By Joy Stephenson-Laws, JD, Founder
Magnesium is a mineral and one of the most important nutrients our body needs to stay healthy. It is responsible for many processes and reactions in the body. For example, it influences Heart muscle energy production, keeps calcium levels balanced, loosens up tight blood vessels, reduces inflammation and keeps the electrical activity in the heart behaving properly.
There are plenty of delicious, healthy and nutrient-rich foods that contain magnesium, including leafy green vegetables, whole grains, nuts, salmon, avocados and bananas. But not everyone is able to get an adequate amount of magnesium through diet alone. Aging, poor soil quality, prescription drugs, gut absorption issues are all examples of reasons why it is difficult to maintain optimum levels of this critical nutrient.
We recently discussed 11 types of magnesium supplements and the roles they play in maintaining our health - from relieving constipation to aiding in heart health. Of these 11 types of magnesium, there is one in particular that I would like to explore further: Magnesium Orotate.
Magnesium Orotate is a combination of magnesium and orotic acid.
According to one source, “orotic acid improves the metabolism of folic acid and vitamin B12. Orotic acid is found in milk produced by cows and other commercial dairy products derived from milk. The presence of orotate in mammals is important to the development of the central nervous system.”
There is some evidence that research scientists named orotic acid as vitamin B13. However, there is still a debate whether it is really a vitamin, (Canadian Academy of Sports Nutrition).
I became particularly interested in Magnesium Orotate because it is praised for its cardiovascular health benefits, including the ability to effectively treat hypertension (high blood pressure). In addition to this, Magnesium Orotate is said to be well absorbed by the body and not cause diarrhea.
According to one medical report, there is substantial research “on the effectiveness of magnesium orotate in patients who have cardiovascular disease, have had a heart attack or heart surgery, or simply desire outstanding cardiovascular fitness.”
“Magnesium orotate improves the survival of cells situated within or near a necrotic lesion and hence aids in the prevention of or survival after heart attacks.”
A heart attack essentially happens when your heart does not get enough oxygen.
“Your heart muscle needs oxygen to survive. A heart attack occurs when the blood flow that brings oxygen to the heart muscle is severely reduced or cut off completely,” according to the American Heart Association.
“Ischemia results when the heart muscle is starved for oxygen and nutrients. When damage or death of part of the heart muscle occurs as a result of ischemia, it’s called a heart attack, or myocardial infarction (MI).”
Reportedly, Magnesium Orotate may improve survival of heart tissue damaged by oxygen starvation. Furthermore, this type of magnesium may reduce extra heartbeats that disrupt your regular heart rhythm, increase your exercise capacity, eliminate a magnesium deficiency if you have one, improve the appearance of your skin and reduce calcification of damaged heart tissue.
Exercise & Magnesium Orotate
It’s fascinating to me that Magnesium Orotate may help us better perform when it comes to our workouts. More importantly, this type of magnesium may help people with heart disease exercise better.
“Magnesium orotate improves left ventricular [the main pumping chamber] function and exercise tolerance in patients with coronary heart disease. 50% of mitral valve prolapse patients who took 3000 mg magnesium orotate in divided doses for six months achieved complete or partial reduction in their symptoms.”
Hypertension & Magnesium Orotate
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a major health issue in the United States. Reportedly, around 75 million American adults, that’s 1 in 3 adults, have hypertension.
Many drugs are prescribed to treat hypertension. But as we have discussed, the side effects of these drugs can include insomnia, fatigue and nutrient depletion in the body. So it might not be a bad idea to discuss an alternative form of treatment for hypertension, like Magnesium Orotate, with a competent medical professional.
One study involving 11 patients with hypertensive heart disease (heart disease caused by high blood pressure) and heart failure received Magnesium Orotate supplementation of 4500 mg daily. The results showed that this supplementation significantly decreased the patients’ NT-proBNP levels.
“B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) are substances that are produced in the heart and released when the heart is stretched and working hard to pump blood. Tests for BNP and NT-proBNP measure their levels in the blood in order to detect and evaluate heart failure,” according to one source.
Any Downsides to Magnesium Orotate?
“There has been a single report on supplementation of Magnesium-Orotate causing toxicity symptoms in a young boy suffering from low blood magnesium levels,” according to this report.
As always, it is highly advised you have your child take a nutrient test and consult with a competent healthcare professional before implementing supplementation in your child’s healthcare routine.
In general, having too much magnesium may cause side effects such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, abnormal electrical activity in the heart and more. So it is imperative to not supplement blindly. Do not simply go to your local health store and pick up a bottle of magnesium supplement. Seek competent medical advice first.
Finally, never underestimate the power of eating healthily, (as in eating plenty of nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables), performing physical activity, sleeping well and managing stress when it comes to lowering blood pressure and protecting your health. It’s called ‘supplementation’ for a reason. Supplements are meant, if needed, to be an extension of your proactive healthcare plan. They are not the answer to all health issues, however, they can certainly help you with maintaining good health.
DId you know about Magnesium Orotate prior to reading this blog? And have you tried any of the magnesium supplements out there? Let us know your experience!
Enjoy your healthy life!
The pH professional health care team includes recognized experts from a variety of health care and related disciplines, including physicians, attorneys, nutritionists, nurses and certified fitness instructors. This team also includes the members of the pH Medical Advisory Board, which constantly monitors all pH programs, products and services. To learn more about the pH Medical Advisory Board, click here.
