Low Carber Daily Forum

Join

Magnesium citrate sold as laxative - ok as supplement?

RalfLott
RalfLott Posts: 5,036 Member
edited November 2024 in Social Groups


From @baconslave 's recent announcement post on avoiding Keto-flu (Dizzy... Electrolytes):
"Use magnesium supplements whose second word ends in -ate: glycinate, malate, taurate, or citrate (be more careful with this one than the others, as it can also cause gastric upset in higher doses for some)."

Walmart sells bottles of Magnesium Citrate for $.98

Any reason not to use this thrifty source in place of the pricier stuff marketed as supplements?

Replies

  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    Other than the fact that that stuff tastes horrific, what is the dosage in a single bottle? It's probably more cost effective to get the tablets in terms of cost per mg of magnesium.
  • redimock
    redimock Posts: 258 Member
    I remember coming across this when I was first looking into magnesium supplements. The magnesium in those laxatives is listed as 1.745 g/oz, but that is as magnesium citrate. When you put it into terms of just magnesium, it's 191 mg magnesium/oz. I take 325 mg magnesium using Natural Calm, and it has 81 servings in one bottle ($25). You'd need about 13.75 bottles for the equivalent amount, costing you about $14. So, on the whole it would be cheaper, but I think having one canister of powder is just easier than having 14 bottles of liquid (and having to be more precise with my measurements).

  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    One oz of the liquid contains 199 mg of magnesium. That's a little over 12 cents for each dose of 199 mg.

    My bottle of Now Mg citrate has 100 tablets that are 200 mg each, and it was 7.69. That's about 8 cents for each dose of 200 mg.
  • RalfLott
    RalfLott Posts: 5,036 Member
    lithezebra wrote: »
    One oz of the liquid contains 199 mg of magnesium. That's a little over 12 cents for each dose of 199 mg.

    My bottle of Now Mg citrate has 100 tablets that are 200 mg each, and it was 7.69. That's about 8 cents for each dose of 200 mg.

    So the pertinent Q seems to be - any reason not to use Now as a laxative?

    Where do you get the Now tablets?

    Thx.
  • LowCarbInScotland
    LowCarbInScotland Posts: 1,027 Member
    @RalfLott I thought you had all the laxative effect you needed from Metformin. :wink: Aren't you the one who was popping Immodium like candy?
  • baconslave
    baconslave Posts: 7,042 Member
    edited March 2016
    To sum for everyone in general: Yes they use citrate as a laxative. Some people handle it fine. Some do not. The best option IMO is glycinate. Malate is good. Taurate is ideal for relaxation specifically. Citrate can be well absorbed for some, but can have a laxative effect for others. So it can be a YMMV if you personally cannot tolerate it. Oxide is a straight up laxative period.
    PSA: Be careful with cheap supplements. They might be ok. Or you might be reigning on the throne for an entire day if they are bad or contaminated. Not like I've had experience with that or anything. :wink: Which might be alright for you if you need plumbing to move, but extended, repeat sessions aren't usually much fun.
  • DorkothyParker
    DorkothyParker Posts: 618 Member
    If you are in the US, I got my Now magnesium citrate tablets on Amazon. 5 cents a tablet (2 tablets in a serving for 400 mg total)
  • RalfLott
    RalfLott Posts: 5,036 Member
    PaleoInScotland wrote: »
    @RalfLott I thought you had all the laxative effect you needed from Metformin. :wink: Aren't you the one who was popping Immodium like candy?

    Haha, good catch!

    Alas, I do have a 90-y.o. father-in-law with regular irregularity. He's takes polyethylene glycol now, which is effective but has rather boisterous side-effects.
  • RalfLott
    RalfLott Posts: 5,036 Member
    baconslave wrote: »
    To sum for everyone in general: Yes they use citrate as a laxative. Some people handle it fine. Some do not. The best option IMO is glycinate. Malate is good. Taurate is ideal for relaxation specifically. Citrate can be well absorbed for some, but can have a laxative effect for others. So it can be a YMMV if you personally cannot tolerate it. Oxide is a straight up laxative period.
    PSA: Be careful with cheap supplements. They might be ok. Or you might be reigning on the throne for an entire day if they are bad or contaminated. Not like I've had experience with that or anything. :wink: Which might be alright for you if you need plumbing to move, but extended, repeat sessions aren't usually much fun.

    Thanks for the summary!

    It seems like the relatively small doses of Mg citrate needed for nutritional as compared to plumbing uses should not be too risky, but as you say, YMMV, and I'll start slowly.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories