Questions posted in the Heart Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Question Title: Arrhythmia and Magnesium Supplements

Forum: The Heart Forum
Topic: Arrhythmia


I have just read an interesting article by a clinical nutritionist stating that within the next twelve months the USDA will be changing the recommended dietary allowance for magnesium to 750 mg. per day. Also stated that blood tests for magnesium deficiency are irrelevant and unusable because they do not reflect total body magnesium level. 'Magnesium levels of bone and intracellular levels of magnesium are what tell the true status of TBM'. Deficiency (from low dietary intake or excess loss) is clinically associated with ARRHYTHMIA I quote further: Magnesium is available in chelated (bound to) combinations such as alpha-ketogluconate, aspartate, glycinate, lysinate, orotate, taurate and others. Inorganic or ionic magnesiums include sulphate, oxide, citrate, carbonate, bicarbonate and chloride. Ionized magnesium in not an acceptable form of oral magnesium supplementation.
The recommended form is magnesium GLYCINATE.
Could you comment please on the effectiveness of magnesium and PVC's. Mary

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Dear Mary,

Thank you for your question. Magnesium is an important ion in heart rhythms. Its deficiency is associated with serious arrhythmias such as Torsades. There is no known association with PVC's. Be sure to check with your physician before starting any supplements.

I hope you find this information useful. Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only. Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to write back with additional questions.

If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.




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