has done much research and cured many of various magnesium deficiency diseases, not least poliomyelitis, remarks about his ideas of growing older. He explains that the organs of the body do not deteriorate or age at the same rate. He says the muscular system ages the quickest and the nervous system the slowest.
As we age Mg declines and Ca increases
He suggests that magnesium diminishes slowly with advancing age. It has been shown that the bones of old rabbits have less magnesium in them than young ones. At the same time as magnesium declines, calcium increases. He added that excess calcium and reduced magnesium are characteristic of the senile testicle. He also confirms that this is the same in the brain too. So, as we age magnesium diminishes while calcium rises.
Interestingly, calcium is considered to be a ‘framework’ mineral whilst magnesium is an ‘action’ mineral. In other words calcium is static and magnesium is dynamic.
It’s not rocket science
So we know that magnesium becomes less abundant as we grow older and at the same time calcium increases. Would it not be common sense to increase our Mg and decrease our Ca intake. It is now common knowledge that Ca and Mg should be in our bodies in equal measures. Keeping this equilibrium of these two vital minerals is surely the way forward.
Dr John Briffa
Back to the present day, Dr John Briffa says that not all men with symptoms of an enlarged prostate have an enlarged prostate. So what’s going on?
He explains that difficulty in urinating will lead a doctor to concentrate on the prostate. An enlarged prostate can cause problems with urinating because of the squeezing effect it has on the urethra.
An overlooked condition
He also states that not all symptoms will exhibit BPH (benign prostatic enlargement) and not all BPH symptoms mean prostate problems. He has found that some men have urinary symptoms that don’t stem from the prostate. This condition he thinks, could easily be overlooked.
An overactive bladder
It would appear that some men, like women, can get bladder dysfunction which leads to many similar symptoms to BPH. As women don’t have prostates, their symptoms will lead mostly straight to a bladder problem or urinary tract condition. Because men have a prostate and the symptoms are similar, doctors often forget about a bladder condition and may misdiagnose a prostrate problem. An overactive bladder could be what many men are suffering from, not prostate problems.
Womens urinary tract problems are mostly put down to childbirth damage, mens are put down to prostate problems. Perhaps doctors should take a more careful look at possible bladder problems in men and not assume the prostate is the cause.
It is important to make a correct diagnosis. It is extremely stressful for a patient to have to deal with a prostate problem. Supplementation of a simple mineral could alleviate a lot of anxiety, apart from benefitting the general health of the patient.
Another problem is when a patient is ‘assumed’ to have a prostate problem. Various types of drugs will be prescribed which could be an unnecessary extra toxic burden on the body. Some of these drugs have serious side effects like impotence, ejaculation disorders, decreased sexual drive and enlargement or tenderness of the breast area. Other more serious side effects include an increased risk of prostate cancer.
Mistakes do happen
If you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, it is a good idea to get a second or even third opinion. Pathologists have a hard time sometimes distinguishing cellular level behaviour of tissue and your doctor can only go by the pathologists determination. As the linked article shows, most doctors will be happy for you to send your biopsies to another recognised facility, such as John Hopkins of Baltimore.
Adequate Mg = normal function of all muscles
Dr Briffa confirms that an overactive bladder is often related to a Mg deficiency. To have normal muscular function it is absolutely vital to have adequate Mg. If not the body will be prone to muscle spasms and don’t forget your heart is a muscle! When you think of all the areas in the body that have muscles, including the bladder, it is understandable why a Mg deficiency will cause so much havoc to a depleted body.
Dr Briffa will look out for signs in his patients such as cramping, restless leg syndrome, tight muscles and recommend at least 400mg of elemental Mg per day. If you do have symptoms of urgency and having to get up in the night numerous times, why don’t you try a good Mg supplement first, before making your way to the doctor’s surgery. It will definitely do you good even if you don’t have prostate problems.
There’s so much that goes wrong when Mg and Ca are not balanced
Nearly all of us are deficient in this mineral and making the deficiency worse is consuming too much Ca. This will only exacerbate any problems of tightness you have, whether it be headaches, heart arrhythmias, digestive problems, twitching around the face and eyes, restless legs, insomnia, asthma to name a few. If you have any heart
problems, Mg is a must. Without enough Mg, Ca will start to calcify in various places in the soft tissues, not least the coronary arteries, the brain and let’s not forget the testicles!
Ches
Spread the word!
What is the recommended dosage for Liquid Magnesium Chloride. Currently I’m using a catheter three times a day. I’ve been using catheters for two years. I’m 66 years old. Two years ago the urologist recommended using a laser to shave my prostate and do a biopsy. I decided against the surgery and chose to use catheters instead. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Greg, I’m sorry to hear you’re suffering and having to use the catheter. If you have never supplemented before with Mg Chloride then take it slowly to start with because each person needs different optimum amounts. So, start with half a teaspoon of the liquid Mg Chloride on first day. Always take it in a good amount of water and increase the dose by half a teaspoon next day until you feel a difference. Each ½ teaspoon is 150mg of elemental Mg. I take around 600mg daily (2 teaspoons) depending on my stress levels. More stress, a little more Mg. Watch your Ca levels. Mg and Ca need to be in equal amounts if possible, although that’s quite difficult to achieve as Ca seems to be in everything nowadays and most of us take far too much Ca.
You will know when you reach your optimum amount and only you know how you feel. It’s a case of knowing your own body, which your medic won’t know! Are you using ReMag from Dr Dean or doing your own using food grade Mg Chloride powder? Doing your own is much cheaper. If you haven’t seen it already have a look at my article on What is Mg Chloride I sincerely hope this will help you. Remember Mg Chloride is safe. If you take too much, you will be in the loo for a while. Some take it to relieve a sluggish digestive system. Remember to take your dose throughout the day, not all at once. I put my dose in a bottle of mineral water and take mouthfuls throughout the day. If you can’t take the taste, lace with a little elderflower cordial or similar (no aspartame or sweeteners please). Most people get used the bitter taste though, especially when it works! Good luck and let me know how you get on.
ENLARGED PROSTATE TOTALLY CURED WITH MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE (I am 75 years old)
This is my recent amazon review:
Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2022
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I had a HUGELY enlarged prostate. Couldn’t pee AT ALL the entire night it first started. Terrible pain. Didn’t know what was causing it at the time. Very frightening. Two emergency room trips. Multiple trips to two different out-of-state urologists. All kinds of tests. They talked about surgery to remove part or all of it. I was on a catheter for two months and in the meantime I developed a bad bladder infection. They prescribed all the normal drugs that I would have had to take for the rest of my life for the prostate, not to mention the documented possibility that the drugs themselves might actually cause the condition to develop into cancer. They would have totally and permanently destroyed my sexual life forever. I was determined to take NONE of them and stood by it. Thank God I started researching and read an article about two European doctors discovering a natural cure 70 years ago for all the above by simply taking a daily regimen of magnesium chloride. I decided to give it a try and found this powder. I began taking 1/2 tsp of it every morning and afternoon. Day by day I got progressively better and within 2-3 weeks I was essentially cured! That was 4-5 months ago and I’ve kissed all of these horrors completely goodbye for good I’m sure. No more signs of ANY kind of trouble whatsoever ever since. Still taking the regimen and will NEVER quit. Getting up no more than once a night to pee. Sounds too good to be true I’m sure but every word of this is the truth. Those European doctors were oh so right! If you’re plagued by these kinds of things please try this before you allow them to drag you down ANY of their well-worn paths! By the way, I cured the bladder infection practically overnight by drinking an entire bottle of PURE, nasty tasting, undiluted cranberry juice! Again, no drugs.
Thanks Neil for sharing your journey of having this unpleasant and upsetting medical problem. Thank God you did your own research. It just shows that if we take time out to do our own research, we will find what we’re looking for to treat our own medical problems, mostly without pharmaceutical drugs.
Hubby and I take it every day as do most of my family. It has also benefitted us during Covid. We did not have the jabs and have not had the disease despite being around many people who were infected.
As I expect you now know, this amazing mineral will also be good for your heart. To keep calcium deposits at bay, which is very common as we age, try taking vitamin K2 Make sure your D3 is up, especially if you are not in sunny climes. Good health to you and yours.
Ches, the information you have provided is very interesting. Nearing my 71st birthday, and living in Britain, 18 months ago I was diagnosed as having an aggressive form of prostate cancer. I opted not to undergo the various treatments on offer, ie cut, burn or poison. Instead I opted to change my diet, exercise more and take supplements, such as curcumin, garlic and ginger. After reading your narrative, I will be adding magnesium to my list. I have for sometime suspected that the big pharmaceutical companies don’t have patients interests at heart. Okay, I may be taking a big risk, ignoring the various specialists – the urologists and oncologists – but my gut feeling (no pun intended), is I am taking the right route. I’ll keep monitoring your input on these matters – many thanks.
Hubbie and I have always said that if we come down with a disease, we will try and control it or cure it with natural products. So I fully concur with what you’re saying. But as far as prostate cancer is concerned, there’s an old saying “you will die WITH prostate cancer, not OF prostate cancer”. I wonder if all this interference with chemicals actually can exacerbate some diseases and this could be one of them. Please check out this article about Mg Chloride
Can I also suggest that you make sure your D3 levels are high and also take a K2 supplement. Even if you do have stored vitamin D in your body, Mg is necessary to activate it, a little known fact and K2 is necessary to keep calcification in check. Along with your new diet regime, try intermittent fasting. This is a great way of allowing your body to rest from digestion and do some necessary ‘housework’. Continually eating is not healthy. Fasting is another way of helping your body to rid itself of toxins. I am 5’10” and weigh 76kg and take – Mg Chloride – at least 600mg per day, Vitamin D3 – 9000IU per day, Vitamin K2 – 1 capsule of 90mcg and Altrient Liposomal Vitamin C – 1 sachet per day. These are my core essential supplements. Once you have this regime in place, you can finesse other supplements depending on what you may be deficient in.
Unless you have very low Calcium levels (which is exceptionally rare) be careful with your Calcium intake. Too much Ca will wipe out your Mg and can be toxic. Mg & Ca work together but have to be in equilibrium to be at their best. This is where K2 comes in, to take Ca out of your arteries and other soft tissues and usher it back into the bones where it belongs. Too much Ca will start settling around your body. It’s just a matter of luck as to where it will go! Check this article out about a Coronary Calcium Scan
I think that will do for now. By the way, I do not get any financial benefit for the Altrent Liposomal Vit C. Be warned it is exceptionally expensive but if you can afford it, you will reap the rewards of this amazing antioxidant. If it’s too expensive, use ascorbic acid powder but be aware of the laxative effect!
I say go with your gut!
PS check out the little video at the top right of my page
Hi Ches,
I’ve been taking Magnesium ‘Citrate’ for 3 years,
today I read that Magnesium Citrate causes Prostate Cancer.
What can you tell me about this?
Also=
What is the difference between taking Magnesium Citrate & Magnesium Chloride for the prostate?
The short answer is Mg Chloride is more bio-available than Mg Citrate.What is Magnesium Chloride?
Hi Ches,
I’ve been taking Magnesium Citrate for 3 years,
today I read that Magnesium Citrate causes Prostate Cancer.
What can you tell me about this?
Please tell me where you read Mg citrate causes prostate cancer or give me details of the research paper or article you read about it.
Hi Ches, Thank for your interesting information. I would like to consume MG chloride for my prostate issue. but I can’t buy it in my region. but it is available in chemistery stores in my region in form of powder. do you know how should I prep it for my body? can I apply it on skin or I can use it orally?
Hi Sadegh, wherever you get in from, it must be food quality. Powder or crystals is the usual form. Go to my article on What is Magnesium Chloride? This will give you all the information on how to make up your solution. You can put it on your skin, but it may itch so I would suggest to get a high quality lotion such as Dr Carolyn Dean’s ReMag Lotion. It is expensive but worth it. (I get no reward for anything I recommend). You could also use Mg sulphate otherwise known as epsom salts, which is more easily available (do NOT ingest it). Soak your feet or put it in the bath for a relaxing soak. The molecule is very tiny and enters your body through the skin easily. If your doctor want’s to give you a Mg test, look at this article first so you are informed. Get back to me if you have any more questions.
Your website has been effectively blocked whenever I try to access almost all of it, by some “time and date” error message. It sounds suspicious so I avoided it. Is is legitimate?
Hi there, this problem was sorted a few days ago. If you still have it you may have to clear the cache. It is not suspicious just a case of an out of date certificate which Wealthy Affiliate sorted in a couple of minutes. Thanks for letting me know anyway.
Thank you for this post. I had been experiencing increasing urination issues described as consequences of BPH. I have spent a bit of money trying many different supplements such as Saw Palmetto with only slight improvements. When I read this article and I started taking 600 mg per day of magnesium as magnesium chloride as described in this article I started experiencing much improved urination which has been continuing to improve. Again, thank you.
Hello Craig and thanks for sharing your experience with BPH. I am so pleased the Mg supplementation is improving your condition. I’m also gratified you’re using IMHO the best supplement ie. Mg Chloride
Apart from the benefits for BPH, the whole body will thank you for ingesting a good quality Mg supplement, not least your heart, our most important muscle. It could be a good idea to check your Ca intake in case it is higher than your Mg intake. If so, adjust one or the other to keep them in equilibrium. If your Ca intake is too high you will have a Mg deficiency by default. Good luck and good health always!
Hiya, Ches. What an interesting and informative article, genuinely!
Great to see older research done decades ago that’s still relevant. A 2nd opinion is always helpful. My brother had a 2nd opinion done on what his doctor said was a urinary tract problem that turned out to be prostate cancer. Luckily, diagnosed early and treated effectively.
I kind of think loads of people end up in shock when they try to Google diagnose themselves and many UK doctors now remove patients from their lists who diagnose themselves and have wind, not something serious.
It seems the more new studies for this and that and the more new info available is causing more problems. Years ago I heard people swear that lemon juice and honey is an excellent supplement if you want to avoid cancers – true or not, anyone’s guess really. But so much better for keeping healthy than current foods we eat.
A quick Q if I may – if magnesium is overdosed is medical attention needed? Asking as magnesium is a chemical element but I don’t suppose you recommend straight bottles of that from a chemists’ lab, eh?
Thanks for the info – have shared as very useful.
All the very best wishes – Andre
Hi Andre and thanks for your valuable comments. Yes, the older studies are really worth checking out, especially as modern research is fraught with biases and sometimes fraud. If the pharmaceuticals are paying for research, they insist on a favourable result!
Lemon juice is high in vitamin C and honey is a known anticeptic so perhaps that’s where the notion came from regarding fending off cancer. I must admit I take vitamin C regularly. I’ve seen a famous veterinary surgeon here in the UK, put manuka honey on a wound!
As for overdosing on Mg, there have been no references to anyone dying of an overdose of Mg. Taking your doses all at once can lead to ending up in the bathroom for a while though! Some Mg salts are more laxative than others. Mg Oxide for example is a poor supplementation as most of it goes through you. Mg Citrate powder is a valuable supplement, especially for kids, who are often constipated because of their rubbish diet. Mg Chloride is the most bio-available supplement out there and that’s what we use at home. Mg is an alkaline metal and I don’t recommend chewing on it! It has to be administered as a salt.
Contraindications of Mg are as follows: Kidney failure – it is advised not to take Mg with kidneys failure because of the inability to clear it from the kidney. This does not mean you shouldn’t take it with kidney disease, under the guidance of your doctor of course. Myasthenia gravis – this is only if Mg is administered intravenously. Excessive slow heart rate – as Mg is a relaxant, there is concern that it will slow the heartrate down further. Be aware that some athletes have very slow heartrates, take Mo Farash, his is 33bpm. Mine is 54bpm but I’m no athlete! The other contraindication is a bowel obstruction, the main route of elimination. These conditions are more than likely to be under a doctor’s guidance already so I think if you are in normal health you need not worry, but always spread your doses throughout the day.
Good health to you always!
Very thorough article and oh so very true. You do not know who you can believe any more in the days of the Big pharma influencing all!! It is so very wrong. I have been going to a naturopathic doctor and will continue on the natural route as long as humanly possible!!
Thanks for your comment Brent. I’m pleased you’re on the naturopath route, you will certainly be healthier for it. Ches
I’ve read about how magnesium is good for you. I didn’t know it was good for your prostate. I take over the counter products for the prostate. It seems to be helping. Getting older keeping an eye on the prostate is important. The supplement I’m taking has 40mg of magnesium. Is this a sufficient amount? I’d like to know
Hi Rob and thanks for your comments. The RDA for magnesium (Mg) is between 300-400mg per day depending on the country you live in. In the early 1900s it was estimated that we consumed at least 500mg of Mg per day but now, our soils are so depleted in nutrients, especially Mg that the majority of the population is deficient. This is exacerbated but the abundance of calcium (Ca) that is available in our modern diet. This creates a large imbalance between Ca and Mg. They should be 1:1 but this is difficult to achieve without supplementing with Mg. Generally Ca supplementation is never necessary but many people consume Ca to excess and this is dangerous. Take ‘Tums’ for instance with its main ingredient of Ca carbonate (chalk). A days allowance of Tums gives you 3000mg per day which is excessive and irresponsible on the part of the manufacturer. RDAs of Ca are also set too high for most countries. So to answer your question, no 40mg is not enough and the RDA is still too little for Mg. Best Magnesium Supplements To Take will give you a better idea of the supplements out there. Good health to you, Ches
Sjo! This site offers a lot of information, some scary facts here! This is very helpful. So many people think that little things like magnesium levels can be overlooked because in theory it will not directly kill you. But if you look at all the conditions where it in fact plays a role, it makes one think twice! Thanks for sharing all this information. It is clear that you are doing your homework to share only facts. Your site was an eye-opener to me.
Hi Thia and thanks for your input. I’m pleased that the site is of interest to you and I sincerely hope that the information will steer you in the direction of improved health for you and your family. The best of health to you now and for your future. Ches
Hi Ches
That’s a very informative article you have there! You clearly seem to know your stuff. After reading this I think I may fall in to the overactive bladder category especially after drinking coffee. I find it makes me urinate often. However I don’t have urinary problems at night so I think I’m OK on that count!
Maybe Magnesium would be able to help me?
Hi Mitch,
Magnesium (Mg) can help everyone because most of us are deficient. This is due to various factors but the main one is an excess of calcium (Ca) in our modern diet and a depletion of Mg due to big agra practices. Ca is in so many foods, often fortified by the food manufacturers because Ca is the ‘star’ of the nutrients.
Women especially take Ca supplements for osteoporosis and other bone disorders but Mg is ignored, possibly because many don’t know what it does and how vital it is for a healthy life. Ca tends to be held by the body, Mg is easily excreted by the body so it is always in demand. It is now known, so far, that up to 800 enzymes are regulated by Mg. Think of Ca as being the mineral of tension, tightness, contraction and relate that to your body ie., headaches, muscle cramps, restricted arteries, insomnia, arrhythmias, constipation, anxiety etc., Now think of Mg as being the mineral of relaxation, calmness, ease, all the opposites of Ca. We need these minerals in balance 1:1 for them both to work optimally in our bodies.
Mg is the number one supplement necessary in this day and age IMHO. If you have Mg deficiency you WILL slowly get sick and your sickness will likely be related to too much Ca. As we age our Ca levels rise and our Mg levels drop. In the end we slowly calcify; we get stiffer and more rigid and when we die Ca floods all our cells which heralds rigor mortis! Your question – “maybe Magnesium would be able to help me?” – my answer is absolutely, definitely and unquestionably! Have a look at this article and see what Mg could do for you. What Is All-Cause Mortality. Ches