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1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. On top of all of this, are deficient in magnesium, our cells accumu- The human
even fully activated vitamin D fails to function late sodium and lose potassium. The potassium body is a
properly when we are deficient in magnesium, is lost in our urine, while the sodium draws
probably because all of the proteins it controls excess calcium into the cell. In the absence of biological
are at least indirectly dependent on the mineral. magnesium, our cells are unable to store calcium system
This cascade of biochemical failures ultimately in the appropriate vesicles. The accumulation of characterized
depresses calcium absorption, and obtaining suf- calcium within our cells robs calcium from the
ficient magnesium from food or supplements is blood, which means less calcium is available to by astounding

the only remedy that will restore calcium levels our bones and teeth. This total failure of mineral complexity.
to normal. metabolism contributes to excessive excitation of
Not only do we fail to absorb enough cal- nerves and muscles, disturbances in the rhythm
cium when we are deficient in magnesium, we of the heart, a tendency of the blood to clot too
also fail to put calcium where it belongs. Over much, and poor mineralization of the bones and
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99 percent of the calcium in our body belongs teeth.
outside of our cells, primarily in our bones and
teeth. While only a small amount is found in our SYNERGY AND CONTEXT
blood at any given moment, it is our blood that The human body is a biological system char-
provides calcium to our bones and teeth where acterized by astounding complexity. Nutrients
the bulk of it is stored. Only a small portion of often cooperate with one another to produce
calcium belongs inside our soft tissue cells. Our vibrant health. Quite often when one or more
cells keep this small amount in storage vesicles, nutrients is missing, others may appear to con-
and release it when needed to stimulate certain tribute to disease. Methionine from muscle meats
functions such as muscular contraction. may appear to contribute to disease, for example,
Magnesium is needed to utilize the most ba- when the B vitamins, choline, and glycine found
sic energy currency of our cells, ATP, which is in in bones, skin, organ meats, egg yolks, legumes,
turn needed to activate the pumps and channels and leafy greens are absent. Vitamins A and D
that maintain the proper distribution of calcium may each appear to contribute to disease when
and other minerals within our cells. When we the other is absent. In the absence of other nutri-

Figure 5: CONTRIBUTION OF MAGNESIUM TO CALCIUM METABOLISM
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2+
Magnesium (Mg ) is necessary for virtually every function in the body. As a result, proper calcium metabolism
breaks down in the absence of sufficient magnesium. Magnesium helps convert vitamin D to the semi-activated storage
form, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, abbreviated in the figure as 25(OH)D. It contributes both to the production of parathyroid
hormone (PTH) and to its conversion of 25(OH)D
to the fully activated hormone form of vitamin D,
1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D or 1,25(OH) D. Magnesium
2
helps 1,25(OH) D stimulate calcium absorption, and
2
assists the variety of pumps and channels that help
distribute calcium properly into the bones and teeth,
blood, and storage vesicles where it belongs. In the
absence of sufficient magnesium, we fail to absorb
enough calcium from our food. The calcium we do
absorb accumulates within our cells rather than in
our blood, bones, and teeth, where it belongs. Our
cells, moreover, fail to sequester it in storage vesicles.
These changes as well as other failures of mineral
metabolism that occur during magnesium deficiency
contribute to excessive excitation of nerves and
muscles, blood coagulation, and poor mineralization
of bones and teeth.

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