Maximize Health with Magnesium: Key Benefits & Sources

Making Magnesium Bicarbonate Solution From Milk of Magnesia (MoM)

Hi everyone...I found a website article which is useful. There is a new magnesium drinking product in Australia that has been proved to extend the life of mammals. This patent is based on a certain region of Australia where the drinking water is high in magnesium, and where all livestock there seem to live a life that is 30% longer than normal. The patented drinking solution consists mainly of Magnesium Bicarbonate and Sodium Bicarbonate in simple aqueous solution.

The description in the patent says to add 500 mgs Magnesium Carbonate or Magnesium hydroxide to 1 litre cold carbonated water. Store in the fridge for 24 -- 72 hours and allow the solution to clear from cloudy. Add a small amount of amount -- 120 mg -- of Sodium Bicarbonate.

Drink this mixture throughout the day but not with meals -- one hour before or two hours after meals. Adjust to a lower dose if bowels become too loose.

You could also make this solution by using MoM and Baking soda quite easily -- using Phillip's Milk of Magnesia, Baking Soda and seltzer or carbonated water. Do not use the MoM that contains Aluminium Hydroxide.

Read about the patent, manufacture and research here:

http://www.rexresearch.com/beckett/1beckett.htm

I have used Mag Citrate on many occasions. It works, yes, but can be very harsh. Also, if you read the label, it can make your BP skyrocket.

Hi Colleen,

If that pharmacy chain starts with "R", then I would say your reaction to that supplement doesn't surprise me. I've purchased different things from them that smelled like some weird strong glue when opened, way before any expiration date (of course I returned them!). Things I had taken from them that didn't smell like that never seemed to do much anyway. I don't buy their suppplements anymore. It's worth paying more for better quality.

I would suspect the additives in the supplement as causing your problems before suspecting the magnesium itself. How about some food sources to get that extra magnesium? A food source is always better than a supplement if the food source is of good quality. Eating the whole food means you get all the synergistic compounds it may contain as opposed to an isolated nutrient. Pumpkin seeds have very high levels of magnesium as well as lots of other nutrients. I buy an organic dry roasted brand that are low sodium. A handful a day can give you quite a nutritional boost. See this link for lots of good info on pumpkin seeds:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=82

Beans and spinach are also very good sources of magnesium, as are chinook salmon and halibut. If you feel you still need some supplemental magnesium, perhaps you might want to try the magnesium oil foot soak as described here on EC. Bear in mind that magnesium, calcium, and potassium do need to be balanced; this is very important!

Good luck, and please update us!

I've been having similar reactions to magnesium. I took it as a natural muscle relaxer because I'm tired of taking Rx for my back. I started taking 600mg of magnesium oxide in 250mg tablets (I broke them up to make 3 servings to reach 600mg) Within hours the muscles started to relax (I was shocked that it worked so fast) by the fourth day I started having pain in between my shoulder blades, shoulders, neck, jaw, headache, and in my armpit. This was followed with my heart pumping so hard that it felt as if my heart was in my throat. Needless to say I stopped taking it for about a week and a half and the muscle pain came back with a vengence. I thought I'd try taking 250mg a day by breaking the pill in half and taking 1/2 two times a day. It took the edge off my pain, but not as good as with 600mg. Unfourtunately the chest/heart pain came back with in a few days and I stopped taking it again. nearly four days of being off it and my pulse is still to high to donate plasma. I don't want to take calcium with my history of kidney stones, and I had issues with potassium supplements about nine years ago when it was reccomended for a low carb diet I was on. My heart was racing so fast I thought I would faint and fall to the floor. does anyone have any suggestions on how to make my heart/ chest pain stop and/or a safer alternative to relax the muscles without scary side effects. by the way the added ingredients in the mag supp I was taking is: cellulose, starch, croscarmellose, vegetable magnesium sterate. The brand is from a popular pharmacy chain. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Response on what sort of magnesium to take. Hi, I have always gone with Walter Last, the Queensland naturopath's advice and taken magnesium chloride as per his article at
http://www.liferesearchuniversal.com/magnesiumchloride.html. ( His own original website seems harder to find now on Google than it once was but if this link doesn't work just type in Walter Last and magnesium and several 3rd party sites appear citing him) He believes we need more calcium in youth and more magnesium in age.

I take it to beat off infections and find it, despite loose bowels if I take a lot, to be more effective than Vitamin C. Magnesium chloride is also used to make tofu and some tofu maker suppliers sell it fairly cheaply - called Nigari. I sometimes make up a little spray of it for the kitchen and spray a bit onto foods like tasteless tomatoes. I keep a pump bottle in the bedroom for transdermal use with some essential oils in it too and just smear some on the soles of my feet before bed, when I remember. No real health problems so can't really say what it is done but I seem calmer I think when I do it regularly.

I once read an Internet article as well of a man who swore plain Epsom salts had done wonders for his health. He just started with a tiny amount of Epsoms salts like an eigth of a teaspoon and built up the amount slowly to a much larger amount like a daily desert spoon and had no diarrhea that way.

Calcium and Magnesium balance is fairly critical so it's probably best to go cautiously before self medicating with very high oral dosages of any form of magnesium.

I wonder if you do recommend to discontinue Magnesium supplement after some time? I am curently taking 500 mg of Magnesium since 6 months, is that OK or could be harmful? I take it for stress and insomnia. Regards

Regarding magnesium and diarrhea... Use magnesium oil instead of taking it internally. I put it on my neck and shoulders and it melts away my knots so I don't get headaches. When you put it on your skin your body absorbs what it needs and you don't get diarrhea or strain your kidneys like you can when you take magnesium internally.

Use 100% dead sea salts or combined with the pure magnesium chloride flakes in a soaking bath. Dead sea salts are cheaper and have other trace supplemental minerals including potassium with the magnesium chloride. Also buy in bulk and look for periodic sales with free shipping. I soak about 1 to 2 times weekly using 3 - 4 cups dead sea salts in a full warm bath for 30 minutes or so. Many benefits including control of athlete's foot, rapid healing of cuts and scratches from my cat, rapid recovery from muscle soreness, relief of minor pains and aches and the main heath benefits of better heart function, general good health, etc. Also enforced downtime to catch up on reading! One caution - don't use cheaper industrial mag chloride.

I am ever puzzled by why absorbing trace minerals through the skin is universally ignored in favor of oral supplementation or eating mountains of salads even when the need for supplements is recognized. If you have low magnesium you can't easily absorb ingested supplements anyhow, creating a vicious cycle. In my case I developed a serious magnesium and potassium deficiency running marathons and then supplemented orally for years with 500 mg. magnesium chelates without much effect. After I started soaking, heart palpitations disappeared and the other benefits made themselves felt over a couple of months of frequent soaking. If I miss a week I can tell the difference and it's always a pleasure to restore the soaking routine.

I take two 200 or 250 mgs of magnesium every night to help me sleep. I have tried other products to help me sleep like phosphorus and melatonin. Phosporus is also very good but makes me too groggy when I wake up. Melatonin also makes me too groggy. I take Melatonin when I have had caffiene before bed and it knocks me out. I get the tablets and nibble the tiniest bit off of the edge and it works everytime but seems to be too strong for me and makes me tired during the day. For me magnesium is gentle and when I wake up I feel relaxed but not tired. We stayed overnight in New York City at my daughters boyfriends apt on a busy, noisy, avenue. I took my two magnesiums as usual but woke up in the middle of the night because of the terrible street noises. The next few nights I took 3 magnesiums (200 or 250mg's)and slept thru it all. At home I take two every night. Thank you so much for this website!! People helping People!! YaY people power!

I worked with a famous local herbalist and many people came in with constipation problems. My friend would have a bowel movement once a week. My other older friend would have to go to the hospital periodically because of constipation. The remedy that worked for me and both of my friends was magnesium. I take 2 magnesium (200 to 250 mg apiece)for insomnia every night. Every morning when I wake up I naturally have a bm. According to my herbalist magnesium relaxes every cell of your body and we don't get enough of it. My younger friend with constipation was tested for 12 (200mg) tabs a day till her bowels got loose enough and then she was to back down-taking less-till she found how manny worked well for her. My herbalist used to say you can't get enough magnesium-your body needs it so much. Whether that is true or not I don't know. But I do know it's the best solution for my constipation and insomnia.

Claire, there are three things that you can do to improve magnesium absorption and prevent loose bowels:

(1) Do not take large amounts of calcium at the same time that you take magnesium. Calcium may actually lessen the absorption of magnesium, since they compete for absorption at "absorption sites" in the small intestine.
(2) Take magnesium in divided doses. For example, you can take 100 mg. of magnesium at each meal. You can even take small doses of magnesium with just water or juice between meals.
(3) Take some lemon juice or orange juice or vinegar with your magnesium supplement - especially if you have low stomach acid. The addition of acid (citric/ascorbic/acetic) from these juices will help to ionize the magnesium compound, making more magnesium ions available for absorption.

Let me know if this helps.

I have just started taking magnesium on recomendation for adrenal exhaustion and perimenopause issues.One week ago I took only one capsule (150 mg) of magnesium citrate-malate before bedtime and the reaction I had (jittery muscles and restlesness) occured 1-2 hrs later. My heart was also racing. I thought perhaps it may have something to do with a calcium/magnesium imbalance so 2 days later I took a Cal/Mag supplement and the same thing happened. The cal/mag supplement was an inexpensive one made up of carbonate, citrate, fumarate, malate, succinate and glutamate sources for both.

The interesting thing is that this reaction happened only after a one time dose both times. A few months ago I tried ACV for a few days and had a similar reaction each time I took it so I had to stop. This is very puzzling to me and I am searching for clues as to why my body reacts this way.

May I ask why you are taking extra magnesium. I started taking it since I seem to have candida and I also have a mitral valve prolapse. After taking it for a few a month I started gettting major muscle twitching. I even got a heart cramping feeling every now and then. Perhaps you don't need extra magnesium. Perhaps you are throwing your calcium balance off. Even if you take calcium with it it might not be properly absorbed. Certain types of calcium are absorbed better than others. What magnesium were you taking? Was it magnesium taurate, or another form. Perhaps there is a underlying cause for you symptoms that are not related to the magnesium.

Hello, my comment is regarding Sarah's posting (from North Vancouver, B.C Canada). I have a similar reaction to magnesium. Lately, I have been taking Bentonite clay (which is rich in magnesium) and it has kept me up and energized, the problem is that if I take it close to my bedtime, I simply cannot get any sleep. The dose that I am taking is quite large (2 tablespoons) and not only I do not experience any calming effects, it does not have any laxative effects either. I have read some postings here on EC regarding the relaxing effects of magnesium but for some strange reason, the opposite happens to me. I had attempted to address the problem by not having any caffeine after lunch time and also sticking to a light early dinner thinking that those were the reasons for my insomnia, and not until recently when I was purchasing clay from a website and read someone's comment about magnesium keeping them up that I made the connection. I remember having the same problem when taking magnesium citrate. I would appreciate any comments. Thanks!

Hello,
I have just started taking magnesium as a supplement ( apro. 150 mg/day ).

Aproximately 1-2 hrs after taking I feel very jittery in my muscles and restless in general. It does not make a difference if I take it with calcuim. I understand magnesium is natures relaxant but it seems to have the opposite effect on me. Has anyone had this problem or know what may be causing this ? Sarah.

Response to Charlotte's post about magnesium aspartate being one of the best types of magnesium to take. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think any product with the word aspartate is an excitotoxin and should be avoided. Also to be avoided: aspartic acid, aspartame, etc.

Hi, in response to Roro's question about which magnesium to take: Out of a book written by a naturopath that I've found to be helpful, she said that there are 2 types of magnesium: magnesium orotate (Vit B13) and magnesium aspartate, and they both serve unique and complimentary functions - maybe the names you cited are derived from these two compounds or vice versa?

Apparently a combination of 150 mg of magnesium aspartate three times per day togather with magnesium orotate 200 mg three times per day would be appropriate.

Which kind of Magnesium to use????

Hi EC' staff, kindly I would appreciate if someone can tell me what is the difference between Magnesium chloride, magnesium citrate, magnesium oxide etc... I see many poeple talk about benefits of magnesium and once I decided to buy it I found many of it in different names!!! Please advise!

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.

Magnesium

I stumbled across this remedy on a forum recently. I had remembered I used to take magnesium regularly due to migraine headaches and other problems (magnesium is a very important nutrient that many are deficient in). Jogging my memory, I remembered that on occasions when I could last as long as I wanted (and even sometimes too long) was when I had taken magnesium shortly before while more often than not I would suffer extremely premature ejaculation. I would recommend taking 400mg daily and then another 400mg 30 minutes to an hour before sexual activity. You should experiment with what dosage and frequency is right for you. If you start getting loose stools than you are likely taking too much. I have found Magnesium Citrate works very well. Some of the other ones like Magnesium oxide are not as well absorbed.

Should Magnesium Be Taken With Calcium?

I have just started taking magnesium citrate after reading about all its benefits on this site. Today a health practitioner told me that I should be taking calcium along with it otherwise the magnesium would not be absorbed.

But I stopped taking calcium supplements after reading about it on this site, and especially how Ted feels strongly that it is not necessary for adults to take this.

Now I am thoroughly confused! Would someone please help me about what is correct?
Thanks.

Spraying magnesium oil on the souls of the feet at night or doing foot soaks is a better way to get magnesium than taking it orally... you don't absorb enough taking it pill form and can take up to a year to build up in your system.

Magnesium for heart palpitations/panic attacks: I thank God for this site. I was having scary heart palpitations at night, and I knew it was panic attacks. The only course my doc offered was xanax, and as I was rushed through the visit there was no time to talk alternatives. I am not one of those people who thinks happiness is a pill away. I did my own research, and decided to try a magnesium supplement. The FIRST NIGHT I was heart palpitation-free. I can't believe doctors would rather throw a dangerous pill at you rather than discuss the effects of diet, exercise, and soda (caffeine&aspatame) on your body. Try Magnesium first, and make sure you are getting your potassium too!