magnesium?

[ultraslacker]

I posted this in my journal but want to ask the question here for those who don't read the journals. :)

Today I ran 29km and felt remarkably good in the second half... much better than usual, and had a negative split. Now, hours after my run I hardly feel sore or stiff at all. It's dramatically better than normal, to the point that I was trying to think of what I've done differently. The only thing I can think of is that a week ago I started taking calcium and magnesium supplements (taking them for sleep but so far no noticeable improvement there). Given that magnesium is apparently good for relaxing muscles, I'm wondering if that's what is making the difference today.

Does anyone else have experience with this? Thoughts?

(I've been taking 450mg of magnesium and 600mg of calcium at bedtime, though I did forget last night.)

eta: google found me this - http://runnerunleashed.com/2013/09/13/w ... r-runners/

and http://triathlon.competitor.com/2010/06 ... sium_10168

[Tori]

Likely it helped. My chiro and mom always suggests taking magnesium to help with muscles stiffness.

[ultraslacker]

Interesting.

I'm kind of curious why I've never heard of this before... have we ever talked about it on RM? Or did I filter it out because I didn't think it applied to me?

The articles I've checked seem to agree that roughly 70% of us are deficient in magnesium. If we're that deficient and if it makes such a huge difference, why don't we hear about it more?

Aside from the supplements I'm going to try to boost the dietary sources. Easy ones for me are spinach, almonds, and bananas.

[Jwolf]

I always thought magnesium deficiency was pretty rare since it's in so many foods we eat. 70% really? Wow.

[ultraslacker]

I always thought magnesium deficiency was pretty rare since it's in so many foods we eat. 70% really? Wow.

several different articles used that number... but one also said that it's hard to accurately measure.

eta: it's in so many foods we eat IF we're eating lots of greens and grains and nuts... I guess most of us don't eat enough of those (which isn't a surprise).

Also, apparently intense exercise depletes our stores, so athletes need more.

[getfit]

After reading your post I've starting taking my magnesium supplement right before bed. My problem in recent years hasn't been getting to sleep, it's been waking up at 3 or 4 am wide awake and not being able to get back to sleep. So far the magnesium seems to be working I still wake up, but I can usually roll over and fall back to sleep. Also notice when I wake up at 6:15 am (regular time) I feel more well rested. A couple of other things that could also have contributed to the better sleep, I've cut out most dairy (except for the odd piece of cheese) and I try not to eat after 8pm. This stops my stomach from giving me problems through the night. Keeping my fingers crossed this new sleeping pattern will continue.

[ultraslacker]

how much are you taking?

I'm glad it's working for you. Doesn't seem to be helping me, and I'm on week 3. :/ but then nothing works for me so I guess I'm not surprised. :/

[Irongirl]

hmm....what would I look for in a magnesium supplement?

(The only time I've upped my magnesium was breastfeeding related, if I recall, my supply would tank around my period, and, magnesium helped that!)

[ultraslacker]

hmm....what would I look for in a magnesium supplement?

(The only time I've upped my magnesium was breastfeeding related, if I recall, my supply would tank around my period, and, magnesium helped that!)

It's hard to say since there seems to be conflicting info on the internet (of course, I guess it's that way with everything on the internet!). One article I read said to get the Citrate form, not the Oxide form. It said that Oxide is the most common because it's cheap but it's less effective. So I bought the Citrate (which I had to buy as a separate one... all of the calcium-magnesium combo ones used the Oxide). Apparently calcium and magnesium should be taken together because if they're out of balance then they work against each other, but in balance they work together. But the ratio varies--I've seen 1:1 and 2:1 and some other variations. So I've been doing 600 calcium and 450 magnesium (the calcium one also has vitamin d). Magnesium doses for sleep seem to vary from 400mg to 1000mg.

Again, I'm not sure that it's doing anything for me so maybe see what getfit is doing.

[eme]

Apparently (according to this study) you need to go camping without electronics for a week. http://www.scientificamerican.com/artic ... -go-campi/

[ultraslacker]

Ha, I virtually don't sleep at all when camping... Cuz I'm usually cold and uncomfortable!

Anyway, my body doesn't operate by normal rules. Melatonin doesn't help me but last night I couldn't sleep so I played candy crush on my iPhone in bed and it helped shut off my brain so I could fall asleep.

Nothing that I have tried seems to make any difference except sleep aids (which I can't/won't take every day).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[eme]

Too funny. Yes, your body defiantly doesn't operate by normal sleep rules!

[deerdree]

Ha, I virtually don't sleep at all when camping... Cuz I'm usually cold and uncomfortable!

Anyway, my body doesn't operate by normal rules. Melatonin doesn't help me but last night I couldn't sleep so I played candy crush on my iPhone in bed and it helped shut off my brain so I could fall asleep.

Nothing that I have tried seems to make any difference except sleep aids (which I can't/won't take every day).

La mentioned blue light blocking glasses a while back in the NET. Great reviews on Amazon, so I'm going to try that next. I'm like you, always looking for the magic cure among all the ones that seem to work for others.

[DonnaRigs]

I know magnesium has been shown to help migraines, and I usually take some if I am getting one. It seems to help.

[Half-Mary]

Have you considered increasing the magnesium dosage? You mentioned that 450-1000 seems to be the norm for sleep issues, and you're taking the smaller amount.

Of course, I'm not a doctor, nor do I know whether the dosage is based on body weight, or other factors, nor have I done any research. It's only a thought based on what you wrote.

I wish you could find a solution. Sleep is so important to health and happiness.

[ultraslacker]

I started with 450 because the normal daily recommended intake is 320 or something like that so it's above that. I wanted to try that for a couple of weeks and see how it went, but it's been a bit hard to tell since I've been taking cold meds for the past week. So I might up it this weekend to 600 and see what happens. Also if you start too high you get diarrhea. :)


eta: this website says you shouldn't take more than 350mg via supplements - http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-suppl ... -magnesium

but again, every site says something different, and I would imagine every 'expert' would say something different too!

[ultraslacker]

I actually had a decent sleep last night without drugs so maybe it is helping after all. Will see how the next few days go.

Still feeling tired but that is party due to the cold that is still fighting me!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[eme]

I actually had a decent sleep last night without drugs so maybe it is helping after all. Will see how the next few days go.

Still feeling tired but that is party due to the cold that is still fighting me!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I took Nyquil last night due to not feeling great (headache, stuff nose). I slept like the dead! Seriously, I went to bed at about 8pm and woke up at 6am

[ultraslacker]

Wow, even drugs don't make me sleep that long! How did you feel when you woke up?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[getfit]

how much are you taking?

I'm glad it's working for you. Doesn't seem to be helping me, and I'm on week 3. :/ but then nothing works for me so I guess I'm not surprised. :/

Sorry, just seeing this now. The bottle I have is Calcium, Magnesium w/ Vit D.

Calcium 333mg
Mag 167 mg
Vit D 200 IU

I really hadn't looked at the quantities until now. Maybe it is just a placebo effect I'm having, because 167mg doesn't seem like very much and I'm only taking one tablet. Hope I haven't jinxed myself, we'll see how I sleep tonight

[eme]

Wow, even drugs don't make me sleep that long! How did you feel when you woke up?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not bad. Didn't really want to get up but that is normal

When I get sick, I mostly just sleep so that could be part of it (headache/stuffed up).

[ultraslacker]

ok, I'm a bit afraid to get my hopes up, but I had *decent* sleeps the last two nights. On Wednesday, 7 hours with a couple of wake-ups, and Thursday 6:45 with a couple of wake-ups. That's not *great*, but it's better than normal and I have felt better than normal for the past two days (mentally awake, energetic). Still out of energy by dinner time, but it's an improvement. So maybe it is helping!

[La]

Waking up a couple of times in the middle of the night is normal and not usually an issue if you fall back to sleep right away (i.e., within a few minutes).

[ultraslacker]

I know waking up is normal, but I sleep VERY restlessly and lightly, and I get up in the morning feeling as bad as before I "slept", so that's my issue... not just length but quality.

[getfit]

ok, I'm a bit afraid to get my hopes up, but I had *decent* sleeps the last two nights. On Wednesday, 7 hours with a couple of wake-ups, and Thursday 6:45 with a couple of wake-ups. That's not *great*, but it's better than normal and I have felt better than normal for the past two days (mentally awake, energetic). Still out of energy by dinner time, but it's an improvement. So maybe it is helping!

I hope you keep seeing improvement Holly !! I forgot to take one both Fri and Sat night and noticed that I was back to waking up and staying awake for an hour around 3am. So I just took one and I'm heading off to bed!