As a little background, I discovered my Paroxsymal Afib back in 2017 and decided to skip the drugs and go straight to an ablation. The ablation worked great, but my Afib occurrences have been steadily getting more frequent over the years despite taking Flecainide to help. Last year, I went to Peru and used AcetaZolamide to help prevent elevation sickness and it put me in Afib almost the entire vacation. When I got back, my occurrences continued on a more frequent basis. As a result, I was planning another ablation this year. THEN I DISCOVERED MAGNESIUM this summer. Since then, I have been taking a 100 mg dose and my Afib episodes have completely stopped. I know the scientific data does not back up this up for treatment, but I thought I would mention it anyway. To give you more details:
I am 65 yr old male, walk 3 miles a day, and weigh 160 lbs. I drink 8 oz of wine every evening and often more on the weekend. I take 50 mg of Flecainide Acetate and 100 mg of Magnesium (NOW Magnesium Glycinate) before bedtime. On the weekends, I will take more Flecainide if I plan on having more than one drink. The Magnesium has become a miracle drug for me so far. Time will tell on the long-term benefits, but it has changed my life so far this year.
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He is in the US so that won't be relevant in the UK most likely. Are we allowed to share which brands we take? If so I'm happy to share what I take which I get on subscription on Amazon.
It is so good to hear a positive post. You ae not the first person to say this. I know lots of people swear by taking magnesium and have reduced their AF., as you have. I have also heard others say it did nothing. Again this proves how diverse this condition is. There was a member on here a few years ago from Australia (can’t remember his name) who said it was the first hand treatment in Australia emergency dept., and that patients are given it intravenously and it put them back in NSR. He didn’t give the statistics for that, but there must be something with magnesium to give it this recognition. I think it is important to keep all our electrolytes in sync. The heart seems so sensitive in this respect. Any deficiency can make AF worse. I hope you continue to beat this monster. Keep us updated please.
I'm not a medical professional but I suspect it has the greatest impact for those who have a magnesium deficiency in the first place. If you already have good magnesium levels then it makes sense that it probably won't do much for you. Ironically, too much magnesium can cause irregular heartbeat amongst other problems so best to consult a medical professional about whether to take it and how much.
My cardiologist started me on daily magnesium supplements at my first appointment 5+ years ago. Several months later I questioned whether I should continue (2 tablets twice a day) as it didn't appear to make any difference - but he wanted me to continue and continue I have. Is it doing me any good? I don't know I how I would be if I wasn't taking it so it's difficult to know.
Magnesium is proven to support overall cardiac health. There is no evidence I don’t think that it works directly in arrhythmias. I also take it daily on the instruction of my GP and it has never made any difference for my arrhythmias.
"You wont get Magnesium toxicity from 350mg to 400mg daily so stop it with the scare stories."
I didn't say you'd get magnesium toxicity from 350mg to 400mg and the information I posted was from the web, hence it being in quotes and Italics! I note it doesn't say you will, just that it can. Obviously the risk increases with the dose and varies from person to person (we're all different). I suspect you're more likely to have problems if you take magnesium supplements when you're not actually deficient in magnesium in the first place or have other certain health issues but that's just a logical conclusion rather than something I know - and I'm not a medical professional.
The bottom line is that there are risks and just because you believe otherwise or that's not your experience, doesn't change the facts. Here's another direct quote - this time from WebMD website (I have only added bolding - the use of capitals was already in the text):
"Side Effects
When taken by mouth: Magnesium is LIKELY SAFE for most people when taken appropriately. Doses less than 350 mg daily are safe for most adults. In some people, magnesium might cause stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and other side effects. When taken in very large amounts (greater than 350 mg daily), magnesium is POSSIBLY UNSAFE. Large doses might cause too much magnesium to build up in the body, causing serious side effects including an irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, confusion, slowed breathing, coma, and death."
I would also add the following, noting some people with AF will also have kidney problems:
"Kidney problems, such as kidney failure: Kidneys that don't work well have trouble clearing magnesium from the body. Taking extra magnesium can cause magnesium to build up to dangerous levels. Don't take magnesium if you have kidney problems."
I suggest you do your research before accusing people of scaremongering!
What type are you taking as there are umpteen different types ...glycinate, oxide, taurate, citrate, malate etc etc...they all affect the body differently
I take magnesium orotate. I take magnesium as it is prescribed by my GP who wants me to keep my magnesium levels at the high end of the normal range. Taking 52.68g of magnesium orotate per day has achieved this.
It does nothing to stop, slow or prevent my arrhythmias. The message from my doctor is that magnesium supports good overall cardiac health, as does exercise and a good diet.
I am not sure if Mg stops my arrhythmia either tbh. However as I'm on the heart specific ones, I'm hopeful that the benefits are good. Hard to know. I initially took Mg to yearscago for muscle spasms and cramps caused by Sjögren's Syndrome...if I miss a couple of doses boy do I know it! It's great though that you can get it from your GP. I wish I could as all these supplements do not come cheap!
I think it important to have a regular blood test to check electrolytes, which l have had via my GP. I think we all know that over supplementing can do more harm than good. If you have a good GP or Cardiologist they automatically check for this because if electrolytes are out of sync. it is a major trigger for AF.
Be aware, blood tests for magnesium might not provide a reliable result...."tight control of magnesium serum levels, representing only 0.8% of total body stores (see Section 2.4),...... serves as a poor proxy for the 99.2% of magnesium in other tissues that constitutes the body’s true magnesium status."
In that case, do you think the medical profession take that into consideration if they are not getting a true result? Doesn’t that apply to all electrolytes? Thanks, l am very interested in this.
I'm sure they are aware of the limitations of the tests they request, including magnesium blood tests. A test result is only part of the information a medical professional would use in making a diagnosis.I have experienced this with my GP who ignored a test result because he had previously seen false negative results. So given persistent symptoms consistent with a positive test result, prescribed medication which had an almost immediate positive effect I.e. the test result was wrong. He ignored it and treated me as if I was positive anyway...... and he was right.
Yes, it’s quite eye-opening how vulnerable we all are to false results. I think now it is normal practice for the GP to take a second test, if recommended by haematology, if it is inconclusive. I recently had a creatinine level test which came back as possible stage 3 kidney failure. My GP did a second test and it was completely normal. Other information is needed, therefore, to be absolutely certain. You are correct that a blood test is only the beginning of a diagnosis. There is more than one blood test for magnesium. Let’s pray we always get a vigilant and knowledgeable medic. I find some things disturbing when we put our lives in their hands.
I should add that in my case I refused to accept initial thought of my GP that it was part of the ageing process. I was adamant that it wasn't associated with gradual decline, more so like dropping off a cliff and I kept going back.
Yes, l am a great believer of intuition and knowing how your own body works. You just know when something is different. That’s the first test LOL. Take care.
Your body regulates the amount of electrolytes in the blood very tightly as they are essential for many bodily functions including keeping the heart rhythm steady, muscle contraction, and many other functions including the parathyroid gland and the kidneys. It’s all very tightly controlled. Your serum electrolyte tests are not a measure of dietary deficiency and if they are consistently abnormal, it is usually an indication of a pathology occurring elsewhere. For example, if someone has reduced kidney function they will be less able to regulate their electrolytes. I see this over and over on this group — that serum magnesium and other electrolyte levels are a reflection of dietary intakes. They’re not. All you are doing is giving your body more work to do. Magnesium supplements are not dangerous at normal levels, so at least it’s low risk. Personally I take a food first approach by including nuts, seeds, leafy greens, beans and legumes on the daily. If you have a poor appetite, or you only eat a limited variety of foods then perhaps a supplement of some kind is prudent. I found that Mg supplements seemed to make my ectopics worse but they certainly didn’t help so I don’t take them. My arrhythmia nurse said don’t take them if they’re not prescribed, so I don’t.
Thats not what Dr. Gupta, the renowned Cardiologist, tells us in his videos. I beg to differ that electrolytes are “not a reflection of dietary intakes.” We get our nutrients. which the body needs, from food, as you yourself say you eat magnesium rich foods. Supplements may not suit, or be needed by you, or me either, but there are lots that are advised or recommended to take them and have been all the better for it, as this original post tells us, Those with co-morbidities are sensible to get checked before taking this route. We are talking about how to keep the heart healthy with AF. What is good for one can be poison to another.
The problem with serum magnesium measurements is that the source of the magnesium could be your diet or it could be coming from your bones. A serum magnesium test can’t tell you this. There are conditions that can cause low magnesium levels regardless of dietary intake. Serum magnesium level is not necessarily an indication of dietary deficiency. Only about 1% of your body’s magnesium is in the blood. The problem is that there are no reliable ways of determining whether you are deficient in magnesium. There are other tests such as measuring red cell magnesium but this isn’t necessarily a reliable indicator either. It’s a lot more complicated than many people on this forum seem to believe. If you’re happy getting your health information from YouTube, you do you.
There is a bone profile blood test of minerals in the bones. I am happier getting my information and advice from a medic. than an opinion of someone who is not medically trained. I do not get my information from You Tube as you say l do and l quoted the name of a Cardiologist who is qualified to give advice and opinions.
The bone profile test isn’t specifically a test of the mineral content in the bones. I have had that test many times so I’m familiar with what it measures.. The name “bone profile” is somewhat misleading. It’s still a measure of serum levels and overlaps considerably with the serum electrolyte levels, and also overlaps with renal and liver function tests. If you have several of these various tests on one day you’ll see that that the serum calcium or albumin (for example) is identical across more than one test. It’s the serum levels that are being measured, not what is inside bones or inside the liver or wherever, because that’s impossible to ascertain in a blood test. The clue is in the name. It’s a blood test, not a biopsy. These levels can be raised/lowered in various conditions affecting different organs and systems, hence why the same measurements are used to check the health of various organs or systems.
Yes, thank you so much, but as l said previously l prefer any medical information and explanations to be given to me by someone who is qualified to do so. I don’t think this is the correct place to give such in-depth evaluations on medical procedures when you are not qualified to do so, and possibly confusing folks.
I’m an Aussie and I’ve never heard of it being ‘first hand treatment’. My husband was not given magnesium in hospital either for his AF and my cardiologist has never suggested it for mine. My brother has also never been given it or taken it.
My GP, however, did prescribe magnesium for me stating that she believed my magnesium levels should be kept at the high end of the normal range to support overall heart health.
No, they do it in the UK too but they test your blood on admission. It’s done on the point-of-care machine so the blood tests are almost instant. They also send your blood to the lab for testing at the same time.
I guess it depends where you go some use in some don’t. I saw a published meta analysis in 2021 which substantiated the use of magnesium along with standard of care. The results which compared to placebo instead of Mg saw that it made a significant difference in rate control and modest difference in rhythm control for conversion to sinus when Mg added to standard of care vs standard of care and placebo.
So it is used this way then? I remember a post on here saying the very same. Were your magnesium levels low, or was it just administered as a treatment?
Perhaps my magnesium levels were low, I can’t remember but I got the impression from the nurse who put in the catheter that they had had some success with magnesium alone getting people back to sinus rhythm. About an hour after the drip I did revert to SR but I suppose without doing a randomised controlled study it’s impossible to say whether it was helped by the magnesium or coincidental. Of course it’s possible that the hospital was doing their own study at the time…..
That’s so interesting isn’t it? I personally think from research, that magnesium is an important element in AF and the function of the heart. The York cardiologist Dr. Gupta has a video on You Tube stressing the need for magnesium. Is it a cure? No, l don’t think so, but a big help for some. Water has magnesium in it, so if you drink your daily amount it should help. I believe some medications interact with the absorption of magnesium, which so often gets overlooked. Thanks.
As an aside, when my brother was experiencing palpitations & booked an appointment with a cardiologist, after having an ECG, echo & 48 hr holter monitor the cardiologist prescribe magnesium supplements. No more palpitations.
Does all water contain magnesium or is it dependent upon your water source.? I live in South Africa and although our tap water is potable, I take no chances and the mains water goes into tanks and through 3 filters before it reaches my taps - Would this filtration remove magnesium?
Yes, filtration does strip away minerals magnesium and calcium. I think all water contains magnesium the best being spring water. You could try bottled water if you can get it, which should contain all the minerals.
I was once put on a magnesium drip when in AF and in a hospital. It made me feel like I was dying, could hardly move or speak. Fortunately the person who did it saw how it was affecting me and turned it off.
How awful. Definitely not what you need when you’re already struggling with AF! Did they give you any explanation or indicate that others had had the same reaction? Magnesium seems such an unlikely candidate for such a horrific effect.
I have been to AE many times with fast AF., most recently 3 weeks ago. I have never been put on a drip of magnesium. AF is so complex and difficult to treat because everyone reacts so differently to treatments.
If only that worked for me but unfortunately not although I'm a big fan of magnesium glycinate I take 300mg every night it doesn't stop AF but I sleep well
Magnesium is certainly one to try. Another is CoQ10. My Naturopath suggested both together.
Whatever works stick with it but always keep an open mind for changes. I would have a Red Cell Magnesium and CoQ10 blood tests to find out your base levels. The advice I got is that both should be in the upper quartile of the normal range.
Yep...I take a triple combo Mg and Coq10 along with Vit D3...incidentally if you are taking Mg you need Vit D3 and/or K2 too to optimise absorption. Check if you're on anticoagulants though re the K2. Dr Eric Berg on YouTube has some great info on that
I was diagnosed with PAF in December '23, although when I got covid in 2022 I had episodes for 3 mornings. I have been trying lifestyle changes and supplements. I take Cardiovascular Research Magnesium taurate as it is the heart magnesium. It is great. I also take ubiquinol, nattokinase among others. I haven't had any episodes since early July and am very nervous about going on sotalol, which has been recommended, because of the side effects.
I haven't tried nattokinase yet although I was advised to by 2 pals in the US for post covid stuff, same year as you......I'm on meds for PAF and had a stroke and TIA's in March at same time as AF diagnosis..however, I do take Mg triple combo, Coq10 100mg, Vit D3 1600iu, (on prescription), and Vit C500mg along with 2 ACV gummies. The implementation of Coq10 really helped clear my lungs as covid left me with a dreadful cough. I was initially on 100mg but changed it to 200mg and 'cured' my asthma symptoms to boot. No longer use any inhalers. Unfortunately following the stroke I was in hospital and taken off all supplements bar the vit D3 and magnesium...so only after careful research did I put myself back on coq10. GP has since agreed it's safe for me to take. Not sure I should take 200mg though as it could interact with Bisoprolol apparently...although no anecdotal evidence out there per se. Bisoprolol has given me an annoying cough and hoarse voice even on 1.25mg...ugh!
Magnesium is a well known treatment even if not universally accepted as such, even though many doctors would attest to its effectiveness with many of us.
I would say that it has greatly improved my life and although I am in permanent AF my regular magnesium has been effective in eliminating the previous episodes of racing pulse and the noticeable flutter and irregular beats.
As a supplement that causes no bad effects if not taken in silly amounts, think everybody should at least try it and see if it has an impact on their condition.
Like you I am taking 100 mg (one capsule) of Mg glycinate
I don't know anyone personally who has benefited from magnesium and the doctor I see doesn't either, so that's a lot of people; also, the claims for it as you say, have never once been proven despite many serious attempts. I read a recent claim that because intravenous magnesium worked, then it stands to reason oral will, too... doh.
But... you have found success, so presumably your metabolism that needs extra. I would think you could have got this more naturally from your diet, and that would be a better way in terms of absorption, but what the heck - you've got what you need. I wish I could find a way to stop mine!
I think they put me on 10,000mg magnesium drip back in 2017 in ED. It seemed to help get me back in sinus. Mind you at the end of the drip they gave me Metoprolol as well. A year ago I did bloods and found I was low Magnesium so i supplemented. Who knows if it helps now, could be my meds but I seem to experience only 1 or 2 episodes a year since 2022. Maybe it’s my diet and exercise. Like others have said we are all different and I suspect that AF May have many subtypes and that’s the reason why many of us behave differently with AF
The only way to try is to stop the magnesium and see what happens, I suppose! Like Heineken, IV mag sulphate refreshes the parts that other forms can't reach!
It didn’t help me. I think I said this before but I thought it made my ectopics worse at time when I was having thousands per day. My last 24h ECG showed 500 which is a big improvement and no magnesium supplements whatsoever!
The IV magnesium is really for in an emergency setting and these days all A&E departments will have point-of-care blood testing to check the electrolytes in every arrhythmia admission, I should imagine.
I find it a bit crazy that so many people believe serum magnesium levels are some sort of nutritional status test whereas the body will leach it from the bones if it’s either lacking in the diet or isn’t being absorbed from the diet (in the case of certain diseases like Crohn’s). Testing for serum electrolytes will always show fluctuations to some degree but as long as they are within normal limits, that’s the important thing. This whole fad of “keeping your electrolytes topped up” with those sachets makes no sense unless there is either a genuine medical need or if someone does a lot of high level sport. The world has gone completely bonkers over unnecessary supplements
As I guess I have said, I spent half my working life in pharmaceutical marketing and saw first-hand just how difficult it is to ensure that drugs actually do work. People's claims for this or that supplement never fail to amaze me and the idea that "we are all different" must be the most oft used phrase on forums like this one.
Double blinded studies prove rather more than many would want to believe - and, even given that kind of ideal evidence, many would claim to know better than the science shows. The power of the mind is under-rated and rather unknown. I was talking to someone the other day who, occasionally, and given the right social circumstances, will suffer with what is a clear "panic" type response brought on by over-breathing; and yet she will never in a million years accept it to be a form of anxiety: no, it's her low blood pressure.
I am amazed that the Enlightenment did so little for so many, but as Shakespeare wrote, "What fools these mortals be". And I include myself in that!
There seems to be an awful lot of pathologising (via social media) completely normal bodily functions these days and there is a long list of dubious diagnoses, for which there is always a supplement regime and a list of random foods/food groups to avoid. It’s really quite ridiculous what some people believe. My friend told me her alternative health person gave her some remedy to “balance the adrenals” but in reality she has extreme anxiety and an eating disorder. Of course, encouraging someone to eat rather than take some nonsense remedy for a made up condition would be a lot more helpful than some silly flower essence. She certainly believes in it but I don’t see much evidence of the placebo effect either. I think a lot of these health beliefs are potentially very harmful. There’s certainly a spectrum of potential harm, at one end it’s just popping a vitamin pill that neither does good nor harm whereas at the other end there are people afraid to eat healthy foods or even drink water but will dose up on ashwaganda and whatnot, and give these products a quasi religious status.
Hi 👋 I take Magnesium too, in a combo capsule of Glycinate, Taurate and Malate, the latter two are cardio specific. The elemental dose amounts to 400mg in 3 capsules. I'm convinced it's what's enabling me to be on a very low dose of Bisoprolol 1.25mg (had dreadful side effects on just 2.5mg) and 1.25mg of Amlodapine. I was having some atrial flutters on higher doses of meds and lower doses of magnesium, so I make sure most days I manage to get 3 in. I space them out from my meds by a minimum of 2 hours and take with my prescription Vit D3 as both need the other to be optimally absorbed. K2 is another supplement recommended to take with them but is not the case if you're on anticoagulants as I am. Additionally, I take Coq10 100mg in the middle of the day, well apart from my Rx meds. 100mg is a very low dose of Mg so I'm sure you could possibly take more although I'm not sure whether it interacts with Flecanaide. I am not completely free of flutters or weird feelings, however, I feel the supplements do help. Initially, the hospital pharmacist wasn't happy about me taking anything...well let's face it, there's more money in Big Pharma...shhhh I didn't say that! My pharmacist attached to my GP surgery is fine with my choices. He knows I would choose supplements over meds anyway IF I had that complete confidence....I'm too scared to try it though as had a full motor strip stroke due to undiagnosed AF/Afib so if I can manage it on my low doses of Rx then I'll continue with the supplements. The info on Coq10 with Bisoprolol and Apixaban (Eliquis in USA) is mixed but there's enough evidential info if you dig deep enough to sway me to taking it, albeit cautiously. I was on 200mg prior to AF diagnosis, and that had helped me to recover from covid, my lungs improved immeasurably but I fear that maybe a tad too much with the meds. I also take 500mg of Vit C at night before bed and 2 ACV gummies. Balance and finding it is key isn't it for each of us...Take care 😊
How do you get your rbc magnesium levels tested though other than at gp? regular blood tests only show magnesium levels in the blood (which is just1%), when most of your magnesium is in the bones ? Does a home test exist for this rbc blood test or is it a venous draw?
I believe there is a blood test for bone profile of minerals in the bones. I wonder if this is combined with a regular test when checking the electrolytes? I will have to ask. I think the more thorough test is a venous draw.
Not just Mg, which I take as taurate supplement along with D3/K2/multi vit but,potassium is also good for heart health. And this I really believe keeps PAF under check for me at least. I also take handful of pumpkin seeds /raisins with breakfast that contains potassium, zinc etc. Dr Sanjay Gupta and Dr Berg resources are excellent.
Thats very interesting! I remember being recommended to try Magnesium , but decided against it for some reason, maybe I thought that I was already taking too many tablets for my aFib. !!
Hi am in the US is the brand name of the magnesium Now ? I’ve been searching for a good magnesium and Now was one of the brands I was looking into . Thank you . Best of luck .
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Like Heineken, IV mag sulphate refreshes the parts that other forms can't reach! 
How much flecainide is too much for afib?
Has anyone had Ablation for AFib and PAC’s/PVC’s? And did it stop the PAC’s? 
Stopping Flecainide 
Flecainide advice
