Magnesium Deficiency? Still Having Nagging, Chronic Complaints? Something To Look Into...

[justlisa]

Please take the time to read this... So many posts here from folks who have "gone gluten-free" but continue to have some significant symptoms. Fatigue, constipation, etc. I see B12 deficiency, thyroid, etc as suggestions...but I haven't come across magnesium deficiency, yet. So, I really wanted to bring it up...

Magnesium is a CRITICAL element...used in over 300 of our bodily processes! Also, magnesium deficiency is EASILY MISSED (sound like something we're all familiar with?) because only 1% of our magnesium level is found in the bloodstream... only 1%.

This deficiency is linked to many symptoms and diseases.

I'm hoping that some folks in here will find this info helpful and a good starting point to help with recovery.

Oh and... The statistics that I've been reading indicate that well over 50% of us do not get our daily allowance...not even close. Not to mention that steaming, broiling, etc can "remove" this vital element from our diets.

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[rosetapper23]

I agree! (And I do mention magnesium deficiency frequently.) This is one of those minerals that Americans simply don't get enough of--our soil is almost completely depleted of magnesium.

I usually recommend Bluebonnet liquid magnesium or Nature's Way Magnesium Complex because they're both gentle on the intestinal tract.

Thanks for bringing up this matter!

[1desperateladysaved]

I shook everyday of my life for as long as I could remember. I began taking magnesium. Three or four days later the shakes went away. I always thought I was shy/anxious, but magnesium took that feeling away! I began other nutrients at the same time, but I think I narrowed it down to the magnesium did it!

[justlisa]

Rose... So sorry I missed those postings! I need to do more searching in here . This is definitely something that needs to come up a lot...especially for all us newbies. The biggest thing, for me, is how under-diagnosed this deficiency is...and how vital it is to all of us.

Desp Lady... Wow...another "success"! I sooo love to hear about success! I truly believe that there are so many of these deficiencies that are harming people but slip through the cracks with doctors (medical community)...just like gluten intolerance... I am so happy that you found an answer to something that had plagued you for so long!

[Finally-45]

I was deficient also, but I found that eating mollasses gave me better results than supplements. I'm one of the weird people who actually LIKES mollasses on my pancakes (made with rice flour of course), but I understand some people do well by cooking with mollasses in cookies, baked beans, bbq sauce etc. Or even taking a tbsp a day of it straight.

I got the idea from reading that the minerals in mollasses are better absorbed than other sources. Maple syrup can also be used in cooking and adds a minor amount of magnesium. It tastes too sweet to me, maybe you'll have better luck.

Some alternative health professionals support this approach over supplements because they believe the supplements just run right through you, especially if you have a weak absorption in the first place. I still take supplements. I get that anemic feeling every now and then and so I experimented with watching how well my energy picked up after taking an iron supplement compared to having about 2 tbsp of mollasses: the mollasses won.

[frieze]

I was deficient also, but I found that eating mollasses gave me better results than supplements. I'm one of the weird people who actually LIKES mollasses on my pancakes (made with rice flour of course), but I understand some people do well by cooking with mollasses in cookies, baked beans, bbq sauce etc. Or even taking a tbsp a day of it straight.

I got the idea from reading that the minerals in mollasses are better absorbed than other sources. Maple syrup can also be used in cooking and adds a minor amount of magnesium. It tastes too sweet to me, maybe you'll have better luck.

Some alternative health professionals support this approach over supplements because they believe the supplements just run right through you, especially if you have a weak absorption in the first place. I still take supplements. I get that anemic feeling every now and then and so I experimented with watching how well my energy picked up after taking an iron supplement compared to having about 2 tbsp of mollasses: the mollasses won.

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hopefully this is the variety of which you speak....

[Finally-45]

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hopefully this is the variety of which you speak....

Yep, Blackstrap is what I use.

[GFinDC]

Thanks Lisa, I'll be looking more at magnesium. I've read before that people who have problems with D when taking it can reduce their amounts . And also read hat if you build up slowly your gut can adjust to it and not have a problem. Magnesium is well known as stool loosener, hence the Milk of Magnesia sold in the USA. So people should be aware that is a possible normal result of taking too much of it. So don't go overboard on it is the simple solution and build up slowly if you have issues with taking the amount you need.

Here is some info from the NIH on magnesium and foods containing it. Pretty good article, this is just a small part of it.

Well, the foods table looks messed up when posted here, but it is easy to read on the original link.

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Eating a wide variety of legumes, nuts, whole grains, and vegetables will help you meet your daily dietary need for magnesium. Selected food sources of magnesium are listed in Table 1.

Table 1: Selected food sources of magnesium [Open Original Shared Link] Food Milligrams (mg) %DV* Wheat Bran, crude, ¼ cup8922 Almonds, dry roasted, 1 ounce 8020 Spinach, frozen, cooked, ½ cup7820 Raisin bran cereal, 1 cup7719 Cashews, dry roasted, 1 ounce7419 Soybeans, mature, cooked, ½ cup 7419 Wheat germ, crude, ¼ cup6917 Nuts, mixed, dry roasted, 1 ounce6416 Bran flakes cereal, ¾ cup6416 Shredded wheat cereal, 2 rectangular biscuits6115 Oatmeal, instant, fortified, prepared w/ water, 1 cup6115 Peanuts, dry roasted, 1 ounce5013 Peanut butter, smooth, 2 Tablespoons4912 Potato, baked with skin, 1 medium4812 Blackeye peas, cooked, ½ cup4612 Pinto beans, cooked, ½ cup4311 Rice, brown, long-grained, cooked, ½ cup4211 Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, ½ cup 369 Vegetarian baked beans, ½ cup 359 Kidney beans, canned, ½ cup359 Chocolate milk, lowfat, 1 cup338 Banana, raw, 1 medium328 Yogurt, fruit, low fat, 8 fluid ounces328 Milk chocolate candy bar, 1.5 ounce bar287 Milk, lowfat or nonfat, 1 cup 277 Raisins, seedless, ½ cup packed267 Halibut, cooked, 3 ounces246 Bread, whole-wheat, commercially prepared, 1 slice236 Avocado, cubes, ½ cup226 Chocolate pudding, ready-to-eat, 4 ounces195

Who may need extra magnesium?

Magnesium supplementation may be indicated when a specific health problem or condition causes an excessive loss of magnesium or limits magnesium absorption [Open Original Shared Link,Open Original Shared Link,Open Original Shared Link].

• Some medicines may result in magnesium deficiency, including certain diuretics, antibiotics, and medications used to treat cancer (anti-neoplastic medication) [Open Original Shared Link,Open Original Shared Link,Open Original Shared Link]. Examples of these medications are:
  • Diuretics: Lasix, Bumex, Edecrin, and hydrochlorothiazide
  • Antibiotics: Gentamicin, and Amphotericin
  • Anti-neoplastic medication: Cisplatin

  [*]Individuals with poorly-controlled diabetes may benefit from magnesium supplements because of increased magnesium loss in urine associated with hyperglycemia [Open Original Shared Link].[*]Magnesium supplementation may be indicated for persons with alcoholism. Low blood levels of magnesium occur in 30% to 60% of alcoholics, and in nearly 90% of patients experiencing alcohol withdrawal [Open Original Shared Link]. Anyone who substitutes alcohol for food will usually have significantly lower magnesium intakes.[*][*]**** Individuals with chronic malabsorptive problems such as Crohn's disease, gluten sensitive enteropathy, regional enteritis, and intestinal surgery may lose magnesium through diarrhea and fat malabsorption [Open Original Shared Link]. Individuals with these conditions may need supplemental magnesium.[*]

  [*]Individuals with chronically low blood levels of potassium and calcium may have an underlying problem with magnesium deficiency. Magnesium supplements may help correct the potassium and calcium deficiencies [Open Original Shared Link].[*]Older adults are at increased risk for magnesium deficiency. The 1999–2000 and 1988–94 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys suggest that older adults have lower dietary intakes of magnesium than younger adults [Open Original Shared Link,Open Original Shared Link]. In addition, magnesium absorption decreases and renal excretion of magnesium increases in older adults [Open Original Shared Link]. Seniors are also more likely to be taking drugs that interact with magnesium. This combination of factors places older adults at risk for magnesium deficiency [Open Original Shared Link]. It is very important for older adults to get recommended amounts of dietary magnesium.

[kittty]

Someone else on the board mentioned magnesium the other day (can't remember who - sorry) and suggested using Epsom Salts, which is basically magnesium sulfate, in a bath to absorb magnesium into the body. Is this as effective as taking a supplement?

[justlisa]

Finally@45... So glad that works for you... I will have to check that out!

GFinDC... Thanks so much for adding that info to the thread! This forum has been so wonderful to me. I'm just hoping to bring awareness to the things I come across with hope that I can help someone else.

Kitty... From what I've been reading, "topical" (skin) absorption is a great way to supplement magnesium...it's also supposed to be better absorbed than ingesting. However, I would like to caution on the epsom salt (magnesium sulfate)...from what I've been learning, mag sulfate does not absorb as well, the effects are temporary at best and flushes from the body more quickly. Magnesium citrate and Magnesium aspartate are supposed to be the better for supplementation. Also, magnesium sulfate is the more common mag used in oral supplements because it's "cheaper". Magnesium chloride is supposed to be a much more effective topical supplement. I'm ordering some mag chloride flakes from Amazon today, as a matter of fact. I, also, found a recipe for "magnesium oil" (which you can also buy...but pricey) that is super easy on gutsy.com. I'm going to try that, as well...