I've been reading on magnesium and it's benefits not only for MS but for other conditions as well. I wanted to start supplementing but wanted to make sure I knew what my options were.

In my reading, I have come across different kinds of magnesium and one dr. feels it is best absorbed through the skin through magnesium chloride. There is magnesium citrate, magnesium glycinate, magnesium chelate, etc. So I wasn't sure which one is more readily absorbed when taken orally and if taking an Epsom salt bath would actually be the best way to absorb the magnesium as the one dr suggests.

Also, I read about the ratio of calcium to magnesium. Some say it's 2:1 and others say 1:1. In other words, if you take 320 mg of magnesium you either need 320 mg of calcium or 640 mg of calcium. I also know that most of us get our calcium from our diets so supplementation may not be necessary.

Currently, from what I have read, there is no blood test or anything that can be done to see if you are deficient. I know a study was done some time ago on the brains of 5 MS patients and controls on autopsy. The MS patients showed a deficiency of magnesium in their brains while the controls did not. I thought that was interesting but such a small study and one I am currently not got to volunteer for, for obvious reasons. But it made sense to me as neurologically, magnesium deficiencies can cause problems.

Anyhow, may one of you can shed some light on proper supplementation.

There are different ways to get the magnesium.

Food is one. Some foods are high in magnesium...beans, Edamame beans, almonds, yogurt.

One can soak in epsom salts, but that gives local relief.

There are also studies of migraine which showed normal serum levels (not very reliable) who when given extra magnesium showed improvement in migraine frequency. So the study you saw on MS patients echos that.

I have a magnesium thread here:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread1138.html

There are creams also... Kirkman makes one.

Target 1/2 the RDA to start. (assuming you eat some in your diet). That would be 200mg elemental orally daily, of a chelate.
The thread explains "elemental".

People low in magnesium may be low in Vit D also. So it would be a good idea to get Vit D3 testing as well.

Avoid products with magnesium OXIDE in them... this is not absorbed and acts like a laxative.

Thanks, mrsD! There's a lot of reading on that thread so it may take me a bit to get through. You did a great job explaining a lot. I don't even think I am 1/2 through. I've read about magnesium's help with the migraines as well as diabetes and heart disease.

I do try to get most of my magnesium as well as other vitamins and minerals through foods but sometimes it is hard and I don't know if I truly am getting enough.

The lotion is a good option too and I like that idea as it by passes the stomach and I have such a sensitive stomach anyhow. (Thanks, MS for the nerve damage.)

This nutrition website gives the content of minerals including magnesium in common foods. It can be very helpful:

http://nutritiondata.self.com/

It also shows the inflammatory index of various foods.

While I take supplements, they do tend to loosen me too much at times. Since I have started eating black beans and Edamame beans at least once a day, my blood pressure has come way down, even. So it is possible that magnesium from foods is better absorbed than supplements. Although I haven't seen studies to that effect.

I also eat nuts for snacks, rather than chips or pretzels etc. And those have magnesium in them too.

Magnesium is in chlorophyll and so greens are a good source.
I've been putting baby spinach in my sandwiches and also my bean meat mixtures too. More nutrition than lettuce.

I do that with baby spinach, too! I found it keeps longer than lettuce and I think it tastes better.

I bought a huge plastic container of organic baby spinach at Costco...10 days ago... and I am eating it every day, and still only 1/2 done!

It is still fresh! It only cost $3.50 or so!