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Magnesium & Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the degeneration of the cartilage and bone joints. It affects almost 20 million people in the United States. This disease starts usually in middle age. Osteoarthritis most commonly affects the weight-bearing joints of the body such as the knees and hips. Women are much more likely to develop arthritis than men, especially after age 50, but taking magnesium supplements has long been a part of the treatment for both sexes to counter a deficiencies marked by the degeneration.

  1. Understanding Disease Process

    • Osteoarthritis is caused by wear and tear to the joints, which leads to inflammation. The bones around the joints become weak over time, resulting in the inflammatory process around the joints. The bones may get chipped off, resulting in minute fractures. The formation of new bone pieces around joints is triggered by the inflammatory reaction around the joints. This weakening process of bones is known as osteoporosis.

    Symptoms of Osteoarthritis

    • The symptoms of osteoarthritis can vary greatly. Pain is common in the affected parts of the body such as hands, hips, knees and feet. People can also experience specific types of symptoms such as muscle stiffness and bone enlargement.

    Role of Magnesium in Osteoarthritis

    • The "wear and tear" mechanism behind the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis is being studied to know how and why this process takes place. The role of magnesium deficiency in development of osteoarthritis is a well known fact. This forms the basis of prescription for magnesium and vitamin D in treatment of osteoarthritis along with analgesic drugs. The recent research shows that magnesium deficiency plays an important role in development of osteoarthritis. The research has also found that magnesium deficiency also causes osteoporosis and osteopenia (decreased bone mineral density) with formation of new bone tissue which is not normally mineralized.

    Magnesium Supplements

    • Magnesium supplements are of vital importance in the treatment of osteoarthritis. The nutritional deficiencies must be corrected to prevent the progress of osteoarthritis. Proper balance of calcium to magnesium is to be maintained to treat the further bone loss and weakening. The normal ratio of calcium to magnesium intake by bones is 2:3. If this ratio is maintained, then there is removal of old dead bone and formation of healthy new bone tissue; otherwise, the hormones involved in bone formation and bone restoration may get deranged, leading to bone loss and osteoarthritis. Supplementation of magnesium and calcium in osteoarthritis also may prevent further worsening of joint mobility.

    Treatments

    • Osteoarthritis cannot be cured, but treatment for the condition can ease your symptoms and prevent them from affecting your everyday life. Successful treatment programs are tailored to meet the needs of an individual. There are several general types of treatment for osteoarthritis. At first, nonsurgical treatments such as weight loss, exercise, use of magnesium supplements and vitamin/herb supplements are preferred.

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