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The more I find out about magnesium the more amazed I become

Dave1961 profile image
75 Replies

This articles talks about 12 of the top benefits of magnesium. It really is an amazing nutrient and one which the majority of us lack.

Please have a read if you have time.

poliquingroup.com/articlesm...

1. Sleep Better and Reduce Insomnia

2. Improve Brain Function and Fight Depression

3. Raise Testosterone Levels and Build Muscle

4. Get Stronger and Maximize Protein Synthesis

5. Decrease Inflammation: Improve Heart Health

6. Get Stronger Bones: Prevent Osteoporosis

7. Improve Insulin Sensitivity: Prevent Diabetes

8. Prevent Metabolic Syndrome: Magnesium and Pregnancy

9. Stress: Magnesium Necessary for Metabolism of Cortisol

10. Digestion: Magnesium Deficiency Causes Constipation and Digestive-Related Diseases

11. Treat ADHD and Hyperactivity

12. Belly Fat and Central Obesity: Waist Circumference Can Suggest Magnesium Deficiency

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Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961
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75 Replies
Kbuck1234 profile image
Kbuck1234

Dave - what type and quantity do you take please?

Thanks

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961 in reply to Kbuck1234

Sorry I missed this. I am taking Mircro Nutrients Chelated Magnesium 500 MG - which has 100 mg elemental magnesium. I need to be taking around 1000 mg taking into account my current meds and obesity so its a struggle which is why I am switching to magnesiumoil when I get through the tabs of magnesium. Much higher absorption rate and not that hard to do every day.

There are side-effects for some people. Don't want to be negative, but it's worth reading up on the web about magnesium overdose. Got this summary off one web site. Don't know anything about, except use on farm and in livestock, just Googling.

You should be extra cautious for magnesium overdose symptoms particularly if you:

• Are Elderly

• Have gastrointestinal problems that SLOW transit time such as chronic constipation

• Are dehydrated or are not able to take as much fluids as normal

• Are taking other medications, particularly laxatives, antacids or narcotics

• And while there are several Epsom Salt Uses, you should never swallow Epsom salts as a cleanse or use an Epsom salt solution in an enema. These situations have been the most common reasons for magnesium toxicity in people without kidney problems and should be avoided because of their high risk.

Read more: easy-immune-health.com/magn...

Koll

fallingtopieces profile image
fallingtopieces in reply to

Koll, magnesium works well for constipation. I suppose if someone had a condition which meant they remained chronically constipated despite taking magnesium, then levels would build.

I imagine the not taking it if you have to limit liquids, is again due to it's laxative qualities.

Always start taking a lowish daily dose, perhaps 500mg, then increase daily until it you get the right dose for you.

Everyone's different. My dose is 900-1000mg.

There are many more positive effects than negative. The main one being not to take with kidney disease.

I have been taking it for almost 3 years and take Magnesium Citrate(some has citrate and oxide) as I read it was more easily absorbed into the cells.

This is the website which originally convinced me.

afibbers.net/forum/list.php?9

Pat.

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961 in reply to fallingtopieces

How do you take your magnesium - supplements or oil? And is that 1000mg as in 2000 mg of elemental magnesium. I am quite new to taking it so am interested in how others are doing it. Thinking of swapping to the oil for it's higher absorption qualities through the skin.

fallingtopieces profile image
fallingtopieces in reply to Dave1961

Dave, I have an oil spray and have applied it to my legs if they've been restless but it doesn't make the skin feel very nice afterwards. Not sure about applying the large amounts needed on a regular basis.

I have found this by way of explaining the elemental magnesium;

metabolics.com/blog/the-def...

Pat

souljacs4 profile image
souljacs4 in reply to fallingtopieces

Where do you get your magnesium from

fallingtopieces profile image
fallingtopieces in reply to souljacs4

I buy mine from Amazon for ease as I am a Prime customer

souljacs4 profile image
souljacs4 in reply to fallingtopieces

Thank you could I ask the name of it

fallingtopieces profile image
fallingtopieces in reply to souljacs4

I buy this one.

amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00NEZ...

These are 200 mg per tablet so you would need several, probably at least 3 a day.

Just to add, I recommend taking before food as,in my experience , if you take it without eating afterwards, you may taste the magnesium in your throat and it's not very nice.

souljacs4 profile image
souljacs4 in reply to fallingtopieces

Thank you very helpful.

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961 in reply to

Absolutely true as it is for anything we stick ion our bodies. I guess because I have had incredible success with it after 6 weeks - its literally turned my life around - I tend to be a mag fan:)

fallingtopieces profile image
fallingtopieces in reply to Dave1961

Dave, Can you describe how it has helped you? How do you measure your success?

Pat

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961 in reply to fallingtopieces

Thanks for letting me know how you use it. I am using supplements but really they are so much more expensive when you compare them to using the oil and have a lower absorption rate.

As far as how its changed things? I am on Amiodarone (which I found out leaches magnesium from the body) 200 mg and Metoprolol 100 mg. Since my Metoprolol was increased from 50 to 100 about 2 years ago I have become really lethargic and find it hard to stay awake in the afternoon. Everything is an effort and with a resting heart rate of around 55 bpm thats understandable but I am only 53 so energy should not be this low.

6 weeks ago I started supplementing with magnesium and in the last few days my energy has been noticeably better, I realised I have been sleeping better (waking up maybe once a night instead or 3 or 4 times), I am sleeping later instead of getting up at 5 a.m., I am now exercising regularly in the last week, when I get home from work I can now do things - water the garden, go for a walk, cook dinner. Before I started I was lucking to just crawl home and flop in a chair.

I have always suffered from depression but I have noticed a vast improvement in my overall mood - even better any antidepressants I have found. I only discovered this week magnesium deficiency has been directly relation to depression.

I can definitely notice better memory skills and my analytically thinking has improved as well.

All these improvements have occurred in the last week or two and the only thing I have changed is magnesium supplementation. I really feel like I have gone from being a couch potato who could hardly get the energy to stand up after a day at work to someone who is starting to live an almost normal life.

in reply to Dave1961

Dave - Have you ever had your mag level measured in your blood? I was thinking of doing it and then if it was at a low level, then I'd consider taking supplements or some food source high in mag.

I wouldn't want to take anything if my body already had plenty. I'd be worried that my body would become used to it and may, over time, come to expect the same amount, or more.

We're also on a borehole and the water is, mega-mega hard. That water may well be full of mag, hence I want a blood test.

Mag's a real funny thing. It's the only nutrient/mineral that when there's too much in the soil, it can lock itself up and then doesn't get taken up by livestock. Nothing else does that apparently.

Koll

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961 in reply to

From what I have read only about 1% of the body's mag can be found in the blood so blood tests aren't necessarily a very good indicator - it looks like there are currently no standard tests that could be considered reliable magnesium indicators BUT

I was alcoholic until about 18 months ago - this is itself leaches massive amounts of magnesium from the body. On top of that I have been on Amiodarone 200 mg which I recently discovered also strips your body of magnesium.

Added to this was the fact that 3 out of my last 5 trips to hospital for AF ended up with me on a magnesium drip so I decided to investigate magnesium.

After finding out that you can not overdose on magnesium (the body just excretes it and once your body has its fill of magnesium you will know because your stools will become soft or you will start to get diarrhea) and considering all the factors in my life that could create a magnesium deficiency I decided to get onto supplements about 6 weeks ago.

As you can see from my response to @fallingtopieces its really made massive differences in a short time.

Hard water IS supposed to be a good source of mag so you have a bonus there.

I guess the best thing to do is if you have take meds that strip magnesium or have symptoms of it then its worth trying. You can not overdose and if you use magnesium oil then your skin simply will not absorb any more than the body requires.

Hope this helped :)

in reply to Dave1961

Very interesting, thank you.

fallingtopieces profile image
fallingtopieces

Yes, we are better off regarding our health in hard water areas. Less heart disease in general than soft water areas.

Dave, I do take oral supplements in the form of citrate, not oil, although I do have some oil.

Pat

Gaygay45 profile image
Gaygay45

The posts about magnesium are very interesting. I amon Amiodarone. I suffer from tiredness and insomnia and wonder if I am deficient in magnesium. I am also on Warfarin and am wary about taking any supplements. Has anyone any ideas on these points?

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961 in reply to Gaygay45

Your symptoms are exactly what I suffered from on Amiodorone and Metoprolol.

Warfarn and magnesium are perfectly fine and as I have mentioned AMiodorone is fine as well - why my Dr never mentioned Amiodorone should require magnesium supplements ios beyond me!

Potassium is another one popular with us heart people BUT from everything I have read most sources indicate you should NOT take potassium if using warfarin.

Hope this helped and I'd strongly encourage you to try the magnesium. Look for chelated magnesium in supplements - the ones I use have 100 mg of elemental magnesium per 500 mg tablet- elemental is what you actually need to look for.

That beiong said I plan to swap to magnesium oil onc I have used up the million or so mag tablets I have lol

Absorption rate is higher and for me to get the 1000 mg or so I should be having of magnesium it means 89-10 tabs a day which is hard to remember through the day.

Gaygay45 profile image
Gaygay45 in reply to Dave1961

Thank you Dave. I think I will try magnesium. I am confused by the different types. Can you explain how you use the oil and why you have chosen to swap to it. I read on this site that magnesium citrate was the best orally but don't know what dose to take

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961 in reply to Gaygay45

Bigleg has covered it perfectly:)

For me the thought of spraying myself with mag oil and waiting 20 minutes for it to absorb seemed too much trouble but now I have seen the benefits from just oral supplementation - and considering how expensive they are compared to the oil - I have decided 20 mins in the morning is no biggie. I figure I can just do my meditation while it sinks in.

I use vitaminking.com.au/Magnesiu... and have found that Magnesium Oil by Ancient Minerals seems to be one of the best on the market and is available here in Australia so thats what I will be using and may add in an oral supplement when I remember to.

I'm aiming for 1000 mg (elemental magnesium) and each of these tablets has 100 mg of elemental magnesium (the actiual stuff you want) in every 200 mg tab so you can see why tahking 10 tabs a day could be a problem.

Orally your body will tell you when you are at peak as you will stargt to get soft stools and/or diarrhea. At that point you slowly reduce until the symptoms disappear.

Transdermally your skill will just stop absorbing it when you have enough in your body and this will be eveident by the residue remaining after spraying.

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961

" as nutrients are not patentable?"

Spot on!

I find it appalling that an anti-arrhythmic drug like Amiodarone which is SO widely prescribed has the side effect of leaching magnesium from your body which is exactly what your heart NATURALLY need to stay in rhythm.

I rememeber reading somewhere that one of the anti-arrhythmic has used magnesium interactions in the body as its building blocks for the medication...because they can't make a motza out of just plain old magnesium *smh*

EngMac profile image
EngMac

I found the following information from the National Nutrition site. nationalnutrition.ca/detail...

AOR (Advanced Molecular Research) is the manufacturer.

True Magnesium Orotate for Cardiovascular Health

Ask health-conscious people about the mineral most important to their heart health, and most will hit on magnesium right away. But few people look beyond the amount of elemental magnesium in their supplements to consider the importance of the other half of their magnesium supplement - the chelating amino acid or anion to which it's bound. For instance, the widely-used magnesium oxide has "extremely low" bioavailability (22.8%), making it more likely to cause diarrhea; and on top of this embarrassing side-effect, magnesium oxide is an antacid, which can impair digestion and nutrient absorption.

But there's more to the effects of a magnesium supplement than its bioavailability. Because the "other half" of one magnesium supplement is extensively documented to have profound effects on cardiovascular health. That supplement is true, fully-reacted Magnesium Orotate.

Magnesium Orotate is magnesium bound to orotic acid, a key intermediate in the biosynthesis of pyrimidine nucleotides (a building block of the "letters" of your DNA code, and of RNA, the messenger that delivers the instructions from the DNA to the cellular machinery that assembles cellular proteins based on DNA's commands). Although little known and underappreciated, decades of research and clinical trials have documented the powerful benefits of Magnesium Orotate to the weakened heart.

Trials Confirm the Power of Magnesium Orotate

Gaita and coworkers performed a randomized, controlled trial in 32 congestive heart patients who had recently undergone coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. Within two days of surgery, each participant received either a 2000 mg Magnesium Orotate supplement or a placebo dummy pill as an add-on to their standard heart medication. Eight weeks later, Magnesium Orotate users experienced functional improvements on a wide range of heart function parameters in comparison with those taking the placebo, including exercise times, angina-free walking distance, and VO2max; most notably, they enjoyed a 63% lower risk of suffering extrasystoles ("extra" heartbeats, felt as "missed" beats or "flip-flops" in the chest).

Other clinical trials

Documented the effectiveness of Magnesium Orotate supplements in delivering improved quality of life in elderly patients with stable angina; in supporting exercise and a salt-restricted diet to reduce blood pressure, eliminate heart palpitations, and improve sleep quality in child hypertensives; and in improving the flexibility of blood vessels and reducing anginal pains in patients with arteriosclerosis or inflammatory vessel disorders. And in a recent double-blind, randomized controlled trial, Magnesium Orotate supplementation has also been found to simultaneously improve physical performance, and reduce some of the punishing negative impacts of extreme physical exercise, in triathletes.

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961 in reply to EngMac

This is AWESOME - thx for this. My google is now going to be in meltdown while I research orotate further!!! :)

reedman profile image
reedman in reply to EngMac

I certainly don't wish to rain on your parade but while researching on Magnesium Orotate following your post I came across this:

consumerlab.com/answers/Wha...

It would seem that our waters are muddying again! From what I have come across a powdered form of Magnesium Citrate is still a pretty good choice as a Mag supplement.

George

EngMac profile image
EngMac

CARDIO-MAG 2.0 - 120 VCAPS The product referenced in the post above.

This is available in the UK on Amazon.co.uk.

EngMac profile image
EngMac

It appears that this site is where the National Nutrition information was obtained. Except on this site there is more detail. harshachemicals.com/Magnesi...

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961 in reply to EngMac

Thannkyou so much for this - I would have completely missed the orotate and from the research I have found already it sounds like its very important. I'm off to buy some this afternoon!

EngMac profile image
EngMac

Dave 1961 - before you do, look at the following :

It may be fine to take one of these "blended" Magnesium Orotate "complex" products if all you need is a little extra insurance against frank magnesium deficiency. But if you need the full cardiovascular benefits of true Magnesium Orotate, you must be sure that you're getting the real thing. To do this, compare the amount of elemental magnesium listed on the label with the amount of orotic acid: true, fully-reacted Magnesium Orotate contains nearly 15 times as much orotic acid as magnesium by weight. Ifthe label isn't clear on this point, you can't be sure of what you're getting. Then, be prepared for the small added cost of genuine Magnesium Orotate, and the need to fit an extra capsule or two into your pill box. These minor inconveniences will pay major dividends in the health of your heart.

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961 in reply to EngMac

Great advice. The one I am going to buy - for the moment at least - is chemistwarehouse.com.au/pro...

From what I can understand it has just under 14 times orotic acid to elemental magnesium so I think that fits the recommendation above.

Bloody hell I couldn't stand science at school anda t 53 I am talking about the variances between orotic acid and elemental magnesium lol

paulh1 profile image
paulh1

Did some research on magnesium . Lots of info out there . Here is one link I found

forum.bulletproofexec.com/i...

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961 in reply to paulh1

So funny I was reading that exact article about an hour ago - GREAT information - sounds like he really knows his stuff and it's nice to have a point of reference that compares all the different kinds of magnesium.

Seriously up until recently I just assumed magnesium was this unimportant little nutrient that was quite rare in our bodies when it should be getting as much attention as major vitamins like B and C.

Hi Dave,

Request a full blood test from your GP which will ascertain which Vitamins and minerals if any you are deficient including kidneys,liver and thyroid function.

This test will include an evaluation of you potassium and magnesium levels also.Carol.

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961 in reply to

Good idea Carol - I am due to go to the Dr's soon so will do.

Unfortunately Magnesium is a hard one to test for because only about 2% of the body's magnesium floats around in our bloodstream. Added to that is the problem that the body prioritises keeping magnesium level up in the blood stream to guard against AF's! Viscious cycle really.

in reply to Dave1961

As mentioned elsewhere and in one of the article links above, if your blood test shows low Mg then you are definitely low as the blood robs from elsewhere in the body to keep it level up.

My Naturopath tested mine which no surprise was low and put me on Nutri Ultra Muscleze - which is a Mg supplement but also a 'catch all' for AF as it contains Potassium, Taurine and other stuff. I am now looking at the Ancient Minerals spray on Mg oil to increase the Mg bit and lessen the pressure on my gut.

THANKS everyone for a great thread, much appreciated.

in reply to Dave1961

Hi,if you are found to be deficient in this mineral be assured that your GP/EP will possibly prescribe it for you if they feel it would be beneficial to your well being and not contra-indicated to any treatment plan that you may be on...C

NoAmiodarone profile image
NoAmiodarone in reply to

but serum Mag levels don't tell the story as they are almost always normal which is why Dr's ignore this vital mineral! A Mag RBC tells a different story however because it measures at the cellular level. The normal range is too low tho, to be adequate you need to be at the higher end of the scale like in the 6S.Dr Carolyn Dean is a Fabulous resource for magnesium info, look her up!

Thomps95 profile image
Thomps95

I didn't know anything about the details of the different types of magnesium, and the importance of Orotate. Thank you all!

I'm taking, partly on intuition, 600 Mg of magnesium "complete" which is a blend of magnesium oxide (197 mg), orotate (8 mg), phosphate (21 mg), and amino acid chelate (75 mg), combined with 5 grams of a powder form of magnesium (mix with water) called Ultra Muscleze (which has 275 mg magnesium oxide heavy and amino acid chelate, along with glutamine, taurine, thiamine, folic acid, potassium and various other ingredients).

I haven't had an AFib attack for about a year but it could be luck, or the result of many factors (e.g., I got my stress under control, I avoid heavy or gas-inducing foods, take probiotics every night, have no big meals after 6 pm, lost 10 kilos, get 8-9 hours sleep every night, meditate regularly, etc ...)

in reply to Thomps95

Hi Tom, could I trouble you with a couple off questions as we have similar AF records...

What improved your sleep as I can't do more than 6.5 hours?

What meditation techniques do you use? I use one Qigong breathing exercise which has been good but I think I need to expand this area.

Good luck with keeping AF free.

Thomps95 profile image
Thomps95 in reply to

My sleep improved when I stopped doing computer work every night up until 11:30 at night. I also find going to bed early helps. I tend to wake up 7:00 or 7:30 regardless of when I go to bed, so unless there is a reason to stay up, I go to bed 10:00 or 10:30.

I use transcendental meditation. I took a year-long course to go beyond relaxation to induce a true meditative state (changes in alpha / theta wave activity). This seems to happen about 10 minutes in, and I try to sustain it for another 10-15 mins.

in reply to Thomps95

Thanks! I seem to be focussing more and more on Mind/Gastro and clearly I have a bit more to do on both.

Incidentally, I promote the benefits of exposure to Nature in my self employment and have been self medicating myself as part of relaxing.

MickN profile image
MickN in reply to Thomps95

Thomps95

What probiotic do you take every night

Thomps95 profile image
Thomps95 in reply to MickN

It's only an educated guess for me ... but right now I'm alternating between "Inner Health" which is mainly acidophilus; and "Probiotic Advanced" which combines six types of probiotics (e.g., lactobacillus platinum, bifidobacterium ... etc.). My reasoning is that there is a lot of different (good) bacteria in the gut, so best to go for diversity by taking different forms alternately.

bridget54 profile image
bridget54

Can you have magnesium in food? Not ever heard anything about this before. I dont like taking supplements and I also have a colostomy so dont need looser stools. However am interested in this.

MickN profile image
MickN in reply to bridget54

Hi Bridget

I to get soreness in my higher abdomen and back area, but only been getting that for jUST over two weeks, started magnesium supplements back in December last year, so I have put mine soreness down to post ablation (17th feb)problems.

However you have got me thinking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

paulh1 profile image
paulh1 in reply to bridget54

Bridget, there are lots of foods that naturally contain magnesium. Just to an internet search to come up with a list

bridget54 profile image
bridget54 in reply to paulh1

I will Paul thanks.

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961 in reply to bridget54

Leafy greens are an excellent source of magnesium however with the farming techniques employed these days magnesium is being leeched from our soils so foods that are naturally high in magnesium often no longer are as effective.

Looser stools will only occur with oral supplementation of magnesium and is your body's way of saying that you have reached peak for magnesium in the body.

I've fairly recently gotten into supplementation and find it fascinating however I understand that some people are not fans of lots of pills.

Magnesium oil could be a fantastic option for you. Just spray it on as much of your skin surface as you can stand and your done.

The body will stop absorption when it has enough and this is a much more effective way of supplementing magnesium than oral supplements.

As long as you leave it on for at least 20 min if you do not like the feel you can just rinse it off with water - something worth considering perhaps? And avoids the whole digestive issues of loose stools.

bridget54 profile image
bridget54 in reply to Dave1961

Wow interesting. May concentrate more ob this once Ice got ablation out the way next tuesday. Thanks

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961 in reply to bridget54

Good luck with the ablation :)

bridget54 profile image
bridget54 in reply to Dave1961

Thank you Dave. I feel I need all the luck I can get😷

higgy52 profile image
higgy52 in reply to bridget54

Hi the best foods are almonds or brazil nuts, I have afib and take 10 mg bisoporol, 5 mg ramapril, digoxin 62.5 micrograms and 6 mg warfarin, so not taking any more magnesium pills, just eat nuts instead.

By the way had afib for years but never new i had it, thought it was asma getting short of breath

jeanjeannie50 profile image
jeanjeannie50

I had to stop taking magnesium when I realised it was causing soreness in my stomach. It took me a long time to realise that this was the cause and hence I suffered for years, usually at night. With all the talk of taking magnesium on this site I tried to take it again a few days ago and after just one tablet the soreness returned.

Thomps95 profile image
Thomps95 in reply to jeanjeannie50

This is disturbing and helpful - something else to think about

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961 in reply to jeanjeannie50

Jean it would be a real shame for you to not be able to experience the benefits of magnesium and your stomach problems do occur with some people. Are you having it with food? Sometimes that can lessen the problem.

Magnesium orotate is an essential member of the magnesium supplementation family and is shown to have significantly less problems with digestion.

Magnesium oil is highly recommened for people who have these issues and is also a much more efficient way to get your magnesium.

Put simply you spray it on, wait 20 minutes or so and then if you feel the need you can rinse of with water. Absorption through the skin is a much more effective delivery method and I am starting this method as trying to take the 1000 mg of elemental magnesium I need is difficult considering thats 10 tabs a day.

jeanjeannie50 profile image
jeanjeannie50 in reply to Dave1961

I always take my tablets midway through a meal. I take my warfarin mid breakfast as if I took it in the evening it would make my stomach sore too.

Once when in A+E with my heart racing, I was given magnesium via a drip and and it made me feel really strange. I couldn't speak or move and the sensation was really scary. I just thank goodness that the doctor who came to see me had the sense to switch it off. I will have to give some thought to whether I want to try the spray.

I have had AF for probably around 10 years now and have tried all sorts of natural cures. I first started taking magnesium around 20 years ago in an effort to help me sleep and that's when my acidic stomach problems started. I would hate to go back to having that problem again, but am interested in the fact that it helps your AF.

Jean

bridget54 profile image
bridget54

Just looked at my discharge letter from coronary care folliwing last AF episode and it says my magnesium level was 0 88. Is that good or bad?

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961 in reply to bridget54

The normal values listed here—called a reference range—are just a guide. These ranges vary from lab to lab, and your lab may have a different range for what's normal. Your lab report should contain the range your lab uses. Also, your doctor will evaluate your results based on your health and other factors. This means that a value that falls outside the normal values listed here may still be normal for you or your lab.

Normal

Magnesium blood level 1

Adult:

1.8–2.6 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL)[0.74–1.07 millimoles per liter (mmol/L)]

Child:

1.7–2.1 mg/dL (0.70–0.86 mmol/L)

Newborn:

1.5–2.2 mg/dL (0.62–0.91 mmol/L)

bridget54 profile image
bridget54

Thanks Dave. Noone mentioned it was wrong so I suppose they did feel it was ok for me.

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961 in reply to bridget54

I'd still ask your Dr about it if I were you. I have had around 10 hospitalizations in the last 2 years due to AF and was never told that my meds were actually leeching magnesium from my body or if my levels were low. Magnesium drips are a common method for getting AF under control when I went into emergency and it finally clicked that I should investigate more.

NONE of my medical team mentioned magnesium nor the vital role it plays OR that my meds could be reducing my magnesium OR many other things they should have told me.

All I know is that since I started on magnesium my AF feels significantly more under control and thats the only thing I have changed in my lifestyle to achieve this.

Its definitely worth looking at :)

bridget54 profile image
bridget54 in reply to Dave1961

👌why dont they tell us this. If it was researched more and found it was worst because of lack of magnesium it could save the NHS thousands

PeterWh profile image
PeterWh in reply to Dave1961

Which meds in particular?

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961 in reply to PeterWh

Amiodarone. Increases the requirement for magnesium in the body because it increases the excretion of it.

The very drug I am taking to stop arrhythmia is actually leeching the nutrient I need to do the same thing!

I'm a livestock farmer in Shropshire UK bigleg. Our sheep and cattle can't enough magnesium from just eating grass so we have supplement with bucket licks. Nothing to do with what we do, because we don't do anything. The mag can be there in the soil, but grass is not good at getting it through to the beasts. Clover is much better, so we use a lot of that in our leys. But the wet weather few years ago has killed a lot of our clover off, so now waiting for it to come back.

I'm not into arable at all. Don't know much about it really.

Koll

reedman profile image
reedman

I've been reading a lot about magnesium supplementation both on this site and elsewhere and have decided to give it a go. My GP seems to give the impression that although I have persistent AF but asymptomatic I should be a good little boy and go away and take my meds and put up with it. Over time I have with his agreement (not without some difficulty) reduced my meds from Amiodarone, Simvastatin, Ramipril, Bisoprolol and Warfarin to Losartan and Warfarin. Now I'm afraid I've been a naughty boy since I forgot to re-order my prescription before Easter and ran out of Losartan. I do not have high blood pressure and since I have not been taking the stuff I have not experienced any negative effects. My prescription for Losartan has still not been renewed. Yesterday I received my bottle of Solgar Magnesium Citrate 400 mg and have begun to supplement taking three 200 mg tablets daily. I'll drop to 400 mg over time. Very early days but I believe I am already seeing a steadying of my heartbeat in that there seem to be more and longer runs of regular beats and shorter and less frequent gaps....Hmmm..So far so good. As usual I have been keeping a record including blood pressure etc. and will visit GP at some point to review the Losartan issue.

What a great find this site has proved to be, the support, the expert advice, the shared experience. Thank you all

George

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961 in reply to reedman

its been a few days since I saw anyone post on this thread which I think has become very informative esp. regarding magnesium.

While I can not comment about your sloppy medication regime ;) I am heartened (pun intended) to hear the benefit you have felt so early on.

I also felt this within a few days. The only way I was able to describe it to people was that my heartbeat felt more "solid" and emphatic rather than seeming to wait for an AF to kick in.

10 weeks and no AF attack in sight !

reedman profile image
reedman in reply to Dave1961

Sloppy? SLOPPY!! Whadja mean sloppy? I will talk to GP shortly but if I'd have not done what I did before he would still have had me on all the other meds which, of course, have proved by omission to be unnecessary. I crawled around the place with no energy couldn't get up hills unless I was in a car, ten minutes in the garden and I was finished. Now, I have built a utility room on the side of the house, I can do 4/5 hours in the garden, during the build I dug trenches, carried concrete blocks, up and down ladders etc. I can ride my bike again. I continue to play clarinet and sax with my band (which I nearly had to stop, too breathless. In short I can do everything I could do prior to diagnosis. The treatment in my case was many more times debilitating than the condition! So, apart from Warfarin life is largely back to normal. I've always felt a bit of a phony on this site with so many people really going through very difficult episodes but I do really wonder how much difficulty, as in my case, can/may be attributable to the medication. I hope you keep on being clear of attacks, this magnesium supplementation may be the way forward for many, let's hope so.

George

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961 in reply to reedman

Ha ha sloppy may have been a harsh! SO pleased you are doing so well!

Since I have been posting here its made me really focus on my meds and realising they are not just some harmless tablet I can pop to fix all my ills but have a lot of toxic chemicals in them to do what they do, which in turn can cause some short term and long term side effects.

Amiodarone (which I would desperately like to get rid of sooner rather than later) has now been linked to a degenerative lung disorder as well all the other little nasties it can cause.

Once I am maintaining a lower magnesium intake because my levels are correct that will be on the list of things to go.

My cholesterol has never been a problem and is now testing in the excellent range so I have dumped the cholesterol lowering "preventative" drug I was given because I do not need it and its side effects of tiredness, no energy and worse are exactly what I have been feeling.

Eventually I hope to be on a maintenance dose of my beta blocker and thats it. Time will tell!

reedman profile image
reedman in reply to Dave1961

On your list of drugs you don't mention an anticoagulant? That is one med I would not give up, the risk for stroke is too high. Amiodarone is a biggy it can do a lot of mischief but for some people it is excellent in maintaining NSR. Hope you are still free of AF episodes.

George

dedeottie profile image
dedeottie

I decided to take the bottle of supplements I was going to take to the doctors at my next medicine check. The tablets contained magnesium and Q10. The doctor ( not my usual)) said she couldn't comment as she wasn't qualified to recommend or otherwise but suggested I ask the pharmacist to run a computer check against my other medication. The pharmacist said I should ask the doctor but when pushed she ran a check and said nothing seemed to be contra indicated but if I had palpitations to stop taking them. Totally disillusioned I did my own research and found that:

1.Taking statins depletes the body's natural supply of Q10 (good reason to top up I thought)

2. If you take alongside blood pressure lowering meds like beta blockers blood pressure can be further reduced causing dizziness

( bad reason as my blood pressure and heart rate are already low).

So now I am completely confused and think I may forget these supplements until I am hopefully off some of the other meds. Good luck all those who are taking them with success . I am also very aware that the internet research I did may be very flawed but with the doctor and pharmacist sitting on the fence what else can one do?!

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961 in reply to dedeottie

My Dr flat out said to me that he couldn't give me guidance one way or another regarding magnesium as they receive, at best, perhaps 2 hours devoted to nutrients/supplements in their entire medical training.

This has been supported by several people here with similar responses plus an interview I saw recently.

So I would never expect a Dr to be able to advise as they do not know enough and therefore will not take any risks.

I changed NOTHING part from magnesium supplements and for the last 10 weeks not a single AF event as opposed to having them at least weekly. My depression which I have suffered from for decades has lifted and I now see hope for the future.

All thanks to magnesium.

I say this just to give you my own personal story of what an amazing difference it can make to you.

I am on Amiodarone, Metoprolol (same as Bisoprolol), Crestor and Plavix and have researched each of them thoroughly for the supplements I am taking - CoQ10, Magnesium, Vit C and D, Zinc

I would like to be topping up my potassium BUT that is contraindicated with Metoprolol and a similar story for calcium.

I am very careful about this and if you want to tell me what you are on I am happy to out my sleuthing hat on and find you some more definitive answers.

I am an internet junky and happiest when trawling through pages of technical jargon so feel free to at least let me find some stuff for you :)

dedeottie profile image
dedeottie in reply to Dave1961

Hi. I don't know how I missed your reply but I have only just seen it!

I am on warfarin simvastatin( although cholesterol is good ), flecanide bisoprolol calcium and alendronic acid for osteoporosis. Any suggestions gratefully received. Thanks x

franksavage profile image
franksavage

Magnesium sounds like a miracle drug how do i get it and whats the dosage?

Dave1961 profile image
Dave1961 in reply to franksavage

Hi Frank its not a miracle drug which is why big pharma aren't spending billions marketing it!

Its a lowly mineral that most of us are deficient in yet its one of the most import in our body - more important than calcium or iron for example.

At its simplest magnesium is used in the body to control electrical impulses between cells. It is also a nutrient that plays an important role in controlling calcium in our bodies. Arterial calcification is basically a build up of calcium, often because magnesium is deficient in the body.

Magnesium acts as a guard in every one of our cells, allowing calcium to come in, do its job and then ushering it out. Without the right amounts of magnesium, calcium can build up in our cells.

Magnesium also is key in the production of serotonin - the feel good hormone - in our brains. Much success has been seen in clinically depressed patients (me included!) with the use of magnesium supplementation to increase serotonin production. After some months this increased serotonin production becomes normal for the brain, even when supplementation is reduced.

Most anti-depressants do not increase production of serotonin, instead they block the brain ability to wash it away so therefore the serotonin hangs around for longer and slowly builds up in the brain. Problem is when you stop the antidepressant the brain is then able to process the serotonin more efficiently and within a period of time depression returns.

I assume you were joking about where to get magnesium considering it is sold in just about every pharmacy and health food store in the world :)

Look for citrate or aspartate as these are the most bioavailable.

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