Page 204 - Wasserstoff Medizin

The lungs are also rich in glutathione partly for the same reason. Many cancer-producing
chemicals, heavy metals, drug metabolites etc. are disposed of in this way.

Glutathione (glū'tə-thī'ōn') is a polypeptide, C10H17N3O6S, of glycine, cysteine, and
glutamic acid. Glutathione synthetase requires γ-glutamyl cysteine, glycine, ATP, and
magnesium ions to form glutathione. In magnesium deficiency, the ss y-
glutamyltranspeptidase is lowered. There is a direct relationship between cellular
magnesium, GSH/GSSG ratios, and tissue glucose metabolism.

Using Magnesium to Raise Oxygen-Carrying Capacity

The data shows that magnesium-deficient people use more oxygen during physical
activity—their heart rates increased by about 10 beats per minute. “When the volunteers
were low in magnesium, they needed more energy and more oxygen to do low-level
activities than when they were in adequate-magnesium status,” says physiologist Henry
C. Lukaski. xxxiv

Magnesium enhances the binding of oxygen to haem proteins. xxxv There is probably
some kind of magnesium pump where oxygen climbs aboard the red cells and magnesium
jumps off only to have to jump right back on the red cells again. Red blood cells have a
unique shape known as a biconcave disk, which is mission-critical for oxygen transport.
Magnesium is important to red blood cell shape and function. The interaction of calcium,
magnesium and ATP with membrane structural proteins exerts a significant role in the
control of the shape of human red blood cells. xxxvi

Abnormal magnesium-deprived red blood cells lack the flexibility that allows them to
enter tiny capillaries. These nondiscocytes are characterized by a variety of irregularities,
including surface bumps or ridges, a cup or basin shape, and altered margins instead of
the round shape found in discocytes. When people become ill or physically stressed (more
magnesium-deficient), a higher percentage of discocytes transform into the less flexible
nondiscocytes.

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