Should magnesium carbonate be avoided in thyroid disease …

[Noelnoel]

… even though it’s widely recommended for gently relieving constipation, which many of us, including me lately, suffer from?

It’s also commonly used as a neutraliser for acidic stomach conditions but lots of us have problems making enough stomach acid which is a contributory factor in constipation, so if anything, wouldn’t carbonate exacerbate constipation?

Deficiency seems to be common and we supplement with various types of magnesium, including those that contain carbonate, should we be more discerning about the forms we take and what alternatives are there that work as well as carbonate for gentle regulation of the bowel and stubborn and persistent constipation? I take two separate forms, glycinate as an all-rounder and citrate for constipation but citrate is totally ineffective, for me at least. There are lots of purging remedies (which is really not the way to go) and although I was up until recently regular as clockwork, going after breakfast and again after dinner, I’d be very happy even if it was just once a day!

All suggestions welcome

Edited

All sensible suggestions, I should add. My family, who think this is very funny have made various unhelpful suggestions

[Alanna012]

Good post magnesium carbonate makes my gastric reflux worse (which otherwise is relatively rare for me these days). I found taking it at high doses did this, especially if taken before bedtime.

I now take malate, but I have substantially reduced the dosage even with this form.

[Noelnoel in reply to Alanna012]

Hi Alanna

What were you taking it for?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

NoelNoel

Are you taking Natural Calm magnesium citrate?

Here is what they say in an article on their website, yes it is magnesium carbonate but once water is added it turns into magnesium citrate, something that is different:

naturalcalm.ca/magnesium-ca...

I take two separate forms, glycinate as an all-rounder and citrate for constipation but citrate is totally ineffective, for me at least.

Are you taking enough? I have to be very specific with the amount I take, weighing it out every time, if I am even 1/4 of a gram under it doesn't work so well.

[Noelnoel in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi SeasisdeSusie

I’ve been taking pure encapsulations for both forms but today my natural calm

arrived and it says on the tub that it’s carbonate so I thought I’d check in ask for advice

So then, you’re saying it somehow turns to citrate after mixing and that I might need to take more than I have been thus far?

Ok, thank you. I’ll try that. Is that what you take and if so, how much, although I’m sure we all need varying amounts. The label says work up to 4g/2tspns

Thank you also for the link

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Noelnoel]

Noelnoel

So then, you’re saying it somehow turns to citrate after mixing and that I might need to take more than I have been thus far?

The link explains it.

Yes, I take Natural Calm, it's the only thing that helps my lifelong constipation and I've tried many things. Oh, apart from Ortis Fruits and Fibres and I needed twice the suggested dose:

dolphinfitness.co.uk/en/ort...

I have to take more than the recommended amount of Natural Calm too. You just start with, say, 1/4 of a teaspoonful and gradually work up, but I weigh it so that I know exactly how much. If you develop too loose stools just drop it back a bit.

[Noelnoel in reply to SeasideSusie]

Ok, thank you

Yes, I too have to take double dose of Ortis but then I wake to go very early in the morning

[Pearlteapot]

Interesting post. I take magnesium citrate 420mg and can't say it has done anything much. I'm assuming that a combination of various changes is needed, including improving the acidity of my tum. I've been taking apple cider vinegar every morning and digestive bitters and it feels really good. It feels as if my gassy blocked up feeling is improving. Tum definitely flatter and more comfortable. This has not yet translated into any kind of regular bowel movement but I feel better motility will be arriving any moment now. Might try increasing the magnesium citrate dose and see what happens.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Pearlteapot]

Are you using tablets? Try the powder and tailor the dose to suit. You don't have that option with tablets.

[Pearlteapot in reply to SeasideSusie]

Good idea. The tablets are huge great lumps that I have to cut in half to swallow. Do you use some special scales or regular kitchen electronic scale good enough ?

[Noelnoel in reply to Pearlteapot]

Not sure what SeasideSusie uses but I’ve got some tiny scales, the type you see in dramas that involve drug dealing, to measure minute quantities. Hardly use them now but they were useful when building up my dose of Metavive

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Pearlteapot]

Pearlteapot

I use ordinary digital kitchen scales that measure in 1 gram increments. When it flickers between the two weights I know that's the right dose for me.

[Noelnoel in reply to Pearlteapot]

Yes, perhaps as SeasideSusie has suggested, a bit more might just do it for you

I also take apple cider vinegar but I’ve not heard of using bitters. Is there a particular brand you’d recommend? It’s always useful to have other things to try

[Pearlteapot in reply to Noelnoel]

well the random internet article that I read that suggested bitters recommended 'urban moonshine.' I chose 'A. Vogel Digestisan' for no particular good reason except that I confused the brand with a German bath oil that I like (in fact a different name). I haven't been using it long enough to comment except that it produces a pleasing gurgle which suggests enzymes are being stimulated, hopefully.

[Noelnoel in reply to Pearlteapot]

Silly reply I suppose (just the sort of thing my family would think funny)but German bath oil ought to do the trick!

[Beads in reply to Noelnoel]

Can I ask if you know the difference between apple cider vinegar (££££) and just plain cider vinegar (£)? I was wondering if they were the same thing and why the discrepancy in price?

[Pearlteapot in reply to Beads]

The difference is or should be that apple cider vinegar ££££ contains a 'mother' which means it has a cloudy sediment at the bottom which is probiotic. Bottle should be shaken before use so that you get some of that bacteria in each dose.

I do not know how effective just the vinegar without the bacteria would be for balancing the stomach acid. My best guess is that ordinary vinegar is not very effective or we could use white or red wine vinegar for the same purpose. But no one does.

[Beads in reply to Pearlteapot]

Thank you! I’ve been wondering.

[humanbean in reply to Beads]

Apple Cider Vinegar is the US name for what British people have always called Cider Vinegar.

The US brand that often gets recommended is Braggs, and as more and more people have taken it the price has rocketed over the years.

Personally I don't take the stuff, but if I did, I'd buy this one :

tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/p...

I'm pretty sure that it used to be called just "Cyder Vinegar" but they've just jumped on the Braggs bandwagon.

[Beads in reply to humanbean]

Got you, the important word is 'raw'.

So this one tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/p... is not the same as it's probably pasturised. Now I understand, the 'mother', as Pearlteapot says, is the difference, sort of like the difference between live and non-live yoghurt.

[humanbean in reply to Beads]

The Aspall one I linked is described as :

Bottled unfiltered and unpasteurised, retaining the vinegar-fermenting bacteria that form the harmless jelly-like substance known as the mother.

[Noelnoel in reply to Beads]

Pearlteapot and humanbean have pretty much explained it

[Anthea55]

I find that sweet potato works for me. I have it 2 or 3 times a week and I can tell when I've forgotten to eat it. Normal potato disagrees with me, but the sweet potato is a different plant botanically. If you look it up you'll find that it has many health benefits.

[Noelnoel in reply to Anthea55]

Thank you Anthea, I’ve got a couple in my cupboard so will make sure to use them up. I often end up throwing them out because they’re not my favourite. I can’t find a way of cooking them where they don’t end up a soggy mush

[Anthea55 in reply to Noelnoel]

I usually microwave mine. Prick all over, wrap in a sheet of kitchen paper, microwave for 1 minute. Repeat a minute at a time until it feels soft, depending on size. Cut in half and add plenty of butter and salt and pepper.

Otherwise I peel and mash - again plenty of butter and seasoning.

My cooking isn't very adventurous!

[Noelnoel in reply to Anthea55]

Perhaps not but good enough at least to keep your bowels working

[Noelnoel]

Hi Alicesmother

I’ve been using citrate too and it definitely doesn’t upset my stomach but neither has it been working. It’s been suggested that I mightn’t be taking enough. Have started something new so let’s see

[Brightness14]

Years before I was found to have a thyroid problem I had my gallbladder removed it was full of calcium stones due to low vitamin D. Anyway after this was removed I started to have constipation. I asked my local pharmacist and she told me to take lactulose this worked for me and is easy on the stomach too. I only use it once or twice a week.

[Noelnoel in reply to Brightness14]

Thanks brightness