This is the first time I have ever heard this stated -- a lab tech I spoke with today said IV magnesium was the worst thing a person could do if they had Babesia. They claimed that it could actually cause the white matter lesions seen on brain MRI's or that it could cause an MS presentation (from Babesia -- not Lyme).
Any research on magnesium and Babesia?
Bea Seibert
Posted by northstar (Member # 7911) on :
(I do not know how generalizable this is to other babesia subtypes. Also, there were a few more studies, but not much).
Effect of dietary magnesium on the susceptibility of mice to infection by protozoan parasites of the Apicomplexa and Mastigophora phyla.
Maurois P, Delcourt P, Slomianny C, Gueux E, Rayssiguier Y.
INSERM 42, Villeneuve d'Ascq, France.
Severe magnesium deficiency protects mice against infections by Plasmodium Spp. and Babesia hylomysci which invade mature erythrocytes.
By contrast severe magnesium deficiency does not protect against parasite infections by P. berghei which invades reticulocytes, Toxoplasma gondii which invades macrophages, and Trypanosoma brucei which lives free in blood.
The results indicate that the infectious response depends on the severity of magnesium deficiency and on the parasite species.
The decrease in red blood cell magnesium and increased oxidant stress are possible explanations for the protective effect of magnesium deficiency.
PMID: 7547177 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Magnesium deficiency protects against Babesia hylomysci and mice become resistant to rechallenge with the parasite regardless of diet fed.
Maurois P, Delcourt PH, Gueux E, Rayssiguier Y.
INSERM U 42 (National Institute Health and Medical Research), Villeneuve d'Ascq, France.
Mice were fed diets containing 960 mg (control), 100 mg (moderately Mg deficient) and 30 mg (severely Mg deficient) of Mg/kg.
After 20 days, mice were inoculated with Babesia hylomysci (from Dr. Wery, Anvers, Belgium).
Significant increases in RBC Mg levels were observed following infection.
All the control and moderately deficient mice died from infection, whereas the severely Mg-deficient diet protected mice against infection, as shown by a decrease in parasitaemia and mortality.
The decrease in RBC Mg, modifications in membrane properties and increased oxidant stress are possible explanations for the protective effect of severe Mg deficiency.
When mice were maintained for 2 months after inoculation on a severely Mg-deficient diet and were then switched to a control diet, all survived and had low parasitaemias. After 1 month, these mice were rechallenged with B. hylomysci and 89% survived.
PMID: 8022652 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Northstar
Posted by oxygenbabe (Member # 5831) on :
I don't know about those studies, but most people with lyme (many of whom probably have babesia) do well with magnesium supplementation. It seems to make a big difference in sleep, mood, muscle pain etc.