Maximize Health with Magnesium: Key Benefits & Sources

Magnesium works wonders for hyperthyoid issues, anxiety, and insomnia. It is incredibly powerful! A researcher who did his own study with Magnesium introduced me to the LIQUID FORM! Before, whenever I took it, I didn't notice much, but when I switched to a liquid form of Magnesium Chloride, boy, did it make a huge difference! Whenever I take it I feel totally relaxed and sleep like a baby! There's a liquid Magnesium Citrate new on the market now, too, which is also great! Perhaps it's the liquid forms of magnesium that are most potent and work best? Try them and you'll see how much better you can feel!

Hi Karen... I prefer to take Magnesium Chloride (as Magnesium Oil) for Magnesium and Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) for malates. ACV contains both acetic acid and malic acid so when, as Ted from Bangkok advises, you add baking soda and water to two tablespoons of ACV this converts to acetates and malates which are then easily absorbed into the body from the intestines.

In my opinion, Magnesium Chloride is also the best form of magnesium to take and taking Magnesium chloride and ACV in this fashion will also be much cheaper for you. ACV is also high in potassium and other minerals so you also get that extra benefit too. The acetates and malates from ACV both also help to increase energy in the body. Also, malates in pill form are normally derived from a standardized chemical process. I don't like standardize chemical processes (think Codex Alimentarius). That's why I much prefer always using the natural forms or the bare mineral form as a simple powder only(no tablets).

Right now, because of the hot season in the Philippines, I also take 1/4 teaspoon of Vitamin C and two squirts of magnesium oil(large dose) every morning with my juice because of the searing heat. This somehow works magically to keep your body cool even in searing hot weather. I really don't know why or how it works -- you'll have to ask Ted -- but work it does!! I also take lugols iodine every day (6 to 8 drops a day) and this must also help to regulate body skin temperature more efficiently as well via the thyroid.

There are certainly other forms of Magnesium such as the malate, citrate and threonate salt forms which all have specific beneficial uses in the body. But the best all round form of magnesium to supplement is, without question, the magnesium chloride form because of its more widespread beneficial effects on the immune system, heart, increasing energy, nervous system, relaxing the muscles, regulating calcium in the body, relaxing the mind, antibiotic action, digestion etc.

I took magnesium plus other supplements but always craving chocolate, never satisfied. Recently I have found that I need to take a full spectrum mineral plus a magnesium citrate supplement .... both in the morning and at night. I read that some people are so low on mag and minerals that they have to slowly LOAD UP ON THEM UNTIL THEY GET DIARRHEA and then back off to their needed dose.

No more chocolate cravings... YAY!!!

Rachel: it may never be known, this little symptom, as there are sooo many variables and unidentifiable causes. So, one must throw a "blanket" cure and reevaluate. Magnesium is a great mineral that is gaining popularity as a remedy of many health problems simply because it's soo lacking in the diet. But taking Mag alone isn't a balanced mineral approach. I suggest temporarily drop the large Mag dose and try a Cal/Mag/Zinc supplement. This should give you a broader range of efficacy.

Dear TimH, thank you very kindly for your response. I spent Sunday replenishing my electrolytes and potassium in particular. The eyelid swelling went down almost immediately, but I had intense pressure and pain behind both eyes that kept me in bed much of the day Sunday. When my husband commented that he too had pressure behind his eyes, I started looking for another cause. Turns out... Da da da! ... That we were both having an allergic reaction to a fragrance in a beautiful reed diffuser that we had received as a gift on Saturday and set out. Wow! There was no listing of ingredients on the bottle, but I suspect the liquid contained not only essential oils but some very toxic chemicals. It took about 12 hours after I removed the bottle from the house for our eye pressure to go away. Who would have guessed?! Best to you, Rachel.

You're right about magnesium oil - it's great. We make our own by mixing magnesium chloride with distilled water (50/50). We put it in an empty roll-on deodorant bottle and use it as a deodorant, as well as rolling the oil on our legs and arms, bottoms of our feet, etc. No fuss - no muss! Cheers, Bess

Legna,

You ask where to get magnesium chloride...

You should be able to get it at any health food store or on line.

Epsom salts is magnesium sulfate. I've used that for A Fib too. I take orally magnesium citrate that an alternative MD got me on. As long as you are getting the magnesium in you I'm not sure I can determine that it really matters the form you receive it. I've asked that very question a number of times on EC but haven't gotten a response ... that is that one form is preferred. I'd love to hear from someone to lay all the different forms of magnesium out to explain what and why one is better than another.

For A Fib I also make sure I'm getting at least 400IUs of natural (NOT synthetic) vitamin E. I take the amino acid arginine also for the heart and general cardio support.

It's easy and cheaper to make your own with the ancient minerals crystals. I found the atrial fib came back again when I discontinued using the Mg chloride daily. It's stopped now that I take a quarter tsp daily again.

Magnesium chloride is amazing, it cures much more than just arrhythmia. If you're old and decrepit, take Magnesium chloride every day, or Massage it into your skin if you want to absorb more without getting an upset stomach.

I believe Magnesium "Chloride" to be the best commonly used magnesium to use.

Hello Mike,

I think you meant Epsom salts is "magnesium sulfate".... and I sure agree with you about the benefits of Magnesium. In my experience Magnesium deficiency is directly related to many issues such as rapid and irregular heart beat. It is the King of minerals.d

I am currently using Lisinipril for blood pressure, It seems that nightly my heart begins to race sometimes very fast. After counseling with a nutritionist, he told me that it sounds like I have a defenciency in magnesium. I also have the symtoms like insomnia, muscle weakness especially after exercise. I was wondering if there were any cases of healing from the use of this mineral. My physican offered me a beta-blocker of which has the most horrible side effects, even heart attack. I do not feel comfortable with this drug, but know too that heart racing is not healthy. Not only would I like to know if anyone has had any success with magnesium, but what is the time frame of bringing the magnesium levels up to normal. With all of the troubles of mine I also have tremendous allergic reactions to many drugs, foods and chemicals. Some direction would be greatly apprecitaed. Thank you so much. Sincerely, Elizabeth

Lisinopril caused my heart to race. It also caused my panic attacks. I went off it and haven't had any since.

I have been using Mag for years to keep kidney stones at bay. Its best to also get some B6 with that. But yeah, it works.

Hi, I was taking a magnesium citrate product for cyst issues, which it took care of very well and quickly, only taken a couple times the last I took slightly under the recommended dose and I started having palpitations and it became hard to breathe I was wondering if there was any link to this? or if its just me... Thanks much!

I would have to COMPLETELY agree with you about the Vitamin D. I was diagnosed with a Vitamin D deficiency and started Vitamin D therapy using supplements and developed extreme heart palpitations within 2 weeks. Didn't make any connection at first. When I quit taking the D the palps went away within a week to 2 weeks. I tried this test 5 different times in the last 6 months and I STILL have not found my Magnesium balance.

3 weeks ago I quit taking all D supplements and just focused on getting my D from the sun. (no sunscreen, 20-30 minutes every couple of days - arms, calves & face) I did that for about a week and a half and within about a week and a half I began getting the heart palps again. So, there is definitely, without a doubt a major need for Magnesium if supplementing for a Vitamin D deficiency. I didn't relaize I had been Mag deficient, but obviously I am.

So, long story longer, here I sit as my palps started back up last night. I alternate between a Mag Citrate powder and a Mag oil (topically). I am afraid to take any more than I already am. Iam taking a total of at least (combined sources) 500-600mg a day..... Today anyway. Before the palps started I was getting about 300mg a day.

Sorry if I am rambling. My doctors have been useless and know nothing of nutrition and when I mentioned the palps being from a Mag deficiency from taking the D, she didn't even listen to me.

Anyway, what would be a top/limit for a daily intake of Magnesium? I think I need more, I really do. What I do take is helping, but it doesn't take them completely away...... Also, I have read that just because you get loose stool from Mag that it doesn't mean you have taken too much neccessarily. What the body needs at that moment, it takes and excretes what it doesn't. That is why doses throughout the day are crucial.

If anyone has any other input I would appreciate it :O)

As an update, the red spots that manifested on my mom's skin which was caused by the Magnesium Oil actually disappeared when I applied magnesium oil onto it. I read on another website that the red spots are suppose to be unused calcium from the cells which floated up to the skin, and putting magnesium oil on those spots should let the calcium go back to the bloodstream so that it can be used again by the body.

My dauther is using magnesium sulphate last 6 months, half teaspoon with water in morning and her Epelipsy is in control. She is in her 8 week of pregnancy. Some experienced friend should guide whether to continue magnesium sulphate or stop. Is there any bad effects on fetus? Please reply

Thanks, works real well for leg cramps. Took Magnesium Chloride 535mg once at night for three nights and since then a great night sleep with no cramps.

Hello Bill! Always good to read your postings and research. So I googled the 2.5 % magnesium chloride hexahydrate and the prices vary from really high down to lower. I guess I could call the companies, but was wondering if you might could guide me the product that I would need. Currently I have been taking Magnesium Chloride from Alta health products in tablet form: 1 tablet = 520 mg magnesium chloride and 62.17 mg elemental magnesium. I take one daily. Would I be able to continue this one or do I need the other or just more of this one. Of course I know we can't put a price on health, but I am on a budget and it is a rather small budget. I believe in alternative medicines, but I will tell you I have spent close to $1000.00 this year alone on herbs and vitimans and still did not get all of the ones I would have liked to had. I would also be willing to crush my current tablets and mix them with water, if this would make a difference. Thank You in advance.

I forgot to include the link to the MSDS data sheet for Sodium Tetraborate(Borax). Here it is:

http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/s3122.htm

Again thank you Bill will read. May I ask you again about your mag water recipe? Bought the Philips Milk of Magnesia and it had another ingredient! Under header non medicinal ingredients it lists sodium hypochlorite. So in the reaction between the carbonated water and the milk of magnesia i wonder how this ingredient changes things. I did not notice this when I was reading. Perhaps I need another brand. What do you think? Thanks!

Hi Mary...I bought my Phillip's MoM in UK and it does not contain Sodium Chlorite -- only glycerol, saccharine and peppermint as additives. I guess you have different drug rules in Canada.

Sodium Chlorite is normally combined with lemon juice or citric acid to create MMS, another healing compound. But I really have no idea what the reaction would be with Milk of Magnesia and its constituent -- sodium chlorite -- with carbonic acid (soda water) and, therefore I really cannot recommend that you use your Canadian version of Phillip's MoM for creating magnesium bicarbonate water.

Another way of creating a form of magnesium water is simply to add 1 tspn Epsom salts(mag sulphate) to 1 litre of ordinary drinking water and drink this through the day(I do this too). This will supply the necessary magnesium to the body. To get your bicarbonates, you could simply alkalize twice a day with one of Ted's alkalizing remedies.

Bill

Regarding Bill from San F. Your link to the 20 Mule Team Website had some interesting information, not least of which is a section about historical uses for their Borax including "aid digestion, keep milk sweet and even cure epilepsy". They also mentioned that it is used in medicine! This is directly from their site:

Borates, borax and boron compounds are with us throughout our lives. Mothers use it to soak and wash diapers and other laundry, but it's also an ingredient in cosmetics, medicines, ceramics and building materials. The biggest industrial user of borates is the glass industry (especially fiberglass), and it's an important ingredient in agricultural chemicals and fire retardants.

In earlier times, 20 Mule Team® Borax was proclaimed to be a magical crystal and was used to aid digestion, keep milk sweet and even cure epilepsy. Common sense and modern technology have brought us better solutions to these and other problems, but 20 Mule Team® Borax still has a place in your home.

My point is to thank you for the link. I was a bit skeptical like others but it certainly sounds like it's been in our food supply whether we knew it or not.

Hi Mary from Saskatchewan! Instead of Phillips Milk of Magnesia (which you mentioned contained unwanted ingredients), you may want to try the generic version from Shopper's Drug Mart (and it's cheaper!). The ingredients are: magnesium hydroxide (non-medicinal ingredients are potassium sorbate and purified water). I think the generic versions from other pharmacies (or even Wal-Mart) may have fewer ingredients than the Phillips brand has. Good luck!

I have had muscle weakness and essential tremor for the last few years. Doctors finally saw the tremor and prescribed beta blockers to control it. They found no cause for the tremor and did not know why I was so weak- other than I was either exercising too little or too much.

On my own, I started 600 mg daily of magnesium oxide since I had heard it might help with muscle weakness. While I was taking that, I ran out of beta blockers and tremor did not return. I figured it must be the magnesium that had been keeping my tremor under control all along. Since then I have been off of the beta blockers completely. My tremor is better as long as I keep taking the magnesium. And my strength is also improving.

The best MoM I could find was Phillip's Milk of Magnesia which contains Sodium hypochlorite.

When Sodium hypochlorite gomes in touch with CO2, the reaction will be: NaClO + CO2 + H2O --->NaHCO3 + HClO

HCIO is Hypochlorous acid. Is it now safe to consume?

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

Magnesium citrate supplement: I developed an internal fissure from having soft, but very wide stools. Doctor said would need surgery if don't make stools literally fall out. So tried magensium citrate supplement (won't give name). It worked, fissure healed. But I have found that magensium citrate can be very irritating. I developed burning in throat and burning in stomach and tremendous bloating and constant gas. I should have stopped immediately (the burning started on day1) but was so anxious to heal fissure that I took it for 3 weeks (tiny dose). Now off of it for about 8 days and still have burning and off and on colon discomfort. A friend was also trying it - she has had no burning but finally had to stop due to continuous colon rumbling and discomfort - just can't live that way all the time. And sadly it worked for both of us. Just thought people should know this. Sometimes, just because it is "natural" doesn't always mean it is good for you.

Hi, I've recently begun taking Magnesium Citrate in powder form on a near daily basis along with blackstrap molasses. I'd had a very painful toothache for several weeks (in addition to or resulting in an earache..) and without dental insurance I really can't afford a dentist. After about 3-4 days of taking a teaspoon of magnesium the pain was completely gone! I also no longer have any sensitivity from sweet or very hot/cold foods and beverages. I've made this remedy part of my daily routine and hope to discover more health benefits of this great mineral.

I need to take magnesium for sleep, but all the forms I've tried give me diarrhea. Is there any form you know of that doesn't do this? I even get it from the sublingual liquid that isn't supposed to even go into your gut.

Marge, you can try eating more magnesium rich foods. Have you tried transdermal application? If you do, start low and slow.

Magnesium Gluconate Side Effects

I have been using Magnesium Gluconate for about 3 months and also soaking in epsom salt hot baths. Well, it is has been determined that my doctor said to discontinue doing this because I have had rashes and red spots tingling and pain all over. Itching is the worst of it. You can develop a bad reaction to magnesium if you overdose on it. My intake was capsule form maybe 500 mg plus the salt baths. I thought I had shingles at first the feet, legs, fingers, ankles and other places on my body were in an off and on state of discomfort, pain and sometimes agony.

Magnesium needs to be used properly like any other herb or mineral. If not it can have a reverse reaction. I have since stopped all baths and magnesium intake for the foreseeable future. Hope this helps someone so they do not misdiagnose their condition.

This is true, but remember that the magnesium is water soluble and the only way it will continue to absorb after it dries out, is if you add a bit more water. But, with the homemade version, it has more water, therefore takes a couple of minutes longer to dry out. This means it can absorb slightly longer and you don't get a crunchy residue as much. Doesn't matter really, because I just spray and apply, wait about 3 to 5 minutes and then do it again.

You need to take vitamin K2 along with calcium, magnesium, D3. The magnesium helps the calcium to absorb. The k2 helps the magnesium deposit the calcium in the correct tissues.

Malate is the easiest capsule form to assimilate. As Carolyn Dean says, if you don't get diarrhea, then it's working. No need to purchase expensive liquid ones when Malate works for Pennies a month.

What is the best type of magnesium to take??? Thank you!

Last night for the second night in a row, I took 2 teaspoons of powdered magnesium (the kind that dissolves in water). I got a severe stomach upset an hour later which I know was from the magnesium. There was a second side effect however, and I am wondering if this has happened to anyone else. My left eye started hurting me a little when I went to bed. Very tender if I put the slightest pressure on it. This morning when I woke up, half of my upper left eyelid near my nose is very swollen. I am drinking a lot of water to see if it will go down. My eyeball is not bloodshot. Anyone have an idea if this is related to the magnesium? I have never had this happen before. Thank you in advance for any advice!

Rachel: So glad you found the cause. Don't count you & hubby out of the woods yet. Antioxidants in any form would definitely be indicated right now. From this it is possible that you could develop Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS). Yes, some of the "household products" are very toxic and many aren't labeled as strictly as, say, food items. A hot bath w/ Baking Soda /Epsom Salt would help rid the toxins. Take 1 grm Vit-C during the bath.

Yes, I should have said the (Ancient minerals Magnesium crystals) are Mg chloride.

Hello, Mike I went out and bought the magnesium citrate and I have been having an upset stomach because I think I take too much, however it seems to work well with helping me digest. It feels better once I go to the bathroom because I feel lighter every time and never had that relief however it wreaks havoc on my stomach. I'm thinking of lowering the dosage and take it once a day. I almost will accept the upset stomach because I am having bowel movements more than once a day, any thoughts?

How to make Magnesium Chloride the expert recommends to drink and also use transdermally Bi carbonate of Magnesium... starting with adding a quantity into a bottle of carbonated water.. putting in the fridge, removing shaking etc. etc.... my mix was obviously not correct as the bottle on opening is still fizzy? Is there anyone in the EC community who can give a better description of how to make this Mag BI carbonate?i from Magnesium Chloride Thank you

Elizabeth, I also take Lisinipril for HBP and then prescribed beta blocker and found my liver unable to detox it so I am running a little high; but do not have your heart racing. Lisinipril is very effective at reducing hypertension but it is hard on the kidneys. Do you restrict your sodium? Get enough Potassium? Cranberry or D-Mannose helps clear the infection. Herbs like Parsley, Cedar Berry help kidney function. Start w/ 250mg Magnesium daily for a few days then bump up to 500mg. Mg is also good for the heart. I would also take some Carnitine or/and CoQ10 for heart support. Hope this helps and good luck.

I spent most of my adult life constipated. I was the only one who went to Mexico and prayed for Montezumas revenge! Now that I take magnesium 500 mg. 2x daily, everything works just like it clockwork. I have heard it is also good for migraine sufferers. I used to have lots of migraines when I was younger but went through menopause and they pretty much stopped (hormones were the culprit). I wish I had started taking magnesium years ago and maybe my migraines would have gone away alot sooner or at least been less frequent.

George, this doesn't appear to be an issue of safety, but of healthy. If you wish to BALANCE and OPTIMIZE your body's minerals, consider a complete mineral supplement like Ionic Trace Minerals Complex that contains up to 72 minerals. I have been having very good results w/ a Great Salt Lake mineral supplement in caps or liquid. Supplementing ALL the available minerals, you would thereby greatly reduce or totally eliminate the need for EXTRA magnesium. Also take 1 - 3 grams Taurine daily to help your body with mineral utilization.

In a book I am reading right now, Transdermal Magnesium Therapy, Mark Sircus says that actually 1000mg a day might be the good amount for most people! I diluted Nigari in water and rub it over my body so I have no idea how much I am getting!