Can Supplements Help You Avoid Attacks
Some scientists believe that asthma and vitamin deficiencies are linked. It is thought that certain vitaminsmost specifically vitamin D, vitamin C, and vitamin Eplay a role in not only the development of asthma but also the severity and frequency of asthma attacks.
This article explores the link between asthma and vitamin deficiencies and whether vitamin supplements have any impact on the risk or severity of this common inflammatory airway disease.
Are Magnesium Supplements A Good Choice For You
If youve been diagnosed with a magnesium deficiency, beginning magnesium supplementation may be a good choice for you. In addition, several health issues are known to deplete magnesium levels, including:
- Dietary restrictions
- Type 2 diabetes
- Substance abuse disorder
If you live with any of these conditions or take medication that depletes magnesium, talk to your doctor about your magnesium levels, especially if youre experiencing symptoms like muscle weakness, fatigue, or irregular heartbeat. The natural aging process also depletes magnesium, so older adults should also consider reaching out to their doctor.
How Much Magnesium Should You Take
The amount of magnesium you take per day depends on your age, gender, diet, and health status. In general, adult women should have 320-360mg per day, and adult men should get 400-420mg per day. If you eat a magnesium-rich diet, you may require less supplementation to reach this daily value. In addition, those with a magnesium deficiency or other health concerns may require more or less magnesium than the recommended amount. Its important to talk to a healthcare provider about dosing and how to avoid taking too much magnesium, which can have serious health consequences.
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Magnesium For Asthma Relief
Anyone that suffers from asthma will know of the terrible risks anddebilitating ailments that can accompany this inflammatory condition.
With over 2 million Australians diagnosed with asthma, the number isrising every year an alarming fact considering the dangerousconsequences an asthma attack can bring.
Promising research is now offering hope and a safe, naturalalternative for all asthmatics. Simple supplementation with the mineralmagnesium is showing amazing results for the relief of asthma withadults and children alike experiencing life-changing benefits.
According to recent data released by the National Asthma Council of Australia, in 2007 alone, 385 people died from asthma.
The prevalence of asthma in Australia is also quite high by International Standards, with 11.3% of children aged 0 to 5 years, and between 9.9% and 15.1% of adults being diagnosed with asthma.
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways. The inflammation causes the airways to narrow as a result of contraction of the airway smooth muscle swelling. In susceptible people, the inflammation causes recurrent episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing.
Generally asthma is a treatable health condition, however long-term use of preventative medications . Developed in the 1960s, medications like Ventolin ease or prevent the onset of asthma by forcing the airways to open after inhalation.
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Efficacy Of Nebulized Mgso4
There have been 2 meta-analyses and 1 recent RCT. The Cochrane review conducted by Blitz et al. showed that nebulized MgSO4 improved pulmonary functions in severe subgroups . However, the results were based on only 87 adult asthmatics from 2 trials. The recent reviews by Mohammed et al. examined more trials and found that nebulized MgSO4 had marginal benefits on pulmonary functions and on hospital admission rate . Considering the heterogeneity in treatment doses, severity of patients and small numbers of pooled studies, they concluded that evidence is insufficient to draw conclusions.
In a recent trial by Gallegos-Solórzano et al. , when added to standard treatments of nebulized albuterol and ipratropium, nebulized MgSO4 therapy improved post-bronchodilator lung functions and oxygen saturation, and reduced admission rates at 90 min. However, the largest trial by Aggarwal et al. failed to show any benefit of additional MgSO4 therapy. Taken together, the use of nebulized MgSO4 might be beneficial in treating severe exacerbation, but large trials are required for more definite conclusion.
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Can I Take Too Much Magnesium
While the body typically regulates magnesium intake through food with urination, large doses of magnesium ingested through dietary supplements or medication can result in gastric side effects, such as abdominal cramping, diarrhea and nausea. The most common forms of magnesium typically involved in causing these side effects are magnesium carbonate, magnesium chloride, magnesium gluconate and magnesium oxide.
What Are The Symptoms Of Asthma
Asthma is a chronic, long-term lung disease that causes inflamed and narrowed airways. If you have asthma, certain triggers can cause the muscles in your airways to tighten. This causes your airways to swell and narrow. Your airways may also produce more mucus than usual.
Common symptoms of asthma include:
- chest tightness
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Studies From The Asia
There have been four RCTs on the efficacy of MgSO4 from the Asia-Pacific regions . Their results were conflicting, but did not have notable differences from Western studies in their study designs or outcome measures. No information was available to determine ethnic differences on the efficacy of MgSO4 therapy. However, IV aminophylline has been used at EDs more widely in Korea and Japan than Western countries due to belief that the agent is not very toxic for the Northeast Asian people such as the Korean or the Japanese. In a Japanese prospective safety survey conducted by Ohta et al. , IV aminophylline treatment was found to be highly safe among the Japanese adult patients when administered in accordance with the guidelines and instructions. Its toxicity occurred in 0.29% of 682 patients, and all of them were mild. Thus we guess that the needs for an adjunct magnesium therapy might be lower in the Northeast Asia region than Western countries.
We have no more information on the current status of knowledge and practice regarding the use of MgSO4 for acute asthma in this region.
Best For An Affordable Supplement: Nature Made Magnesium Oxide Supplement
- Bottle size: 100 tablets
- Dosage: 1 tablet of 250 mg of magnesium
Nature Made states that U.S Pharmacopeia tests all of its products for quality and safety. Additionally, the supplement does not contain gluten or artificial colors or flavors.
The company recommends taking one tablet per day with meals and water.
Pros and cons
This supplement is gluten-free and third-party lab tested, which means it does not contain any ingredients that are harmful to human health.
However, this supplement may not be suitable for use on an empty stomach. The company recommends taking the tablets with meals and water.
Additionally, this product contains magnesium oxide. The body
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Do You Need A Supplement
Mild zinc deficiency is relatively common. If you cannot get an adequate amount of zinc from your diet or if you have a medical condition, you may need to take a zinc supplement. Some reasons that you may be at risk for low levels of zinc in your body could be the result of:
- Restricted diet: vegetarians may need up to 50 percent morethan the RDA for zinc due to low bioavailability of zinc from plant-basedfoods.
- Medical or digestive disorders that inhibit the absorptionof nutrients, such as Crohns, colitis, chronic diarrhea or IBS
- Chronic liver disease or sickle cell anemia
Inclusion And Exclusion Criteria
We included RCTs that investigated the use of oral magnesium as an adjunct to asthma inhalers. Asthma was defined in accordance with the authors of the included trials, which were either clinically, objectively , or both. All trials fulfilled the inclusion criteria as follows: Population: mild and moderate asthmatic older than 6 years 4 Intervention: all preparations of oral magnesium, regardless of name or dosage Comparisons: placebo or no treatment Outcomes: frequency of rescue asthma exacerbation, ER visits or hospital admissions, objective measures: FEV1, FVC, and PEF, daytime symptoms, daytime activity, night-time symptoms, frequency of bronchodilator use, use of oral or inhaled steroids, side effects, and mortality Timing: treatment for any duration was included Study type: RCTs, blinded or open-labeled. Crossover trials were excluded.
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Best For Added Zinc: Live Conscious Magwell Magnesium
- Bottle size: 120 capsules
- Dosage: 2 capsules per day providing 225 mg magnesium
Live Conscious states that this supplement may help support the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, nervous, and immune systems. Each bottle contains three different types of magnesium alongside zinc and vitamin D3.
This supplement is free from soy, gluten, dairy, and preservatives.
The company recommends taking two capsules with 8 ounces of water once per day.
Pros and cons
Customers state that these supplements have helped improve their sleep and bowel function.
However, this product also contains zinc and vitamin D3. A person who is taking other vitamin and mineral supplements may wish to ensure that they do not exceed the daily recommended intake of zinc and vitamin D3.
The Recommended Dietary Allowance
In 1997, the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine increased the Recommended Dietary Allowance for magnesium, based on the results of tightly controlled balance studies that utilized more accurate methods of measuring magnesium . Balance studies are useful for determining the amount of a nutrient that will prevent deficiency however, such studies provide little information regarding the amount of a nutrient required for chronic disease prevention or optimal health.
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Best For Vegans: Nested Naturals Magnesium
- Bottle size: 120 vegan capsules
- Dosage: 2 capsules providing 200 mg of magnesium
The manufacturer states that this product is vegan and does not contain any GMO ingredients. The active ingredient is magnesium bisglycinate. Additionally, it does not contain any calcium.
Nested Naturals recommends taking two capsules per day.
Pros and cons
This supplement is suitable for vegans and does not contain any soy, gluten, or GMO ingredients.
However, This magnesium supplement is more expensive than some other options.
The company recommends taking 1 to 4 capsules a day with food.
Pros and cons
This product is free from most common allergens, which may make it more suitable for those with allergies and sensitivities than other products.
However, people who require four capsules of this supplement may prefer to purchase a product that contains a similar amount of magnesium in fewer capsules.
Final Thoughts On Asthma Supplements
Supplements will work best when you keep track. Hopefully youre actively recording your asthma symptoms anytime you try a new home remedy. Do the same thing when you start supplements for asthma. Give each new supplement a 4-6 week trial period and see if your symptoms improve. Everyone is unique, so just because it worked for someone else doesnt mean it will work for you.
And now, like always, please reach out in the comments below. Have you tried any of these supplements for asthma? Any luck? We hope youll share that we can all start to manage our symptoms better.
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Monitoring Serum Magnesium Levels
As pre-existing magnesium deficit could be associated with risk of asthma exacerbation , one might think that serum magnesium level could be measured for adequate supplementation or prediction of treatment response. However, it is predominantly an intracellular ion, and its serum level does not reflect intracellular concentrations or total body stores. Its intracellular concentration was found to be lower in acute exacerbation and returned to normal when controlled, while plasma level remained unchanged . Therefore, serum level does not represent the degree of cellular deficit, and it would not be useful to monitor serum magnesium level for enhancing the efficacy of MgSO4 therapy.
Magnesium Prevents Calcium Imbalance And Promotes Smooth Muscle Function
Magnesium also functions as an antagonist of calciums entry into the lung cells by regulating the amount of calcium in our blood. In recent years, calcium intake has increased due to diet and supplementation, while magnesium levels in the general population have declined. This has led to a calcium/magnesium ratio imbalance. Too much calcium in our blood can cause muscle contractions or cramps since magnesium is critical for electrical conduction across cell membranes. Adequate magnesium in the diet helps regulate bronchial activity by keeping the smooth muscles relaxed. This helps to explain why reduced magnesium intake is associated with decreased lung function and health.
Magnesium also calms the nervous system. If you are magnesium deficient, your body will have a hard time switching from the sympathetic state to the parasympathetic state . This is why increasing magnesium relaxes the smooth muscles in the lungs and reduces hyper-excitability .
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What Should I Eat To Prevent Asthma
Given the murky evidence for a link between asthma and nutrition, there is no particular asthma diet. But its a good idea to adhere to a healthy diet, anyway.
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. We still donât know which fruits and vegetables might have an effect on asthma, so the best advice is to increase your intake of a wide variety of them.
- Eat foods with omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines and some plant sources, like flaxseed are believed to have a number of health benefits. Although the evidence that they help with asthma is not clear, itâs still a good idea to include them in your diet.
- Avoid trans fats and omega-6 fatty acids. Thereâs some evidence that eating omega-6 fats and trans fats, found in some margarines and processed foods, may worsen asthma, and other serious health conditions such as heart disease.
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Cod Liver Oil Use And Multivitamin Supplements At Baseline
Total months of daily use of cod liver oil and multivitamin supplements during the past 12months prior to HUNT2 were sought in questionnaires. We defined daily intake of either cod liver oil or multivitamin supplements for 3months as regular intake. There were 16952 subjects with complete data on use of cod liver oil and multivitamin supplements at baseline, and 6614 with missing information on exposure to either cod liver oil, multivitamin supplements or both. The regular intake of supplements was categorised as 1) use of cod liver oil only, 2) use of multivitamin supplements only and 3) use of both. Nonusers or those with a daily intake of cod liver oil or multivitamin supplements for < 3months served as the reference group.
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Linus Pauling Institute Recommendation
The Linus Pauling Institute supports the latest RDA for magnesium intake . Despite magnesium being plentiful in foods, it is considered a shortfall nutrient . Following the Linus Pauling Institute recommendation to take a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement might ensure an intake of at least 100 mg/day of magnesium. Few multivitamin/mineral supplements contain more than 100 mg of magnesium due to its bulk. Eating a varied diet that provides green vegetables, whole grains, and nuts daily should provide the rest of an individual’s magnesium requirement.
Older adults
Older adults are less likely than younger adults to consume enough magnesium to meet their needs and should therefore take care to eat magnesium-rich foods in addition to taking a multivitamin/mineral supplement daily . Since older adults are also more likely to have impaired kidney function, they should avoid taking more than 350 mg/day of supplemental magnesium without medical consultation .
How Does Magnesium Benefit Respiratory Ailments Like Asthma
Magnesium is necessary for proper muscle function. As Ive mentioned in past articles, magnesium and calcium are complimentary nutrients and maintain a careful balance within our muscles calcium being responsible for contraction while magnesium is required for the release. Too much calcium without magnesium results in spasms, twitching, irregular heartbeat, knots, charlie horses, tics, jaw clenching, and a host of other things including the constriction of airways as bronchial smooth muscle cells contract 1.
Also included in magnesiums arsenal for battling respiratory issues is its ability to regulate and suppress histamine production. A large percentage of asthma attacks are triggered by allergens like dust, pollen, pet dander, and perfumes innocuous substances that we come into contact with on a daily basis. The release of antibodies as our immune system attempts to protect us from these perceived invaders often affects the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs the latter of which obviously is what ultimately leads to the attack.
Of course, anyone with asthma will tell you that there are oodles of other triggers beyond airborn allergens, such as sulfites in wine and foods, stress, cold & flu, or even something that makes you cough deeply. Many of these have two aspects in common in that they lead to immune response and/or inflammation that adversely effects sensitive airways. Magnesium just happens to be adept at tackling both of those issues!
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Are There Any Supplements That Can Help Asthma
There are a wide variety of supplements on the market that promise to help with numerous conditions, from joint pain and headache to asthma. But can supplements actually help with asthma symptoms?
Learn more about which supplements are sometimes recommended for asthma and whether there is evidence to support those claims.
Have you considered clinical trials for Asthma?
We make it easy for you to participate in a clinical trial for Asthma, and get access to the latest treatments not yet widely available – and be a part of finding a cure.
Report Problems To The Food And Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
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Aggarwal, P., Sharad, S., Handa, R., Dwiwedi, S. N., and Irshad, M. Comparison of nebulised magnesium sulphate and salbutamol combined with salbutamol alone in the treatment of acute bronchial asthma: a randomised study. Emerg.Med.J 2006 23:358-362. View abstract.
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Akhtar, M. I., Ullah, H., and Hamid, M. Magnesium, a drug of diverse use. J Pak.Med Assoc 2011 61:1220-1225. View abstract.
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