Re: WHAT the EPSON slat box says...

Magnesium sulfate is used to treat pre-eclampsia, eclampsia and preterm labor.

http://www.twinslist.org/magsulfate.html

Pre-eclampsia (also known as toxemia and Pregnancy-Induced High Blood
Pressure) consists of high blood pressure, protein in the urine and
edema (swelling). It can rapidly become severe pre-eclampsia, with
very high blood pressure, visual disturbances, failing kidneys and
elevated liver enzymes. In rare cases, pre-eclampsia develops into
eclampsia, where potentially fatal convulsions occur. It also can
become HELLP Syndrome (hemolysis (H), which is the breaking down of
red blood cells, elevated liver enzymes (EL), and low platelet count
(LP)), which is potentially fatal to both the woman and her baby or
babies.



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MAGNESIUM SULFATE
Description
http://eilat.sci.brooklyn.cuny.edu/newnyc/drugs/magnesiu.htm

Magnesium sulfate reduces striated muscle contractions and blocks
peripheral neuromuscular transmission by reducing acetylcholine
release at the myoneural junction. In emergency care, magnesium
sulfate is used to manage seizures associated with toxemia of
pregnancy. Other uses include uterine relaxation (to inhibit
contractions of premature labor), as a bronchodilator after
beta-agonist and anticholinergic agents have been used, replacement
therapy for magnesium deficiency, as a cathartic to reduce the
absorption of poisons from the Gl tract, and in the initial therapy
for convulsions. Magnesium sulfate is gaining popularity as an initial
treatment in the management of various dysrhythmias, particularly
torsades de pointes, and dysrhythmias secondary to a tricyclic
antidepressant overdose or digitalis toxicity. The drug is also
considered as a class Ila agent (probably helpful) for refractory
ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia after
administration of lidocaine or bretylium doses.

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Magnesium sulfate is effective for severe acute asthma treated in the emergency department
http://www.acponline.org/journals/ebm/sepoct99/rowe.htm

Intravenous magnesium sulfate reduces the rate of hospital admissions and improves pulmonary function in patients with severe acute asthma treated in the emergency department.

Sources of funding: Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians and National Institutes of Health.


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Magnesium scarcity is the cause of many diseases. Magnesium is one of the major components of living matter. Magnesium salts are needed to stimulate white blood cell activity. They also promote the action of vitamins, enhance the effect of numerous diastases such as the alkaline phosphatases, and play an important part in glucose metabolism and phosphocalcium metabolism.

A lack of magnesium can result from one or more of the following conditions:

- Deficiency in Magnesium: Consuming grains and vegetables grown on chemically fertilized or sprayed fields may result in a deficiency in magnesium.

- Junk foods: Consuming white bread and refined grain products. The magnesium and other vital minerals are removed with the bran when rice is polished or whole flour is sifted to remove its bran. Refining whole wheat and polishing rice can reduce their magnesium content by over 80%.

- Refined Salt Consumption: Using vacuum processed refined white table salt or boiled salt. These contain either no magnesium salts or less than 0.03%, instead of the 0.41% average content in natural Celtic Sea Salt . Magnesium salts, while quite abundant in young adults, become depleted in older persons. Factors affecting absorption of magnesium are: physiological need, the amount of magnesium ingested and the diet as a whole.



Magnesium is a critical element in 325+ biochemical reactions in the human body.


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Recent research, in France and several other European countries, gives a clue concerning the role of magnesium plays in the transmission of hormones (such as insulin, thyroid, estrogen, testosterone, DHEA, etc.), neurotransmitters (such as dopamine, catecholamines, serotonin, GABA, etc.), and minerals and mineral electrolytes.

This research concludes that it is magnesium status that controls cell membrane potential and through this means controls uptake and release of many hormones, nutrients and neurotransmitters. It is magnesium that controls the fate of potassium and calcium in the body. If magnesium is insufficient potassium and calcium will be lost in the urine and calcium will be deposited in the soft tissues (kidneys, arteries, joints, brain, etc.).

Magnesium protects the cell from aluminum, mercury, lead, cadmium, beryllium and nickel. Evidence is mounting that low levels of magnesium contribute to the heavy metal deposition in the brain that precedes Parkinson´s, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer´s.

It is probable that low total body magnesium contributes to heavy metal toxicity in children and is a participant in the etiology of learning disorders.



Deficiency (from low dietary intake or excess loss) is clinically associated with:

ADD/ADHD
Alzheimer´s
Angina
Anxiety disorders
Arrhythmia
Arthritis- Rheumatoid and Osteoarthritis
Asthma
Autism
Auto immune disorders- all types
Cavities
Cerebral Palsy- in children from magnesium deficient mothers
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Congestive Heart Disease
Constipation
Crooked teeth- narrow jaw- in children from magnesium deficient mothers
Depression
Diabetes- Type I and II
Eating disorders- Bulimia, Anorexia
Fibromyalgia
Gut disorders- including peptic ulcer, Crohn´s disease, colitis, food allergy
Heart Disease- Arteriosclerosis, high cholesterol, high triglycerides
Heart Disease- in infants born to magnesium deficient mothers
High Blood Pressure
Hypoglycemia
Impaired athletic performance
Infantile Seizure- in children from magnesium deficient mothers
Insomnia
kidney stones
Lou Gehrig´s Disease
Migraines- including cluster type
Mitral Valve Prolapse
Multiple Sclerosis
Muscle cramps
Muscle weakness, fatigue
Myopia- in children from magnesium deficient mothers
Obesity- especially obesity associated with high carbohydrate diets
Osteoporosis- just adding magnesium reversed bone loss
Parkinson´s Disease
PMS- including menstrual pain and irregularities
PPH- Primary Pulmonary Hypertension
Raynaud´s
SIDS- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Stroke
Syndrome X- insulin resistance
Thyroid disorders- low, high and auto-immune; low magnesium reduces T4

Other conditions are also associated with chronic and acute low magnesium intake and further research is continuing to confirm relationships.


The following substances and conditions reduce total body magnesium


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Alcohol- all forms cause significant losses
Amphetamines/Cocaine
Burns- with large surface area
Calcium- high levels block magnesium absorption
Carbohydrates- especially White Sugar , high fructose corn syrup, white flour
Chronic pain- any cause
Coffee- significant losses
Cyclosporin- extra magnesium can protect from side-effects
Diabetes- magnesium spills with Sugar in the urine
Diarrhea- any cause
Dieting- stress plus lowered intake
Diuretics- even potassium sparing diuretics do not spare magnesium
Insulin- whether from using insulin or from hyperinsulinemia
Over-training- extreme athletic physical conditioning/training
Phentermine / Fenfluramine
Sodas- especially cola type sodas, both diet and regular
Sodium- high refined (table) salt intake
Stress- physical and mental- anything that gets your fight or flight reaction
Surgery
Sweat
Thirst
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Sources of magnesium:

Green vegetable, root vegetable, water, unrefined Sea Salt .


About the minerals and trace elements:

Although certain body processes are attributed to certain minerals, each mineral needs one or more other minerals to properly function. For instance, a proper calcium-phosphorus balance is necessary to the body in that an imbalance reduces resistance to disease, increases fatigue, weakens intellectual faculties and leads to premature ageing. Magnesium can only be used if calcium and phosphorus are in a proper balance. An overabundance of one mineral can result in a deficiency of another. Obtaining minerals from whole food sources provides the body with the wide variety of minerals it needs. Supplementing with one or two minerals is rarely a good idea unless it is under the supervision of a doctor or nutritional counselor.