What Doctors Don't Tell YouIn your November issue (WDDTY, vol 12 no 8), you featured a patient – MM – who has been diagnosed with Lyme’s disease and who has suffered TIAs.
As you know, 15 per cent of all strokes/TIAs are thought to be due to arrhythmias of the heart, which can cause an embolism. Your report indicated she was having irregular and rapid heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation?).
Surprisingly, you did not mention her lifestyle as a factor. MM’s high consumption of coffee should be stopped completely, as it can exacerbate arrhythmia due to the caffeine.
As early as 1935, magnesium had been shown to help arrhythmias. The Limit study on magnesium highlighted the benefits which could accrue – 80 per cent of heart patients have been shown to be deficient.- John Buckley, via e-mail
WDDTY replies: See our cover story this month for more evidence of the effects of caffeine on the heart.
Tom Ferguson MD
Daniel Redwood DC