Magnesium

[AlphaWolf5195]

Hi Everyone

I know quite a few people on here take magnesium supplements. I have read that magnesium taurate is good for heart palpitations. Does anyone on here take magnesium taurate who has heart palpitations? Has it helped with the heart palpitations at all? What is the best form of magnesium to take?

At the moment I take a triple magnesium complex which is glycinate, maleate and citrate but was wondering whether it was worth trying magnesium taurate instead. I often get heart palpitations, skipped heart beats and extra heart beats and although my Dr says these are fine and perfectly normal they do cause me anxiety.

[Tina_Maria]

There are a variety of magnesium supplements available and it is really personal preference, which one does suit you best.

Magnesium citrate - very popular and one of the best bioavailable formulations. Aids digestion but can lead to diarrhoea or stomach upsets in susceptible people and at higher doses.

Magnesium glycinate - bound to the amino acid glycine. Can help to improve sleep. Also easily absorbed and can assist with anxiety, depression and has calming properties.

Magnesium malate - well absorbed and reported to be gentler on the digestive system compared to the citrate formulation.

Magnesium taurate - bound to the amino acid taurine. Has been shown to assist in regulating blood sugar and blood pressure in rat models, but more research is needed in humans. Well tolerated and easily absorbed.

Magnesium L-threonate - easily absorbed. Animal research suggests most effective type for increasing magnesium concentrations in brain cells.

With regards to your irregular heart beat, has your doctor checked your potassium level? Low potassium can lead to irregular heart beats or arrhythmias, as the heart relies on potassium to regulate electrical activity and muscle contraction. I would get that checked and if low you may have to increase your potassium intake via food or supplements. Low magnesium levels can also cause low potassium in some cases - but I would ask your GP to test your potassium to be sure.

[AlphaWolf5195 in reply to Tina_Maria]

Many thanks for your reply and your detailed description of what all the different types of magnesium do. It really helps.

I have recently had my potassium levels checked and they were 3.7 (range 3.5 - 5.3) so are normal.

[Tina_Maria in reply to AlphaWolf5195]

It is good that your potassium has been checked, but as it just scrapes into the normal range, it seems to be a bit on the low side perhaps and could affect your heart beats? Probably not that low to warrant supplementation, but it could do to increase a bit to more mid-range perhaps? Maybe just try to increase foods rich in potassium for a bit (such as bananas, spinach, potatoes (especially with skin), avocados, sweet potatoes, dried apricots, and salmon) and see if that makes any difference? Could be worth a try as these items are part of a healthy diet anyway... Just a thought!

[AlphaWolf5195 in reply to Tina_Maria]

Many thanks for your reply and suggestion. I’ll try anything that might help and as you say these are just normal foods so I will up the quantity I eat of them and see if it makes a difference. Thank you.