The Magnesium Miracle (Revised and Updated Edition)

I think that this is an IMPORTANT book... But the most important part, the specific clinical reasoning and dosage guidelines, are understated and hard-to-find. The vast majority of the book is anecdote by the author. This probably makes for a more INTERESTING book, but somewhat defeats the purpose of writing it.

Following the directions in this book eliminated virtually all headaches and migraines. All kinds of other health benefits are possible also. The reading is a bit dry and you need to get the highest absorption magnesium.

Unbelievable! This book explains why dozens of the most common ailments are caused by magnesium deficiency and what variety and dosage of supplements you should take to relieve the symptoms. I couldn't put the book down! I put in my order to aid the problems me or my husband have had for over 25 years so I will have to come back later and post an update.

If you want to know why you need Magnesium, and how to take it this is the book to read. Carolyn Dean has made a grand effort and this book was extremely helpful while I was researching my muscle pain and other problems.

Well-presented, interesting information and fairly easy to read. Lots of info on how to best supplement with magnesium, of which we are all so grossly under-supplied. I have recommnended this one to lots of friends.

Too Much Information...I got bogged down in details but got the message that mg is good for me, and I believe it. Great help with cramps and even takes the edge of anxiety. Nice with l-theanine, the chill pill.

This person understands CFS better than any doctor I've encountered. I know there are other books like this, but this one is definitely worth reading. I don't think she mentions milk thistle for CFS, but I heard about it from other sources. But her advice has helped a lot.

This book offers a simple yet effective way for any person interested in living a fuller, healthier life, to improve their overall health. The ideas and suggestions it contains, are simple, inexpensive, and right to the point, I hope all medical personnel will also read this book, it will give them cutting edge information that can be safely used by them, and their patients. Transdermal Magnesium Therapy

WOW WOW WOW THIS BOOK IS AMAZING THE TITLE TELLS IT ALL.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ALL, THE INFO IN THIS BOOK CAN AND WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE AND CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE ONES YOU KNOW HOW THE BODY NEEDS 2 TO 3 TIMES MORE MAGNESIUM THAN CALCIUM.

With our drinking waters softened ( the removal of Calcium and Magnesium),, most of our population is defuicient in Magnesium and Calcium. While the Medical industry has promotrd the need for Calcium in women, they have failed to recognize the need for amagnesium....the controller of over 300 digestion and growth processes....from diabetes to blood pressure.

Lots of useful info on need for magnesium to combat different diseases and conditions. It is certainly worthwhile to try the natural approach of magnesium versus drugs which are often ineffective and have side effects

This book was easy to read and full of fascinating tidbits of information. It actually helped me diagnose a problem I was having that my local hospital could not figure out. Since taking the magnesium I no longer have the issue. I've sent magnesium oil to multiple family members and have everyone where I work taking it as well. Everyone should look into this therapy.

I miss a lot of technical info about every single magnesium form, how is it obtained, its form in supplements, its absorbance rate?

Author has lack of knowledge about other minerals and vitamins.

I can't get rid of feeling that most of the americans are very prone to using all sorts of pharmacological products and supplements and they obviously think you couldn't live without them which is normal even for the author of this book. I think supplements have their place but certainly not so often and in such amounts as they were presented. Anyway there are lots of useful an interesting data about magnesium so it's worth buying this book after all.

This book has a wealth of information on the importance of magnesium and how a deficiency, in particular in relationship to calcium, can affect many aspects of one's health.
The author, Carolyn Dean, MD, ND, writes clearly and in language that non-professionals can understand. This is a great book to have on hand for reference purposes when you need to know which form of magnesium is best for you, and why.

Haven't read it yet but follow Dr. Carolyn Dean on facebook and her website. She is amazing. Had to have the book. Thoroughly believe magnesium can change your health for the better. Read the book and you'll understand.

I bought into this book's information hook, line and sinker. I'm all for natural remedies, supplements and cures - and I started taking much less than the recommended daily dose after reading it. Unfortunately I ended up with a racing heart and difficulty breathing. At first I didn't attribute it to the magnesium, but after eliminating other things with no success I eliminated the magnesium and the issues went away. I tried taking it again a few days later and they came back. After some research I found that quite a few people experience these side effects. I stopped taking the mag. and haven't had an issue since. (my heart would race all night making it difficult to sleep)
Do your research and be aware of ALL the possible side effects before starting any new supplement.

Perfect home health reference book. All Info is down to earth and straight forward and easy to follow. After you read it you will find yourself going back to re-enforce your understanding and passing it on.

Very interesting read. Seems to make sense. My daughter and I did get our Magnesium test done (the one she recommends) and my daughter's mag was a 4.5 and mine was a 5. Dr. Dean likes to see 6 to 6.5. We haven't begun the supplements yet but will soon. My daughter does suffer from headaches every 1 to 2 weeks so we'll see what happens. I'll update if have anything new to share.

This book gives all the positive results of magnesium in the body when used consistently. It show what happens to the body when it lacks magnesium. The benefits of adding this to our daily diet underscores its importance for promoting good health.

Two short stories. A few years ago I would get cramps in the calf of my left leg upon awakening. This infrequent event morphed into a daily morning ritual. The cramping upon awakening was not just daily, but multiple and had spread to my right calf also and then to contorting my toes. I was literally "yelling" in pain; rubbing did no good. The final assult was in my hands: Due to some triggering movement my fingers would freeze into a weird, contorted shape; I had no control; I simply had to endure.

Knowing most GPs know little about nutrition and are prone to give some drug, I inquired at my health food store. It was recommended that I take 400mg capsules of calcium with 200 mg of magnesium just before bedtime. I did so. The next morning when I awoke I could not even induce the slightest cramp! That was a "miracle" to me. And so it has been for months now because I take a regimen of calcium with magnesium. (If I consumed much dairy, I would not take additional calcium.)

A final story. Although a senior citizen I am very physically active (tennis and the gym deplete magnesium, by the way) and around this time I was due for my yearly physical. It showed that I had a mild heart arrhythmia even though my large veins and arteries are "whistle clean" of occlusion. This book tells me that my body runs on electrical impulses and magnesium is essential for good heart health (among many functions), and that low magnesium--which I knew I had--is essential for good heart health. And that low magnesium can cause heart arrhythmia and even stroke no matter how clean ones arteries are. So, I was glad to have added magnesium to my supplement list, even upping it from 400 to 600 mg a day.

This small volume is an easy read and so reassuring with the scientifically-backed research. You will find it very enlightening how essential magnesium is. I highly recommend this book to everyone currently suffering (or not) the ill effects of low magnesium.

Let me add that I also read another new book called THE MAGNESIUM FACTOR which is a very helpful source stocked full of research-backed data, but THE MIRACLE is smaller, the style is an easier read, and the information quite sufficient. Regardless, you won't go wrong with either or both books.

UPDATE as of 6/2/11: I have been on the magnesium regimen for 6 months; I have also cut out all dairy for that period. I had a lipid test which showed I had a drop of 33 points in my LDL, which may have been due to the lack of dairy (I was following the 2010 book, WHITEWASH: THE DISTURBING TRUTH ABOUT COW'S MILK AND YOUR HEALTH.) Regardless, my HDL did not rise one digit, something THE MAGNESIUM MIRACLE book predicted. I am continuing for another six month with the adequate dosage of magnesium with calcium to see if there will be an effect on my HDL. I will report back around November 21, 2011.

UPDATE as of Nov. 21, 2011: Somewhat disappointing. After one whole year on the magnesium my number only rose 4 points: from 42 to 46. Regardless, I still benefit from magnesium's elimination of my cramps.

I thought I knew a fair amount about Magnesium, and have been using it and teaching my clients about it's benefits for years, but little did I know how little I knew until I read this stellar book.

Gary Young, CNC

If you appreciate vitamins at all, this book will guide you to the most important nutrient of all--Magnesium! In plain English, this book is so interesting I've loaned it to many friends--most love it and I don't always get the book back! After passing out 5 copies of the last edition,
I purchased 2 of this one--something I've never done before! Magnesium can help you feel better and live longer...and your friends too! I've been keeping my overweight 81 year old mother going with magnesium + other supplements and still no diabetes like her father! Try it...!

Extremely helpful! Opened my eyes to the need for getting enough magnesium in my diet. It has made a significant difference in my health. I've shared and recommended this book often and will continue to. I highly recommend it!

For me, the most important insights from of this book were: 1. How particular drugs used for various ailments deplete magnesium, which is needed to cure the ailment. As Dr. Dean says, we aren't deficient in drugs; we're deficient in nutrients, especially magnesium. 2. How magnesium is counteracted by especially calcium and phosphorus, but also by fluoride, aspartame, and other ingested products. A visit to Dr. Dean's web site confirmed what I have believed for quite a while, that it is vital that Magnesium's intake be higher than Calcium (and other minerals).

Before purchasing THE MAGNESIUM MIRACLE, I read the editorials and the 29 customer reviews posted on the the store buying page. That collection provides an excellent synopsis of this book; instead of repeating what's been said, I'll focus on personal reactions to this life saving information.

I wanted to read a detailed, reliable source on the symptoms, causes, and cures of magnesium deficiency, and I wanted to read it on my Kindle Wireless Reading Device (with its in-house dictionary and free Google capacity for searches). I also wanted to learn how to get magnesium absorbed and functioning, and to learn about varieties and effectiveness of oral and transdermal applications of this mineral, which I had believed for decades to be one of the most vital nutrients. Over the years I had periodically taken oral tablets and worked to get high magnesium foods into my diet, but I had never felt adequate results from either of those methods. I was also curious about how magnesium deficiency could be tested accurately, since I had read that blood tests give misleading readings.

All the above and more was covered in easily comprehensible detail from the general chapters which I read first, deciding to focus on those before the chapters specific to certain diseases, especially the conditions I hadn't developed. (For background on that see my review of Swanson Ultra Magnesium Oil 8 fl oz (237 ml) Spray). From the general chapters I learned about varieties of oral and transdermal forms of magnesium and how they compared as effective sources of elemental magnesium.*

I learned that a simple saliva test for Mg level adequacy could expose much more than a basic blood test, and why. I learned a bit about the history of magnesium studies and uses.

What surprised me was how much useful information I found in the chapters on different diseases, about how they are caused by magnesium deficiency, aggravated by drugs prescribed specifically to each ailment, and cured by having magnesium retained and working properly within cell structures.

One part of the book I question slightly [for myself] is the recommendation to follow a diet regimen. [Update: 2/26/10: Recent info from Dr. Dean indicates she is currently advising a more individually intuitive approach to food choices, moving away from what she terms dietary dogma, to which I say, "YES!" Check her web site blog.]

Prior to reading this book, I had studied which foods are high in magnesium, and Dr. Dean's information contributed well to that background. What I've learned through Google searches recently, however, is that many Mg rich foods are also high in calcium and phosphorus, minerals which, if present in excess can defeat magnesium from being absorbed or used. Some of this was detailed in previously read books like Obesity Cancer & Depression: Their Common Cause & Natural Cure.

Dr. Dean explains how magnesium can be defeated if other minerals are too high in comparative percentages, and how our soils have been depleted of magnesium. At the same time, magnesium experts strongly push dietary recommendations. My concern is that it's nearly impossible to know the percentages of magnesium to calcium, phosphorus, and other Mg depletion agents in the foods I specifically purchase, prepare, and swallow. Pro and con arguments can be read on every health issue related to foods (or related to anything, for that matter). I've read reports which give opposite information on a particular food being high or low in magnesium (or in increasing acidity or alkalinity in one's system). Some foods recommended for magnesium content are listed elsewhere for low bio-availability of that magnesium content.

In view of the contradictions of nearly every food promoted as a cure all in one study and a death warrant in another, and due to my belief that we were given taste buds for a reason, I had long ago decided that the best way to health for me was to avoid "medicine" as much as possible and to eat what sounds good at the time of being ready to eat, then savor the flavor. I follow cravings, yet am observant enough to discriminate healthy vs. unhealthy cravings. Basically, a healthy craving satisfies without the need to gorge, and an unhealthy craving never seems to get any type of satisfaction, even when I eat enough to be "stuffed." I've noticed that I crave a certain food for a while, eat it regularly, feel satisfied with a reasonable amount, then suddenly one day feel I don't want that food any more. When I do Google searches on what a craved food contains, I see how that food filled a temporary deficiency. There are studies pro and con on salts, various types of fats, sugars, coffees, teas, flours, etc. I don't avoid any of those foods because I don't believe they are harmful unless or until I begin to have a distaste of them, which I have at times, in which case I avoid that food. Determining what will nourish comes through my tongue and palate.

Even so, I continue to study what foods contain and to read pros and cons on their potential value or detriment, then make up my own mind. Especially during evening meals, I tend to eat leafy green vegetables and fruits because I believe they are generally healthy, but mostly because I like them and they satisfy. I like most of the foods Dr. Dean lists as good Mg sources, and which I had read before as being such. However, most mornings in my current habit I have coffee, a cinnamon roll with (real) butter, and bacon (cured with heavenly natural SALT brine instead of phosphates or citric acid, etc.).

The only supplement I take, orally or transdermally is magnesium.

Calcium is abundant in many foods which I and most people eat frequently by taste rather than by prescribed diet, and through interjection in prepared foods due to the past decade's belief, with the best intentions, that Calcium is the Olympian mineral. After taking magnesium by tablet and transdermal applications for several months, my body is still working to rid itself of calcium deposits. I love dairy products, but have cut back on them slightly, and will not begin eating cheese freely again until I the magnesium presence in my system elevates to what it needs to be.

Possibly what I admire most about Dr. Dean is that, as wise and well studied and experienced as she is she doesn't suffer from a Goddess complex. She has admitted on her web site (not in these words, but to this effect) that she realizes she might discover along the way that what she believed yesterday, based on what seemed to be the best science, might be proven wrong today... and that what she believed to be harmful yesterday might be proven the first true futuristic "snake oil."

Only one thing is certain, for me. MAGNESIUM is the INDEX! And given current cultural conditions, transdermal is a KEY. Related to that, I highly recommend this book, too:

Transdermal Magnesium Therapy: A New Modality for the Maintenance of Health

I agree with other reviews which have noted: Everyone would do well to read THE MAGNESIUM MIRACLE, especially medical professionals. Dr. Dean, you're doing a great good for the human race. I salute you!

Linda Shelnutt

*[I feel that that all the evidence is not yet in on bioavailability, and believe that Dr. Dean would agree there. Though transdermal application seems to be getting results quicker than oral, I still prefer Magnesium Oxide Powder 8 Ounces as my source of oral mg. Mag oxide might not be as good a choice for others, though, because it can cause a type of diarrhea in higher doses. In my unique situation that aspect appears to be working multiple benefits for me in vital ways which I'd like to record at some point.]

I feel so lucky that I discovered this book. Easy to read, easy to understand and use in your personal quest to be healthy from a very credentialed Doctor. I bought copies for friends and relatives.

This book is AMAZING. This book saved my life when doctors couldn't find what's was wrong with me. Thank you for writing this book! I bought so many copies to give to my friends and family!!! Thank you! Thank you!~ Thank you!!!!

This is another book I bought after reading a the previous version from our local library. It is amazing and has really helped us out so much. I use the magnesium products from Joan Schrader at Health and Wisdom and it is rebuilding my health so much in needed ways. It also enabled us to conceive again! Magnesium is directly related to infertility and a host of other health problems that are consistently prescribed for or treated in other ways including by homeopaths and naturopaths because not enough is known about this most vital mineral, magnesium.

It is so very readable and many, many 'ah-hah!' moments will follow as it is read. It is important, as with anything, to not read with any resentments or negativity, but to read in order to discover and learn.

I am impressed with this book. It's easy to read and understand, and I learned a lot about the importance of magnesium and how it helps us to function. I have shared this book with friends and family so they can improve their diets and learn how a magnesium deficiency affects their health. My daughter has NOT had a migraine since she has incorporated this mineral in to her diet. That in itself made the purchase worthwhile.

Highly recommend.

this is a well written book and easy to understand for those without a medical or science background. very informative read about the link between calcium and magnesium and mineral void in todays diet. highly recommended.

When I found I was suffering from many of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency, I looked on the store and found two very highly rated books - "The Magnesium Factor" and "The Magnesium Miracle". Unable to decide between the two, I ordered them both.

"The Magnesium Miracle" by Carolyn Dean was my favorite of the two as it provides the pertinent research and biochemical information in a very concise and easily readable format that would likely be more accessible to the layperson. The detailed information for supplementation includes not only magnesium, but also other nutrients that are needed to alleviate various magnesium-deficient conditions. This would be the book I would recommend to family and friends.

VERY confusing information.
It is difficult to ascertain just how much magnesium one should take. On page 243 is a list of the amount of elemental magnesium in 500 mg of some of the magnesium salts, i.e.300 mg for magnesium oxide. On page 241 she states that really only 4% of that 300mg is absorbed!
Elsewhere, she says that that the daily amounts should be ELEMENTAL magnesium, but that for an amount of 1000mg magnesium only 127mg is elemental, so be sure to look for elemental on the bottle. (I have 3 different brands of magnesium and none say it is, or isn't elemental).
The food sources list amounts but be sure to read all the details because only 50% is absorbed.
Additionally, on page 243 she throws in some gobbledegook information about absorption and magnesium citrate being a metal-ligand - blah blah blah. I believe the whole purpose of this was to make herself look soo very knowledgeable to us dopes that don't have a clue why she threw this in.
Lastly, I think the whole idea is to sell her products.

I ordered this book & believed it would help me decide what kind of magnesium I should take. I am more confused now that I've read it. It is an extremely complicated read & not on a general consumer level. It might be helpful for medical professionals, but sure wasn't for me.

I like the book a great deal. It is well researched and well presented (if a bit overdone) but the Kindle version is very sloppy. It appears that someone scanned the book text from print but did not go back and edit the results. Most numbers are split apart (e.g., fifty four percent would show up as 5 4%) and there are many, many spelling errors. I can understand the gist of the book but am very disappointed that someone felt it was appropriate to charge me nearly $10.00 for this electronic edition.

"The Magnesium Miracle" is a well written, understandable look at this key mineral. The book details the studies done showing magnesium's role in the healing of so many disease conditions. As the author rightfully says, "We are not drug deficient, but rather nutrient deficient." Also, all the key minerals and vitamins are synergistic in their operation. This means that they work togehter to procuce the desired effect. For example, calcium is a muscle contractant, while magnesium is a muscle relaxant. For magnesium and calcium to do their jobs you also need vitamin D, copper, manganese, boron and zinc. Also these nutrients need to be in the proper ratio to each other. You might have heard that you need two parts calcium to one part magnesium. The author contends that you need one part calcium to one part magnesium. I agree with her.

The author stresses the importance of a healthful diet with whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, cold water fish, organic meat, beans, nuts and seeds. She also gives you a supplement protocol for every disease condition talked about in the book. She isn't for mega doses of any one nutrient, but the right ratio of all the needed nutrients. I've known quite a few people, who while professing to be supplement takers, are slip-shod about the whole thing.This approach will not provide the necessary nutrients on a daily basis that are essential to regaining your health. You need to be responsible and discipline yourself to follow a supplement protocal and eat at regular times as well.

The author tells you about the various kinds of magnesium, how readily each one is absorbed by the body and whether they can cause loose stools in sensitive people. Dr. Dean takes all the guess work out of choosing a magnesium supplement.

The one negative comment is where the author tells people with certain disease conditions to lay off meat. While some people need more protein and fat than others, we all need some in our diet. Because of the way most animals are raised, of all the foods to purchase organically meat is the most important. While organic meat is definitely more expensive, especially if you are already sick, you do not want to be eating growth hormones, antibiotics, etc. Some people are carbohydrate types, others are mixed types, while still others need a higher fat and protein diet. One simple way to determine your food type is to ask yourself what kind of chicken you most prefer. If like me you love dark meat, you are probably in the last category. If you prefer white meat the opposite is probably true. If both are equally appealing you are probably a mixed diet person. For a more detailed test on this important subject go to Joseph Mercola's website.

I would also highly recommend you you read "Vitamin D Is It The Fountain of Youth?" by Paul Stitt. Vitamin D is another miracle nutrient. The more I study on nutrients the more convinced I become that only what our Creator designed us to function on will produce abundant health. We can't eat junk food, take a multi vitamin and be healthy. Also, Lipitor will never replace magnesium. And while natural remedies such as herbs, chiropractic, etc definitely have their place in a healthful lifestyle they don't replace proper eating, drinking enough water, getting adequate sleep, exercise, sunshine and fresh air. Also having a right relationship with God and close, healthy personal relationships is key to health. We need to learn to take responsibility in every area of our lives.

I still haven't read the entire book and I need to do so before giving it the highest rating. I have bought the type of magnesium she recommended but the pills are too large for me to swallow. I wish she would have told us more about what brand to buy, especially for those of us who cannot swallow large pills.

I bought this book with the hope of getting more professional review of the prospective benefits of magnesium and was quite disappointed. As a restatement of largely unsubstantiated theories widely available on the internet this book is adequate.

I give this book 111 Stars!!!! My life is perfect and complete after reading this book. A miracle is a wonderful event believed to be caused by the power of God. Why this book is a miracle ~ it gives you the information to be your own God & HEAL YOUR SELF with what's real & TRUE!!!! I highly recommend this book to everyone who is a human being! Read it, allow it, share it, then relax & enjoy the power you acquired by reading this!!!!! I'm so grateful for Dr.Carolyn! She is my hero..no wait.. She gave me the tool to be my own hero!! ayeeee!!!:):):)

I felt that this was a little over done. The author did add some knowledge but I felt that in the end she seemed think that everything could be cured with a dose of magnesium. I would not buy this again.

The body needs magnesium. It also needs a host of other vitamins, foods and minerals. This book picks on magnesium and expands it into every possible scenario. It is mostly well documented though and tries to avoid the myriad of medical and complicated chemical language.. Nothing is a cure all for everything and this book may lead you down that slippery path. No question that it expands your knowledge about magnesium and its potential need in our bodies.

Magnesium is extremely important for good health. Yet for far too many years this vital mineral has been largely overlooked by most doctors. Shockingly, most laboratory blood tests do not even measure magnesium status although magnesium is involved as an essential factor in more aspects of health than any other mineral. Since magnesium status is rarely measured, most doctors don't know when their patients are deficient in magnesium, even though about 80% of Americans are deficient in this essential mineral. And magnesium deficiency is a significant factor -- often the primary factor -- in many severe illnesses including heart attacks and other forms of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, anxiety and panic attacks, depression, fatigue, migraines and other headaches, osteoporosis, insomnia, and most cases of muscular problems. Because magnesium deficiency is largely overlooked, millions of Americans suffer needlessly from the foregoing ailments or are having their symptoms treated with expensive drugs (which often have unpleasant or dangerous side effects) when they could be cured with magnesium supplementation. This excellent and easily-readable new book by Dr. Dean (an up-to-date revision and expansion of her ground-breaking book The Miracle of Magnesium) discusses these and other important aspects of this vital mineral in detail. Everyone who is concerned about his or her health should acquire and read this very important book, even if you already own its earlier version. So should their doctors. And the vast majority of Americans should increase their magnesium intake by suitable diet and appropriate supplementation as Dr. Dean recommends. Those who do will very likely find themselves free of many ailments they may now have.

Just getting around to ordering "The Magnesium Miracle" book. Actually, I am ordering two...because I am sending one to a friend of mine who desperately needs the information for his wife. My blood pressure has always been high, sometimes over 180/110. Never believed in blood pressure medicine as blood pressure is adaptive, and when it is high, it is an indicator that something is amiss somewhere. Anyhow, I got my hands on this product and started taking a teaspoon in the morning, and one in the evening. After two days, I thought my blood pressure monitor was broken as it was reading 117/78! It has been a month since, and my blood pressure has remained stable in normal ranges. My doctor has wanted me on blood pressure medicine for years, but always refused their drugs! Dr. John Bergman, a Chiropractor, in Huntington Beach, California, informed me about this Miracle and it has saved my life! You can follow him on Youtube...fantastic short videos that will help keep you informed on natural approaches to health...and not depend on "disease management" professionals.

another hype? The book is definitely an interesting reading. The essence is that Magnesium is the new wonder supplement and everyone needs to take it. I do believe that indeed it is a must, however I find it a conflict of interest that the only brand that is good enough is - what a surprise - sold by a company in which the author has a major stake!! and no other brand is good enough. Therefore only 3 stars!!

With a gazillion types of magnesium supplements on the market, I was really hoping for a bit more in depth description of the pros & cons of each kind.

Otherwise, the book did a good job describing deficiency and how it relates to different health issues.

I felt that this was a little over done. The author did add some knowledge but I felt that in the end she seemed think that everything could be cured with a dose of magnesium. I would not buy this again.

The body needs magnesium. It also needs a host of other vitamins, foods and minerals. This book picks on magnesium and expands it into every possible scenario. It is mostly well documented though and tries to avoid the myriad of medical and complicated chemical language.. Nothing is a cure all for everything and this book may lead you down that slippery path. No question that it expands your knowledge about magnesium and its potential need in our bodies.

Magnesium is extremely important for good health. Yet for far too many years this vital mineral has been largely overlooked by most doctors. Shockingly, most laboratory blood tests do not even measure magnesium status although magnesium is involved as an essential factor in more aspects of health than any other mineral. Since magnesium status is rarely measured, most doctors don't know when their patients are deficient in magnesium, even though about 80% of Americans are deficient in this essential mineral. And magnesium deficiency is a significant factor -- often the primary factor -- in many severe illnesses including heart attacks and other forms of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, anxiety and panic attacks, depression, fatigue, migraines and other headaches, osteoporosis, insomnia, and most cases of muscular problems. Because magnesium deficiency is largely overlooked, millions of Americans suffer needlessly from the foregoing ailments or are having their symptoms treated with expensive drugs (which often have unpleasant or dangerous side effects) when they could be cured with magnesium supplementation. This excellent and easily-readable new book by Dr. Dean (an up-to-date revision and expansion of her ground-breaking book The Miracle of Magnesium) discusses these and other important aspects of this vital mineral in detail. Everyone who is concerned about his or her health should acquire and read this very important book, even if you already own its earlier version. So should their doctors. And the vast majority of Americans should increase their magnesium intake by suitable diet and appropriate supplementation as Dr. Dean recommends. Those who do will very likely find themselves free of many ailments they may now have.

Just getting around to ordering "The Magnesium Miracle" book. Actually, I am ordering two...because I am sending one to a friend of mine who desperately needs the information for his wife. My blood pressure has always been high, sometimes over 180/110. Never believed in blood pressure medicine as blood pressure is adaptive, and when it is high, it is an indicator that something is amiss somewhere. Anyhow, I got my hands on this product and started taking a teaspoon in the morning, and one in the evening. After two days, I thought my blood pressure monitor was broken as it was reading 117/78! It has been a month since, and my blood pressure has remained stable in normal ranges. My doctor has wanted me on blood pressure medicine for years, but always refused their drugs! Dr. John Bergman, a Chiropractor, in Huntington Beach, California, informed me about this Miracle and it has saved my life! You can follow him on Youtube...fantastic short videos that will help keep you informed on natural approaches to health...and not depend on "disease management" professionals.

another hype? The book is definitely an interesting reading. The essence is that Magnesium is the new wonder supplement and everyone needs to take it. I do believe that indeed it is a must, however I find it a conflict of interest that the only brand that is good enough is - what a surprise - sold by a company in which the author has a major stake!! and no other brand is good enough. Therefore only 3 stars!!

With a gazillion types of magnesium supplements on the market, I was really hoping for a bit more in depth description of the pros & cons of each kind.

Otherwise, the book did a good job describing deficiency and how it relates to different health issues.

Unbelievable importance of magnesium to our health supported by documented research and clinical testing. Can't believe how uninformed most medical doctors are and frustrated with the misleading information drug companies spread through hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising. Wake up everyone and stop buying into the nonsense drug companies and ill informed doctors are spreading. Take responsibility for your own health.

For me, what people think or don't think about the author is secondary. The two key questions are, is the information presented in the book factual, and second, do the studies and articles cited to back up the book's assertions actually do so? Each reader will have to make that call.

While I am no medical professional (and thus cannot give medical advice), for my money as a consumer anyway, I don't really care if this is not considered "mainstream medicine"; I care if it is helpful or not.

(NOTE: This review is of the 2003 edition of this book)
Do you need more magnesium than you get from your diet? Probably.
Im not reviewing magnesium THE MINERAL here, but the BOOK.

The trouble with this book is its written for the lowest common denominator. Everything is a soundbite. Heck, Dr Carolyn Dean's website has more detail and information on it.

The book "The Magnesium Factor" by Mildred Seelig and Andrea Rosanoff covers the exact same ground as this book, but provides a lot more detail that would be accessible to any intelligent layman (it doesn't get TOO technical or anything...)

So thats why I give this book a middling rating. Having read both books, Id recommend the other one over this to anyone.

Lots of really good information on how necessary magnesium is for all of us. I thought I was pretty knowledgeable about magnesium because I’ve known about topical magnesium for years but so much good info in this book about all forms of magnesium, best tests, etc

Overall this book is key, it gives tangible evidence that our foods have become ever more magnesium deficient over the decades. Modern agriculture literally drains it out of the soil, leaving our foods ever more deficient year after year. We're shown how lack of this significiant mineral, especially in combination with all the 'take more calcium' hype, is causing circulatory problems, nervous system failure, and muscle issues.

After a thorough reading you'll have a much better understanding of the role played by magnesium in your body, heart and mind. Without this essential nutrient our cells cannot divide, our muscles can't flex, our blood cannot flow, our nervous system cannot communicate - it is required for all the basic biological aspects of the human machine, and yet we're getting less and less of it from our diet each year.

We're also given a comprehensive discussion of supplements, which ones work better, and why. Which helps you choose how you get your correct amount of magnesium. It's doubly important for growing youths or athletes and the explanations are constantly forth-coming.

All in all a very good resource for anyone looking to take responsibility for their health, recommended in tandem with Sherry Roger's Detoxify or Die. Be Well, Feel Better and LIVE LIFE without pain, medications, or disease.

This book has a lot of useful information. All that you hear is take calcium and vitamin D. Carolyn Dean challenges this thinking with the need for magnesium as well. The only criticism about the book is that it tends to minimize the possible side effects some people have when taking magnesium. If you read the the store reviews of people taking magnesium supplements, you find that there are more side effects than just loose stools mentioned by Dr. Dean. So, great advice in your book but be more careful about magnesium supplements if you experience side effects.

I was disappointed in this book. I was hoping that there would be some information on transplant patients because transplant patients usually have very low magnesium levels due to the immunosuppressant's they must take for the rest of their lives but nothing was mentioned. I was well aware of the other information, It was a waste of reading because I was well aware of magnesium levels before I ever received my double transplants and I am well aware of what low magnesium can do to the body, There was no new information in this book.

I purchased this book after seeing some references to it on [...] at the same time that I purchased some Magnesium Citrate supplements. I had been suffering from daily headaches for about a year, while for most of my life I rarely had headaches(maybe a handful in a year). Doctors were dismissive at first. Then ordered X-rays, then MRIs sent me to a neurologist and put me on prescription meds.

Some friends mentioned that they had headaches when taking Vitamin D, so I did some research, which led me to the above website. I have been taking Magnesium supplements daily for about 6 months now, and the daily headaches are gone. I have even started taking Vitamin D again.

After reading the first few chapters of Carolyn Dean's book I am looking for an MD who is also a Naturopath to be my Primary Care Physician. I have known that good nutrition is important for good health, but this book opened my eyes to how much disease in this country could be cured with inexpensive nutritional supplements instead of pharmaceuticals. In my case alone, thousands of dollars could have been saved had I been given magnesium along with the Vitamin D in the beginning.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in improving their health. I strongly believe that if the medical system in the US started looking at nutritional deficiencies as the primary cause of medical problems in this country, that we could reduce our medical expenses by 50% or more, with better outcomes, and a healthier populace!!

Magnesium is so important for general health and doubly so when you have a serious disease (such as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis etc.). It plays important roles in heart health, muscle function, neurological function and so much more.

This book talks a lot about how magnesium can help in many different conditions. This book contains little practical information about supplementation however. There is not much in detail information about the use of magnesium oil or doses of magnesium over 400 - 600 mg being needed by many ill people.

Carolyn Deans website is an excellent source of this information though, and so much more, and it is regularly updated and so very up-to-date. (Magnesium oil is recommended on the site, among other forms including angstrom magnesium.)

This book is worth reading, but to fully educate yourself about this topic you really do need to view Dean's website as well. I also recommend her free e-newsletter.

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2012 update: Carolyn Dean's new 2012 ebook 'INVISIBLE MINERALS: The Pico-­Ionic Magnesium Solution' is a brief update on the practical information contained Dr Carolyn Dean's 2006 book 'The Magnesium Miracle.'

The new practical information in this book focuses on the new pico-ionic or angstrom magnesium product available - which is many times stronger than others on the market and so is a significant improvement on other products - and to a lesser extent, the value of transdermal magnesium oil (magnesium chloride). This book has all the practical information on magnesium you need.

Pico-ionic magnesium has the right size and charge to be very well absobed and utilised by the body. Because it is almost 100% absorbed it wont cause loose stools and so can be used even by those with gut problems such as Crohns disease where loose stools are an issue (as can magnesium oil used transdermally). It is also very concentrated at 50 000 ppm as opposed to the 3000 ppm of many angstrom magnesium products.

The book also explains why taking standard calcium supplements is dangerous and why calcium should only be taken in through food or angstrom calcium supplements (which have an almost 100% absorption rate) - to avoid the possibility of calcification of the heart etc.

This book does to some extent fall into that problem that almost all books do when they are on the topic of one nutrient in that it seems this one nutrient is a magic bullet for everything. But being low in any vital nutrient will cause real problems and so in a sense every nutrient does everything. We need all of them in optimal amounts. So this is really just a book on magnesium and not a book on how to get well from illness or how to put together a comprehensive supplement regime or nutrient-dense diet. Both of thoese things are vital for real healing and health.

It should also be mentioned that making sure your vitamin D levels are optimal is essential for proper bone health. Of course calcium wont do this all my itself, but neither will magnesium. Vitamin D levels can and should be tested and making sure you have optimal amounts of the other minerals is also important.

This book lists case studies where fatigue, headaches or anxiety were cured just with magnesium supplementation. While of course it is true the lack of this one mineral can cause these symptoms, and they can resolve just with magnesium supplements there are also hundreds of other causes of these symptoms as well, and very often far more than one nutrient level will be low and will be a cause of symptoms. So it is not true to say magnesium is a cure for headaches or fatigue, only that it may be a cure for those conditions for some people. Magnesium is great and an important major mineral but it is one note in a symphony, not the entire song.

For more information on all the nutritional players and how to start real healing form serious illness I recommend books by Dr Sherry Rogers, Dr Abram Hoffer and others. Primal Body, Primal Mind is also a wonderful book on nutrient-dense nutrition and eating the foods that suit our genes and affect our genetic expression.

I was happy to be able to get a free copy of this eBook as although I get Dr Dean's (very good) regular free e-newsletter I appreciated having her latest recommendations and insights all in one place and in a format I could read on my (offline) tablet.

I was also happy to see that as I was writing this my first shipment of angstrom minerals has arrived in the post! I'm throwing out the calcium citrate tablets I was taking (at a low dose) today too. I'm now taking a small amount of angstrom calcium, angstrom or pico-ionic magsesium, and also some extra magnesium oil applied transdermally.

Magnesium is an essential part of my healing plan. You can feel the difference when you start taking it quite quickly. Taking the dose up very slowly is always a good idea though especially when you have low blood pressure or a slow heartrate (both seen in M.E.) or are very ill and suffer terribly with detoxification or healing reactions to things. Over time, when your magnesium levels have been fully topped up, you can go down to a lower maintenance dose too. The right dose is worked out through slow trial and error, and going on and off magnesium at different doses - using yourself as a test subject really!

Jodi Bassett, The Hummingbirds' Foundation for M.E. (HFME) and Health, Healing & Hummingbirds (HHH)

I became enthusiastic about Dr. Dean after reading and listening to her excellent tape on the Mercola website. (I have not read her books.)
I googled her name and was surprised and disappointed to find disciplinary action by Canadian and California medical boards dating to i1995. According to the charges, (see Disciplinary action against Carolyn Dean, M.D. on [...] )
She was accused of over diagnosing and prescribing without sufficient examination and with a faulty reading of lab data.

It makes me more skeptical of her statements than I would otherwise be, and highlights the frequent tensions and attacks between allopathic medicine (M.D.s) on the one hand, and N.Ds. and other alternative practitioners on the other. I feel both sides are guilty of a lot of this unecessary acrimony. It leaves the consumer in the position of not knowing who or what to believe without doing their own fact-checking.

I tried to find a website for her that would refute or explain these charges away, but was unable to. Despite this, I found what she had to say on Mercola enormously helpful, and i wish that I was aware of her wealth of knowledge about magnesium sooner. It might have kept me from developing a serious arrhythmia which led to an implant.
Rob Dreyfus, M.D.

I am a layperson, but I know that bone meal is NOT a good magnesium source, contrary to what is being claimed in this book. Bone meal is a good source of organic CALCIUM (which is antagonistic to magnesium) and PHOSPHORUS, and it was shocking to see it listed there, on the backdrop of trying to steer people away from taking too much calcium. (If you take bone meal when you actually need magnesium you'll be in big trouble). As far as testing for magnesium (which is very important), the author fails to mention the hair analysis method, which is a more accurate way of determining the intracellular levels versus blood analysis (which is correctly deemed almost worthless). If it weren't for the bone meal error that I discovered accidentally and the lack of information on hair analysis, I would have given this book 5 stars, there is otherwise a lot of useful and correct information on magnesium. The reader/sufferer/health enthusiast should do his/her homework on magnesium and consult other sources also, unfortunately this book is not the ultimate resource on this topic, maybe a future edition will be. To be completely honest, though, as someone chronically low on magnesium due probably to calcium abuse, I have consulted this book on numerous occasions, because a lot of information and interpretation was simply not available anywhere else, and I found it very useful (and yes, it works).

I flipped to the parts that I was interested in reading and skipped the rest. My trainer highly recommended the book and that I start taking magnesium. This book told me a little about why I should take it.

This is excellent. It has become a great reference book too. It amazes me how many body functions are affected by lack of magnesium. Since getting this book and knowing what kind of magnesium to purchase--revealed in the book--and the balancing of potassium, calcium, and vitamin D, I have experienced positive changes in my health.

Not a very good resource on Magnesium. The author repeated the same points over and over and the food lists were minor. They should have included a pull out sheet for the foods that have a lot of magnesium in them.