Magnesium page

[Drlove]

Hey,

I recently started taking a vitamin D supplement, and just yesterday I had this awful leg cramp (right calf), which pretty much stayed sore till today. (I didn't have one for a while, though I didn't work out for a while either).
As I'm a young man (well still a teenager for that matter), still living with my parents, and have little time to mess with the food I eat (a lot of school work, and occasionally, well every day for a decent while, watching my baby brother), I can only lecture my parent's here and there about primal eating. But that has little effect.

Therefore, I assume I'm probably lacking magnesium, since it seems to be hard to achieve decent levels from a very good diet, let alone an unstable diet such as mine.

Would you recommend a supplement?


Thanks!

[bdilla]

Magnesium is a good supplement for many things, including fighting against cardiovascular disease, depression, head aches, osteoporosis (when supplemented with calcium and/or strontium) and insomnia. However, I don't think you'd see much of an improvement as far as your legs go... but it definitely can't hurt to take a good mg sup.

[Credodisi]

I was having fairly bad leg cramps after starting on PB as well as insomnia. I started taking a magnesium supplement before bed and have not had any leg cramps since.

[Mud Flinger]

If you have epsom salts, take a bath with them. Your parents must have heard about how it helps sore muscles as it is mag sulfate and your body can absorb Mg through your skin. It is cheap and I bet you have some in the house. As far as suppliments go, get a suppliment that ends in "ate" not the oxide as your body absorbs them better. Also, if you get mag citrate, go easy and work your way up as it draws water into the bowel and can cause diariah (sorry spelling - brain fart).

[Uncephalized]

Diarrhea.

Second the Epsom salts recommendation. You can actually take Epsom salts orally as well, mixed with water, but be careful of the dosage or you'll be shitting all day. Tread lightly.

[Drlove]

Aye, I seem to have shitting problems anyway, (IBS), though it seems to improve (thank god) when I'm less stressed and eat better.
So I'll go easy on the magnesium. Not oxide. Is there any recommended dosage which would be considered "safe"?

[sbhikes]

Sodium (salt) and potassium for cramps. When you reduce your carbohydrate intake (which happens for most of us when we stop eating a high-sugar and grain-heavy diet) you lose a lot of water from your kidneys and with it a lot of potassium and sodium.

[Drlove]

Sodium (salt) and potassium for cramps. When you reduce your carbohydrate intake (which happens for most of us when we stop eating a high-sugar and grain-heavy diet) you lose a lot of water from your kidneys and with it a lot of potassium and sodium.

I see. So doesn't that mean a low carb diet is problematic? I mean.. losing a lot of water from your kidneys and therefore losing a lot of potassium and sodium can't be good, right?

And where can I get good amount of sodium and potassium? (sodium is salt.. so that shouldn't be hard), but potassium? except bananas of course.

[Knifegill]

Avocado.

[NOMnomNOM]

I accidentally took too much mag citrate the other day and ... well ... i could think of better ways to spend my time. I like Natural Calm as it doesn't taste too bad. I just recommend using a measuring spoon and not trying to eyeball it