What to do if your low in magnesium?

In this post, I want to talk about magnesium supplementation.

Dr Dean in her both The Magnesium Miracle she notes that acheiving adequate magnesium through foods is notoriously difficult.

First, most people think of supplements as you take orally and yes you can take magnesium orally.  Magnesium glycinate is one of the most absorbable forms of magnesium capsules you can take.  However taking it orally depends upon how effecient your GI tract is.

So the good news is that your body can absorb magnesium through the skin.  In clinic I often recommend epsom salts baths – epsom salts are high in magnesium so its absorbed through the skin as you lie in the bath.  For those who don’t like baths you can buy creams.

While given all I have talked about over the past few weeks taking a magnesium supplement may seem blindingly obvious you should be aware of the following cautions:

  • Magnesium is a muscle relaxant – so only take it under supervision if you are already taking another muscle relaxant.
  • Magnesium can decrease the effectiveness of some anti-biotics.
  • Some diuretics increase the levels of magnesium in the body.
  • If you take calsium supplements you need to be aware that magnesium supplementation may actually improve the body’s use of calcium.

It is for these reasons that I recommend you seek the advice of a qualified nutriationalist.

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