Magnesium

[Dozer5]

I had a brief discussion with a Chiropractor who was treating me for a painful shoulder. He happened to be a nutrition expert. I mentioned cramp especially whilst doing Yoga and he suggested taking Magnesium supplement. He pointed out that stress flushes Magnesium from our bodies and Magnesium was critical - I used to get very stressed (less so these days). Since taking these supplements I do not appear to have had an episode of AFib. I used to suffer from rapid heartbeat episodes about once a week even though taking Bisoprolol. Is this just happenstance or is there a link - any views from anybody?

[CDreamer]

No co-incidence. Many AF’ers take Magnesium supplements and find it helps their AF. It’s estimated that 70% of the population may be Magnesium deficient because of modern intensive agriculture methods and eating overly processed foods.

Glad it helped.

[Dozer5 in reply to CDreamer]

Thanks CDreamer - I'm going to do come more read on the subject.

[BobD Volunteer]

Just use the search facility here and see how many people take magnesium in some form or another. To add to what CDreamer has said, many drugs we are asked to take leach magnesium from our bodies.

[Dozer5 in reply to BobD]

Thanks BobD - I'm learning a lot very rapidly.

[Auriculaire in reply to BobD]

Alcohol too! 😩😭

[HiloHairy]

Along with learning about the magnesium connection and likely taking it daily I would recommend learning about the various forms of magnesium. Some forms are more effective for AFib than others.

[Dozer5 in reply to HiloHairy]

I can see from the replies that I'm going to have to do more research. So far my Holland & Barrett Magnesium pill has been surprisingly effective.

[tunybgur]

Magnesium Taurate is supposed to have less of a laxative effect, but whatever you take be careful where you source it from, there are a lot of fake supplements out there.

Amazon for instance absolve themselves from any responsibility for products on their site, I bought some supplements from one of their sellers and they were almost certainly fake, but then what are they selling? Compressed chalk, sweepings from the floor?

This is a very dodgy area....only buy from quality assured suppliers, if it's cheap it's likely poor quality or fake.

Good luck

[Dozer5 in reply to tunybgur]

After chatting with my Chiropractor I simply waltzed into Holland & Barrett and purchased a pot of their 100mg Magnesium Citrate pills - been surprisingly effective. More research required methinks!

[HiloHairy in reply to tunybgur]

Which one did you buy? How could you tell it was fake?

[tunybgur in reply to HiloHairy]

I bought some Mg Taurate from Vytox on Amazon as they were very cheap.

The packaging and labels were a bit tacky, no barcodes and very sketchy information.

The pills take a long time to dissolve in water, a sign of a possible fake product, and they didn't feel right.

The best before date on every one of their products was exactly the same....09/22....very suspicious, check the Vytox supplements on Amazon yourself, all 09/22.

I don't have proof they were fake, but I could not find much about the company on the Companies House register, and looking at the postcode and using Google Streetview, I can see no factory or office, and the directors cannot be contacted or have resigned.

I threw them all away.

Good luck

[secondtry]

Finding the supplement that works is good....... then you work out in what form (e.g. Magnesium taurate has been recommended here a lot, I take a compound Nutri Megamagmuscleze). Next, finding a reputable supplier is important as tunybgur has already said (e.g. I was buying 1gm Vit C from elsewhere and was told by Lamberts that for 1gm you need slow release otherwise a lot will be wasted) and lastly monitor your levels, in the case of Magnesium you need the Red Cell test (BioLab London do it) not the standard GP test. If you find you need more magnesium to get your levels up and your stomach won't tolerate any more you can top up with magnesium oil to spray on your skin and rub in. PS my Naturopath put me on the Mg compound and CoQ10 together but if you are getting no episodes then the latter may not be necessary for you.

[Dozer5]

Blimey - this all sounds very complicated. So far all I've done is taken the Magnesium Citrate (100mg) pill purchased from Holland and Barrett. Methinks Im in need of some more research! Thx

[Ppiman in reply to Dozer5]

I’ve searched and always struggled to find anything useful, sadly. What research there is is limited and not always good in quality. The idea that magnesium might help arrhythmias (and much else, apparently…) arises from its use as an emergency treatment in hospitals - but this is given parenterally, not orally: a world of difference.

Eat your greens and you’ll not need supplements is my view - but I’m a bit of a lone voice. Magnesium is plentiful in green leaves, nuts and pulses. It’s what makes chlorophyll green.

If you take too much, it will have a laxative effect. If your kidneys are weak, check with your doctor before taking anything.

The reason magnesium taurate is least likely to have a laxative effect is because it contains very little elemental magnesium, not because of its magical qualities. 😉

Steve

[Dozer5 in reply to Ppiman]

Thanks Steve - I'm going to stick with the Magnesium and see what happens. Im taking 100gm per day and so far only good effects.........

[Ppiman]

It did nothing for me but... it's cheap and its safe, so worth trying.

Steve

[Dozer5 in reply to Ppiman]

It might just be a coincidence that taking the Magnesium and then not apparently having any further AFib episodes for a while has occurred. I'll chat with my Cardiologist when I next see him but I suspect he tell me its coincidence. In the meantime I'll keep taking them.

[Ppiman in reply to Dozer5]

I would. They are harmless, after all. Good luck with the appointment. I think your doctor will agree with you myself. A placebo effect is well worth having, even if that’s what it is.

Steve

[Dozer5 in reply to Ppiman]

Thanks Steve - I'm going to stick with the Magnesium and see what happens. Im taking 100gm per day and so far only good effects.........

[Neoneo]

Magnesium has brought my heart rate down into the normal zone.

[Dozer5]

I'm going to be interested to hear what my Cardiologist says when I next have an appointment. Is Magnesium recognised by the medical profession as a help with AFib?

[Bagrat in reply to Dozer5]

Dr Sanjay Gupta ( york cardiology) recommends trying magnesium for AF.

[momist]

I'm not sure it's worth monitoring your levels scientifically. I just kept upping the dose until it gave me the runs, and then backed it off a little. This ensures I get enough without it upsetting the system.

I'm using Natures Aid Magnesium Citrate, which seems to work for me. It's a firm local to me that makes it, but with a long track record and a good name, I was told.

[Dozer5 in reply to momist]

Thanks Momist. I'm currently on 100gm tablets so I might try and get the stronger version and see what happens.

[Auriculaire in reply to Dozer5]

I take 300mg in 3 doses of magnesium taurate. I have found it has reduced anxiety a lot. I still get afib attacks about every 8/ 10 weeks bjt they are less bothersome.

[Dee5165]

Two weeks after my Cardioversion, I went back into Afib. Dis extensive research on Magnesium benefits for Afib. It takes 8-10 weeks for benefits but was worth it for me. Between Magnesium Taurate/Glycinate, Wild Alaskan fish Oil and Hawthorn Berry, I have been Afib free for 2 months now. I am almost sure it is the Magnesium because I learned that only 40% is absorbed and the remainder is lost through urine. That is why most people are deficient in Magnesium.

[Camelia23]

I asked the cardiologist in Feb 2020 if it was ok to take magnesium supplement and he said yes. I have had about four episodes of afib since then but no joint pain. Unfortunately the last few weeks I have had occasions of low blood pressure eg 88 /62 one time. I'm waiting to speak to GP about meds as I notice Apixaban can lower BP too. I weigh about 8 st 8 and am 77 nearly at two criteria for reducing the med to 2.5 mg. I called the practice this week but told no phone appointments as doctor off sick. I tried alternating the days of the magnesium too but it falls lower in late morning and afternoon. Glad it suits you.

[Dozer5]

I've had no interaction with my Cardiologist about the Magnesium- was purely a chance discovery after a discussion with a Chiropractor. I'm taking relatively low levels and it seems to be benefiting positively. I have seen articles suggesting Magnesium can reduce blood pressure. I would chat to your GP as a cocktail of Apixaban, Magnesium and other drugs might not be a good solution. I'm not (yet) on blood thinners.Good luck!