Magnesium, Calcium & Potassium For The Thyroid

The thyroid gland, a butterfly-shaped gland found in the neck, produces and secretes hormones that regulate metabolism, the chemical processes necessary to maintain life. One hormone, calcitonin, regulates the amount of calcium in the blood. Many of the essential minerals, like magnesium, calcium and potassium, act as electrolytes in the body, which means they balance the amount of fluid in and out of cells, promote nerve transmission and stimulate muscle movement. Because these minerals work closely together, increases or decreases in one can affect the others.

Thyroid Diseases

The thyroid gland is susceptible to several problems, including inflammation, known as thyroiditis, cancer and the formation of nodules. Also, improper hormone production may result in either too much hormone, known as hyperthyroidism, or too little, known as hypothyroidism. Because the thyroid hormones affect overall metabolism, patients with thyroid diseases often experience imbalances in minerals like magnesium, calcium and potassium.

Role of Calcitonin

Approximately 99 percent of calcium in the human body is in the bones, with the remaining 1 percent found in the blood. Because calcium plays a role in muscle contraction, including the contraction of the heart muscle cells, it is critical to maintain the blood concentration of calcium within a narrow, normal range. Calcitonin, produed by the thyroid, helps to regulate the amount of calcium in the blood. Calcitonin suppresses the process of bone resorption in which the body breaks down bone to release more calcium to the blood. It also inhibits the reabsorption of calcium in the kidneys, promoting the excretion of excess calcium in the urine.

Mineral Interactions

Effective muscle contraction requires adequate concentrations of calcium and magnesium. These minerals play an especially important role in the heart, as they keep it beating rhythmically. Internal structures of the heart muscle cells release calcium ions, triggering the cells to contract. When the calcium ions enter the fluid portion of a cell, electrical charges produced by magnesium push the calcium back in, allowing the cell to relax. Thyroid disease can cause calcium levels to drop, which causes an imbalance resulting in too much magnesium. This creates weak heart muscle contractions with longer relaxations, which can lead to an irregular heartbeat. Since potassium and magnesium help to regulate each other, the presence of potassium in the blood can reduce the effect of the magnesium, therefore helping to bring back the balance between the magnesium and calcium.

Recommended Intakes

Because thyroid diseases affect so many different parts of the body, you must maintain the proper levels of all minerals. To do this, be sure to meet the daily recommended intake for each mineral as set by the Institute of Medicine. Adults between the ages of 19 and 50 need 1,000 mg of calcium per day, while those 51 or older should get 1,200 mg per day. All adults should consume 4,700 mg of potassium per day, which not only helps regulate magnesium levels, but also helps reduce the impact of sodium in the blood. Men should intake 420 mg per day, while women need only 320 mg.