Magnesium

Can anyone tell me why magnesium is not on the nutritional list

Replies

  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,301 Member
    Its probably because we need so little of in in relation to other things we need. I'll try to look it up later.
  • klove808
    klove808 Posts: 346 Member
    My question too... I would love for it to be on the list
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    Even if it was, most of the entries are populated and verified by members. And unfortunately, the vitamins are not usually filled out.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Because it isn't a required item for nutrition labels by the FDA. And as @psulemon said, it would still be difficult to track because of inaccurate/incomplete entries.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    In the continuing saga of Mrs Barry and magnesium ... A couple of evenings ago I was reading http://www.ancient-minerals.com/magnesium-deficiency/need-more/ and most of those symptoms are present in my wife. Especially as relates to the one about lack of sleep. So, it being about midnight, I took a tablet of magnesium supplement to her and suggested she take it. She did. The next morning the first thing she said was "I was sleeping so good." After I explained to her that the phosphates in her Coke were stripping away her magnesium and it was the lack of magnesium causing all her physical and emotional distress, she renewed her intention to forswear the Coke. This time, I think she means it.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    By the way, magnesium is on the USDA database if you care to track it independently. I include squash in my variety of vegetables because it is high in magnesium.
  • PennWalker
    PennWalker Posts: 554 Member
    edited October 2016
    I'm taking a magnesium supplement right now. A month ago, I had a terrible reaction to a common antibiotic. It gave me painful tendonitis in both arms and shoulders -- which I still have, but it is slowly getting better. My clueless primary physician was no help. I read online that magnesium is good for your muscles, so I've been taking a supplement every day.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    PennWalker wrote: »
    I'm taking a magnesium supplement right now. A month ago, I had a terrible reaction to a common antibiotic. It gave me painful tendonitis in both arms and shoulders -- which I still have, but it is slowly getting better. My clueless primary physician was no help. I read online that magnesium is good for your muscles, so I've been taking a supplement every day.

    Ot but cipro? That stuff can cause Achilles tendon snaps out of the blue months after stopping
  • PennWalker
    PennWalker Posts: 554 Member
    edited October 2016
    PennWalker wrote: »
    I'm taking a magnesium supplement right now. A month ago, I had a terrible reaction to a common antibiotic. It gave me painful tendonitis in both arms and shoulders -- which I still have, but it is slowly getting better. My clueless primary physician was no help. I read online that magnesium is good for your muscles, so I've been taking a supplement every day.

    Ot but cipro? That stuff can cause Achilles tendon snaps out of the blue months after stopping

    No, Levaquin -- which is in the same family as Ciprio.

    My rant and a life lesson for me to READ THE PHARMACY PAPERS:
    I went to the ER, found out I had pneumonia, and they gave me one Levaquin pill without warning me about the side effects -- and then, get this, their discharge papers listed some side effects but not tendon problems. The next day I had deep muscle pain in one shoulder and wondered if I had injured myself. I filled the presc. at the pharmacy, was sick and put the pharmacy paper down in my house and couldn't find it, so I just went by the hospital papers.

    Day 3, my arms and shoulders hurt so much I could barely lift them to turn on a light switch. I talked to the pharmacist and found all this is a side effect of the Levaquin. Like Ciprio, it can cause tendon problems especially the Achilles tendon and rotator cuff in your shoulder -- and your tendons can rupture months after you stop the pills. I'm actually afraid to push open the windows in my old house.

    I am taking extra magnesium and aspirin, eating more postassium, and trying not to lift anything more than a few pounds (easier said than done).
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    PennWalker wrote: »
    PennWalker wrote: »
    I'm taking a magnesium supplement right now. A month ago, I had a terrible reaction to a common antibiotic. It gave me painful tendonitis in both arms and shoulders -- which I still have, but it is slowly getting better. My clueless primary physician was no help. I read online that magnesium is good for your muscles, so I've been taking a supplement every day.

    Ot but cipro? That stuff can cause Achilles tendon snaps out of the blue months after stopping

    No, Levaquin -- which is in the same family as Ciprio.

    My rant and a life lesson for me to READ THE PHARMACY PAPERS:
    I went to the ER, found out I had pneumonia, and they gave me one Levaquin pill without warning me about the side effects -- and then, get this, their discharge papers listed some side effects but not tendon problems. The next day I had deep muscle pain in one shoulder and wondered if I had injured myself. I filled the presc. at the pharmacy, was sick and put the pharmacy paper down in my house and couldn't find it, so I just went by the hospital papers.

    Day 3, my arms and shoulders hurt so much I could barely lift them to turn on a light switch. I talked to the pharmacist and found all this is a side effect of the Levaquin. Like Ciprio, it can cause tendon problems especially the Achilles tendon and rotator cuff in your shoulder -- and your tendons can rupture months after you stop the pills. I'm actually afraid to push open the windows in my old house.

    Luckily I haven't had those issues though I do get minor tendon pain (but I do get lots of nasty weird side effects like oral allergies) but cipro(and flagyl also a nasty antibiotic) are pretty much the go to antibiotics for crohn's. I'll check out magnesium when it happens
  • PennWalker
    PennWalker Posts: 554 Member
    edited October 2016
    PennWalker wrote: »
    PennWalker wrote: »
    I'm taking a magnesium supplement right now. A month ago, I had a terrible reaction to a common antibiotic. It gave me painful tendonitis in both arms and shoulders -- which I still have, but it is slowly getting better. My clueless primary physician was no help. I read online that magnesium is good for your muscles, so I've been taking a supplement every day.

    Ot but cipro? That stuff can cause Achilles tendon snaps out of the blue months after stopping

    No, Levaquin -- which is in the same family as Ciprio.

    My rant and a life lesson for me to READ THE PHARMACY PAPERS:
    I went to the ER, found out I had pneumonia, and they gave me one Levaquin pill without warning me about the side effects -- and then, get this, their discharge papers listed some side effects but not tendon problems. The next day I had deep muscle pain in one shoulder and wondered if I had injured myself. I filled the presc. at the pharmacy, was sick and put the pharmacy paper down in my house and couldn't find it, so I just went by the hospital papers.

    Day 3, my arms and shoulders hurt so much I could barely lift them to turn on a light switch. I talked to the pharmacist and found all this is a side effect of the Levaquin. Like Ciprio, it can cause tendon problems especially the Achilles tendon and rotator cuff in your shoulder -- and your tendons can rupture months after you stop the pills. I'm actually afraid to push open the windows in my old house.

    Luckily I haven't had those issues though I do get minor tendon pain (but I do get lots of nasty weird side effects like oral allergies) but cipro(and flagyl also a nasty antibiotic) are pretty much the go to antibiotics for crohn's. I'll check out magnesium when it happens

    Magnesium blocks those antibiotics. The prescription I filled had a warning not to take magnesium within several hours of the pills. In my case, I started the extra magnesium after I stopped the pills. Magnesium is supposed to be good for your muscles. You also are supposed to eat less than 350 (mg?) a day.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    PennWalker wrote: »
    PennWalker wrote: »
    PennWalker wrote: »
    I'm taking a magnesium supplement right now. A month ago, I had a terrible reaction to a common antibiotic. It gave me painful tendonitis in both arms and shoulders -- which I still have, but it is slowly getting better. My clueless primary physician was no help. I read online that magnesium is good for your muscles, so I've been taking a supplement every day.

    Ot but cipro? That stuff can cause Achilles tendon snaps out of the blue months after stopping

    No, Levaquin -- which is in the same family as Ciprio.

    My rant and a life lesson for me to READ THE PHARMACY PAPERS:
    I went to the ER, found out I had pneumonia, and they gave me one Levaquin pill without warning me about the side effects -- and then, get this, their discharge papers listed some side effects but not tendon problems. The next day I had deep muscle pain in one shoulder and wondered if I had injured myself. I filled the presc. at the pharmacy, was sick and put the pharmacy paper down in my house and couldn't find it, so I just went by the hospital papers.

    Day 3, my arms and shoulders hurt so much I could barely lift them to turn on a light switch. I talked to the pharmacist and found all this is a side effect of the Levaquin. Like Ciprio, it can cause tendon problems especially the Achilles tendon and rotator cuff in your shoulder -- and your tendons can rupture months after you stop the pills. I'm actually afraid to push open the windows in my old house.

    Luckily I haven't had those issues though I do get minor tendon pain (but I do get lots of nasty weird side effects like oral allergies) but cipro(and flagyl also a nasty antibiotic) are pretty much the go to antibiotics for crohn's. I'll check out magnesium when it happens

    Magnesium blocks those antibiotics. The prescription I filled had a warning not to take magnesium within several hours of the pills. In my case, I started the extra magnesium after I stopped the pills.

    Sorry I meant after taking it. There are so many warnings on the prescription bottle there isn't enough room for all the stickers!
  • oilphins
    oilphins Posts: 240 Member
    edited October 2016
    I agree with you. Magnesium is so important for us and a magnesium deficiency can cause migraine headaches, feeling weak and tired and also cramping muscles. Also read that the magnesium supplements are not as efficient as getting it from food but have not personally tried the supplements. Would be nice if mfp would have an option for magnesium. If anyone has suggestions for foods high in magnesium, posting it would be appreciated. I've heard any type of beans and spinach is suppose to be good.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    oilphins wrote: »
    I agree with you. Magnesium is so important for us and a magnesium deficiency can cause migraine headaches, feeling weak and tired and also cramping muscles. Also read that the magnesium supplements are not as efficient as getting it from food but have not personally tried the supplements. Would be nice if mfp would have an option for magnesium.

    sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium and calcium are all essential electrolytes. Without them, you can go into cardiac arrest. Having said that, one can have too much of them and also cause problems (this isn't as common). But before anyone would supplement, they should get blood work to confirm the need for it.
  • PennWalker
    PennWalker Posts: 554 Member

    sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium and calcium are all essential electrolytes. Without them, you can go into cardiac arrest. Having said that, one can have too much of them and also cause problems (this isn't as common). But before anyone would supplement, they should get blood work to confirm the need for it.

    I looked up a blood test I had taken about a month before I was diagnosed with pneumonia in late Sept. My magnesium levels were low. I've read that the limit for magnesium is 350 mg a day. I am taking a 250 mg supplement for the moment, which seems safe.

    I'm taking it because other people who've had a severe reaction to Levaquin antibiotic reported that it helped their tendonitis. I don't know whether the extra magnesium has helped or not, but the tendonitis has gone from 24 hours a day agony to pain when I overuse my arms. I did consult my primary care doctor, who was worthless -- he did not know this antibiotic can cause tendonitis and tendon rupture (it's in the FDA and pharmacy warnings) and he had no suggestions to help ease the tendonitis or manage the pain.

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    PennWalker wrote: »

    sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium and calcium are all essential electrolytes. Without them, you can go into cardiac arrest. Having said that, one can have too much of them and also cause problems (this isn't as common). But before anyone would supplement, they should get blood work to confirm the need for it.

    I looked up a blood test I had taken about a month before I was diagnosed with pneumonia in late Sept. My magnesium levels were low. I've read that the limit for magnesium is 350 mg a day. I am taking a 250 mg supplement for the moment, which seems safe.

    I'm taking it because other people who've had a severe reaction to Levaquin antibiotic reported that it helped their tendonitis. I don't know whether the extra magnesium has helped or not, but the tendonitis has gone from 24 hours a day agony to pain when I overuse my arms. I did consult my primary care doctor, who was worthless -- he did not know this antibiotic can cause tendonitis and tendon rupture (it's in the FDA and pharmacy warnings) and he had no suggestions to help ease the tendonitis or manage the pain.

    What brand are you using? Bounce it off of labdoor to check efficacy. Also, look into a foam roller (medium or high density) and look for some routines. I use it to help with my tendinitis issues). Also, a good PT might be worth going to.
  • gweppler
    gweppler Posts: 4 Member
    I’d like to advocate that MFP introduces a way to track magnesium, and other micronutrients. I’ve read that MFP only tracks the nutrients required by the FDA. Similar apps, like Cronometer, track more than the FDA requirements and I cannot imagine it would be a big lift for developers given the great foundation MFP is built on.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,269 Member
    gweppler wrote: »
    I’d like to advocate that MFP introduces a way to track magnesium, and other micronutrients. I’ve read that MFP only tracks the nutrients required by the FDA. Similar apps, like Cronometer, track more than the FDA requirements and I cannot imagine it would be a big lift for developers given the great foundation MFP is built on.

    Then you should advocate that here, the actual place that MFP staff read and consider as input to improving MFP:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/categories/feature-suggestions-and-ideas

    Here, you're just talking to other MFP users, who have no more power to change MFP than you have.
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,301 Member
    I'm wondering if you would prefer to register the different forms of magnesium, some are more easily absorbable than others and the roles of different forms are different in the body. Probably best to keep it simple though, not everyone needs to address health issues in such a defined way.