Magnesium and MS: Is Deficiency the Secret Cause?

Multiple sclerosis, also called MS, affects the central nervous system and has been linked to magnesium deficiency in research. Magnesium is an essential mineral for the body and plays a vital role in nerve function.

Magnesium deficiency may be among the things that either cause MS or result from the disorder, according to a 2015 study, which compared 27 female MS patients with 30 healthy women in a control group. Researchers found the women with MS had significantly lower levels of magnesium, folate, and other nutrients with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, according to Medscape.

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However, it is unclear if the nutritional deficiencies “cause MS or are a consequence of it,” Dr. Sandra D. Cassard, lead researcher of the study from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, tells Medscape. The low levels of nutrients found in MS patients compared to women in the control group “suggest areas warranting further research,” she says.

Research suggests magnesium deficiency may precede the onset of MS, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, according to Dr. Mark Sircus, a doctor of medicine and acupuncturist. Magnesium helps regulate the central nervous system.

Magnesium deficiency and MS have similar symptoms, possibly linking the two. According to Sircus, those symptoms include:

• Weakness
• Muscle spasms
• Muscle atrophy
• Twitching
• Rapid eye movements
• Hearing loss
• Osteoporosis

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Magnesium’s role in overall health stems from its involvement in more than 300 reactions throughout the body. It helps with metabolism, nerve function, muscle contraction, and heart function. According to LiveScience, magnesium supplements have been used by MS patients to help control symptoms.

Dr. Joseph Mercola says magnesium helps prevent damage from heavy metals, environmental chemicals, and other toxins. Food sources of magnesium include green leafy vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds.

Symptoms of magnesium deficiency don’t mean a person has MS, but checking with a doctor and keeping healthy magnesium levels helps to prevent damage to the body and other disorders.

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