Thank you to Heather Lloyd LMT for your question regarding Magnesium for muscle cramps and specifically, how do I find a supplement that won’t work against me with my IBS.  Here is what I have found in my research.

According to Dr. Richard Brouse, in his book entitled “Build a Better You” 7th edition, “Eight out of ten Americans get less than the recommended intake of magnesium in their diets. Processed foods and softened water strip magnesium out of many food sources.”

The National Institutes of Health report that magnesium is necessary for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body.  A few of which are shown in this visual.

The next question to ask is, what foods can I begin eating to up my magnesium intake?

How many of us are actually going to sit down and eat a WHOLE cup of Buckwheat flour just to be sure we are getting the recommended magnesium in a day?  Be serious too, although eating a cup of semisweet chocolate morsels may provide you with 60% of your Recommended Daily Allowance of Magnesium, the calories that come with it can send everything else off balance. (blood sugar for instance)

So the “quick fix” is to run out to a discount store and purchase a bulk sized bottle of the cheapest Magnesium supplement you could find, right? WRONG!

Just bulking up on magnesium can cause some serious issues, difficult issues, digestive issues. Also, science has shown us magnesium needs a balanced ratio of Boron for your body to correctly utilize it, so your magnesium supplement isn’t just “passing through”.  Potassium is also helpful in this case as it is an essential mineral that regulates water balance (elimination needs) so should be included in your supplement as well.

My friend and colleague, Rusty Ost, RPh (Pharmacist) tells us that VitalMag™ can be helpful therapy for a wide range of conditions including:

• High blood pressure and heart disease
• PMS
• Asthma
• Kidney stones
• Chronic fatigue syndrome

as well as the conditions listed in the photo above.

Concerning Heather’s concern with IBS, Magnesium supplements can be VERY hard on the digestive track.  VitalMag™ has given us an option with a special gel-diffusion delivery system that gently releases minerals from VitalMag™ into the body over a 4-6 hour time period.  This helps prevent the gastrointestinal upset that’s commonly associated with magnesium supplements. This product contains three different salts of magnesium, the potassium, and the boron we discussed above.

If you or someone you know is interested in additional information on Magnesium supplements, the benefits of Magnesium, IBS, or other health issues, please feel free to contact me.

I am happy to supply you with my resources as well.

On a side note… here is an article about a study showing that Magnesium-rich Foods Ward off Stroke in Smokers.