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magnesium bad reactions

alice111

Senior Member
Messages
397
Location
Canada
Hi all,

So i'm a little perplexed about what to make of my recent reactions to magnesium. I am aware that sometimes things that are helping you can make you feel worse at first, and I am also aware that magnesium can make one sleepy. I have recently had tests show that I am deficient in magnesium so I have tried to supplement it. My question is how do you know if its just not working for you, or if you should "tough it out"?

Magnesium cream, and now through IV have both made me very very tired. I feel more dizzy, and I have had this strange weakness in my legs. After this last IV my legs actually gave out underneath me! I have also had this hot/flushed feeling in my head and face when lying down. I should mention that the IV's are meyers cocktails so there are also B vitamins in there.

If magnesium is making me feel so lousy is it possible that it is not converting into a good form?

I know I need to get my magnesium up, but so far it has only made my energy worse.. :(
any insight, experience or ideas would be greatly appreciated!!!
 

Victronix

Senior Member
Messages
418
Location
California
I was only able to tolerate Albion's chelated magnesium with calcium. Magnesium alone can be almost impossible to cope with. Recently I found out that Carlson's Cal-Mag I was taking no longer had Albion brand minerals and I have had to scramble to find another that does since if I don't have magnesium my mood and energy tank. I tried several different brands and ratios. Now the experiment starts again, thanks to Carlson losing their license (apparently) to sell Albion. This site was helpful for me -- http://www.krispin.com/magnes.html
 

Plum

Senior Member
Messages
512
Location
UK
Sorry to hear yr having a tough time with the Magnesium. It sounds to me like yr getting TOO much especially as yr getting an IV. I have learnt the hard way to go very slowly and gently with anything. If it's possible to scale your IV's back then that would be good. You can get a magnesium oil to rub on your skin. It can make you itch for a few mins but it is meant to be a good alternative.
I have found true food magnesium the best and then chelated is ok.

It is best to not take calcium with magnesium separately as they compete with one another. There should be lots on the net about this.
 

BFG

Messages
87
Location
California
I have also had the same reactions to every form of supplemental magnesium that I've taken. I have tried Two different brands of magnesium oil and flakes, magnesium glycinate, and magnesium citrate and every time I would take them they would cause me to feel this whole body weakness, like my body suddenly lost all energy/ weighed a ton. It was very hard to even raise my arms and legs. I tested each forms of magnesium by iteslf and always could expect the same reaction 30min -l hr later. This feeling would linger on for a day to a week from all the time that I tried it. But when I take very very small doses in a multi mineral/vitamin It does not give me those symptoms. I just stay away from doses of magnesium higher than 10% daily value in one dose and try to eat a variety of foods high in mag.

I found another member who has had similar symptoms from mag here:http://forums.phoenixrising.me/inde...d-tiredness-sleepiness-muscle-weakness.20737/

I also found another very interesting thread on the curezone forums.The last poster in the thread believes he almost died from magnesium supplementation and that it is counterintuitive for people with adrenal problems/OI. He says that it causes the blood vessels to dialate hence the relaxed feeling, but is not good for people who need to keep vessels constricted to prevent edema and enough blood flow to brain. http://curezone.com/forums/am.asp?i=1649159

And to follow the previous idea I found another person who developed edema in legs after mag supplementation.
http://curezone.com/forums/am.asp?i=1440374

From my similar experience with mag supplements I would be very cautious of taking it.

You mentioned the hot/flushed feeling after the meyers cocktail, I think it could be from the niacin/b3 in there. Niacin in high doses causes the flush. It happened to me one time after I took jarrows b right b complex and about 1-2 hrs later my face and neck was red as a cherry.

How do you know that you have a mag deficiency?
 

alice111

Senior Member
Messages
397
Location
Canada
thank you all for the replies!
It is now 5 days since the IV, and im still super exhausted.. yesterday things seemed like they were almost getting worse, as my legs were so weak I could hardly stand! My blood pressure has been really low, despite all the usual salt.. so im thinking my problems might be from the mag lowering my BP?

I will try a mineral combo like 'Victronix' mentioned, but not till I have recovered from whatever this is..

BFG - it makes sense that it would be counter intuitive to take mag with adrenal problems, I thought the same thing about needing to keep blood pressure up and vessels constricted. To answer your question I recently had two tests and two different doctors to suggest magnesium deficiency - 1st Dr Myhill did a mitochondrial test with her which showed very deficient, and 2nd did a "spectracell" nutrients and minerals test which also showed I was very deficient.
 

Victronix

Senior Member
Messages
418
Location
California
thank you all for the replies!
It is now 5 days since the IV, and im still super exhausted.. yesterday things seemed like they were almost getting worse, as my legs were so weak I could hardly stand! My blood pressure has been really low, despite all the usual salt.. so im thinking my problems might be from the mag lowering my BP?

I will try a mineral combo like 'Victronix' mentioned, but not till I have recovered from whatever this is..

BFG - it makes sense that it would be counter intuitive to take mag with adrenal problems, I thought the same thing about needing to keep blood pressure up and vessels constricted. To answer your question I recently had two tests and two different doctors to suggest magnesium deficiency - 1st Dr Myhill did a mitochondrial test with her which showed very deficient, and 2nd did a "spectracell" nutrients and minerals test which also showed I was very deficient.

Jassysan,

Just to check, is your doctor aware of your low BP? Was it a doctor who administered the IV?

If it's been 5 days and your legs are weak I would recommend contacting your doctor (better yet, a different doctor from the one who administered the IV, if one did administer it), at least to have someone else involved, particularly if you were feeling like things may have been getting worse.

Sometimes one doctor will string you along and does not know what they are doing, or is just unaware of the extent of your concerns. It's important to check with a different one if you are unsure, in a situation with something like low BP and being unable to stand on your legs easily.

I can get extreme exhaustion when I miss a magnesium dose, but not weak legs, so that's really worth looking into.
 

SJB944

Senior Member
Messages
178
I often got increased muscle twitching, heaviness felling, fatigue, after magnesium injection but started slowly and built up. Plus I found I was better able to tolerate magnesium (via injection) when I also took Vitamin D.
 

Victronix

Senior Member
Messages
418
Location
California
Magnesium injections are a new concept to me -- sorry if I sounded alarmist, it just seems like a scary thing to do injections of it. I have a hard enough time with side effects just taking it in pill form.
 
Messages
10,157
Hi jassyann,

It sounds like you are having an adverse reaction to the magnesium infusions. This is something you might want to discuss with your doctor, it might just be a case of changing the dosage. Many of us are extremely sensitive to medications. I do hope you see your doctor and let us know the results :)

Kina
 

SJB944

Senior Member
Messages
178
Any form of injection can sound scary. Dr Myhill has many of her patients do magnesium injections -- at about 1/2ml of 50% solution a day. I've found it the only way to get enough magnesium into my body to make a difference. Of course we can react to anything, regardless of how safe it may otherwise deemed to be. My own philosophy is to start slow and then build up.
 

Victronix

Senior Member
Messages
418
Location
California
It seems amazing and yet it's the same thing for B-12 -- some people can't make it on sublinguals and do need to have injections. And magnesium is critically important.
 
Messages
80
Location
South Dakota
So i'm a little perplexed about what to make of my recent reactions to magnesium. I am aware that sometimes things that are helping you can make you feel worse at first, and I am also aware that magnesium can make one sleepy. I have recently had tests show that I am deficient in magnesium so I have tried to supplement it. My question is how do you know if its just not working for you, or if you should "tough it out"? ...............
I know I need to get my magnesium up, but so far it has only made my energy worse.. :(
any insight, experience or ideas would be greatly appreciated!!!

More than once, I've had the experience of magnesium supplements really turning me into a drag. I was able to revive after stopping magnesium supplements. So now I'm very careful about "extra" magnesium. What type of test was it that prompted you to try to increase your magnesium levels?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypermagnesemia
mentions Hypermagnesemia and its associations.

Hope by now you're feeling better. Blessings to you!
 
Messages
19
I am having lot of issues w magnesium personally. Even small doses. I took 10mg Magnesium BiGlycinate (includes 15mg calcium). It was a cut tablet. Anyway my heart rate rises, vision is darker, body and hands colderr, feels like more energy but I feel more unhappy if anything. This is 20 mins after dosing. I had a pastry 30 mins prior. Sometimes magnesium after something sweet hits me positively with a burst of energy and increased level of though but it's inconsistent. extremely inconsistent. I feel less friendly, more prone to negativity.

Sometimes a few hours after mag doses I feel a rebound of kindness. I also notice if I am walking around I feel better. Related to better blood flow surely. But while sitting in this chair I feel some subtle physical anxiety. I used to take much higher doses of magnesium a few years back but the physical anxiety in my chest would go through the roof. I'd also be very prone to stress.

Also some confusion would emerge some weeks ago after taking 30mg magnesium. I would be at a store buying some things and just constantly forgetting things and behaving in a reckless manner. Forgot my wallet. Said stupid senseless things to the cashier. Felt agitated and caught in a stupor. Also back at home writing things would become difficult. I would constantly have all these misspelling accidentally especially when leaning forward. The most basic things I'd be misspelling including my very own name. I can't begin to describe how stupid I felt.

I have CFS, low T, very low Est, hypothyroid, candida, and external fungal infections. My PH level is very acidic.

Does anyone have any insights as to why this is? Sometimes i feel happier after mag doses and the Energyyy factor is very significant. It often accelerates my ability to think but usually only upon start up. Repeat doses not so much and I feel duller and duller. I can't figure it out. Right now I have more energy but feel robotic and apathetic.
 

cph13

Senior Member
Messages
221
Location
USA
To all,
Hi! I recently came across something called Magnesium advocacy that is run by a health coach Morley Robbins There is also a FB page. OMG, so much to learn. I would suggest going to youtube and putting in Morley Robbins name and listen to his interesting take on a lot of things. Maggie, Vit D, iron. The FB page is a bit overwhelming with 50,000 members. I get the opinion this is a real learning curve for many.
I personally now take 4 different typed of magnesium throughout the course of the day. I've always needed a lot of maggie. Mag. Glycinate powder has helped humungously with my sleep and the lack thereof.
Give it a try. You'll just be reading/listeneing to another opinion. We are NEVER DONE LEARNING. Happy Healing to all xo C
 
Messages
42
Location
Belgium
Anyway my heart rate rises, vision is darker, body and hands colderr, feels like more energy but I feel more unhappy if anything. This is 20 mins after dosing. I had a pastry 30 mins prior. Sometimes magnesium after something sweet hits me positively with a burst of energy and increased level of though but it's inconsistent. extremely inconsistent. I feel less friendly, more prone to negativity

Sounds like the same issue I was running into the past few weeks/months. I've been struggeling with magnesium for the past 9 months. Here's what I've learned so far:
- boron in high dosage (+-30mg/day) is very, very beneficial (don't forget to take B2 and B6 along with it, some manganese as well if the B2 has a profound effect on you).
- go slooooooow with raising your dosage of magnesium (very difficult for me, I want to be healed ASAP goddamnit :))
- when feeling cold and depressed when taking magnesium (due to low thyroid function) up your vitamin D intake, dramatically. (the issue I've ran into the past weeks/months). Up it slowly but think in terms of 10000IU or more. If this helps you (and it probably will) boron is a must. I first found the boron before the D connection to magnesium and I now understand it was boron's ability to raise D by itself that did it for me. Do take the other fat solulable vitamins when taking high dose D: vit A, E, and especially K. K protects against the effects of a D 'overdose' or in other words D depletes all the others in order to do its job.
- when feeling sleepy and weak take less magnesium
- when you're sure you don't have calcium issues (unlikely, low energy means too much if anything) some calcium might help as well. Use it as your last ditch effort. I was too quick with it and it cost me a few months.

I can't imagine I'm still having issues with it after 9 months but I still do. Have made very big gains though :)
The only negative response I now get to magnesium is feeling sleepy and weak when I up it too fast. Before the above my pain increased terribly and I became depressed, badly.
 
Messages
13
really interesting, same thing happened to me...
magnesium citrat = diarrhea no real effect...
magnesium threonate 200mg maybe slightly relaxed
magnesium malate 400mg i got knocked out! whole body weakness, no energy, really sleepy, really calm too though, good mood, no bad thoughts but REALLY REALLY FATIGUED

i now take 200mg before bed which helps me to relax and sleep, it mainly relaxes me in that dose, taxes away anxiety (if there is).
 

aquaster

Keep moving forward...
Messages
16
Location
Philadelphia, PA
really interesting, same thing happened to me...
magnesium citrat = diarrhea no real effect...
magnesium threonate 200mg maybe slightly relaxed
magnesium malate 400mg i got knocked out! whole body weakness, no energy, really sleepy, really calm too though, good mood, no bad thoughts but REALLY REALLY FATIGUED

i now take 200mg before bed which helps me to relax and sleep, it mainly relaxes me in that dose, taxes away anxiety (if there is).

this is exactly what happens to me with each type of mag except I can't tolerate even 200 mg (of anything but citrate.
 

TigerLilea

Senior Member
Messages
1,147
Location
Vancouver, British Columbia
I can't tolerate magnesium supplements either. Within a couple weeks I am napping every afternoon for several hours and I can't think clearly. Even a multi vitamin with 50 mg of magnesium knocks me out.