In the last few weeks supplements saw a 6% - 8% sales jump in Europe and the US according to Nielsen. All of the sudden supporting immune system in all holistic ways has become a priority like never before. The "problem" with this approach is that it still follows the now outdated "problem - prescription" model. That is a model geared to prescription drugs, with holistic approaches daily maintenance is the key. Magnesium is at the core of 600 enzymatic reactions in the body, making it necessary for proper functioning of just about any process in the body, from digestion, to nervous system. And balanced magnesium levels are needed not only during "crisis" but every day.
For those of us trying to "catch-up" dusting off those forgotten supplement bottles, or buying up a whole new arsenal worthy of a #shelfy display on our instagram, let's keep in mind why magnesium must be part of the line-up if we want to get the most benefit out of our immunity boosting efforts.
Magnesium for Vitamin D activation and function:
We are told to load up on vitamin D to help support us during a time of viruses. However, without a good magnesium balance it is difficult for the body to take in full benefit of vitamin D.
Optimal health benefits of exogenous and endogenous vitamin D might not be achieved without the adequate presence of magnesium, as the bioactivity of vitamin D is a magnesium-dependent process.*
Similarly, magnesium is needed for optimum assimilation of other vitamins. Zinc is also a known immune booster that has been a hot topic recently, however, taking elevated doses of this can lead to a quicker depletion of magnesium.
Magnesium for Sleep:
Maintaining healthy magnesium levels plays a role in supporting deep, restorative sleep by maintaining healthy levels of GABA, a neurotransmitter that promotes sleep. It helps our muscles to relax and activate a hormone that helps us fall asleep at the right time. And we know that sleeping well is very important for supporting our immune system.
Magnesium for controlling Stress:
Stress causes us to deplete our magnesium like wildfire. If our magnesium levels are already low, this can be dangerous. Magnesium is necessary for in keeping the nervous system functioning correctly.
Magnesium can suppress the ability of the hippocampus to stimulate the ultimate release of stress hormone, it can reduce the release of ACTH (the hormone that tells your adrenal glands to get in gear and pump out that cortisol and adrenaline), and it can reduce the responsiveness of the adrenal glands to ACTH. In addition, magnesium can act at the blood brain barrier to prevent the entrance of stress hormones into the brain. All these reasons are why I call magnesium "the original chill pill."
Emily Deans, MD (Psychology Today)
Breathe easier?
Your nose actually acts as the first defense barrier for your lungs against airborne pathogens. Well, the cilia in your nose to be exact, this primary defense mechanism is called mucociliary clearance (MCC). It's very important to keep the nose in top share and clean so the cilia can do its job easier as well as support the healthy re-generation of new mucous cells. We leave you with a practical tip from the Magnesium Health Institute on supporting your nose with, you guessed it, magnesium.
What you need: Pure Magnesium Oil (do check the back of the bottle to be sure it's Zechstein Inside)
If you don't have a netti pot it's fine, Just take a bottle of magnesium oil with you under the shower! (Or do this at the sink after brushing your teeth)
Spray the oil on the palm of your hand five times and dilute it with water until it tastes like seawater.
Lower your nose into your cupped hands and the "magnesium solution" and let it get into your nose, and repeat this a couple of times.
You will feel some tingling, and will feel the need to blow your nose out a few times after this. It's good, the dead skin sells and other things that don't belong in your nose are coming out.
Let's use this crisis as a wake-up call to focus on getting our bodies and minds in top shape and making a commitment to taking care of our wellbeing on a daily basis.
About AlviCos:
We supply Zechstein Inside grade Magnesium Ingredient bases for cosmetic applications and products direct from the source in the Netherlands. Contact us for info on including magnesium oil or flakes in your product line-up, bulk pricing, data sheets, or with any R&D inquiries.
References:
*Dusso AS. Update on the biologic role of the vitamin D endocrine system. Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2014;12(2):272-277
*Risco F, Traba ML. Possible involvement of a magnesium dependent mitochondrial alkaline phosphatase in the regulation of the 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-1 alpha-and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-24R-hydroxylases in LLC-PK1 cells. Magnes Res. 1994;7(3-4):169-178.
Cyclic AMP Master Regulator of Innate Immune Cell Function https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2720142/
Carlos H. Serezani,1 Megan N. Ballinger,1 David M. Aronoff,2 and Marc Peters-Golden1
The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, March 2018, Vol. 118, 181-189. Role of Magnesium in Vitamin D Activation and Function Anne Marie Uwitonze, BDT, MS; Mohammed S. Razzaque, MBBS, PhD doi:https://doi.org/10.7556/jaoa.2018.037
Mayo Clinic (2018). Lack of sleep: Can it make you sick?, Eric J. Olson, MD, Nov 28th 2018, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/expert-answers/lack-of-sleep/faq-20057757
Harvard Medical School (2008), Healthy Sleep, Why Sleep Matters, http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters
Human immune system during sleep, Am J Clin Exp Immunol. 2017; 6(6): 92–96. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5768894/
Cilia and Mucociliary Clearance Ximena M. Bustamante-Marin and Lawrence E. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2017 Apr; 9(4): a028241.