Magnesium - when do you take it?
 

So given my allergies to vitamin D3, I'm off it now. I'm thinking of introducing magnesium, since low magnesium is suggested as one possible explanation for showing a reaction to D. There are other possibilities, but this is one (see: http://www.vitamindwiki.com/Overview...n+to+vitamin+D). I did take a bath last night with a cup of epsom salt for the first time ever. It was nice and relaxing.

I have magnesium glycinate 90 mg capsules that I had purchased a while back. I did try them for a night or two and noticed that the next morning I had very mild diarrhea. But perhaps my body needed to get used to it, or I don't know what. Anyway, I'm willing to try it again. I had purchased glycinate as I had read that it had no or almost no laxative effect. The only other ingredient is the capsule made from hypromellose.

Thoughts are welcome, but my main question is when do you all take your magnesium? I took it at night before sleep only because I had read that glycinate should be taken then as it relaxes and aids with sleep. But I'm open to suggestions.

I take 500mg every other day (only way my intestines can handle it). I actually dump out the pill into a smoothie in the afternoon. I take Life Extension brand. The benefits of Magnesium are vast , its a no brainer.

I use magnesium mostly at night. Exceptions are muscle/joint flares during the day. (mostly neck and jaw area). These latter seem to crop up in the day time for me.

90 mg of mag glycinate is not very much. But I have found that any cellulose additive to food (yes, shredded cheese has this), acts like a laxative for me. I have to avoid foods with gums and cellulose-type additives, as they loosen me up most of the time.

I have always been sensitive to oral mag supplements. This is why I like the lotion.

Some foods are high in magnesium. Almonds -- 3oz have 270mg, and beans and lentils are good sources.
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/...roducts/4338/2

Hi David,

I take Slow Mag64, which several other members here take. Here's what they recommend in their instructions. "is best to take magnesium supplements with a meal to reduce stomach upset and diarrhea unless otherwise directed by the product instructions or your doctor.

Take each dose with a full glass (8 ounces or 240 milliliters) of water unless your doctor directs you otherwise. Swallow extended-release capsules whole. Do not crush or chew extended-release capsules or tablets. Doing so can release all of the drug at once, increasing the risk of side effects. Also, do not split extended-release tablets unless they have a score line and your doctor or pharmacist tells you to do so. Swallow the whole or split tablet without crushing or chewing."

Hope this helps......

Cliffman :)

I take Mag Tab SR in the morning and night before I go to bed. It is elemental magnesium and the only brand I find that works for me. It is expensive but recommended by doctors. Also, take the magnesium away from calcium foods or supplements.

Almonds and lotion for me. I was supplementing, but found my levels were fine when I was not so ended that. Best of luck to you.

When my toes go a wonky. About once a week.

Thank you all. Much appreciated.

I've never shown allergies or GI problems when it comes to cellulose but the magnesium does contain a type that I believe I've not used before: hypromellose. Then again, perhaps others just don't label it as precisely. Maybe I'll throw it in a cup of water and through out the capsule. I'll start slow and low and see what happens.

Patrick, you have me an idea to try it every other day, to slowly ease in. I'm actually thinking of doing the same with the vitamin D3 now. Didn't even thin of that. Perhaps I can try the lanolin pure from Pure Encapsulations with barely anything added 1000 IU every other day. I wonder if my GI can handle that. Meanwhile, I'm going to soon try MrsD.'s little trick.

The lichen based D3 that I took for just two days, a total of 2000 IU, has left me with increased symptoms and high histamine levels. I'm clearly allergic to the lichen or something else in it, but likely the first, given everything else I've had before with no issues.

Anyway, thanks again everyone.

magnesium in lower dosages than i take is usually well tolerated. I just dont see the benefits unless I go with a higher dosage.

That makes sense. I'll start with one 90 mg tablet that I have and then up the dose. Sometimes it's difficult for me to tell what dosage to take, like with Benfo, though 600 mg has served well so far. Still not sure though. I had a blood test a while back in emergency that showed I'm not magnesium deficient, but that can easily change or be inaccurate or what have you.

Tests for magnesium in the serum are not really reliable in the "normal" range. They are only good medically for very very low, or very high values to indicate severe deficiency, or poisoning.

The mid range values do not really relate much to functions that can be measured. You can look this up on the net...as many magnesium experts, seem to agree with this explanation.

For therapeutic use medically extremely high doses are given...for chemo patients and migraine treatments. (often IV forms up to 6 grams a bag.)

That does not mean people should self medicate at those high doses, but it does illustrate that magnesium testing is odd in many ways.

This is quite helpful, Mrs.D. Much appreciated. I find it interesting and curious and may look into it at some point. But at this point I'm just glad I don't have to worry about taking too much or some such thing.

If oral supplements don't work for me/cause digestive upset, I'll keep using epsom salts in the bath and/or lotions/creams.

I was able to buy the bath salts cheaply in a big bulk bag intended for spa flotation tanks. I had a huge bag which I slowly used over the year.

You'd have to look around on the internet for a supplier.

For longterm storage don't store the bath salts in the bathroom, they soak up the moisture in the air and do not store well for as long.

You increase absorption if you use a body brush to brush all the dead skin off before the bath. Good to shower it all off afterwards. Don't soak to hot or more than 40 minutes.

Thanks for this. Makes sense. This is the superb product I'm using, and can also ingest, if need be for a serious laxative. It's 100% pure. I started with the 10 lbs bag even though it's not as cheap.

http://www.amazon.com/Epsoak-Epsom-S...som+salt&psc=1

I meant to ask this: is it normal to get more muscle twitches when first starting oral magnesium (glynicate)? Thank you.

No I don't think so. But magnesium can wear off over hours, and need another dose. Alot of biological systems in the body use magnesium. It is a cofactor for energy production in the mitochondria, for example among many other uses.

The RDA is about 350mg-400mg a day.

Thanks, MrsD. The thing is that the twitching was not really returning, as I didn't have twitching before/haven't for a while, but then I woke up in the middle of the night with twitching after taking the magnesium. But it sounds like you're saying it's unlikely, and like I said I'm having new symptoms or increased symptoms due to the allergic reaction over the weekend, so it's more likely that. I'll keep taking the magnesium and upping it slowly. Thanks again. :)

Your body may just be adjusting to the new flow of magnesium available ....
waking up so to speak. ;)

When I use magnesium, I have much reduced leg cramping, and muscle tension. I don't get much of any twitching, however.

My main twitching may occur on long fasts as required by testing needed at the doctor's. I've a left lower leg achilles/calf muscle area that twitches like mad if I am very hungry or have low blood sugars. I even got to show her that one...she was impressed. But I haven't had it in a while now since using the magnesium lotion.

One day, is not really a useful time frame for supplements. So if the twitching stays for weeks, then I would be more concerned.
Supplements typically are pretty slow to act.

Thanks, MrsD. Perhaps that's it: my body is adjusting. I get that with some supplements.

And yes, definitely need more time to know whether a supplement is working. Unless you have an immediate reaction to something. But the question of whether or not it's working is much more difficult to settle, especially in the short term. Will keep using it and see what happens.

I used to get lots of muscle tension and cramping, especially in my calves, but for now it's mostly gone. I'm glad to hear yours responds well to magnesium. :)

My calf muscles and forearms have been two of the most troublesome areas musclewise since this all started. Besides supplementing the best thing I have done for them is moderation of activity.

I know too little is bad, but for quite some time I was doing perhaps too much. That lead to extra stress and problems. I used to park a mile away from work and considered that my daily exercise, now I am half that distance, if that.

I spent around two years pushing myself to a limit of sorts, which I think lead to the shingles last year. At any rate it caused me to look hard at how close my foot was to the floor of the car and whether I was getting results.

At the moment winter is kicking my butt. However, I am making it through more days of work than I was at this point last year and while certain symptoms are worse somehow I have managed to develop a system to eek out some restful sleep. Half the time I think it is exhaustion, but I've earned it. Thankfully my wife agrees.

Sorry to hear that winter is kicking your ***. This is my first SFN winter and it's also kicking my ***. The heat of the summer was definitely easier on me. My hands and feet just can't retain heat that well, so they get cold and colder and just never warm up. Time to invest in some heavy duty gloves and shoes.

Also, I think the moderation game, and only doing as much as you can, is the best method. That's what I do.

I do hope you get some more relief, and happy to hear that you're getting through more days of work. :)