Does supplemental magnesium bind oxalates?
He says it does, and he opened a whole episode on a new study about it.
Opening episode 1226, he went straight to it:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 1226But this new study is on magnesium citrate and it says that it chelates oxalates. What? It gets rid of oxalates, magnesium gets rid of oxalates.
Notice the form. The study was on citrate, which he calls his favorite magnesium, and he says he likes bisglycinate too.
How are magnesium and oxalates connected?
Through one word, chelate. To Dr. Martin, it means pulling something out of the body.
He explained the word while talking about minerals on another episode:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 818You know what the word Chelation means? Chelate, it means to take out.
So when the study says magnesium chelates oxalates, he reads it as magnesium taking them out. It runs the other way too. He says oxalates are one of three things in plants that chelate minerals out, along with phytic acid and fiber.
That is one reason he gives for weaker bones in women who live on plants. Read what he says is weakening the bone after 60.
What are oxalates?
Crystals, he says, and he compares them to glass.
His short answer:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 1226Oxalates are crystals like glass and they can cause trouble.
On episode 814 he added where they come from:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 814They're little crystals that your body makes from food and oxalates are found in the vegetable kingdom.
He is not against plants. He calls himself an omnivore, and his concern is people who live on them.
Which foods are high in oxalates?
The ones he names most are spinach, almonds and other nuts, seeds and legumes. He also lists kale, chard, potatoes, parsnips, beets, rhubarb, some fruits and peanut butter.
He is blunt about green smoothies:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 1132The thing is, the problem with those smoothies, especially when you drink them, they are a hundred fold full of oxalates.
Asked by a listener named Carol about almonds:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 1050You want to have some almonds for a snack. Enjoy. Just don't live on them. They're high in oxalates.
"Grass gives you glass."
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 1226Beets are on his list, and he still calls them good for you for a different reason. See what he says about beets after 60.
Which foods are high in magnesium and low in oxalates?
Steak, in his view. He calls it vitamin S, and he says it brings you minerals without the oxalates.
On what is in a steak:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 814Do you know that steak has calcium? Do you know that steak has magnesium? It does.
And why he thinks you keep those minerals:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 818That's why steak, vitamin S, wins by a knockout. You're going to get your minerals, plus, they're going to be absorbed. There's no chelators to take them out. Oxalates, phytic acid, and fiber.
Eggs, butter and cheese sit on the same side of his list, with no oxalates at all. He also says most people do not get enough magnesium from their diet. More in why so many women over 60 run low on magnesium and how many eggs he thinks a senior can eat.
Is flaxseed high in oxalates?
No, he says. Flax is the one seed he likes. Chia is the one he warns about.
Someone asked him about chia seeds on a question and answer Friday:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 1132Now what kind of seed do I like? Flax seeds. Flax seeds don't give you oxalates, but chia seeds do. And that's why I'm not big on them guys. They're high in oxalates.
He even allows flax seeds on his Reset. If you have diverticulosis, he says to be careful with any seed, flax included.
Do lectins and oxalates go together?
In one way, yes. He says both are more plentiful in plants, and that is why his Reset takes plants off the plate for a month.
To a listener who thought he did not like fruits and vegetables:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 1050For 30 days, I want you off the plant kingdom. There's a reason for it. There's more carbohydrates there. There's more oxalates there. There's more lectins there, okay?
After the month, fruits and vegetables come back as real food carbohydrates. See how he puts protein first on a low carb plan after 60.
Can oxalates cause kidney stones?
He believes so, and he names three things behind most stones. Water comes first.
From his years in practice:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 1226Look, if someone gets kidney stones, here's what I found. Three things. When people get kidney stones, they're dehydrated. Almost invariably.
Second on his list:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 1226Two, oxalates. They love, love their salads too much. Too much, and those oxalates start forming in the kidney and you combine that with dehydration and you got a kidney stone.
His third is fructose, which he links to calcium stones. For water, he puts the sweet spot at 64 ounces a day, and he says nothing else counts as water.
"Water's essential. It's essential to clean out your kidneys."
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 1226If thirst never seems to warn you, read why dehydration sneaks up on women over 60. If you have had a kidney stone, talk to your doctor.
Do you have to give up vegetables?
No. He is clear that the trouble is living on them, not eating them.
In the same episode as the study:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 1226So don't misinterpret what I'm saying, okay? Don't misinterpret it. I'm not saying that you can't have any fruits or vegetables.
His tip for when you do eat them, from episode 814:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 814So make sure folks, if you are going to insist on eating veggies that you make sure you're taking cheese with it.
The reason is calcium. He says the calcium in cheese, butter and cream helps neutralize the oxalates in vegetables. In your coffee, he wants cream, not almond milk.
Hear him on the magnesium and oxalate connection
Episode 1226 covers the citrate study, oxalates, kidney stones and water.
Common questions
What is the magnesium oxalate connection?
It is the name of episode 1226. The new study he read says magnesium citrate chelates oxalates, and he says that means magnesium gets rid of them. Episode 1226.
Does calcium help with oxalates?
The calcium in food does, he says. Cream, butter and cheese help neutralize oxalates in your diet. He does not like calcium in pill form. Episode 814.
Read next: Muscle Cramps After 60: Water, Salt And Magnesium and Is Chicken Healthier Than Beef?.
Magnesium for every day
Food comes first for Dr. Martin. If you want a daily magnesium on top, Martin Clinic's Magnesium Bisglycinate gives you 400 mg per serving of the form he likes alongside citrate. The study above was on citrate, so think of this as everyday magnesium support.
60-day money-back guarantee. If you have had kidney stones or take medication, check with your doctor before adding magnesium.
