The FastDay Forum

I don't know how but I know that when I took magnesium supplements I put on weight significantly, my GP told me to stop taking them and my weight went back to normal after that. I am not the only one in that case, it seems to be something common with some women as my mum and some friends of mine are in the same case. They take royal jelly instead which seems to work better and eat more food with natural magnesium in it.

http://en.mr-ginseng.com/royal-jelly/

I'll do some resarch later today as I read something about it but don't remember where. However it can be something that doesn't happen often, a kind of side effect

Something to be aware of with magnesium that ive read..when you take it you also need to take calcium..2 parts calc to one part mag..coz the magnesium leeches calcium from yr bones
You can easily buy supplements that contain both mag/ calc x

[carorees]

Something to be aware of with magnesium that ive read..when you take it you also need to take calcium..2 parts calc to one part mag..coz the magnesium leeches calcium from yr bones
You can easily buy supplements that contain both mag/ calc x

I've spent a couple of hours this morning investigating magnesium supplementation and, so far, cannot find any scientific evidence that magnesium leaches calcium from bones, but rather supplementing with magnesium increases bone density and protects from osteoporosis. Further, magnesium supplementation reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Low magnesium intakes and blood levels have been associated with diabetes, metabolic syndrome, markers of inflammation, hypertension, atherosclerotic vascular disease, sudden cardiac death, osteoporosis, insomnia, migraine headache, asthma, and colon cancer. Obesity and increased age are both associated with low magnesium levels.

So far, I'm convinced to keep on with my magnesium supplement. But I'll keep looking for adverse effects in the literature.

I started taking magnesium supplements years ago because I used to get loads of missed beats and I read it somewhere on the internet - it did seem to work but I didn't know about the weight gain thing - is that why I've been fat all these years?!

[carorees]

I started taking magnesium supplements years ago because I used to get loads of missed beats and I read it somewhere on the internet - it did seem to work but I didn't know about the weight gain thing - is that why I've been fat all these years?!

Low magnesium is associated with obesity, so I think it's unlikely in most people. Inn not sure why Manderley had that problem, but it can't be common because the studies find that low magnesium is the problem.

Wow its a minefield @Carorees Thks for looking,will take yr word coz i only saw it in one place..i'm prescribed calc anyway coz two bone scans showed my bones werent good,presumably coz never eaten much dairy..no cheese,yogurts,very little milk..i hate taking the calcium tho..they re chewy and taste sickly and they bung you up! :

It's not that rare as I know plenty of people with the same issues and my GP told me it could happen. I call my GP who told me I have an hypersensitivity to magnesium, that's why I have to avoid it at all costs

[carorees]

It's not that rare as I know plenty of people with the same issues and my GP told me it could happen. I call my GP who told me I have an hypersensitivity to magnesium, that's why I have to avoid it at all costs

Interesting! I must investigate. I shouldn't be recommending magnesium to people if that is a possibility.

[carorees]

Well, I've scoured the literature and the only side-effect of taking magnesium that I can find any mention of is diarrhoea. In randomized, placebo-controlled studies( i.e., they took two groups of people selected at random and gave some of them magnesium and some a fake tablet) the side-effects reported were exactly the same in the placebo group as the magnesium group apart from diarrhoea.

So, I am wondering whether it was something else in your magnesium tablets, Manderley, that caused the problems?

[carorees]

Well, I've scoured the literature and the only side-effect of taking magnesium that I can find any mention of is diarrhoea. In randomized, placebo-controlled studies( i.e., they took two groups of people selected at random and gave some of them magnesium and some a fake tablet) the side-effects reported were exactly the same in the placebo group as the magnesium group apart from diarrhoea.

Of course, if taken in excessively high doses magnesium can cause problems, but not in the amounts usually taken as a food supplement. If taken in excess, magnesium can cause irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, confusion, slowed breathing, coma. But we're talking v large doses here or if someone with poor kidney function takes magnesium tablets.

I did find a reference to magnesium helping the body's water balance and so is good to ensure adequate hydration, so it might cause weight gain in the form of water retention, but of course that would only occur during the period of adjustment to the tablets and would be a good thing.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14506619

There was nothing more than magnesium in those tablets.

[carorees]

Well, it's a mystery to me. No idea what was going on!

@Callyanna I am old fashioned and use a hot water bottle. OH has invested in one as well!

Good idea @Merlin! I do wear bedsocks but have a hottie somewhere that I can dig out too!

That's no way to talk about your hub @callyanna

I will be sticking to mag tab at night, I have now had 3 good consecutive sleeps which is rather a miracle for me of late. Slept so soundly last night, I must not have moved and am stiff but hey sleep ...soooooo sweet.

Thanks Caroline regarding the info about calcium/mag to take or not. I try to ensure enough calcium is in my food with dairy, greens, nuts and fruits etc. I know there are issues re how our bodies actually absorbs same but I always figure give your body enough variety of healthy fresh wholesome unadulterated food and it will do what it is designed to do and take what it needs through the digestive process.

It is very dry and hot down under am feeling like I need to have one long siesta. This time of year really saps your energy if you don't handle the very hot weather, so much better to at least have slept

I get freaked about hot water bottles now as a colleague got really severe burns from a new one which burst. I use wheat bags in the winter and microwave to heat but you also need to ensure to only blitz under 3 minutes. The ones with lavender are nice. Yet to succumb to the electric blanket.

*Yawn* i am off to bed in a bit, so I hope someone is keeping an eye on the wood burner, it's cold out the Northern side of the tent tonight.

Sleep well everyone.