Magnesium citrate

mthome2014
mthome2014 Posts: 6 Member
edited November 21 in Health and Weight Loss
Anyone using this to go to the bathroom? I take 700 to 800 mg each night before bed, it seemed to do a great job at the begining but lately not so good.
This has always been a problem for me so if anyone has any suggestions I can use to go #2 everyday I would really appreciate it.
Sorry for the poopy topic

Replies

  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    edited August 2017
    That is a large dose. I only take 200mg citrate a night. Mag in high amounts can be dangerous. http://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/magnesium-overdose-whats-the-likelihood#overview1 For constipation, magnesium oxide is better-and cheaper. 250mg a night should be plenty (take with some food).
    How is your daily fiber intake? Are you drinking enough water? Are you eating veggies daily?

    *Your profile says Grandma. Please, please tell your doctor what you are doing. Mag can be dangerous with prescriptions (such as blood pressure meds).
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,944 Member
    It's not normal to go every day. Everything from several times per day to every few days is normal. Using Mg citrate is not different than using any other poop pil: it's not good for the workings of your intestines and all the gut bacteria.

    Are you drinking enough, eating enough fibre, eating enough fats?
  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    From further reading about too much magnesium supplementation (I love to learn).
    - Too much can can cause a deficiency in calcium. Proper mineral balance required. (Good to know since I have osteopenia).
    - People with kidney problems should not supplement with magnesium.
    - It can increase the potency of some diabetes medicines.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,944 Member
    TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »
    That is a large dose. I only take 200mg citrate a night. Mag in high amounts can be dangerous. http://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/magnesium-overdose-whats-the-likelihood#overview1 For constipation, magnesium oxide is better-and cheaper. 250mg a night should be plenty (take with some food).
    How is your daily fiber intake? Are you drinking enough water? Are you eating veggies daily?

    *Your profile says Grandma. Please, please tell your doctor what you are doing. Mag can be dangerous with prescriptions (such as blood pressure meds).

    Actually, Mg citrate contains a lot less actual Mg than magnesium oxide.
    MgCitrate: C6H6MgO7 = about 14%
    Mg Oxide: MgO = about 60% elemental magnesium
    And MgO is still a poop pill if used for it and bad for you.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    mthome2014 wrote: »
    Anyone using this to go to the bathroom? I take 700 to 800 mg each night before bed, it seemed to do a great job at the begining but lately not so good.
    This has always been a problem for me so if anyone has any suggestions I can use to go #2 everyday I would really appreciate it.

    Did your doctor recommend taking it at this dosage or is this something you did on your own? Also, how long have you been taking it for?
  • bocasdelbadbob
    bocasdelbadbob Posts: 111 Member
    I use psyllium husk pretty much every night. I am of the belief that it is important to go every day.
    Actually I believe that it is important to go on time every day. My exercise routine is such that it is really inconvenient if I have to go during the exercise (biking)
    Doctor says ... I am an old guy, sort of, so I get colonoscopy periodically. Doc asked me if I take any fiber supplement. I said yes. He said what kind. I said psyllium husk. He said double it. That is pretty much the extent of the conversation I had with that guy.

    ikse3ejm2qd0.jpg
  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    edited August 2017
    There is also a sugar free version of that Equate daily fiber supplement. Fiber+water= very important. I couldn't live without it.
    With age, your thirst will diminish. Make sure you drink water.
  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    @yirara So (pill wise) 400mg of citrate = about 100 mg of oxide. Do I have that right?
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,944 Member
    TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »
    @yirara So (pill wise) 400mg of citrate = about 100 mg of oxide. Do I have that right?

    Roughly. How much gets absorbed plays a roll of course if you're Mg deficient, and that's something I cannot comment on. But basically a 400mg pill of Mg citrate contains about 56mg of elemental magnesium
  • cfredz
    cfredz Posts: 292 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    It's not normal to go every day. Everything from several times per day to every few days is normal. Using Mg citrate is not different than using any other poop pil: it's not good for the workings of your intestines and all the gut bacteria.

    Are you drinking enough, eating enough fibre, eating enough fats?

    How is it not normal to go to the bathroom everyday?
    So if I go everyday, you're saying I'm unhealthy?
    I dont think so. its different for everyone
  • cfredz
    cfredz Posts: 292 Member
    edited August 2017
    snickerscharlie wrote: »
    cfredz wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    It's not normal to go every day. Everything from several times per day to every few days is normal. Using Mg citrate is not different than using any other poop pil: it's not good for the workings of your intestines and all the gut bacteria.

    Are you drinking enough, eating enough fibre, eating enough fats?

    How is it not normal to go to the bathroom everyday?
    So if I go everyday, you're saying I'm unhealthy?
    I dont think so. its different for everyone

    I think she was saying that you don't *have* to go every day in order to be considered normal. There's quite the range of what would be normal, which varies from person to person. :)

    Hope thats what they meant, cause i def poop everyday :)
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,944 Member
    snickerscharlie wrote: »
    cfredz wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    It's not normal to go every day. Everything from several times per day to every few days is normal. Using Mg citrate is not different than using any other poop pil: it's not good for the workings of your intestines and all the gut bacteria.

    Are you drinking enough, eating enough fibre, eating enough fats?

    How is it not normal to go to the bathroom everyday?
    So if I go everyday, you're saying I'm unhealthy?
    I dont think so. its different for everyone

    I think she was saying that you don't *have* to go every day in order to be considered normal. There's quite the range of what would be normal, which varies from person to person. :)

    Yes, that's what I meant. Sorry. But the notion to take a pill to go every day is wrong.
  • YvetteK2015
    YvetteK2015 Posts: 654 Member
    TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »
    @yirara So (pill wise) 400mg of citrate = about 100 mg of oxide. Do I have that right?

    It's irrelevant. Absorption wise, they are very different. You can't just say "instead of taking X amount of Mg cit, just take Y amount of Mg Oxide". Mag citrate is one of the most absorbable forms of magnesium for the body and IS the one use for laxative effects. Magnesium oxide is one of the LEAST absorbable forms of magnesium for the body. It's just not that effective. That's also why it's much cheaper.
  • mthome2014
    mthome2014 Posts: 6 Member
    Thanks everyone but unfortunately I don't tolerate fibre too well, I do eat fruits and Vegatables. I tried the psyllium but was backed up, bloated for days with little to none movement.
    An other ideas besides fiber or mag citrate?
  • kpk54
    kpk54 Posts: 4,474 Member
    edited August 2017
    mthome2014 wrote: »
    An other ideas besides fiber or mag citrate?

    A nice brisk walk (if you're not getting any exercise) might help.
  • cmtigger
    cmtigger Posts: 1,450 Member
    mthome2014 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone but unfortunately I don't tolerate fibre too well, I do eat fruits and Vegatables. I tried the psyllium but was backed up, bloated for days with little to none movement.
    An other ideas besides fiber or mag citrate?

    Have you spoken to your doctor? They probably have a better idea than those of us without your health records and no medical degrees.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,261 Member
    Are you getting enough water, enough fats in your diet, and some exercise? In addition to enough dietary fiber, those are the main things that helped me.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    edited August 2017
    All I need to #2 6 of 7 days a week is to hit my fiber goal of 30 g and drink 3 pounds of black coffee every day.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,944 Member
    mthome2014 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone but unfortunately I don't tolerate fibre too well, I do eat fruits and Vegatables. I tried the psyllium but was backed up, bloated for days with little to none movement.
    An other ideas besides fiber or mag citrate?

    Are you eating enough fat? I've mentioned this before way up there. Fat is necessary for good digestion and bowel movement.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,944 Member
    YvetteK2015 wrote: »
    TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »
    @yirara So (pill wise) 400mg of citrate = about 100 mg of oxide. Do I have that right?

    It's irrelevant. Absorption wise, they are very different. You can't just say "instead of taking X amount of Mg cit, just take Y amount of Mg Oxide". Mag citrate is one of the most absorbable forms of magnesium for the body and IS the one use for laxative effects. Magnesium oxide is one of the LEAST absorbable forms of magnesium for the body. It's just not that effective. That's also why it's much cheaper.

    true, though too much Mg of any type might lead to diarrhoea. And there don't seem to be many proper peer-reviewed double blind study that really look at magnesium absorption into the cells in humans. There are some studies with mice. Thus saying that one is better than the other is a bit difficult to quantify.
  • Polo265
    Polo265 Posts: 287 Member
    mthome2014 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone but unfortunately I don't tolerate fibre too well, I do eat fruits and Vegatables. I tried the psyllium but was backed up, bloated for days with little to none movement.
    An other ideas besides fiber or mag citrate?

    My gastro dr recommended Miralax. He said it is not harmful to use everyday. I also have the same issue with fiber.
  • CTcutie
    CTcutie Posts: 649 Member
    Exercise & coffee on an empty stomach usually works for me:-)
  • beckamomto3
    beckamomto3 Posts: 6 Member
    I recently added digestive enzymes to my supplements that I take and it seems to be helping some. I take two before eating a meal. Also a probiotic might help.
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