There appears to be an epidemic of heart failure. But, in my opinion, hearts aren’t failing; it’s doctors who are failing to treat heart disease properly. The problem begins with the name doctors use for this disease. They don’t seem to realize that declaring that a patient’s heart is failing sets the patient up for just that…failure!
Heart failure is diagnosed by a combination of cardiac catheterization, CT scan or MRI and ultrasound to measure the ejection fraction of the heart.
The ejection fraction depends on the strength of the heart muscle, specifically the ventricles, to pump blood through the vast network of arteries and capillaries in the body. Did you know that the largest amount of magnesium in the body is found in the heart ventricles? Did you know that muscle cells depend on the proper balance of magnesium and calcium for proper function? If the ventricles are not ejecting blood properly my first concern would be for magnesium.
Instead doctors have a standardized treatment of 6 drugs – often sold together in blister packs so you don’t miss a dose. The drugs are for blood pressure, cholesterol, fluid retention and to push the heart to beat stronger. Rarely in the heart failure literature is there any mention of magnesium, yet all these drugs deplete your body of magnesium.
Even worse, people tell me they are afraid to take magnesium and their doctors warn them not to take magnesium in case it interferes with their medication! How has it come to the point where patients are being warned not to take something that’s as important as air, food and water because it will lessen your need for drugs? What has occurred to cause doctors to distrust necessary nutrients and prescribe drugs for life instead of short term while the body heals itself?
I’ve said this many times, especially in my Death by Modern Medicine: Seeking Safe Solutions book. Doctors don’t learn anything about using vitamins and minerals clinically in medical school or in hospital training. Even though it’s now a fact that magnesium is responsible for the proper functioning of 700-800 enzyme systems in the body (more than the 325 I’ve reported in the past), doctors have turned a blind eye to the epidemic magnesium deficiency.
If your doctor won’t test you for it, get your own Magnesium RBC test (Request A Test) for $49.00 and aim for an optimum level of 6.0-6.5mg/dL.
If you have any questions about taking magnesium and it’s safety search my blog. The best blog is When Magnesium Makes Me Worse. Actually, that’s a trick title, magnesium doesn’t make you worse but other things you are taking may interfere with magnesium’s functions.