Asthma is a disorder that causes the airways of the lungs to swell and narrow, leading to wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and coughing. Many people describe the feeling as someone sitting on their chest or that they have a belt wrapped around their lungs. No matter how it is experienced, it isn’t fun.
Asthma is caused by inflammation in the airways. When an asthma attack occurs, the muscles surrounding the airways become tight and the lining of the air passage swells. This reduces the amount of air that can pass by and is responsible for the labored breathing most people with asthma experience.
The prevalence of asthma increased by 75% between 1980 and 1994. In 2001, one in 14 people (about 20 million or 7% of the US population) had asthma; by 2009 that number had reached one in 12 people (about 25 million, or 8% of the US population).
Early research has shown a relationship between low magnesium levels and the development of asthma and IV magnesium has been used in emergency situations to stop asthma attacks. Recent research appearing in the Journal of Asthma (2010;47(1):83-92) looked at the effect magnesium supplementation had on asthma patients. In this study, 52 men and women between the ages of 21 and 55 with mild to moderate asthma were given either a placebo or 340 mg of magnesium citrate each day for 6.5 months.
The group taking magnesium reported improved quality of life compared to the placebo group. In addition, the group taking magnesium had significant improvements in lung function and the ability to move air into and out of the lungs.
We have had extremely good success using magnesium glycinate to reduce the severity and frequency of asthma attacks. Typical doses for adults are between 200-600 mg/day; for kids under 16 years of age, 100-400 mg will usually do the trick. Magnesium can also be used in acute situations to relieve an asthma attack; some people use as much as 1000 mg. Too much magnesium usually results only in diarrhea or loose stool, so it is a very safe therapy option.
If you or someone you love suffers from asthma magnesium glycinate is certainly worth a try. It is safe, inexpensive and may be an easy way to significantly reduce the severity and frequency of asthma attacks, allowing for a much better quality of life.
