magnesium

[babs1234]

what is the maximum dose of magnesium do people take for AF? I’ve seen on here that you need to take a high dose but Google says too much is not good for you

[NewOne2023]

I take glycinate 2x125mg daily. That's not a lot but I don't see a reason to take more since I've been taking it regularly for more than 7 months now. To quote a friend who works in a drugstore - "Your body will quickly let you know if you are taking to much magnesium and that's diarrhea."

[BobD Volunteer]

You can't take to much as you will never leave the toilet.

[Teresa156]

I have been taking approx 500 mg of both magnesium glycenate and magnesium taurate throughout the day. That is higher than the average for a woman, but my magnesium serum blood level is consistently level, but still on the low side of normal, despite taking it for over two years now, so I must need that amount.

It is worth having a blood test first to see your levels, to give you a guideline of where you’re starting from.

[Poochmom]

I take 400 x 2 magnesium Taurate per day.

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

I understand it is the blood test level that counts.

A level of 5 is getting close to toxic 5.5 where there is med to keep it lowered.

Some meds include it in there makeup.

I wouldn't take a supplement just eat foods in magnesium.

I always try to have a small banana every morning with JAZ the little dog enjoying any bruising amd the tip.

cherio JOY. 75. (NZ)

[kkatz]

What you need to check is the actual amount of essential magnesium in a capsule or dose.For example ethical nutrition high strength magnesium 2 capsules provide magnesium taurate 1720 mg, essential magnesium 150mg plus 1 magnesium which contains 87mg

I usually just take the recommended dose per guidelines.

Not taking at moment as they might be causing skin irritation.

[secondtry]

I would have a Red Cell Magnesium blood test to find out your current level, start taking the supplement and follow up with another in 6 months to gauge whether you need to increase or decrease your dose.

I was advised to take the magnesium compound with CoQ10; the latter has lots of other benefits for the body and I have not seen any adverse side effects.

nb the magnesium blood test needed is not the regular GP one which always shows OK unless you have a v serious deficiency.

nb your GP is unlikely to sanction this and so you need to use a private clinic, can be expensive but when its your health....

[Ppiman]

Despite many studies, there seems to be no scientific evidence that magnesium can reduce cardiac arrhythmias, thus there can be no recommended dose. That would be a contradiction in terms. It is, however, safe to take, so worth a trial, but as for dosage? There can be no answer. Too high a dosage will have a laxative effect (which is the recognised use for oral magnesium salts) and might cause bloating.

Interestingly, the absorption of magnesium is strictly controlled metabolically, with all excess quickly removed by the kidneys or left for excretion in the intestinal tract (hence the laxative effect). Whether we take a relatively less well absorbed form such as magnesium oxide (i.e. cheap but works equally well) or a somewhat more quickly absorbed organic form such as magnesium taurate (i.e pricier, therefore for that reason alone more likely to have a useful placebo effect), magnesium blood levels will always be similar over a 24-hour period.

Also, the body has its own large stores of magnesium and most foods, especially of vegetable origin, contain plenty of magnesium of the most easily absorbed form of the element.

Steve

[mary70 in reply to Ppiman]

Using Magnesium Glycerinate has radically benefited the well-being of more than one individual...

[Ppiman in reply to mary70]

That's wonderful. Following similar comments I read here a few years ago, I tried the taurate form for many months but sadly with no effect at all. It's notable that nowhere has any well-controlled scientific study been able to show a useful effect, let alone a radical one.

I am doubtful, myself, that oral magnesium will ever be shown to work better than a placebo, but, as it seems harmless for most people to take, at least those without kidney problems, it's surely worth a try.

Having come from a background in the pharmaceutical industry, I tend to balk at claims that can't be scientifically proven, so I am sorry if that seemed to be the case in my post. It worries me that so many treatments with no scientific validation are now promoted on the internet and social media, circumventing hard fought for and vital safety regulations that exist regarding medicine promotion. A friend recently paid the best part of £1000 for a "vagal nerve stimulator device" advertised of all places on Facebook. Has it helped him? Of course it hasn't, no more than the equally expensive "grounded blanket" that was his last purchase and likely several more I don't know about.

Steve

[solarjdo69 in reply to Ppiman]

The facts are that everyone's body make up and chemistry is different due to DNA composition and exposure to foods and environmental factors. This makes it challenging for medical professionals as well as lay people to determine what if any effects a given substance(prescriptions or vitamins or herbs) will have for an individual

If magenesium supplementation as applied here doesn't help you Ppiman, se la vie. But for many others it DOES help. I for one periodically get low due to my Drano (cardio chelate) which while clearing my arteries (confirmed by my cardiologist) also strips away minerals such as magnesium. When I neglect to take my magnesium, I develop charlie horse cramps in legs and other muscles. As long as I supplement with magnesium, I never get those cramps.

And just because a "study" (often slanted) or lack thereof does not show "scientifically proven" results, does not invalidate the RAFT of individuals reports of efficacy of a certain supplementation. As for getting it from our food, there are many "studies" that appear to show that our fast grown, chemically fertilized vegetables have about 20-42 times less nutrients, vitamins and minerals than they had compared to 1920 or so.

When I was 18 I developed plantars warts from a visit to a wet floor in a fraternity on campus. Specialist prescribed a cream to gradually bring the warts to the surface by essentially burning/poisoning the outer skin layers and then he would freeze or burn whatever was left. My mother was into alternative medicine (which is why I probably stayed with it) and an article spoke of using high concentrations of Vitamin "E."

I discontinued the itchy burny cream which looked like it would be about a month at the perceived rate. I started taking 1 400IU capsule every 6hrs and after 2-3 days the smallest ones turned black. After a week those fell out leaving small divits in skin. The largest which went completely from bottom to top of my big toe took about two weeks and was gone. I continued taking for 2 more weeks (like an antibiotics regemin) and never saw them again. I spoke with the specialist and of course he said it couldn't work. I never saw him again. The divits gradually filled in and one cold never tell I ever had such an issue.

[Ppiman in reply to solarjdo69]

Well, I take your point and yes, DNA and environment separate us all in important ways. I don’t see the effects of that difference in quite the way you do. After all, if 100 people have a headache, all with “different” DNA, then most of that 100 will report similar symptoms and, after two tablets of paracetamol, will report an improvement in symptoms. Similarly, if 100 people suffering an asthma attack inhale salbutamol, nearly all of them will experience good relief from their disabling bronchospasm. And so on with a whole range of illnesses and treatments. Your heart’s ion transport mechanism, relying on calcium, potassium and magnesium ions is also nigh on identical to mine despite our genetic differences.

If we substitute a placebo dressed as a red tablet in an expensive bottle and call it a headache remedy, around 30% will still report a good improvement in their symptoms. If we blind the drugs people are taking, still around the same percentage will report the placebo as being effective.

In a condition that waxes and wanes as much as AF does, the success or otherwise of even an active prophylactic drug, let alone a mineral supplement is going to be very hard to measure. You feel that “many” are helped by oral magnesium supplements, even a “raft” of people, but science must deal with evidence not anecdote or hearsay. Sadly, such evidence has never been found despite high quality studies having been conducted to find it. At an individual level, you might yourself have a good response to magnesium supplementation, but this might be not because it is directly helping your heart but because you have some other condition that magnesium supplementation can help. Only a scientific investigation could ascertain exactly what is happening.

In the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, it was reasonably assumed that magnesium would help, after all, disturbances in magnesium metabolism and hypomagnesaemia are known causes of arrhythmias and, indeed, intravenous magnesium sulphate can be used to stop even serious ventricular arrhythmias. Sadly, oral magnesium has not been shown to be effective, at all. The relatively poor absorption of magnesium salts has been suggested as one reason for this, but the body strictly regulates serum magnesium levels for the very reason that, like other electrolytes, magnesium is potentially and rapidly cardio-toxic.

Whatever the reason, oral magnesium has not been shown to stop or reduce the incidence of atrial arrhythmias, despite hearsay and anecdotal reports to the contrary. A double-blind placebo controlled study would have shown a useful effect if one exists, for sure; but it hasn’t, despite attempts to show such a usefulness. The fact that some people report success with it is good news for them but the majority are very unlikely to find it useful.

There is, despite claims online, sufficient magnesium in food to supply daily needs. This assumes a healthy diet, one reasonably rich in vegetable matter. Leaves are green because of magnesium and it is a central element of all living matter. The amount of nutrients is less in some foods from some sources compared with mid 20th century, it seems, but not all: it clearly depends upon the soil and the farming methods. Magnesium is often added as a fertiliser where levels are naturally low or have been depleted by farming methods. Only a little magnesium is needed daily, after all, and the body has a large reserve in the bones and elsewhere.

Steve

[MRockwell in reply to solarjdo69]

I agree with you the way our food is grown today maybe deficient in Magnesium. I was advised while in hospital to take Magnesium as blood test showed I was low in magnesium which surprised me coming from a farming background. This was after a heart attack. Like all things how much you need depends on your age, and health. Severe magnesium deficiency can cause symptoms including numbness, muscle cramp and abnormal heart rhythm. Talk to your Dr as everyone is different.

[GoodHearty]

I take 1 tablet equivalent to 75mg Mg as magnesium taurate. The rest, if needed by my body, I try to get via food, like pumpkin seeds, water melons etc. We all need requisite amounts of minerals like sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron etc that keeps hearts healthy, hopefully by following good eating habits.

[Belle11]

I take 1 or 2 capsules magnesium taurate daily. Each capsule contains 146g elemental magnesium. (I take the mag taurate version as that seems to be the type of magnesium often recommended for people with AF.)

[AKatieD]

Started off with 1 taurate per day as the others said because it is supposed to be good for AFib. Then increased to 2 and got an AFib attack so backed off again, thinking the worst.

Then I started to read more about it and realised was probably just a coincidence. I now take the recommended amount for a Vitamin B12/ vitamin D group I am in and so that is 3x malate in the morning and 2x taurate at night. No Afibs for a while.

[Cookie24]

I take 600 mg Magnesium glycinate

[DiyChas]

I have been taking the glycinate variety for a few years 212.5mg magnesium twice a day and no side effects.Started taking as a blood test indicated I was low (probably due to one of my prescriptions).