COLLAGEN is the main component of connective tissue and the most abundant protein in mammals, making up from 25% to 35% of the whole-body protein content.
It works as our body’s ‘scaffolding’. Depending upon the degree of mineralization, collagen tissues may be rigid (bone), compliant (tendon), or have a gradient from rigid to compliant (cartilage).
Renewal of collagen depends on the health of the immune system. Our innate immune responses are responsible for defending from foreign invasion and repairing worn out collagen and elastin. This process requires a lot of energy.
Magnesium is crucial in the mitochondrial production of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), the electrical energy currency that supports enzyme activity. The amount of ATP energy metabolism depends on the availability of magnesium as each ATP needs to be paired with one magnesium ion.
Magnesium is critical for cellular functions such as DNA transcription and protein synthesis. Enzymes are proteins synthesized from amino acids using Mg-ATP. Thousands of enzyme processes depend on the energy supplied by Mg-ATP, including detoxification and tissue-building enzymes that synthesize proteins such as collagen. Mg-ATP allows your cells to plug into a power-point to build and repair.
The older we get the lower the magnesium and water within cells and the less stretchy and flexible the skin and muscles become – unless you can supplement with more nutrients. The lower the cellular magnesium the more dehydrated cells can become because the membranes become looser and more ‘leaky’ without enough magnesium charge.
Lipids (fats) help cell membranes function by holding in hydration, yet providing flexibility for channels to open and close as required. The membrane is made up of a phospholipid bi-layer which stores a lot of Mg-ATP (energy batteries) molecules. The stored energy is released when we have excessive exertion and need a top-up.
Premature ageing shows up as excessive dryness of skin, more brittle bones and collagen structures, irritations and inflammations, acidosis, and diminishing energy metabolism. All of these symptoms are actually also magnesium deficiency symptoms.
Healthy cells need lipid protection, magnesium charge and ample hydration to support mitochondrial energy metabolism of Mg-ATP ‘batteries’. This energy is then used to assemble amino acids into the various proteins we need to build collagen structures. It is also used to manufacture hormones, enzymes, neurotransmitters and other chemical messengers.
Many people think that it’s just vitamin C that is important to build and maintain collagen structures, however magnesium has been shown to be equally as important in the building and maintaining of healthy collagen structures. In fact, magnesium’s effects are longer-lasting than vitamin C in this process due to its greater stability.
“It has been shown that ascorbic acid stimulates collagen synthesis in dermal fibroblasts by increasing the rate of collagen gene transcription, but unfortunately experiments involving the use of ascorbic acid require daily supplementation of this molecule [10] due to its instability. Geesin [11] and co-workers have reported that magnesium ascorbyl 2 phosphate was equivalent to ascorbic acid in stimulating collagen synthesis even after nine days of culture, owing to its great stability.” [1]
ELASTIN
Elastin adds flexibility to tissue cells, helping skin to bounce back to normal structure, and blood vessels to stretch and flex as required. Magnesium is essential to produce elastin and plays a protective role in maintaining the extensibility of elastin.
“It has been shown that increased elastolytic activities are connected with the severity of atherosclerosis and that enzymatic hydrolysis of aortic elastin is significantly increased by cholesterol and by magnesium [27]. So it appears that Mg 2+ is active in maintaining the structure and mechanical properties of elastic fibers and it is also actively involved in elastic fiber elastolysis.” [1]
CARTILAGE and LIGAMENTS:
Magnesium associated proteoglycans in cartilage prevent the swelling and degradation of this tissue. Magnesium regulates the functional activity of integrins.
Elektra Magnesium Cream is a break-through unique formulation and novel product – the first since 2009 and still the only one in the world able to fuse natural oils and butters with 15% magnesium chloride hexahydrate (food grade) and able to stabilise it as a luxurious cream texture without it breaking up into a runny liquid and without having to use chemical emulsifiers and chemical preservatives.
Elektra Magnesium Cream is packed full of nutrition with about 20 ingredients including organic and wild-harvested plant oils and butters. The main base butter is unprocessed African shea butter (fair trade sourced) which retains more vitamins compared to the commonly used processed variety. Making up a ‘meal’ for the skin, this unique combination of nutritional elements allows the body to soak up optimal amounts of magnesium, lipids and fat soluble vitamins from the epidermal layer (the skin being the largest organ of the body) without having to digest these elements in the stomach first.
Elektra Magnesium Cream promotes skin cleansing, collagen production and healing, as well as skin barrier protection and conditioning. It’s an all over tonic for skin and body, supporting beautiful healthy-looking skin, as well as for massage to relax muscles and tension. Wrap yourself up in the Elektra Magnesium ‘comfort blanket’.
Elektra Magnesium Nutrition Via SkinTM feels sooooo good!
By Sandy Sanderson © 2018
REFERENCE:
- Senni, K., A. Foucault-Bertaud, and G. Godeau, Magnesium and connective tissue. Magnes Res, 2003. 16(1): p. 70-4.