Hypermobility
isn’t just about flexibility 
October is National Hypermobility Syndromes Month as well as National POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardic Syndrome) month. Interestingly, these two conditions may be related to each other. And we also know that there are correlations between hypermobility and other difficult-to-treat conditions, such as autoimmune disease, and others. Many patients with these conditions go unrecognized or under-treated by the traditional medical community. Functional medicine physicians can successfully identify and treat these often overlooked conditions.
In this month’s newsletter Dr. Tiffany Mullen sits down with Dr. Alicia McCubbins Vytal Health naturopathic and functional medicine physician, to discuss all this fascinating topic.
Announcements
Reminder: make sure you use your membership or care package time as it does not roll over after the expiration date. We HIGHLY recommend booking all of your appointments for the year. Even if you have to change the appointment date later, at least you’ll have reminders to stay in touch with your physician, complete labs, and stay on track.
Welcome Loren!
We are excited to announce the newest member of the Vytal Health team:
Hello! My name is Loren and I am the new care-coordinator at Vytal Health 
I wanted to share a little about myself! 
I have two small kiddos, Roo (6) and Mak who is about to turn 4, they keep me and my husband James on the go pretty much 24/7. I’m a British girl, and moved to the states (Northern WI) in 2012, but we very recently moved west to explore Oregon and Washington. I visit my family in England as much as I can going ‘home’ once a year. I have a degree in Photography 
and still love to dabble in my free time, but professionally have been in the functional medicine space since 2017. I love all things holistic health, especially fertility/women’s health. I am already loving work here at Vytal and I’m ready to assist you all on your journey to wellness.
Have a happy, healthy day! 💚
Should I take magnesium? Which one should I take?
Magnesium is an incredibly important mineral, serving as a cofactor in more than 300 enzymatic reactions in the body. That means that it is essential for helping your body build proteins that make up our supportive tissues, like tendons and ligaments, among other things.
Additionally, magnesium is important for heart and blood pressure, sleep, and the function of nerves and muscles.
Although magnesium is found in a wide variety of foods — especially nuts, legumes, green leafy veggies, and whole grains — supplements can offer benefits, particularly for people with low magnesium intake or with low magnesium levels.
There are many different types of magnesium, so selecting the right product for you can be difficult. Your Vytal Health physician or nutritionist can help you sort this out.
Who should take magnesium?
While magnesium is generally well tolerated, the most common side effect is abdominal discomfort and loose stools. Because of these “cathartic effects,” magnesium can be very helpful in the treatment of chronic constipation. Other conditions that respond well to treatment with magnesium include:
- Migraine headaches
- Insomnia
- Hypermobility and dysautonomic syndromes (discussed in the video)
- High blood pressure
- Heart palpitations
- Mild depression and anxiety
- Type 2 diabetes
What dose of magnesium should I take?
A typical dose for magnesium is 200-400 mg daily, although it is tolerated at much higher doses (up to 1,000 mg daily), and some individuals need to take more to have the intended effect, particularly individuals with constipation.
What kind of magnesium should I take?
There are many different kinds of magnesium available, including:
- magnesium oxide
- magnesium glycinate
- chelated magnesium
- magnesium citrate
- magnesium lactate
- magnesium aspartate
- magnesium chloride
- magnesium malate
As a rule, generally all forms of magnesium are well-absorbed. Magnesium oxide and citrate are the most “cathartic” (relieve constipation), while magnesium glycinate and chelated magnesium are the gentlest on the GI tract.
Dutch Organic Acids Test (OATs)
Organic acids are compounds in the body that are produced by its myriad chemical reactions. There are dozens and dozens of organic acids that can be measured.
Organic acids may be tested to gain insights into how the body is functioning – nutrient levels, hormone function, inflammation, toxicity, mitochondrial function, and even the state of the microbiome which are immensely important for understanding our overall health. These are typically measured from a urine test, done at home, making it an easy way to obtain a wealth of information about your body’s function.