Magnesium for ectopic beats

[Best2]

Hi everyone, please can anyone tell me if they have used magnesium and if so which type and was it any help with ectopic beats? I have 10 per cent ectopics on 24 hour ecg and am waiting to see ep just wondering if I can try and reduce them with magnesium , Im taking Diltiazen as well . Thankyou

[Hidden]

There is strong evidence that magnesium as a supplement can help your heart with irregular beats.

But please bear in mind that you shouldn't just help yourself to a magnesium supplement without considering your other possible comorbidities, such as kidney disease, for example, for which magnesium is contra-indicated, being toxic in large doses. Taking magnesium can also cause some side effects such as diarrhoea, nausea, and stomach cramping.

You might also consider getting extra magnesium via your diet. Foods such as these can help:

Soy products like tofu or soy milk.

Green leafy vegetables like spinach

Legumes

Black beans

Avocados

Bananas

But if you think a supplement is still necessary, please ask the advice of your qualified health care professional, to be safe.

[Best2 in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou for this good advice I will email my docs on Monday and see what they suggest

[Dee5165 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for this information. I’m curious about how much magnesium is toxic. I take 850 mgs in supplements per day not including food intake. I am now out of Afib and Flutter and back into NSR after 7 weeks of using magnesium for an irregular heartbeat. I am a product of that strong evidence. However I’m concerned how long I should take this amount knowing it can be toxic.

[mag-2021 in reply to Hidden]

Hello. Regarding the foods you mentioned, don't they contain phytic acid which hinders absorption of magnesium, calcium (and other minerals), thus making these foods (legumes, nuts, vegetables etc.) poor sources of magnesium? If you have information to clear this confusion up, please do so. Thanks.

[Hidden in reply to mag-2021]

Hi mag02021, can't help you with that I'm afraid. It was just my own thought and opinion based on some online reading I did on the topic, and can of course be disregarded if you disagree. I can't even remember which articles I read as this was a response I made to Best2's post of four months ago. There's lots out there on the internet on the topic so maybe you could do your own research. Take care.

[mag-2021 in reply to Hidden]

Hello, again. Thanks for replying. My research since 2019 has led to confusion. Many authorities recommend eating the foods you listed to get magnesium. Other authorities (research sites, etc.) warn that vegetables, legumes, nuts, even cocoa/coffee etc. contain high levels of phytic acid which is a key inhibitor of minerals absorption (especially calcium, nagnesium, zinc). That's why 'vegetarians often do not get enough minerals,' etc. I guess, based on this knowledge, supplementation is probably the best way to maintain an adequate total-minerals level (including magnesium) - then again, I read that magnesium tablets/sprays could be ineffective if calcium is present in the intestines (via food) or is high in the blood (?) as it will bind the magnesium/making it unavailable. Separately, various research articles claim that the Taurine & Arginine combination is the key to reversing and preventing arrhythmias (and not so much magnesium), contradicting tons of articles that claim otherwise. Official magnesium info sites are of not much help as the confusion has not been cleared up. Even the issue of transdermal sprays is confusing, as various scientific articles claim magnesium oil is basically useless since the skin is designed to keep foreign elements out (but nicotine patches and presciption zinc ointments etc. penetrate the skin?). Even magnesium supplements have confusing labels, since a '100 mg' tablet does not actually mean 100 mg of elemental magnesium. Anyway, thanks again.

[IndiraK]

Hi there,Yes, for me Mg Taurate helped almost immediately to calm the ectopic beats right down. I already ate an almost completely veggie diet with lots of green leafy veg, nuts, seeds etc but the MgTaurate still made the difference. Have a look at Dr Sanjay Gupta's advice (York Cardiology specialist) on ectopics.

All the best.

[Best2 in reply to IndiraK]

Thankyou for replying I will certainly look at the advice from dr Sanjay Gupta I’ve heard he’s very good

[Dee5165 in reply to IndiraK]

Maybe you would know. I also take Magnesium Taurate and Magnesium Glycinate. I’m curious about how much magnesium is toxic. I take 850 mgs in supplements per day not including food intake. I too eat a lot of veggies. I am now out of Afib and Flutter and back into NSR after 7 weeks of using magnesium for an irregular heartbeat. However I’m concerned how long I should take this amount knowing it can be toxic.

[Hidden in reply to Dee5165]

Hi Dee5165 and congratulations on using magnesium to successfully control an irregular heartbeat. Many vitamin and mineral supplements are toxic when taken to excess and magnesium's no exception. I am not a current health professional, just a curious reader, and as such the reading source I used suggested not having more than 350mg per day in total, of magnesium from any source. But that's why asking a health professional is so important. It's easy to think that if 'x' is doing us good, more 'x' must do us more good. In your case it seems on the face of it that it does, but I really do think the input of a health professional in your case is just as vital. To continue your improvement in heart rhythm you might need to take this mineral at the dose you are currently using, permanently, and it is a good idea to find out if that is safe for you. You didn't say whether you have reduced kidney function, but whether you do or don't, it may be that this does carry an extra risk of toxicity. And makes it especially important for professional medical input. I'd strongly advise just checking that you are safe for long term use. Best wishes and good luck!

[Dee5165 in reply to Hidden]

Hi. Thank you for your quick response.I too am an avid reader with health issues, but I do have a Nutritional Health Science background from years ago. The normal amount of Magnesium for a female is 350 mgs. However, only 40% is absorbed in your body and the rest is lost in urine. Research suggests taking 600-750 mgs of Magnesium Taurate/Glycinate for Afib benefits but more than 2000 mgs. may be toxic. (in additional research) It is difficult to discuss supplements for Afib with Doctors because they are not trained in nutritional supplements. They will only prescribe meds. Unfortunately I had every side effect with meds and no QOL so I had to turn to supplements. I added Hawthorn Berry and Wild Alaskan Fish Oil along with Vitamin C to bring me back to normal sinus rhythm.

[Hidden in reply to Dee5165]

Sounds as if you have a good handle on it then Dee5165! 😊

[Shcldavies]

If you have a shortage of magnesium in your cells (note not blood count) it will help, if you don’t it won’t help. Many do have a shortage and benefit from magnesium. Do not take magnesium oxide and you will have to try the other types to see what is better absorbed for you. If you take PPIs reduce them or stop them if you can as they prevent magnesium being absorbed. In the long term best to eat foods rich in magnesium - avocado bananas etc. Shortage of potassium sodium and iron could also be the problem. Unfortunately our body is extremely complex not even the experts know enough so it will be a little trial and error to get to the bottom of the cause,

[Lbeat796 in reply to Shcldavies]

Hi can I ask what a PPI is. Thanks

[Shcldavies in reply to Lbeat796]

Its Proton Pump Inhibitors such as omeprizole as you need acid in your stomach to absorb the magnesium

[Dee5165]

I take Magnesium Taurate with Magnesium Glycinate. It takes approximately 8 weeks to show benefits. After 7 weeks my Afib and flutter disappeared and I was in NSR. The post below stated there is strong evidence that magnesium can help with irregular beats. Well it worked for me.

[Spanaway]

Yes I take 1000 milligrams a day and yes it helps😉

[pip_pip]

When I started magnesium I got bad ectopics. They disappeared when I stopped taking it some time afterwards becos I did not realise it was the magnesium. This can happen. Taking magnesium can make matters worse. I only realised it was the magnesium when someone else on this forum had same issue. Be careful. It's not for everyone. Phil

[Threecats in reply to pip_pip]

That’s interesting Phil. I’ve had the same experience. I thought it was my imagination but clearly not!

[LizzieAFib]

I tried Magnesium Taurate pills, but my guts didn’t like it, so I’ve gone back to Magnesium Citrate as a liquid. The one I take is MAG365, which is available on Amazon.

[Best2 in reply to LizzieAFib]

Thankyou for replying LizzieAFib il have a look on Amazon!

[sheffbk]

Very mixed responses, but from some of them, you'd think it was the answer to most heart rhythm problems.

If it's so obvious and such a cheap solution (compared with most medications), then why no proper large scale controlled study? - would be easy to do, and the scientists to do it would be such as Sanjay Gupta's team. Why not done?

I'd love it to be useful, but have tried two or three different formulations for many months with no apparent effect (but anyway I do have a diet high in natural Mg). Even if no good for me, the research might be great for others.

Sanjay is a very good/informative talker, and he answered a couple of questions I had very promptly and well, but when I twice asked him about evidence re Mg I didn't get any reply. I'm sure he's a busy doctor, but.

Magnesium comes up so often on the AA site that maybe this organisation should push for proper research trials.

[Coco51]

I use Magnesium Taurate. 145mg twice a day. I can't say it's made a huge difference - maybe a bit. I have seen posts by people who say that they found a higher dose made their AF/Ectopics worse and things improved on a smaller dose.

I do know that in A&E when I went for bad AF the first thing they did was put me on a Magnesium drip, so it's obviously an approved treatment.

Frankly, though, I am a bit shocked the Sanjay Gupta videos made no mention of possible toxicity. Why not I wonder? Maybe because it's rare or not often recognised? We take a lot on trust with these things.