Magnesium & Potassium
Deena_Bean
Posts: 906 Member
So I've received some advice and I've done some reading. I've been having some terrible foot/calf cramps out of nowhere. It does seem to coincide with dropping my carb intake, but I can't be 100% sure of that. After reading about the symptoms/signs of low mag, I'm almost positive (without being tested) that it's definitely a problem for me. I bought some supplements for both magnesium and potassium. The magnesium is 250g I believe, but I can't recall right now how many g's the potassium is. Based on your experiences (don't worry, I'm not taking it as medical advice), how much do you need to take to straighten out the issues. I've had the crabbiness, the cramps in my legs, having to pee alllll the time, etc. So there are some definite issues. I have been taking one tablet of each and noticed that soon after I take them both I feel some rumbling/discomfort in my lower stomach area (intestines maybe). I've read that the standard dose is usually not problematic for people, so I'm hoping that I just have to get used to it and I'm hoping it's enough to ease the unannounced cramps I get. Thoughts?
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What kind of magnesium did you get? Some tend to cause worse digestive issues than others. I've had good luck with magnesium citrate.
I've also read others post on here that taking potassium when you're not low on it can cause you to dump magnesium along with the extra potassium (if I'm wrong here, please correct me). You may want to try taking only the magnesium if you don't see any improvement in your cramping symptoms.0 -
Yeah, I wasn't sure about the potassium and was considering stopping it for now to see how it goes. I just have plain magnesium. I asked the pharmacist what she thought, and she of course said "What did your doc say?" Then I told her nothing and she said plain would be best, but don't take too much without talking to your doc.0
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I take a combined magnesium/potassium supplement and have had no issues. I've been taking it for about 12 months.0
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I've been taking mag oxide, 3-250mg tablets about every other day. This is the one that can cause you to be running to the bathroom, but I needed the help after going overboard with cheese in recent weeks. I also bought mag citrate that has some other low dose vitamins in it, mostly because it was all I could find. I'll use that on opposite days. This keeps my cramps away. I get terrible leg cramps without it.
I only use NuSalt for potassium since I don't actually know if I need it.... It's just a salt substitute so a few dashes a day probably aren't a problem. But the biggie is keeping sodium up. I am not always good at staying on top of that but I average 2400mg, some days are better than others.0 -
I found that I continued to have leg and foot cramps after supplementing mag and potassium. It wasn't until I focused more on the sodium intake before I was able to stop them. I supplement all three and am finally feeling "balance" with them. I used the mag citrate tablets once a day (can cause bathroom issues too), potassium every other day, and salt tablets (1000 mg sodium chloride) once a day. It seems to be working right now. Good luck!0
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Higher sodium keeps my Charlies away.
or 
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I don't suspect that I lack too much in the sodium department. I've been adding salt to my food and it's amazing how much sodium is in one little teaspoon of table salt. I stopped the potassium last night and my lower tummy churning seemed to be better. I guess I'll just sort of play around with it to find it's happy place. I'm feeling really frustrated at the moment with a few aspects of low carb, but I believe that the benefits out weight the negatives. I'm trying to hang in there...0
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I use a mag oil spray. Or I used too, cramps hardly happen for me these days0
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It was the salt that removed my shin cramps. I started drinking salted water a few times per day. Cramps were gone within a few days.
I still salt my water every day.0 -
Salty drinking water...I think I might have to try the broth method. I don't know about drinking salted water. Does it taste weird?0
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Typically just salting your food isn't enough to replace the sodium you are losing. Between 4000-5000mg a day is recommended. Even with salting food I can't achieve that unless I drink broth. If you're having cramps, your almost certainly not getting enough sodium. Especially since you are supplementing magnesium. Sounds like sodium is the missing link.0
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Salt lick, coming right up! I love salty things, so I'll get on it with the broth sipping salt-a-thon. Thanks guys!0
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I had to work my way up into the magnesium - increasing by stages to keep the tummy issues at bay. I take 500 a day now and I'm fine. I do still get leg cramps on occasion though, but I've found that for me, it's mostly dehydration. Just a thought, but maybe make sure you are getting enough water?0
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My doctor (also qualified nutritionist and pharmacist - clear over achiever!!) recommended magnesium citrate 400mg a day. He said explicitally he didnt want me to get magnesium oxide as the body can not absorb that as well as the other forms of magnesium.
He also has me on a multi mineral tablet. I drink over a gallon of water, and have only had cramps twice in the 6 weeks I have been on low sugar. Both times I took my magnessium and it cleared up very quickly. Also had just had breakfast after 90 mins exercise on an empty stomach, which triggered the cramps, so the link is a bit dodgy!!0 -
@maggieloo79 - I definitely haven't been drinking enough water, I'm trying to fix that. Dropping the potassium has stopped my tummy issues so I think I'm good. I haven't had any bad cramps in the last few days although a few times the arches of my feet feel like they're about to cramp up - but it stops. So maybe that's a good time. The magnesium I take is citrate or oxide. I saw both of those at the store, but I just got the one that said "Magnesium 250g" - the next time I see my doc I'll ask about it.0
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I get terrible legs cramps from keto too, and I have been taking magnesium citrate for years. However, I've noticed if I take the magnesium in the evening instead of the morning, I do much better with the cramping.0
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An alternative to salty water is to toss the salt crystals like you put into a grinder into your both directly. Let them sit long enough for your body to recognize the salty taste, then chug down with water, just like pills. Some folks do use salt pills, too.
I use the Pink Himalayan crystals...a "pinch" for me is between 1/4-1/2 a tsp. Sometimes I do this every other water bottle, sometimes I salt my broth, it just all depends.
And I agree with not going magnesium oxide without cause (it should say on the label, "magnesium, as magnesium (fill in the blank here) 250 mg." this causes tummy rumbling for most folks.ceciliaslater wrote: »What kind of magnesium did you get? Some tend to cause worse digestive issues than others. I've had good luck with magnesium citrate.
I've also read others post on here that taking potassium when you're not low on it can cause you to dump magnesium along with the extra potassium (if I'm wrong here, please correct me). You may want to try taking only the magnesium if you don't see any improvement in your cramping symptoms.
And I'm one of these - ^^. If I take potassium, even in lite salt, I dump magnesium, making everything worse. So it's all trial and error. Most of the world is deficient in magnesium, because our soil is depleted... Just food for thought.0 -
"Keto-flu" and Sufficient Intake of Electrolytes
Are You Having Charlie horse/leg cramps?
Need Potassium?
Different Forms of Magnesium
I hope this helps,
Dan the Man from Michigan
Keto / The Recipe Water Fasting / E.A.S.Y. Exercise Program
Current weight: 194.9, 119 pounds down, 16 to go. 14 months on diet
It's Ketogenic or Bariatric Surgery! How I Found the Ketogenic Diet
Previous Discussions on the LCD & Keto Groups
Blog #10 Keto: Abbreviations, Acronyms & Terminology Used on the LCD & Keto
Well Meaning Diet Advice Given to You ~ That is Just Plain Wrong!
DittoDan's Keto Sub Groups Blog
Blog #13 DittoDan's Milestone's, First's And Good Changes Since Starting the Ketogenic Diet Updated
DittoDan's Keto Blogs0 -
I take magnesium citrate morning and evening and 1 ea 99mg potassium 3 times daily with each meal.0
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Deena_Bean wrote: »Salty drinking water...I think I might have to try the broth method. I don't know about drinking salted water. Does it taste weird?
Couldn't resist: It tastes salty. or 0 -
My SO's doctor recommended he take 400mg at night because he was having terrible leg and foot cramps at night. I haven't had as many problems, just occasional mild cramps (but then I have not been as low carb as he was). I take them sporadically.0
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KenSmith108 wrote: »Deena_Bean wrote: »Salty drinking water...I think I might have to try the broth method. I don't know about drinking salted water. Does it taste weird?
Couldn't resist: It tastes salty. or 
Funny
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