Magnesium Deficiency

[CGTMHI]

Why does it not occur to heart specialists to do the "difficult" test for magnesium deficiency before they perform invasive procedures,  prescribe  beta-blockers, etc. plus all kinds of other drugs?

If someone would only tell them, or if they would read the literature that is readily available, all based upon valid research, concerning valid  statistics re. the ratio of sudden heart failure deaths (presumably from  arrythmias) all over the world in areas that have had soft water for years.  It can create unknowingly, a magnesium  deficiency, which controls the  heart rhythm. All physicians should  know that much. Where there is soft water, many,many more people die of sudden heart failure. That statistic has been published for years.

I am an example. Always one to be on the "cutting edge" of health issues, I totally stopped drinking "tap" water in the U.S. 15 years  ago, in  favor of reverse osmosis treated or bottled water, none of which (with a  few European brand exceptions) contain enough magnesium to replace the deficit. I did what I thought was the "prudent" thing, in avoiding drinking (possibly hazardous) "hard" water. Again, being prudent, and being a conscientious American businesswoman over 40, I continued to faithfully "take my calcium" as instructed by the  mass media, the dairy industry, etc. Guess what? That worsens a  magnesium  deficit, plus it sends the calcium to all the wrong places such as soft  tissues, i.e. heart, kidneys,etc. instead of the bones and teeth. Most doctors should be aware of that fact.

I am not looking to sue anybody, so don't be afraid- I know that is the primary thought in anything to do with medicine in the U.S. I  alone, am  responsible for what happened. The doctors did the best they could with good intentions, I have no doubt. Just as patients  who drank only "pure" water had the best intentions for their health. It seems to be a question of ignorance of the too obvious; the too  simple solution. The problem lies in what the cardiac specialists did not do, because it would never have occurred to them to ask about the water I drank, in order to justify further, more specific blood testing. Therein lies the problem. Having said that, however, although I assume I am a voice "mewling"  in the wind on this subject, I am positive that in the near future,  many doctors are going to be chagrined at the numbers of their  patients whom they put through a lot of stuff and expense, because  they didn't ask about their past water drinking habits. It is my  understanding that the typical "electrolyte" test does not show this inadequacy up, and a different test is required to show a serum level inadequacy. There are a lot of people in my age bracket,(65) who did the same  thing I did re. switching to "pure" water. We were the "health nuts" of that generation;the original tree huggers. Perhaps some of them made up for the loss in other ways; but there are bound to be many heavy calcium takers, like myself, who did not, and who in effect brought heart problems on themselves unwittingly.

Two of the "finest" heart clinics in America, and one of the finest abroad missed it- none of the three mentioned one word about the possibility. One in the U.S. questioned the thyroid at one point, but that tested out okay. At least he was concerned about "missing" something. I could not get cured of the arrythmia (which is incidentally, mysteriously,"on the statistical rise")even after undergoing a catheter ablation, all kinds of drugs, etc. Then I got blood clots from the arrythmia & still am having to deal with that offshoot of the the (original) problem.

I finally found the answer myself through an excellent search engine looking up "arrhythmia." What I found boggled my mind. I felt like the guy who first found proof that smoking was the cause of cancer. As long as I take my proper doses of magnesium and lay off the calcium, I am fine. There may be some damage done to my heart over the time period; but that's okay. As far as I am concerned, I am no longer a "heart patient"-

Sincerely,
MARISHA

[Cleveland Clinic, MD]

Dear Marisha,

Thanks for sharing your story.  I'm sorry to hear of your difficulties.  Many doctors do routinely check magnesium (we order it on all new hospital admissions).  Also as you point out reverse osmosis treated water is not recommended for regular consumption.  Most of the 'water craze' was driven by businessmen out to make some money.  In general 'good old tap water' in the USA is just as good as anything one can buy.  Glad to hear you are doing better.  Take care.