Anyone taking Magnesium for their arrhythmia's or otherwise?
If so, what kind -- citrate, succinate, taurate, etc? -- and what dose of mg are you taking a day? Brand names welcome.
And what has been your experience?
Also, besides good for your heart rhythm, one of the benefits I've read is blood pressure control. Anyone notice a difference here? Feel free to throw in other supplements that have worked for you as well.
Personally, I've just gone back to 400mg a day of Magnesium Citrate (made by "Now") and as well as 50,000 IU of Vitamin D2 in rx once-a-week dosing, until I get my Vitamin D levels up. Can't report any benefits yet because just starting.
Thanks in advance.
Jim
Written by
mjames1
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Hi Jim, I’m not sure if my experience will be helpful to you but I’ll tell you anyway😊 I tried different types of daily magnesium supplements last year ( citrate, Taurate etc) . Despite that I had an increased frequency of AF episodes and ended up having to take daily Bisoprolol from January this year. I stopped all magnesium supplements at that point.
However, about a month ago I recalled that my late husband used to take a supplement called ultra muscleze and I had a fancy to try it. It’s now called MegaMag Muscleze and is manufactured by Nutri Advanced Ltd. It’s a powder containing magnesium bisglycinate and malate, potassium and various other factors. I had a breakthrough episode just after I got it , made up a glassful as per instructions and reverted to NSR 30 minutes later. The same thing happened with my most recent episode. This could be entirely coincidental, of course and I’m certainly not saying it’s an answer to AF but I’m happy to continue experimenting with it.
At the moment I’m taking it twice a week and will just see how that goes. One thing I have learned about how AF affects me is that it doesn’t pay for me to make any sudden changes, slow and gradual is the order of the day.
As for the blood pressure question, I can’t answer that I’m afraid, as the Bisoprolol is keeping that on the floor anyway!
Sorry for the essay but hope it helps! Good luck to you, TC
Hi jeanjeannie50 I noticed your taking ground flaxseed. I’ve just ordered some but then remembered I’m on blood thinners and anti platelets. I’ve looked and do you know if it’s only the flaxseed oils that might affect these medications and that the ground flaxseed is less likely to? Thanks x
I only put a level teaspoon of ground flaxseed into my muesli. I'm on Warfarin and am not aware of any problems and have been taking it for a couple of years. I'm afraid I know nothing about anti platelets.
Maybe it is laced with Flecainide LOL. How much are you taking in each dose? Right now I'm going to stay with Mag Citrate because it also has some gastro benefits, however I may give your Mag bisglycinate and extras a try at some point. Thanks for the info.
Thanks for the heads up. Sounds like it caused you some reflux. I get LPR/Reflux a lot, but so far the Magnesium Citrate hasn't been an issue. Did you take it on an empty stomach? I'm taking mine in pill form with meals, maybe that helps.
The 240mg per serving of magnesium is correct but the pot I have here reckons each scoop is approx 7.2g in total. Not sure if I’m permitted to post a link to a product on the forum otherwise I would.
I take Magnesium Glycinate, just 100mg daily from YourSupplements. I feel that it helps with my AF. I also eat these foods that contain magnesium daily :
I too have a similar diet plus walnuts and take mag taurate, L-threonate,bisglysinate by. DG Supplements but I still have more or less permanent A/F now, esp since my 4th covid jab ages ago. Keep hoping it will get better again, but on the plus side have not had covid - yet.
All in all it could be a lot worse. Thank goodness for this site because I think only those with A/fib actually know what it is like. We look normal so most people don’t understand.
Scrod is usually either small cod, haddock or even polluck and you really can't tell the difference. Mystery fish, eh. Honestly, I had no idea until you asked, so I just looked it up. LOL. I ordered it yesterday from a local online delivery service. I was looking for Cod but I just saw Scrod, so Scrod it was. Pan broiled it in olive oil and some no salt mixed seasoning. Very nice.
I put garlic and dill on cod and bake it with some vegetables in the oven (sliced potato, chopped red onion, carrots, mushrooms and tomatoes). Potatoes in the oven first, then fish a little later, then veg. It's so tasty.
It's probably a US terminology and you often see it as "Boston Scrod" or "New England Scrod" but basically it could be any white fish that is usually sold as a filet.
I'd love to have made it your way, but first I was in a hurry, second for some reason I couldn't find the dill plus garlic, onions and mushrooms are out because they're high FODMAP. But I am very jealous. So I ended up making it kind of plain and served with fresh sauteed spinach and a mixed salad.
I had a woman on here share with me her supplement regimen which she claimed had kept her from any episodes of AF for a few weeks at that point. I decided to add her regimen to my 150 daily flecainide. Subsequently I was free of Afib for 8 months preceding my Ablation in March of this year. I don't know if it was due solely to one or the other or the combination of both. Here is the daily regimen:
Jonathan, if you're on statins you need to take Co-Q10 all the time, statins lower your C0-Q10 levels. I stopped taking statins after several studies claim they do more harm than good, only people who have heart attacked should take a statin and not a mega dosage. Look on YouTube for Dr David Diamond, or just put in something like "Why statins are no good". Big pharma has paid off most Doctors to push statins. Very best to you.
I tried on and off over many years with zero results, hydroxide, oxide, and taurate. I can't find real evidence that oral MG helps arrhythmias, but it's clear that some feel it does and, since it's safe and can be had very cheaply, it's worth a try. There's nothing wrong with a placebo response, after all!
All magnesium salts are absorbed well enough to boost levels if there is a deficiency, but actual clinical deficiency is unusual, although hard to measure. Very little from any oral form is actually absorbed, with most excreted through the large bowel. The current vogue for magnesium taurate is fascinating given the science of it all.
Hi I take magnesium just once a day I was told by my af nurse you have to be careful taking magnesium also a pharmacist told me there’s no real benefit and also my Dr said there’s nothing proven about the benefits I read on her lots of people seem to swear by it So I’m confused
Listen to what Dr Sanjay Gupta of York Cardiology says about magnesium on Youtube. He also has a good story about colleagues who are sceptical about magnesium not being worth trying! If it works for you, it works!
Many of the drugs that the pharmacist is happy to provide have very little benefit too. Antidepressants for example have not much more than placebo for many people. The difference is that they can also come with nasty and harmful side effect. Antidepressants can cause violent and /or suicidal thoughts therefore with potential for harming not just the person taking them but others too. Statins are another example of not providing benefit to many of the people taking them. Magnesium can be helpful in that it reduces anxiety and it is also essential for assimilation of vit D.
I agree with Threecats on this. My high profile London Naturopath said he treated all his AF patients with the same supplement nutriadvanced.co.uk/megamag... and said it should be matched with daily CoQ10. The theory is the two together relax and strengthen the heart beat. I have taken this regime for 8 years, virtually no AF in that time nb I decreased the dosage of the Mg as I have a weak stomach and it was making it a bit sore.
Hello Jim,Sounds an interesting regime. You might want to add K2 mk7 to your list. This makes sure that the calcium absorbed by the high dose vit D is stored in your bones not organs. D3 is nornally the one recommended to take.......dont ask me why as I dont know!!! 🤣 Sorry.....lol Grassroots or the Vitamin D Council websites might well explain why.
Ive just ordered some D3 plus K2 mk7 to top me up and to help me get over this horrid Covid.
I have been taking NOVOMA Magnésium Bisglycinate + Taurine & Vitamine B6, Haute Teneur 300mg /j, 120 gélules, Combat la Fatigue et le Stress, Mieux Absorbé que le Magnesium Marin, Fabriqué en France (ex Nutrivita). I found at the start it had a considerable effect in reducing by AF (which I am told is now 'permanent AF') and symptoms. The bottle says three tablets a day but I only take one.
I still have sudden surges in BP especially in the morning, but I think it is true to say that problem is very much less too, though there are many other factors which could have influenced that.
I do believe some kind of magnesium supplement is worth trying as it seems to work for so many people, including me.
I tried magnesium Taurate from ethical nutrition.I believe Taurate is best for the heart & BP & glycinate to help sleep.I stopped taking them as I had an increase in all over pain.Still have same all over pain so not down to them.Ethical Nutrition were brilliant .I signed up for subscription.2 months supply once every 2 months to get the subscription cost & also no postage to pay.My caps had arrived but not used when I made the decision so contacted them .They accepted return, discontinued subscription & refunded.
I never have been an advocate of supplements as they could conflict with my various medications.No don't believe it caused the pain as I still have it.I have took Diltiazem for 5 years so not that.Could be age,Less active due to AF or the AF.Or COVID .
After a telephone consultation with my GP I have been given a prescription for pregabalin .This is an epilepsy drug given for neuropathic pain .It is so difficult to get an appointment & telephone consultation difficult.I am reluctant to just mask the pain rather than find the possible cause. The chances are I won't be able to tolerate them anyway so will try them.I have a face to face appointment 7th July so maybe examination might help.I suspect rheumatoid arthritis myself but we will see.Could look with your search for pain relief.
I take 125mg magnesium glycinate as it's supposed to be the most highly absorbed kind. Supposed to be good for better sleep and helping stress. Also I take beet root capsules to widen arteries.
Hi James, I take just the magnesium that you can buy in Boots (not sure which variety it is because it doesn’t seem to say) I also take potassium daily. I was taking vitamin D but stopped when a friend sent me this report that said that vitamin D can CAUSE arrhythmias! (Yikes!) Have you ever heard this?
Hi Slidingdoors, I have! I certainly noticed a link between taking Vit D /Vit K 2 and palpitations for me. Thought perhaps it was the K2 so just had the Vit D for a bit but still noticed that my heart is far more “lively” with lots of runs of ectopics etc. at night if I’ve had Vit D that morning. The conundrum is that I’m only just in the sufficient category for Vit D so could do with more. Have to be careful with sunbathing too, as I’ve had a couple of skin cancers removed in the past - so not sure I can get enough Vit D that way either!🙄
I have been taking about a third of a level teaspoon of magnesium citrate from MyProtein daily for ages. I can't say there has been any great benefit (except to MyProtein) but it can't do much harm (below bowel tolerance).
Whereas, I do seem to benefit from a decent night's sleep and a relaxed disposition after a good hot foot soak with Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sulphate), which is available in any big garden centre and many supermarkets (e.g. Morrisons). It comes in as low as a fiver for 1.5kg.
The thing about Mg, of course, is that it has to get into your cells and it's tricky to get it absorbed well. However, what GPs routinely measure is only your serum level which, outside of an ICU, is pretty pointless, because your body will start demolishing muscle and bone before it lets Mg drop in serum under most other circumstances.
Separately, I'm sure we've all tried every potion on the market to try to alleviate AF. I have had lone AF for over a decade and an ablation eight years ago, which only worked for a spell.
My advice, for what it's worth (I am no doctor but I have read most everything I can get my hands on), is to consider carefully your thyroid status (have it properly checked and don't be fobbed off with just TSH and T4 being within 'normal limits', you need T3, Free T3, Reverse T3, antibodies, cortisol, Folate and Vitamin B checked too, to exclude e.g. being a poor converter). T3 is vital. It impacts proper mitochondrial function. Not least in the heart, where the LAA is subject not only to mechanical abuse (because that's where high pressure blood from the lungs is received) but exposure to severe oxidative insult too.
So redox and mito function are key. And another vital element in the mitochondrial 'battery pack' is GSH. Now, maybe it's because I have a common liver dysfunction (Gilbert's), or because I have a predisposition to low B12 (and possibly high Homocysteine/Glutamate) but,, anyway I have found that my AF, which was getting very serious indeed a few months ago, has totally abated through taking NAC. And I have latterly reinforced this with ALA, which in addition to its other merits assists in recycling GSH.
If you haven't tried NAC (a glutathione precursor among many other things) depending on your circumstances, it may be worth looking into.
Do NOT just take NAC without discussing this with your physician, particularly if you are on anticoagulants, because NAC has anticoagulant and platelet-inhibiting properties, which is another reason I take it.
I mix up a potion with NAC, ALA, warm water and sodium bicarbonate (to make the ALA soluble - it can be pretty acrid stuff!), plus some vitamin C to aid absorption. And I take a teaspoon of that mix every few hours throughout the day (half lives matter, and ALA will cross the BB barrier and chelate heavy metals, so care and expert input is advised).
I have been taking a lot of other stuff over time (and still am - Taurine, Milk Thistle, Saw Palmetto, Vit D, B12, B vitamin complex, Selenium, Fish Oil, Zinc/Copper etc.,).
But, fingers crossed, having first corrected my vitamin B status, NAC and ALA with some Vitamin C has very clearly stopped my AF dead for several months, given me more energy, and enabled me to dispense with pill-in-the-pocket meds prescribed by over-zealous cardio doctors. They tend not to do blood tests (or trouble much with interpreting them correctly).
To a child with a hammer everything is a nail.
I should add that I have no known heart pathology and in other respects my circulation is haemodynamically normal. If your circumstances are different, obviously do your own research and seek medical advice.
However, homocysteine is seldom measured. Doctors often stop at getting B12 within parameters if they check it at all. Whereas, there are quite common genetic conditions (e.g. MTHFR mutation) which will predispose people to adverse effects from accumulating excess Hcy, including AF.
It's all a bit cryptic unfortunately, Jim. Because I have lost track of which 'scoop' the bag says should represent one 'dose'. Although, the bag is 500g and this is supposed to represent 250 x 2g 'doses'. So, whatever I have been doing to myself, it seems the plan really is to take 2g per day. Hard to 'overdo' it, for reasons outlined. And, of course, it's the Mg you want, not the citrate especially. So, the issue is how much Mg in 2g of C6H6MgO7? Fortunately, better minds than mine have done the math, 300mg, or 80% of your NPV:
"When considering magnesium citrate as part of your workout regimen, you need to bear in mind what your body needs and the demands of your training. Your body needs the right kind of nutrients in order to perform and develop correctly. As a dietary supplement, we recommend consuming 2g Magnesium Citrate (providing approximately 300mg of Magnesium), on a daily basis. Of course, going back to the subject of side effects, you must be cautious of how much magnesium you have taken in from other sources and supplements to avoid the potential laxative effects."
When I was Mg shopping, like you, I was just mindful of getting the most absorbable shot of Mg for my buck. Which led me to citrate (£6.18 for 500g). I wanted to avoid the sort of cheap and cheerful (but often high margin) H&B type MgO, because word was it is poorly absorbed. However, as I point out, you have to consider both absorpsion and how much Mg there is in the molecule: draxe.com/nutrition/magnesi.... There is 60% by weight in a molecule of MgO, compared to the 15% in C6H6MgO7.
That's quite an absorpsion gradient in Oxide's favour! And there is evidence the Oxide gets to where it's needed too: doctormurray.com/magnesium-.... So maybe we should not be too picky. And, as I take taurine along with my magnesium citrate, maybe I should seek out taurate anyway.
But I figure the excellent is the enemy of the good.
There are also various sprays and oils and what have you, which I found a pricey nuisance.
But, as I say, I actually feel better with just an Epsom Salts foot soak, for what that's worth. It comes in a good deal cheaper and it's more fun.
Yeah, I lose those scoops all the time. LOL. I'm partly taking the Citrate version for the laxative effect as I'm recovering from a stomach bug which left things let's say sluggish. 400mg seems to do the trick. Once that's over, I may switch to a different formulation of magnesium. Also started taking metamucil (psyllium).
I wish you well. Off topic, but I swear by kefir to get my insides in order, particularly after antibiotics or a bug. Best to find the proper Polish stuff, it's a lot cheaper than the trendy alternatives (Tesco does it for £1.45/litre). Hardly a double-blind controlled trial, but I reckon I lost 10kg in a few months after starting on this stuff a few years ago, I was hardly 'obese' at 88kg either. Evidence is growing that gut and brain are closely linked, so as well to sort out the bit more easily accessed! I have no idea what flavour of AF you suffer from but I would also underline that, for whatever reason, NAC, ALA, B12 and B vitamins have been as close to a 'magic bullet' against AF episodes as I have come. Were I recently operated on or in some sort of controlled trial, they would be declaring victory and writing a learned paper about now. Had I only known to persist with this regime earlier, my life might be quite different. It is too easy to get into a downward AF spiral and run across the gun-sight of a cardio with a 'hammer' and GPs who don't feel complete unless they have categorised you as a near invalid and put on loads of pills, which just entrench the problem. See: endatrialfibrillation.com/.
I take 600 mg of bisglycinate mag I also take cardiac fx recommended by my naturopath.. I have had one episof of Afib since January and a few flutters but nothing else … knock on wood. I also do not have any booze or caffeine…
I take magnesium taurate (Purely Holistic on Amazon) 200mg in morning, 200mg in evening. I had already gotten my afib seemingly under control before taking it, but I still had near daily ectopics. I attribute them stopping to the magnesium since it seemed to stop within a week after I began taking it - but I can't be absolutely certain as I had made a lot of changes in the weeks leading up to that time. At some point I hope to test my current "regimen" by removing things I am doing one by one to monitor changes. For now I am enjoying the good health.
I use a supplement from Young Living called MegaCal which is mostly Magnesium but it has several of the magnesium in it. I also take liquid minerals that seems to help a lot. I don’t buy vitamins or minerals just from health store due to understand that quality may not always be there. I need products that are chemical free. I use several essential oils also but good quality ones from young Living. I am not trying to turn this into an advertisement but just sharing what I have learned over the years. Marjoram is an essential oil that supports smooth muscle. No matter what its still bad food and chemicals in the food I eat that trigger me. It makes vacations hard for me.
Hey Jim, I think you said you're in the US like I am. If so, check out the Jigsaw Magnesium website. It's a family owned company in AZ, and they've got all kinds of info about magnesium. It's my son who has Afib not me, so I can't tell you how their product would work for that. I can tell you though that I've been taking their products for years now and really like them. Sometimes I think there are too many choices for my old brain LOL
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Which magnesium supplement? 
magnesium, potassium, taurine combo supplement?
Magnesium as a supplement
Magnesium supplements 
