Magnesium page

[Rebekah]

I'm wondering: how do you know whether you need a magnesium supplement? How much do you take?

[Mac]

I tracked my nutrient intake via Fitday for a couple weeks and magnesium was way low. I supplement (when I remember) with magnesium citrate. I think Dr. Eades said most people are not getting near enough and if he were to recommend one supplement it would be magnesium.

[Eklecktika]

Odds are you need it.

Almost everyone does.

I use magnesium oil from ancient minerals mixed with DMSO to speed absorbtion (impatient) and take a mag glycinate supp.

Take it to bowel tolerance (eg rumbly guts) then back off a pill.

It does great things.

If you can't tolerate much at all, try different forms. Some need mag oxide, some need citrate, some need glycinate. Everyone is different. Take it with sat fat to aid absorbtion.

[tangentrider]

I take a teaspoon of Natural Calm (magnesium citrate) with a chaser of coconut milk each night before bed.

[RezH]

Most supplement companies make a calcium/magnesium combo. Some even have Vitamin D. Cheap also.

[piano-doctor-lady]

My gut hates all magnesium taken by mouth, so I'm using the Ancient Minerals magnesium oil. (Really, it's a brine.) Helps to put it on, rub it in, wait awhile, and then shower, since it's sort of sticky.

Almost forgot to mention --- if Grok lived near a warm seashore, he'd get plenty of magnesium by swimming in the ocean. It just soaks through the skin. Plus his foods probably contained more than ours do, because many years of plowing and erosion had not depleted the soils of minerals.

[Robeil]

I started taking calcium/magnesium a few years ago for restless leg syndrome, then took cal/mag with extra magnesium ... I recently started taking it at night before bed I sleep reallly really well these days...

[cillakat]

I'm wondering: how do you know whether you need a magnesium supplement? How much do you take?

Over the last 7 years, I've experimented with my magnesium intake and have taken as little as 400 mg from all sources (food and supplements) to 1500 mg from all sources (food and supplements).

At the higher doses, it's important to note that my calcium intake was very high - likely too high for my reasonably good vitamin d levels.

Now that my D levels are 65ish ng/mL which is right in the middle of optimal, I take significantly less calcium at 600 mg per day from all sources and am seriously considering the possibility that even that might be too much. Waiting for more research on this topic as it's very new.

Magnesium keeps me calm, is part of my general overall supplementation plan and is part of my orthomolecular tx for anxiety, it keeps me from having excessive muscle tension (calcium is the contractor, mg, the relaxer), effectively treats menstrual cramps when taken in sufficient doses, and in the past, eliminated migraines.

Odds are you need it.

Almost everyone does.

+1

I use magnesium oil from ancient minerals mixed with DMSO to speed absorbtion (impatient) and take a mag glycinate supp.

Take it to bowel tolerance (eg rumbly guts) then back off a pill.

For me, bowel tolerance isn't a good indicator of Mg sufficiency but rather a reminder that I simply don't tolerate most forms well - even the generally well tolerated magnesium glycinate or magnesium malate.

I do, however, tolerate very well, Jigsaw Health Magnesium w/ SRT - it's a time released amino acid chelate of mg malate. Aside from the cost, I love it. For anyone tolerating less expensive magnesium (like Mg citrate), keep taking it! But if you need more or different magnesium than your gut can handle, then definitely consider first glycinate, and if that doesn't work out, the Jigsaw product.

If you can't tolerate much at all, try different forms. Some need mag oxide, some need citrate, some need glycinate. Everyone is different. Take it with sat fat to aid absorbtion.

+1. Also malate and jigsaw's form. I found that with mg oxide, I just couldn't take enough to reach optimal effect, it's just not that well absorbed compared to the other forms.

I take a teaspoon of Natural Calm (magnesium citrate) with a chaser of coconut milk each night before bed.

If one can tolerate mg citrate, it really is the way to go. I just can't take.....uh......any of it. None. Not even a little.

Most supplement companies make a calcium/magnesium combo. Some even have Vitamin D. Cheap also.

Generally speaking, it's best to take them separately so that one can tweak them independently depending on dietary needs. And there isn't enough D in them to be beneficial. That's best taken in a separate supplement as well.

My gut hates all magnesium taken by mouth

oooooh, I've so been there. Jigsaw's magnesium dimalate in the time released form? Changed everything. I can tolerate it. And absorption is at excellent rates....better than glycinate/citrate.



http://www.jigsawhealth.com/supplements/magnesium

[periquin]

The final half dozen years of my working days were spent in hospitals and home health. During that time I was a nurse. What I noticed was that everyone was magnesium deficient. No blood test will show your cellular magnesium levels. Blood tests indicate only serum levels. The body attempts to maintain serum levels at the expense of the cells, where it is actually needed.

Magnesium is used as a laxative. If you are having 'laxative action', you are taking too much magnesium. Titration until you are just under that 'laxative' level ensures that you have sufficient magnesium. If you are somehow getting too much you will eliminate it. Unlike iron, it won't accumulate in your body.

There is a rather easy test for cellular magnesium. Check the link in this post. Then tell your physician about it.

http://www.exatest.com/

My preferred supplementation is topical. I like a patch, but many others like an oil spray. Second is powder mixed with water. That is the best way to ensure maximum absorption for anything taken po. I especially like PeterGilham's Natural Calm. Easy to take, tastes fine, no yeast, dairy, egg, gluten, soy, wheat, sugar, starch, preservatives or artificial color or flavor. I am not sure that other brands can make this claim.

[cillakat]

Magnesium is used as a laxative. If you are having 'laxative action', you are taking too much magnesium.

Many people simply can't tolerate any magnesium citrate - even when they need the magnesium.

I can't even take 100 mg of Mg Citrate and without a doubt, I need much much more than that.

The Jigsaw chelated, time released mg dimalate contains:
Jigsaw Magnesium w/SRT contains:

* No artificial colors or dyes
* No casein
* No yeast
* No chemical additives
* No GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms)
* No gluten
* No lactose
* No soy
* No pesticides
* No preservatives
* No carnauba wax

But again, I only spend on it because i have to. If I tolerated anything else at the doses at which my body requires magnesium, I'd take the something else due to cost.