Epstein-Barr Virus
Low serum magnesium is associated with inflammation, oxidative stress and insulin resistance. Increased magnesium intake suppresses pathology associated with an inflammatory response 1.
Nearly 30,000 people are living with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Australia. There are two to three million people affected in the world. The majority of these people are women. In Australia, there are nearly two new cases diagnosed every day. Multiple sclerosis is considered to cost the Australian economy around 1.7 billion dollars each year.
In multiple sclerosis the body’s immune system attacks the myelin sheath surrounding brain neurons. The myelin sheath is attacked by the immune system that “thinks” it is fighting a foreign invading entity. Multiple sclerosis can lead to numbness, slurred speech and difficulty in walking.
In the past, multiple sclerosis has been considered to be associated with a virus infection, high genetic risk, childhood trauma, and low levels of sunshine and low vitamin D.
Recently it has been found that Epstein-Barr virus probably causes multiple sclerosis. Epstein-Barr virus has infected about 95% of the adult population in the world. The virus is known to cause glandular fever or mononucleosis, also known commonly as “the kissing disease”. Once a person gets Epstein-Barr virus, the virus remains in the body for life as it resides in B cells – the cells that make antibodies.
Scientists from Harvard University studied blood samples from ten million people and found: “First compelling evidence that Epstein-Barr virus causes multiple sclerosis”. The findings were published in the world’s leading scientific journal Science 6. Professor Gavin Giovannoni from Queen Mary University of London, who is independent of the research, states: “It is very, very strong evidence that Epstein-Barr virus is likely to be the cause of multiple sclerosis”.
If most people carry the virus, why do only a small percentage develop multiple sclerosis?
Previously, a senior group of medical scientists from the National Institutes of Health in the USA found that low magnesium levels inside immune system cells impair the destruction of Epstein-Barr virus. Magnesium supplementation restores magnesium levels inside immune system cells and reduces Epstein-Barr virus infected cells significantly. Importantly, if continuous supplementation with magnesium ceased, the Epstein-Barr virus returned to pre-treatment levels. Their work was published in the world’s leading scientific journal Science 7. According to the authors, magnesium is essential for anti-viral and anti-tumour immunity and, importantly, magnesium levels inside cells are dependent in part on magnesium levels outside cells – so consumption of magnesium in a soluble bioavailable form to increase blood levels is essential.
A Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) registered clinical trial was conducted at a prestigious medical teaching hospital in Sydney with participants consuming drinking water that contained high levels of magnesium (120mg magnesium per litre). It was found that high levels of soluble magnesium in drinking water were bioavailable and blood magnesium levels were increased significantly. As stated above, it is considered that when blood levels of magnesium are increased, the levels of magnesium inside body cells are increased.
Because the magnesium ion is charge dense and attracts water molecules, it needs to be soluble and dissolved in water prior to consumption in order to increase optimally blood magnesium levels and to avoid removing water from the body into the bowel. Any soluble magnesium salt dissolved in water, if proven bioavailable, should suit this purpose and should be beneficial.
Coronavirus
Low serum magnesium is associated with inflammation, oxidative stress and insulin resistance. Increased magnesium intake suppresses pathology associated with an inflammatory response 1.
Bats are hosts to an impressive number of coronaviruses. Many of these viruses appear to exist in bats without causing any major disease. These coronaviruses include the viruses, or direct ancestors of the viruses, that cause epidemics in humans. SARS-CoV-1 (SARS), SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and MERS-CoV (MERS). The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that the virus causing COVID-19 has arisen naturally from bats. However, other opinions include that the virus was manipulated by scientists in a laboratory and “escaped”.
It is known with coronavirus infections, particularly in COVID-19, that the real danger is not from the virus per se but from an uncontrolled overreaction of the body’s immune system. This overreaction of the immune system is manifested by what is known as a “cytokine storm” where a flood of inflammatory chemicals (cytokines) produce inflammation of the heart, blood vessels and lungs. Damage to the heart, blood vessels and lungs results in a lack of oxygen to body organs and subsequent death in some individuals.
It is to be noted that the virus causing COVID-19 attaches to a cell receptor that protects blood vessels, lung and heart from inflammatory effects. Protection from inflammation is lost when the COVID-19 virus binds to the receptor. When the virus binds to the receptor, there is a rise in excess intracellular calcium levels which is considered to instigate inflammation. Theoretically, because the magnesium ion is utilised elsewhere in the body to counter the effects of excess calcium ions, it is considered that appropriate magnesium concentrations may have far-reaching implications relevant to a wide range of inflammatory diseases including the inhibiting of the pathology of COVID-19 infections.
Magnesium supplementation assists in the prevention of inflammation. In a vast range of diseases, increased magnesium intake suppresses pathology associated with an inflammatory response 1.