Magnesium and Eczema

Due to the association of magnesium ("Mg") with asthma, I began to research to see how it may relate to eczema.  Magnesium is a metallic element which in ribbon or powder form burns with a brilliant white light.  As I studied Mg,1  I found that much of my eczema research was tied by magnesium.   It is an essential cofactor in more than 300 different enzymatic reactions, including carbohydrate utilization, ATP metabolism, muscle contraction, transmembrane ion transport (calcium, sodium, chloride, potassium), and the synthesis of fat, protein, and nucleic acids.  

Magnesium is needed to reduce histamine levels.  In the book Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, the authors note that food allergies are usually associated with low hydrochloric acid levels and poor digestion.   The authors' rationale for this is that low stomach acid leaves food undigested and fermenting in the intestinal tract.  This fermentation causes gas, bloating and stomach upset, the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.  Undigested and fermented food causes the body to raise histamine levels, which produce allergic reactions.  This is why people take antihistamines for allergies, to lower histamine levels. 

Low stomach acid levels reduce levels of beneficial intestinal bacteria which is needed for absorption of magnesium.  When lab rats are deprived of magnesium, a wide variety of studies have noted that they develop allergy like symptoms.  Their ears turn red and they develop skin problems.  Rats with magnesium deficiencies have increases in histamine levels.  They also have raised levels of white blood cell counts.  Mg deficiency has been implicated in allergies and allergic skin reaction in many studies on humans, too.  Variations of allergies, skin allergies, and raised white blood cells have all been noted as features of many chronic disorders.

What Magnesium Affects

1.  Magnesium (Mg) deficiency increases sensitivity to stress,  while stress aggravates magnesium deficiency.  Conversely magnesium deficit creates a hypersusceptibility to stress, even in cases of chronic marginal deficit.  Thus, magnesium deficit and stress reinforce each other in a pathogenic vicious circle.

2.  Peptic ulcers in rats are characteristic of the early stress reaction, which sensitizes the mucosa to irritants and other stimuli, especially in Mg deficiency.

3.  Allergy or pseudoallergy represent by far the most frequent expressions of marginal magnesium deficiency.

4.  Mg deficiency intensifies stress ulcers through its stimulation of histamine secretion.  Mg deficiency in rats increases degranulation of mast cells with histamine release.

5.  Bronchial asthma has long been associated with hypomagnesemia.  It evokes adrenergic and cortisol, which lower Mg levels and is characterized by histamine release.

6.  Mg deficiency affects lipid metabolism and is associated with tissue injury, affecting the physical state of membrane bilayer lipids.  Defective membrane function could be the primary lesion underlying cellular disturbances in Mg-deficient animals.

7.   Mg has profound effects of solute and water transport in various cells.  Mg appears to be an essential factor in the regulation of the transport of potassium through the cell membranes.

8.   Mg plays an essential role in protein synthesis and is a key cofactor for hundreds of enzymes; It plays many roles at the mitochondrial level, activating numerous enzymes.

9.  Low magnesium reduces T-4 helper cells. 3   

Magnesium's Relationships With Eczema

Stress, allergy and pseudoallergy (hives from stress), lipids (fats), potassium,  the production of enzymes, corticosteroid secretion, histamine, and sensitization are all mentioned above.  As we know, they all have a lot to do with eczema.  Magnesium was the first thing I encountered that pulled together all of the above.   So, we see that Mg deficiency can have a wide ripple effect.  Alkalinity of the body, the breakdown of foods, absorption of vitamins and minerals, elimination of toxins, synthesis of fats, hormone balance, and the immune system can all be affected by magnesium.   

Magnesium and Potassium

Mg loss interferes with potassium repletion.  Mg has profound effects of solute and water transport in various cells and appears to be an essential factor in the regulation of the transport of potassium through the cell membranes.  In The Potassium Web Page we learned that potassium is an essential mineral that is important for controlling your body’s fluid balance.  It assists in the regulation of the acid-base and water balance in the blood and the body tissues and helps preserve proper alkalinity of the body's fluid.  It also works with sodium to regulate the body's waste balance and normalize heart rhythms, aids in clear thinking by sending oxygen to the brain, stimulates the kidneys to eliminate poisonous body wastes, assists in reducing high blood pressure and promotes healthy skin.  Initial symptoms of potassium deficiency include dry skin.  

Magnesium, Stress and Hydrochloric Acid

In The Anti-Stress Web Page we learned that stress aggravates eczema.   Here we see that Mg deficiency increases sensitivity to stress.  Stress stops the production of hydrochloric acid.  We learned in The Hydrochloric Acid Web Page that if hydrochloric acid is low or absent, amino acids, vitamins and minerals are poorly absorbed.  The best recognized nutrient deficiency caused by low or deficient  stomach acid is vitamin B12 deficiency.   (B12 assists in the growth and repair of tissue, helps maintain a healthy nervous system as well as digestive system for the proper absorption of foods, protein synthesis, metabolism of fats and carbohydrates.  The Physician's Handbook of Clinical Nutrition says "lack of stomach hydrochloric acid is prevalent in atopic dermatitis,"  and recommends enzyme supplementation.  

Magnesium and Cortisol

Elevated levels of cortisol have been reported in many diseases including eczema and psoriasis.   Stress intensifies release of the corticosteroid hormone.  Excess corticosteroids cause Mg loss in tissue, and then Mg deficiency intensifies adverse reactions to stress.  

Magnesium and Histamine

Mg deficiency in rats increases degranulation of mast cells with histamine release.  In man the highest concentrations of histamine are in the skin, lungs, and GI mucosa.  Histamine is present mainly in the intracellular granules of mast cells, but there is also an important extra-mast-cell pool in the gastric mucosa, with smaller amounts in the brain, heart, and other organs.    When histamine is released into the bloodstream, the blood vessels swell and leak fluid into the skin and underlying tissues. This can cause the characteristic red blotches and intense itchiness.  

Magnesium, Allergies, Asthma and Eczema

Eczema has been categorized with allergies and asthma.  Sensitization and increased histamine production are associated with Mg deficiency.  Magnesium has several anti-asthmatic actions: as a calcium antagonist it relaxes airway smooth muscle (in vitro) and dilates bronchioles (in vivo).  It also inhibits cholinergic transmission, increases nitric oxide release, and reduces airway inflammation (by stabilizing mast cells and T-lymphocytes). The investigators concluded, "Low magnesium intake may therefore be involved in the etiology of asthma and chronic obstructive airways disease.  Increased magnesium reduces lung hyper-reactivity. 

Magnesium and Lipid Metabolism

Mg deficiency affects lipid metabolism and is associated with tissue injury, affecting the physical state of membrane bi-layers.  Defective membrane function could be the primary lesion underlying cellular disturbances in Mg-deficient animals.   We learned in The Flax Oil Web Page that scientists suspect that changes in the skin's protective barrier make people with eczema more sensitive to irritants.  Such people have lower levels of fatty acids (substances that provide moisture and elasticity) in their skin, which causes dryness and reduces the skin's ability to control inflammation.  It was also shown that Omega-3 fatty acids modify immune and inflammatory reactions.

Daily Requirements of Magnesium

Large scale dietary surveys have disclosed that the dietary Mg intake of most Americans falls short of the daily requirement.  The RDI for Mg is 400 mg daily.  It must be brought to our attention that fat, sugar, salt, vitamin D, fiber, proteins, ethyl alcohol and calcium all increase the dietary requirement of Mg.   In humans, sugar loading causes magnesiuresis, possibly converting a marginal intake to a deficient one.   You'll know you're getting enough if your stools are soft ... too much if you get diarrhea so you just back off a little. 

When To Take Magnesium

It is energizing and can have a negative impact on getting to sleep and staying asleep when taken too late.   If taken in the correct dose and early enough in the day, it often corrects insomnia.