Does Magnesium work that well?

[Consider]

When I was at the hospital, I was given magnesium and I relaxed within 30 mins, is this for real or I am being a weirdo?

[MyNameIsTerry]

It's known as "the calming mineral" so its possible. But why did they give it? To address a magnesium deficiency? If so, that could signal that treating that could help your anxiety. Magnesium deficiency is a known anxiety cause.

How was it given though? IV? And at what level & type?

[sandie]

I read this thread with some considerable interest and then did some research online. As a consequence, I checked out the levels of multi-vits/minerals I already take, what vits if taken in excess can be toxic and what the body actually needs if a person is not eating a good diet.

I am on my own (my husband works away), and as a result I know I don't always eat especially healthy - although I always try to get at least 5 pieces of fruit / veg each day, so I know I am not getting all the vital stuff my body needs from diet alone.

I am on 50 mg sertraline (coming up 4 weeks) and experiencing the most awful side effects - especially insomnia, for which my GP won't prescribe anything. I am also seeing a therapist.

I have bought a Magnesium supplement from Holland and Barrett (the adviser was very helpful and seemingly very knowledgeable); she wasn't pushy, but also recommended the Magnesium oil which is sprayed onto to the body as well as Epsom salts for the bath. Apparently the skin absorbs the magnesium quickly and effectively.

My research also suggests that most of us are deficient in magnesium because we don''t eat enough of the foods which contain this vital substance, and although a multi-vit/mineral tablet states it contains 100% of the RDA, this is a very conservative amount and not considered enough to give the body what it needs to maintain a healthy nervous system. (It does appear that there is a lot of evidence it helps combat depression).

I would really appreciate any thoughts NMP members have about magnesium; whether they have tried it and whether it has helped.

Today is only day 2 on the supplement and spray - so early days for me, and of course when you are desperate to feel better and less anxious then you are prepared to try anything.

[Deanosbeano]

I didnt take any Citalopram but took Holland and Barrett Magnesium(500Mg IIRC) tablets instead , it worked for me thankfully in as much as it made me feel a bit more energetic yet relaxed if thats possible to explain without having to write too much lol.

Anyway i still take them and until i find a food group to replace them i would imagine ill always take them

[MyNameIsTerry]

I read this thread with some considerable interest and then did some research online. As a consequence, I checked out the levels of multi-vits/minerals I already take, what vits if taken in excess can be toxic and what the body actually needs if a person is not eating a good diet.

I am on my own (my husband works away), and as a result I know I don't always eat especially healthy - although I always try to get at least 5 pieces of fruit / veg each day, so I know I am not getting all the vital stuff my body needs from diet alone.

I am on 50 mg sertraline (coming up 4 weeks) and experiencing the most awful side effects - especially insomnia, for which my GP won't prescribe anything. I am also seeing a therapist.

I have bought a Magnesium supplement from Holland and Barrett (the adviser was very helpful and seemingly very knowledgeable); she wasn't pushy, but also recommended the Magnesium oil which is sprayed onto to the body as well as Epsom salts for the bath. Apparently the skin absorbs the magnesium quickly and effectively.

My research also suggests that most of us are deficient in magnesium because we don''t eat enough of the foods which contain this vital substance, and although a multi-vit/mineral tablet states it contains 100% of the RDA, this is a very conservative amount and not considered enough to give the body what it needs to maintain a healthy nervous system. (It does appear that there is a lot of evidence it helps combat depression).

I would really appreciate any thoughts NMP members have about magnesium; whether they have tried it and whether it has helped.

Today is only day 2 on the supplement and spray - so early days for me, and of course when you are desperate to feel better and less anxious then you are prepared to try anything.

Some useful magensium threads for you:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthr...ight=magnesium
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthr...ight=magnesium
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthr...ight=magnesium
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthr...ight=magnesium
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthr...38#post1452038

There was one on the Success Stories board too.

The above should help you with the loose bowels issue as thats due to certain forms only. Some forms of magnesium also turn to milk of magnesia when they hit the water in your stomach so check you are not using ones that that or you can expect digestion related changes. (It was magnesium oxide turns into magnesium hydroxide which is milk of magnesia. The oxide version is very common in the cheaper ones like supermarket own brands)

I have been using the transdermal since the end of January. It didn't appear to be doing anything for ages so around about June I increased it to try on my knees as they had started acheing a lot and even throbbing in bed. My knees are a lot better now so I have been using it on my back, hips and more recently my right wrist which is suffering the same issues. It is helping a lot and it works pretty quickly when applied in those areas.

I can't say I have noticed a difference to anxiety but with all these physical issues, it will likely be helping those first anyway. My first 5 months dosing was about 5 sprays on each foot so it must have been far too low.

To supplement this, I have recently bought some ionic magnesium. I'm hoping this might help with the anxiety side since it won't be going through the skin direct to an area with problems. Not tried it yet. I found it is cheaper to purchase and ship from the US and since it's less than the Duty & VAT minimums, you don't get stung by Customs either. It just means ordering more often which is no biggie.

There are studies in the UK of epsom salts increasing blood magensium levels from a certain type of bathing regime. The Zechstein sea stuff is better though so your transdermal should be good. What type have you bought? I had a Swanson one first and now I've bought Life-Flo as I'm trying to watch my spending. I've found the Life-Flo one is a better spray as the Swanson one was was very greasy.

I sprayed it on my feet initially as that avoids the stinging. However, when I started spraying elsewhere I did have stinging. Stinging is said to indicate deficiency and even after using it weeks on an area I can still find it stinging some days so there is obviously an ongoing deficiency problems and I've heard it can take some months correct. The stinging is not bad though and it doesn't last more than 20 minutes. I once sprayed it direct into an open scratch without realising and that was more like a burn for about an hour.

Some people say it helps to relieve migraines too if sprayed on the head. I wonder how that helps with brain related issues with rubbing it closer and whether it is more likely to reach there without being used up elsewhere as it is transported?

The larger the area you rub it into, the better though.

Here are a couple of useful threads where it is discussed here & there but most the threads are about other things. There are some useful bits abouts how to make your own which might be a good thing for you to try. I plan on doing this when my current one runs low:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=174070
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=173433

Magnesium deficiency was also mentioned as one of the possible contributors to how anxiety is caused through the bodies normal methylation processes in an epigenetics article I was reading some time ago.

[sandie]

I am so grateful for your response Terry. I bought the Magnesium Oil spray from Holland and Barrett and the adviser said I might experience some tingling but to be honest I barely noticed anything. I also bought the Magnesium Citrate supplements because I had read that the Oxide were not so effective.

I have not yet bought any Epsom salts but plan to do so - but as you say, all these things are so expensive. I think this morning I might be a bit more generous with the Oil Spray - I was a little conservative so perhaps that is why it didn't sting or tingle.

I shall try to find the success story.

[MyNameIsTerry]

You can get magnesium chloride, the type that should be in that oil (suggest checking that), in bath flakes as well. So, you use them just like epsom salts but chloride is more absorbable. I'm surprised the advisor didn't mention that but maybe they don't sell the flakes? I know they sell them in Tesco but under the BetterYou brand but they will be more expensive (as ever!) in there. I remember seeing BetterYou transdermal oil spray in Tesco and it was £5 cheaper on Amazon!

Do you know how many sprays gets you how much mg? Some manufacturers don't list it on the bottle but my current one does. Swanson didn't.

Citrate is better than oxide. BUT citrate is one of the forms that can give you the runs over a certain dosage because it is for use as a laxative. There are forms less likely to do this and they are in the above threads.

Here is the success story thread:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthr...ight=magnesium

[Sparkling_Fairy]

My pharmacist recommended me magnesium powder. You dissolve it in a bit of hot water, then add cold water and sip it. Or down it in one, whichever you prefer.
She told me to take it before going to sleep, as a lady she sold it to said it helps her sleep a lot.
I have to say, it does wonders for my sleep! And overall I feel a lot better.
Having said that, I also take vitamin D and vitamin B complex, and it could be a combination of the 3.
But a lot of my anxiety symptoms have disappeared (or certainly becomes a lot less) and I feel less anxious.
It can't harm. A study showed 70% of the population is magnesium deficient and doesn't even know it. I'd say trying can't harm

[MrAndy]

i take it every night for sleep and it really helps,it gives me some awesome dreams

[almamatters]

Wish I had known there were different kinds magnesium. I stopped taking it because the because the digestion changes it gave me made me panic even more. I just brought the ordinary capsules. Might try the powder now.