Magnesium regulates Calcium - Vital interplay for healthy Life
Mg and Ca have complementary and antagonistic roles to each other – They are the perfect Ying/Yang pair. Mg plays the key role in energy production of many cellular metabolic processes and Ca takes care of structure strength and movement (neuromuscular).
Thereby Magnesium has to perform crucial jobs inside the cell. The mineral is an important Co-factor with ATP providing energy for several intracellular pumps (Cell“Battery” Pumps [Na+/K+-ATPase], Bicarbonate pumps [HCO3- -ATPase], and Calcium pumps [Ca2+-ATPase]), which all need Mg2+ATP to maintain effective ionic concentration gradient inside and outside the cell. Mg is also required in mitochondrial respiration cycle.
Magnesium & Calcium - Ying/Yang Interplay
Mg keeps Ca dissolved (bloodstream, heart, brain, kidneys/urine and in all body tissues). It also increases Ca solubility in urine (=preventing kidney stones). If the body is deficient in Mg it can’t keep Ca dissolved and this will result in muscle spasms, fibromyalgia, hardening of blood vessels and more. The higher the calcium level and the lower the magnesium level in the extra-cellular fluid => big difficulties for cells to pump the calcium out!
Magnesium prevents tissue calcification by maintaining proper blood calcium levels
Most of the 3751 enzyme reactions (e.g. ATPase) involved in mitochondrial ATP production, which are critically depending on a sufficient amount of intracellular Magnesium will be also at risk by even small increases in levels of cellular calcium. The same does apply to growth of cells. Cell division and parts of metabolism are absolutely depending on proper Mg availability. A Mg : Ca Ratio in balance is crucial for health!
Magnesium is nature’s “Calcium Channel Blocker” in nerve cells.
When calcium enters nerve cells through calcium channels it is carefully guarded by Mg, which allows just the right amount of Ca to create the necessary electrical transmission for proper “communication” between the cells and after the job is done, immediately helps to kick Ca out again. Up to 30% of cellular energy is used to pump calcium out of the cells.
Calcium is not a ‘bad boy’ at all if it is in balance with Magnesium! It is needed to contract a muscle and Magnesium is needed to relax it. But without balance problems, such as muscle spasms in the heart and/or blood vessels (heart attack, stroke, CCSVI etc.) will appear sooner or later.
