Do I need extra Magnesium? (Part 1)
Magnesium is one of the most commonly prescribed supplements by natural health practitioners. The nutritional medicine textbook “Integrative Medicine” (Rakel 2012) is a well-respected reference text for clinical nutrition.
It is co-written by over 100 medical doctors and nutritional medicine specialists. These experts recommend supplemental magnesium for heart arrhythmia, asthma, PMS, fibromyalgia, hypertension, diabetes, migraines, muscle problems especially cramp and many more.
Magnesium is essential
Magnesium is classified as an essential major mineral. About half of body magnesium is stored in bones; the rest in tissue especially muscles. Like all nutrients, there is an optimum range for magnesium levels. A diet rich in green vegetables, nuts and seeds will potentially provide the magnesium we need. However it is prudent to take a good multi-mineral like Cell-X to ensure magnesium stays at optimum levels.
Uses of Magnesium
There are some health problems that respond to higher levels of magnesium. I generally include extra supplemental magnesium for muscle cramps, muscle weakness, restless legs, arrhythmia’s especially atrial fibrillation, hypertension, nerve problems, energy issues, anxiety and sleeping problems.
The reason that extra magnesium is so effective is that it is responsible for many numerous body processes. Higher doses of magnesium can dilate blood vessels making it excellent for hypertension and circulatory issues. Magnesium is often used in medicine for atrial fibrillation. Taking it as a dietary supplement can help support normal heart rhythm. It does this by helping correct the heart’s electrical signals.
The best forms of Magnesium
Magnesium supplements use many different forms of magnesium from low grade magnesium oxide to high grade chelated forms. My preference is to combine several forms. I use two chelated forms plus magnesium citrate. These rapid absorption forms are well tolerated and get fast results. Abundant Health Magnesium 600 combines Magnesium Glycinate, Magnesium Aspartate and Magnesium Citrate for rapid absorption.
The effects of Magnesium are dose dependent and can vary a lot from person to person. The upper limit is when Magnesium causes temporary diarrhoea. Some people have more sensitive digestive systems than others.
Getting started
For those with normal digestive systems I generally recommend starting with a high dose of 4 capsules immediately before bed. At these doses Magnesium will help with sleep and should be sufficient to reduce cramps and restless legs.
I would stay on this dose for a few nights to a point where the relief is somewhere near 100%. You can then try dropping to 3 capsules. The normal dose is 2 before bed but some need more or get away with less. The key thing is to experiment to find the right dose. Feel free to contact me regarding Magnesium doses suitable for your situation. My advice above only applies to Abundant Health Magnesium.
John Arts (B.Soc.Sci, Dip Tch, Adv.Dip.Nut.Med.) is a nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health. If you have questions or need help you can contact John 0800 423559. You can email John at john@abundant.co.nz.
Please note that the health advice given through this column is for general educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any health problem. © John Arts 2018