Magnesium Quick Reference

Page edition: 2020-09-05
Note: although this basenote is publicly-visible, some links and responses may be UIC members-only.

Context

Magnesium (element Mg) is a core program supplement. Due to filtering of modern drinking water, deficiency in modern industrial-scale crops, grain-heavy diets that block what little Mg most people get, and use of PPIs, your level, on starting the program, is almost certainly suboptimal.

Contents

• Overall context for this topic
• General information
• Program target
• Cautions
• Supplement considerations
• Supplement suggestions
• Testing considerations

General Information

The need for Mg has been part of the program, going back at least a decade, and is extensively discussed in all the books and program materials:
Book: Undoctored: starting page 292 of print edition
Blog: Why is magnesium so important?
Video: The Trouble With Magnesium and Migraines (public)

Program Mg Target

Program target is based on a suggested daily intake, ideally confirmed by a blood test:
 400 to 500 milligrams per day (for adults)
 RBC Mg test, near upper end of Reference Range
See Testing considerations below for more information. The daily dose is mg of elemental Mg, and not the total weight of the Mg compound consumed. For comparison, the U.S. RDA for adult males is presently 420 mg.

This program target usually requires a magnesium supplement, in one or more forms from a very small selection of compounds. Return to ToC

Cautions

Impaired kidney function requires monitoring of Mg serum levels. The kidneys are normally very effective at removing excess Mg.

In otherwise healthy people, the principal hazard of excess Mg intake, or use of poorly-absorbed forms, is a laxative effect, that can interfere with absorption of other nutrients. Return to ToC

Supplement considerations

Supplement form

Before considering a supplement, have a rough idea of how much Mg you get from foods. The “Why is magnesium so important?” blog article linked above lists the top program-compatible food sources. Any number of comparison web resources provide a breakdown of values.

The vast majority of Mg supplements on the market are frank laxatives. Those sold as mineral supplements, such as in multi-vitamins, tend to provide subclinical doses. The magnesium stearate form in many preparations may be biologically inert.

What also doesn’t work is transdermal Mg, such as soaking in epsom salt. There’s no real risk, but also no evidence that it has any real effect on RBC Mg.

The supplement formulations suggested are:
• magnesium bicarbonate (Magnesium Water)
• magnesium malate (usually in tablet form)
• magnesium glycinate (where higher doses are required)
• magnesium glycerophosphate
• magnesium citrate (where calcium oxalate kidney stones are a concern).
The jury is still out on the L-threonate, -orotate and -taurate forms.

Although Mg is never consumed as the actual raw light metal, it’s important to be clear on the amount of elemental Mg provided by any compound in use. Product package labels can be frustratingly vague on this.

Dose timing

Spread intake over the day, so as to avoid undesired motility effects from taking too much at once.

Avoid taking Mg at the same time as any iron supplements.

Consider biasing intake toward evening, as Mg can aid with sleep.

If deliberately using a laxative, take your Mg mineral supplement well separated in time.

Dose adjustment

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Supplement suggestions

The top product recommendation is the program recipe for magnesium water, linked above. Once made, each daily amount can be consumed across day, and diluted with more water as desired. The main challenges with it are obtaining unadulterated Milk of Magnesia, and having Mg-water available for travel.

At latest update of this QR, in the U.S, it appears that the only remaining MoM product on the retail market that was free of bleach contamination (sodium hypochlorite) was the Dollar General  DG™|health  Milk of Magnesia ITEM 00615503 (UPC 3 70030 65876 3, US$ 2.00), but is only available in-store.

Strikingly, Phillips (Bayer) “Genuine” “Original” MoM, as with too many MoM products today, contains bleach, which usually results in some sort of precipitate in the Mg-water, and is a potential microbiome hazard in any case. Any “original” formula with NaOCl is not original.

For the cautious buyer, subscription site ConsumerLab.com periodically tests Mg supplements.

Check ingredients. The main issues to watch for in Mg supplements are calcium compounds, and Mg compound mixes that may include forms not well absorbed.

Source Naturals "625mg" product provides 433mg elemental Mg in a serving (which is 6 tablets). Their "1250mg" product provides 425mg of Mg in a 3-tablet serving.

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NOW Magnesium Citrate (400mg)

Magnesium Glycerophosphate (powder)

Mg-water can also be made using food-grade magnesium hydroxide powder, but there are no product recommendations at present, due to recent complaints about contaminants and reaction results with the major brands currently available. Return to ToC

Testing considerations

Test details

If this test isn’t routinely covered by your carrier, it’s often cheaper to obtain it on your own, nanny state permitting, from a walk-in lab, perhaps via a Life Extension order. Self-directed price range: US$66.00-117.00.

Test Day Considerations

Fasting status: It is not necessary to test Mg fasting.
Day’s Mg supplement: may be taken before or after draw
Time of day for test: anytime
Interactions: take any medications as you would normally
Re-Test timing: after a supplement dose adjustment, wait at least 6 months before re-test. Return to ToC