Apologies for a very long post but my research has uncovered the important role of magnesium and the impact its deficiency has on endo. It's another piece of the jigsaw.
You won't find the drug companies or doctors in their pay recommending supplementation with cheap magnesium. It's deficiency is widespread mainly due to the fact that soil is now not as nutrient rich as it was. I believe that many factors contribute to the development of endo and magnesium deficiency is one that can have an impact. I found a book online called The Magnesium Miracle amazon.co.uk/The-Magnesium-... It was referenced in this article livingthenourishedlife.com/...
Since my last period I have been spraying magnesium oil on my body after a shower and I think it might have helped reduce cramping during my last period last weekend. I have also started taking long baths with magnesium chloride flakes added. I have not started supplementation yet but see that magnesium citrate (easiest form to absorb) 200g daily is recommended.
I haven't bought the book yet (too many other drains on my money!) but the book preview on amazon provides some useful information. I have copied a few points below in inverted commas and added my own comments.
"1. Detoxification. Magnesium is crucial for the removal of toxic substances and heavy metals such as mercury, aluminium, and lead from the body. Magnesium is a cofactor in the production of glutathione and the function of the P450 detoxification systems in the liver."
- The liver also eliminates excess oestrogen. If it cannot properly detoxify then endo will proliferate in the high oestrogen environment. I have been looking into glutathione and another one of its cofactors, N Acetyl Cysteine (NAC). Supplementing with NAC may also be beneficial.
"2. Fatigue. Magnesium-deficient patients commonly experience fatigue because dozens of enzyme systems are underfunctioning. The most important factor in energy production is ATP, adenosine triphosphate, which must be bound to a magnesium ion in order to be biologically active."
- Anyone with endo knows how tired we all are!
"3. Magnesium is intimately involved in muscle function. The mechanisms are varied and include oxygen uptake, electrolyte balance, and energy production. Magnesium makes muscles work properly, allowing calcium to cause muscle contraction and then pushing calcium out of the muscle cells to allow the relaxation phase. In the same way that nerve cells can be “excited to death,” muscle cells stimulated by too much calcium can go into uncontrollable spasm, resulting in tissue damage such as occurs in a heart attack."
- Low magnesium probably contributes to menstrual cramping.
"4. Inflammation. calcium is extremely proinflammatory and magnesium is very anti-inflammatory. the entire inflammatory cascade (substance P, interleukins, tumor necrosis factor, chemokines, and cytokines) escalate when magnesium is deficient.The bottom line is that inflammation is triggered by magnesium deficiency and the relative calcium excess."
- And don't we all know that inflammation is a big issue with endo causing us a great deal of PAIN.
"5. A powerful trigger of inflammation is uncontrolled yeast overgrowth. Yeast produces 178 different chemical antigens in its normal life cycle. These chemicals can be absorbed into the bloodstream and set up a never-ending inflammatory cascade. Acetaldehyde is one of the powerful toxic by-products of yeast, and magnesium is required to break it down. If there isn’t enough magnesium, unopposed acetaldehyde can cause many side effects."
- So with all our endo inflammation we are also susceptible to yeast overgrowth/candidiasis. I know many women on the forum have candidiasis.
IBS is also mentioned in the book as a result of low magnesium and many other conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome etc. have magnesium deficiency at the root. I know many of you have concurrent conditions which we are all convinced are connected to endo in some way. Most probably, the same context gives rise to the development of several conditions and magnesium deficiency could be one of the factors involved.
I also just read that magnesium is a key element in the process of producing PROGESTERONE! Also, the pill depletes our levels of magnesium.
Magnesium won't 'cure' but I believe it could be beneficial for endo, adeno, fibroids etc. If you do decide to take, consult a doctor or someone suitably qualified. Too much magnesium might cause you tummy upsets or...clear out your bowels!!! High doses are used as pre op bowel prep so do take care!