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June 12, 2004 |
| Heart Health
Mineral Deficiencies Lead to Heart Problems The essential minerals magnesium and potassium are also critical for heart health. Magnesium has many roles, such as balancing the effect of calcium in neuromuscular contractions, and helping to regulate the acid/alkaline balance in your body. It’s also necessary for proper functioning of your heart muscle. An inadequate supply of magnesium may lead to clot formation in the heart and brain. It also seems to be important in reducing cholesterol. People who die from heart attacks have lower heart magnesium levels than people of the same age who die from other causes. Eight studies involving over 4,000 patients have demonstrated that intravenous magnesium supplementation during the first hour of admission to a hospital for acute MI reduces immediate and long-term complications as well as death rates. The reason it is so effective is that it improves energy production in the heart, dilates the coronary arteries, reduces peripheral vascular resistance, inhibits blood clotting, and even reduces the size of the blockage. Potassium also has many jobs, but the one that is important here is its role with sodium to help normalize the heartbeat. It also unites with phosphorous to send oxygen to the brain and works with calcium in the regulation of neuromuscular activity. When you lack potassium, the sodium content of your heart and muscles increases. You can lose potassium by over-salting your food, drinking coffee and alcohol, and eating foods loaded with sugar. Conversely, potassium has been used to treat high blood pressure caused by excessive salt intake.
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