Maximize Health with Magnesium: Key Benefits & Sources

I recently bought magnesium chloride crystals at a local pharmacy, and made magnesium oil out of it. I am just wondering if I decide to take the crystals orally, how much should I be taking in terms of spoonfuls in a day? 1/8 tsp? 1/4? maybe more? the article by chris gupta is saying that it should be 25g/litre of water, but I don't want to make a batch of it, so I want to know how much it should be in terms of single servings.

Thanks Bill! If I understand you correctly, if my body could tolerated 1/2 tsp of MC, then eventually I would start having diarrhea when my body hits the limit? or is it that I get diarrhea the first time around if I take more than what my body can take?

Also, I want to get this clear that we're talking about 1/2 tsp per day right? not 1/2 tsp 3x a day?

you have discovered the tip of the magnesium iceberg, there is much more to magnesium supplements. Some like magnesium chloride oil and flakes can revitalize the body. Dig into transdermal magnesium. I wished I knew about it 40 years ago.

Hi Bill:

Thanks for this excellent recipe! Would you mind teling me what brand of borax you use? Is it the 40 Mule Team Borax used for laundry? i am very uncomfortable using something that is for laundry. Thanks very much!

Hi Mary...I just use the ordinary 20 Mule Team Borax brand and it is the one used for laundry. You can also purchase others -- notably the Red Mill borax brand which is guaranteed pure and aluminum free (found in most Health shops).

Thank you so much for the borax info, will be looking for some this week!

Hi Bill:

I am asking you alot of questions, thanks. just went to a website that said borax was dangerous. http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ingredient.php?ingred06=705996

Do you feel okay about using it? Could not find Red Mill brand anywhere online. Do you know of another brand?
Thanks again

Hi Bill:

Thank you so much for your thoughtful and intelligent posts and for this response. You have been successful at putting my fears to rest. I see the value in borax!

Quite frankly the reason I question it is an incident that happend a year ago. I used Teds mange cure on my little dog. It worked like a charm, i felt like it was returning more life to him. Like he was being oxygenated. However at exactly that time ( may be a coincidence) he had 2 identical lumps/curves pop up in front of his hip bones on either side. I thought his kidneys were swollen and inflamed. I felt very bad about giving him the pinch of borax in his water. Vet said not his kidneys but fat? i cannot see it, they are sort of hard not squishy like fat, and identical. thats is why I have such a concern about the borax.

I am really at a loss because the dog needs borax, now. He has all kinds of things going on with him.

thanks again, i really enjoy reading your contributions!

Hi Mary...I doubt very much that the lumps on the side of your dog's legs are caused by washing your dog with borax, because borax is so poorly absorbed through the skin. These lumps, depending on their size, could be either due to fat or possibly even calcium deposits.

From my own experience, I had small fatty or calcium build up in small lumps on the back of my own neck. I got rid of this by supplementing magnesium sulphate(epsom salts), 1/4 tspn in a glass of water twice a day. This also got rid of a large ganglion lump on my wrist (been there for a year) at the same time.

Depending on whether your dog is a small dog or a large dog, I would add magnesium sulphate crystals, at an 1/8 or 1/4 tspn respectively, dissolved in his drinking water daily. If your dog gets diarrhea, then simply reduce the dose. This should help to remove the lump deposits if they are calcium and magnesium supplementation certainly wont hurt your dog.

If these lumps are fat deposits then your dog might be reacting to poisons/pollution, since, in the human body, heavy metals, acids etc., which are not good for the body are often hidden in fats as a body defense. So the best thing would perhaps be to mix chopped cilantro or coriander leaves in with his meals everyday. Cilantro also removes heavy metals safely.

To get rid of any acid formation, you could also use sodium bicarbonate with ACV in his drinking water to alkalize.

I must appologize for not being so helpful with your dog's problems, the best I can really recommend is advise you to look at the pet section of EC for you to get more ideas.

Bill

Dear Bill:

I did give my little dog borax to injest in his water as per Ted's remedy. The lumps are not like ganglions or fatty tumors although he has those elsewhere (so thanks will be trying the magnesium ASAP) but are like something in there is inflamed. Both identical in size like his kidneys are inflamed and it is not really noticable unles one were to look closely, but I can feel them. Anyway, from what I understand you saying and from all the info you posted, borax should not hurt him or people. Will report back on how the magnesium worked to remove the lumps he has (vet has already removed once!)

Hi All, this question is for you Bill (Philippines Bill)

Your mag water cured my headache, relaxed my back thanks! it truly is a Unique Water! But upon looking at the ingredients in my Milk of Magnesia I realized that it contained sodium hypochlorite! We both know what that is, are they serious! My question is should I toss it because the last batch worked so well. How dangerous and counterproductive do you deem this to be?

Should I look harder and see if maybe there is another brand?

thanks,
Mary

Hi Mary...Yes, I had this also from another EC user who was from Canada, asking about Philips MoM. I'm from UK and I know for a fact the UK brand Philips MoM does not contain either aluminium or sodium hypochlorite. This obviously has something to do with Canadian Drug Law I think. Peculiar.

If you're worried about the chlorine, you can supplement with 2-3 lugol's iodine per day or supplement with kelp or chlorella. This will remove all dangerous halides from your body as well as remove heavy metals like cadmium, lead and mercury as well.

By the way, the advice and answer to your question from EC is spot on correct. But if you still can't find it, try ordering the UK Philips brand from UK off the internet.

At a push, you could also just supplement mag citrate or mag chloride oil(ten drops in a glass of water) or take magnesium sulfate (epsom salts) baths and simply supplement with 1/4 teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate in half a glass of water twice a day. As Ted has said, supplementing this way causes the bicarbonates in the blood to drag the magnesium into the cell during respiration and would, perhaps, have the same effect as the Mag Water or Magnesium Bicarbonate water.

thank you so much Bessie for the Shoppers generic MOM source! I'm on it! Mary

I had suffered from TMJ twice in my life and both times they were cured by magnesium. The magnesium in your body is usually depleted by stress. Magnesium is also what makes you calm, and can even help your bowel movements if constipated. I still take a magnesium supplement daily and have no problems ever since.

HI, found this Magnesium is also a natural relaxer. It has a therapeutic effect on many different areas of the body. Those of you who have ever taken a magnesium supplement know what this feels like. I've taken it before to help me fall asleep, and it definitely does the trick. Not only that, but one of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency mentioned above is insomnia, so taking magnesium glycinate to help correct sleeplessness might be a good idea.

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

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 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.

Your symptoms of racing heart, feeling restless as well as sleep disturbances read as perimenopause. I too have perimenopause and never realized anxiety and racing heart could be symptoms. I made some adjustments to my diet and find it helps tremendously. I'm also super mindful about the quality of soy products I consume. Also, I'll cut back on sugar and refined breads as soon as I know I am premenstrual. I hope you find something that works for you *peace

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.

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!

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.

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.

What is the borax for? Does this spray leave your skin chalky? Sounds like a great idea. I just tried epsom and water 1/2 & 1/2 and it turned me all white where I sprayed it.

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!

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

I concur 100%... Lifelong constipation, high cholesterol and now gallstone. I just realized I am probably magnesium defincient to I started taking it and like clock-work the BM's are daily... I am hoping it helps the other issues (research says it does).

No particular ailment, but I have been interested in Magnesium supplementation ever since I had a couple of "racing heart" episodes several years back, and discovered that I could calm things down by taking Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sulfate) in water... awful taste and also a powerful laxative. I began to wonder how I could get the same effect in a more palatable way, without the laxative effect. Eventually I found the"Magnesium" webpage and learned the following:

How to make your own Magnesium water [like the 'Noah' water being sold by a certain company, which bottles water from a spring that is naturally rich in bicarbonates of Magnesium].

The assumption is that we could all use more magnesium in our diet, which may help reduce blood pressure, reduce the likelihood of kidney stones, etc.

Here's how to make your own Mg-rich drinking water:

Buy a bottle of Carbonated Seltzer water - NO SODIUM, just carbonated "fizz" water, unflavored. Refrigerate for a couple of hours.

Get another, larger bottle, and pour 2/3 of a capful of PLAIN (no-flavor) Philips Milk of Magnesia (which is Magnesium Oxide, an alkaline laxative) into the large bottle. (The bottle comes with a plastic measuring cup which is what I mean when I say 2/3 capful.)

Now quickly open the bottle of carbonated water (water + carbonic acid) and empty it into the large bottle containing the 2/3 capful of Magnesia.

Shake well.

You will have a bottle of milky/cloudy liquid which is in the process of neutralization between the carbonic acid and the magnesium oxide-- leaving a neutral salt, Magnesium Bicarbonate.

Let the cloudy mixture sit for a while at room temperature, until the liquid clears; there will be some white precipitate at the bottom. Shake again and let sit again. When clear, refrigerate. THIS IS YOUR MAGNESIUM BICARBONATE CONCENTRATE. Unlike the chalky taste of straight Milk of Magnesia, or the biting-fizzy taste of seltzer water, your concentrate will have a strong, sweet, slightly "soapy" taste. You will be DILUTING it in water for drinking purposes.

When it has chilled, pour a small amount into an empty 1 liter bottle (approx. 1/2" of concentrate at the bottom) and fill the rest of the bottle with pure drinking water.

You have now created a sweet-tasting, Magnesium-enriched drinking water, and you're also getting your Bi-carbs without all the Sodium you'd be getting from Baking Soda.

I have been making and drinking this Mg water since Nov. 2006 (I write this in July of 2007) and have not had any bad effects from it. I take a bottle to work and sip it during the day. My resting heart rate seems to have gone down and I feel more relaxed in general. I can't say it has greatly improved my high blood pressure, but it has helped some, and I know I am getting enough Magnesium. Probably would be beneficial to supplement with Calcium for balance.

Try it and see what it does for you.

The most bioavailable form of magnesium is magnesium chloride, better known as magnesium flakes, available in health food stores in both internal and external versions.

Make 'Mag Oil' by mixing two parts magnesium flakes with one part water (dissolves with no heating required).

Rub the Mag Oil on the skin. The skin will absorb more than the digestive track, faster, and without loose stools or kidney overload as well. Put it on sore joints to help them along as well.

Combining this with the 1/4 teaspoon of borax in water per day has incredible synergy! They both seem to boost each other!

I have taken magnesium taurate for years and it completely eliminates my irregular heartbeat. I also take magnesium Glycinate for my depression and insomnia. I always try to stay at 200mgs or below using supplements. There are so many different kinds of magnesium that you need to find the one you need for your problems. These are just my experiences using magnesium.

Mama to Many, which Mag Oil do you use? Sometimes I wake up with achy joints, especially knees.

I recently have been trying the Magnesium L-Threonate as a new form of magnesium By Life Extension, and it is supposed to give greater mental focus. I noticed that my heart would race at night and seemed to have a difficult time pumping. So I have decided to stop taking them. I also took all 3 at nite time so that may have been too many at once, but heck I'd rather not have thumping heart problems from a Magnesium supplement. Xoxo

Hello, Magnesium L Threonate is a great form of magnesium for Memory. The way to take it is twice a day. Take 1 in AM combine with 1 Mg Glycinate.. Another 1 in pm combine with 2 caps Mg Glycinate.. Mix Mg forms.. as the needed dose for Mag is mg 5x body wt/lbs.. (100 lbs. needs 5oo mg Mg.) Mag L Threonate only has 48 mg elemental Mg. Glycinate has 133 mg Mg. per pill...It takes about 6 months or more to get your body stores of Mag replenished. So be patient.It will happen.

Hi Bill,

I have just started to take magnesium & the leady in the health store recommended magnesium citrate (MAG 365), I am taking 1 teaspoon each morning in warm water. I am a bit confused reading through all the different posts, can you clarify for me will magnesium citrate cause increased blood pressure? as I don't need that to happen to me.

Thank you in advance, love your posts.

Transfer Factor Cardio is also good to use. It has transfer factor which is a messenger molecule that rememebers potential threats to your cardiovascular system. It is used to balance blood pressure without the side effects. Look for transfer factor cardio and click on the product's profie sheet to see all of the ingredients and what it does. Vitamin b3 is also good for lowering blood pressure but you may need to take bcomplex and additional b3.

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

Milk of Magnesia Helping Heart Palpitations but Causing Moodiness

I have been taking 1/4-1/3 tsp MOM 2x a day. It is AMAZING with totally curbing the muscle tension that leads to my migraines (cutting both of those out! ) and helping to slowly tame the heart palpitations that have gotten really frequent the last 2 months.

The problem I seem to have (It MAY just be a coincidence) is that I sure have been moody!

Is that a possible healing/work through it thing, or ? Any ideas? I am trying to find some other form of magnesium, but in the meantime I will cautiously use the MOM.

Thanks!

Val

I have been taking about 1000 mg of elemental Magnesium per day for the past few years to regulate my system and help with bowel function and over all health. It has worked wonders but I am concerned that I may damage my body with this amount of supplements per day. Naturpaths and other practitioners say that this amount of magnisium is safe? Does anyone have any other feedback on this?

I was just reading about the possible mind/memory/learning benefits of a new magnesium l-threonate. The human trials are not finished but it's on the market.... has anyone out there used this yet and with what results? I am already benefiting with sleep, mood and digestion by using magnesium chloride in a weak drink and as an oil spray as well as soaking in epsom salts.

http://www.healthyfellow.com/461/natural-memory-boosters/

Yes, I have been using it for 2 weeks. What a remarkable difference it has made for my brain! It produces a calm, clear headed feeling and my focus is much improved. Here is an article describing the clinical research.

http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2012/feb2012_Novel-Magnesium-Compound-Reverses-Neurodegeneration_01.htm