Magnesium Question

[Bobbi]

My cardiologist suggested that I take a magnesium supplement. I neglected to ask him how much would be an appropriate amt. to try. (I was a bit overwhelmed with everything else he was relaying re: the results of monitor testing and ordering a nuclear CT of my heart - to assure I'm not going to suddenly bite the 'big one.")

What would be a "safe" amt.? to try?

[Gymnast_Navy_Wife]

I know this may sound silly, but what about going to a pharmacy such as walgreens, walmart, etc or any place that you can speak to an actually pharmacist and ask him/her what is considered a safe dose for a person of your age and medical condition.

I've done that several times when I needed to what is safe cold med, pain reliever (advil, tylenol, etc), etc that I could take with all my seizure meds and other meds without having to worry about any interactions.

Pharmacists are invaluable resources and are of tremendous help :)

GNW

[Bobbi]

Excellent idea.

My brain musta been having a bubble and the thought to do as you suggest escaped. Duh :o.

I was hoping to have heard from my cardio doc's office today - scheduling the scan. No call, no asking him - for now.

I like the idea of fielding the question - with my pharmacist, since the pharm. also has a complete list of meds. Rx'd, etc.

Thank you! :)

[Mark N]

Bobbie, I agree that asking your pharmacist is the best way to go because as you point out he is aware of your other meds and will know of any issues tied to this.

[mrsdoubtfyre]

my magnesium thread over at NeuroTalk.( it is on the vitamin forum there)

You will learn about elemental values-- which is very important for dosing.

Also I have the various types explained. And why magnesium oxide is not
helpful.

One cannot put up links from here to there, but I think you can find it.

The product SlowMag was initially designed for cardio use. Previously it was made by Searle, but that patent was sold to Purdue recently.
There are two generic versions of it called, MagDelay and Mag64.
(you may have to special order those however, as they are typically not on the shelf in stores).

Magnesium is critical for cardiac function, and often ignored by doctors.
You are lucky yours has recommended it.
Feel free to PM me anytime over at NeuroTalk. (I do not visit here everyday)

[suede]

Bobbi, Here's one for you, I have had trouble with constipation since all this CP crap started, well I have had all the rx's prescribed to no avail have tried the OC meds no luck, well the NP at my gyno clinic told me to start taking 500 mg. a day and it would help my bowels move......
Well it's working but I am so backed up it's not taking care of that but at least they are moving once again.
So I believe 500mg is like the normal doe at least on all I have been reading up on, though it is always better to speak to someone that really knows such us your Dr or pharmacist.
Hope it works for you for you heart........
Linda

[mrsdoubtfyre]

Bobbi, Here's one for you, I have had trouble with constipation since all this CP crap started, well I have had all the rx's prescribed to no avail have tried the OC meds no luck, well the NP at my gyno clinic told me to start taking 500 mg. a day and it would help my bowels move......
Well it's working but I am so backed up it's not taking care of that but at least they are moving once again.
So I believe 500mg is like the normal doe at least on all I have been reading up on, though it is always better to speak to someone that really knows such us your Dr or pharmacist.
Hope it works for you for you heart........
Linda

Here is a hint:

When the magnesium you choose creates laxative action...that magnesium is not being absorbed into your body. It is remaining in the GI tract and acting as a saline cathartic (drawing water out of your tissues to make more liquid stools--this expands the colon and receptors there then send signals to evacuate).

The better more efficient versions of magnesium do no loosen you up.
I have all that information, including studies to show which forms are best utilized.

Now some mag does get absorbed, for example, Magnesium oxide 400mg tablet you can count on about 8mg being absorbed, the rest stays in the bowel. Since one needs about 380-400mg a day of elemental magnesium this 8mg is rather small. In fact just about the amount in an egg.
Compared to 108mg in a cup of navy beans, or 270mg in 3 oz of unsalted almonds.

400mg of magnesium oxide, is about 50% magnesium elemental. It is important to understand that the milligrams on a label, may not reflect exactly what you are really getting. Some labels for minerals are putting elemental right on them. Others not. Iron for example has an FDA mandate for the elemental on the label now, so poison control can quickly figure out how much Iron a child has accidently taken. But the laws are not extended yet to other mineral supplements. It is up to you to understand it, so you get what you are really intending.

Magnesium is an efficient laxative-- always has been. But for those who need it in the rest of the body, choice of type and dose is important.

[Nana4&cntn]

Linda, I will have to try the Magnesium for my constipation! I already take a different type that doesn't help, so if it isn't absorbed as Mrs D says, it is no biggy. Thanks for the tip! Good to see you back, I have missed you!

Take care,
Kathy

[suede]

MrsD,
Thanks for the info.

Kathy
Thanks good to be back

[Bobbi]

Thanks everyone...

*boogie*boogie*boogie

[Ted Hutchinson]

In his book The Brain Trust Program (http://www.drmccleary.com/) Dr Larry McCleary suggests that 600mg magnesium is ideal for brain health.

He suggests a chelated form and/or Magnesium Malate or Taurinate but lactate or aspartate would also be fine, and citrate is perhaps best if you also needed the laxative properties.

If you haven't taken magnesium before it may be worth your while building up the dose from 200mg daily to 600mg daily over several weekly increments. Perhaps half the amount twice daily may be a way around the loose stools problem also.

Don't forget also that magnesium uptake, like calcium, is dependent on your vitamin d status. If you have low vit d it won't matter how much magnesium you take or have in your diet, it won't all be absorbed.

The level of Vit D our bodies NATURALLY strive to attain and maintain given adequate regular full body sun exposure is around 125-150nmol/l or 50-60ng (http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=17218096)

As Serum 25(OH)D can be expected to rise by about 1 ng/mL (2.5 nmol/L) for every 100 IU of additional vitamin D each day. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18525006) it is only basic maths to work out how much Vit d daily is needed to achieve optimal status. If your bodyweight is significantly different from the average you can work on the basis of 1000iu/daily/D3 for each 30lbs.

[mrsdoubtfyre]

For those taking methadone----

This opiate prolongs QT segment in the heart (other opiates do not) and low magnesium levels is one precipitant that will start an event (arrhythmia).

This is critical for methadone patients.

http://www.qtdrugs.org/

[Bobbi]

MrsD., what does QT stand for/mean? :o

I'm on a beta blocker - to help my whacky heart. My cardiologist had told me to increase the dosage "only as needed" when things are feeling totally squirrel-y (my word; definitely not his :D).

Part of the prob. is (symptomatic) MVP, PCVs, and SVT. The recent monitor-wearing (for 21 days), did somehow manage to provide him with reliable data about what's going on during "events." Some times, my heart beats excessively fast; other times, it slows too much.

He's thinking that some OTC magnesium might help with some of it... the palpitations.

Another thing, he said that I'm definitely feeling what I say I'm feeling. He has had some patients report things, orders a monitor and... with all the tests, can find nothing wrong with some.

The nuclear CT is the last test, for now. He's also having one done.

[mrsdoubtfyre]

has explanations for consumers as well as professionals.

I also have a long explanation on the Stickies at NeuroTalk.
The sticky that used to be here on chronic pain, was lost in the
archives during the last down.

The tracing for the sequence of a heart beat has areas that are labeled with
some letters of the alphabet.

There is a time interval for the whole sequence to complete. When the time interval lengthens, the tracing become longer and the distance between the Q and T interval becomes greater. If too long, the next beat gets messed up and the heart rhythm is confused and the heart stops. Sometimes you can get
wonkey flutters, but if electrolytes are low, magnesium and potassium a complete block may occur.

This may be hereditary and hidden, or induced by dehydration and low electrolytes. Some drugs induce this, and some only induce it when mixed.
Anna Nicole Smith's son Daniel died of this event, with a mixture of Zoloft, Lexapro and Methadone (none of which were high or toxic), but mixed together created a prolongation of QT, which killed him.

The link I gave you has 4 lists of drugs, and documentation as to QT risk.
It is really a good link.

Current estimates are that 7 out of 10 people are low in magnesium.
I have studies and details on my magnesium thread at NeuroTalk. It is a vital mineral we cannot afford to skimp on.

[Bobbi]

((( Thank you, MrsD. )))

I had visited some of the links and the meaning of QT wasn't something I'd seen. (Then, again, I hadn't visited everything you suggested at the time I asked about its meaning :o.)

I really appreciate all of your info. and help.

[mrsdoubtfyre]

((( Thank you, MrsD. )))

I had visited some of the links and the meaning of QT wasn't something I'd seen. (Then, again, I hadn't visited everything you suggested at the time I asked about its meaning :o.)

I really appreciate all of your info. and help.

It is also called torsades de pointes. The term long QT syndrome is more
accurate and is replacing the older French term.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torsades_de_pointes

Some people still call it Torsades.