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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2004 >> magnesium and vit. b questions
        
(Message started by: celtspirit on Feb 5^th, 2004, 2:08pm)

Title: magnesium and vit. b questions
Post by celtspirit on Feb 5^th, 2004, 2:08pm

Does anyone have any suggestions regarding use of magnesium and vitamin b? I remember seeing something about it once, or twice, but can't find it.
I'm at the end of my freekin' rope, and ready to eat the bullet, so to speak. Beast is hitting me hard at night, 9's and 10's 4 and 5 times a night, almost constant 3-4 during the day, with occasional jumps to 6-8. None of the stuff I used to do is working anymore, or at least not like it used to, anyways.
Have been back in cycle for about a month, or so. First go with prednisone to get me by till verapamil kicked in was a flop, doing it again, still no help from it. Still waiting on the verapamil to do it's job, even upped the dosage. Imitrex 1/2 shots are working to knock down the worst ones, but unless I can start pulling $100 bills out of my butt, I will be out of them soon.
Just need some suggestions on stuff I haven't tried while I wait for my little fungus friends to get ripe for picking.

Title: Re: magnesium and vit. b questions
Post by floridian on Feb 5^th, 2004, 2:34pm

Magnesium - try for the chelated form (Mg-aspartate, Mg-citrate, etc) and not the simple salts (Mg-oxide, Mg-sulfate). The simple salts are more likely to cause diarhhea. Go with 1-2x the RDA - probably want to ease in to allow bowels to adjust. Taking very large doses can mess up your electrolyte balance and is not advised.

Vitamin B - not sure which B vitamin is most helpful. I usually take 1/2 a 50 mg multi-B tablet 2 or 3 times per day.

Title: Re: magnesium and vit. b questions
Post by violet on Feb 5^th, 2004, 3:12pm

600 mg of Mag a day, and I take a B complex from the GNC that is rice based, and yeast free.
Vi

Title: Re: magnesium and vit. b questions
Post by thomas on Feb 5^th, 2004, 3:27pm

5mg of melatonin (3 normal, 2 time release) 45 min before bed. 250mg of Magnesium and 20mg of prozac in the morning. That is my beast-tamer coctail.

Title: Re: magnesium and vit. b questions
Post by Pinkfloyd on Feb 5^th, 2004, 4:26pm

I suppose you could take all the suggestions and get an average!! LOL

Clinical trials using B2 and Magnesium that showed some level of success were at 400mg per day of each. Suggested amounts on these types of compounds vary greatly from one report to the next as its easier for many organizations to complete and report research on OTC's.
The issue gets a bit muddled due to this.

Another example....
Remember.....when taking magnesium, you should also always add more calcium to your diet, Magnesium is a calcium channel blocker. You need to compensate this action with more calcium. Recommended amounts vary from source to source, ranging from adding an equal amount of calcium to adding double the amount. (which would be 800mg of calcium for 400mg of magnesium)

PF

Title: Re: magnesium and vit. b questions
Post by floridian on Feb 5^th, 2004, 8:50pm

Quote:

when taking magnesium, you should also always add more calcium to your diet, Magnesium is a calcium channel blocker.

I think some of the effectiveness of magnesium might be due to its calcium channel blocking activity (although some may be due to correcting a magnesium deficiency). Throwing the Ca/Mg balance off is bad, but adding too much calcium (ie, a 'norma'l 2:1) might counteract the benefits of magnesium.

Title: Re: magnesium and vit. b questions
Post by Thorns on Feb 5^th, 2004, 11:04pm

I tried taking 250 mg /day during my last cycle and it seemed as if it made things worse by triggering a CH about an hour after taking it (if thats possible [smiley=huh.gif]). It could have just been the timing. I waited to start until the middle of the cycle. I think I will try it again now pre-cycle to along with my melatonin (3mg normal and 3 mg time release). I know that doesn't help now, but I'll update on it if it shows some promise.

Title: Re: magnesium and vit. b questions
Post by Pinkfloyd on Feb 6^th, 2004, 1:25am

on 02/05/04 at 20:50:39, floridian wrote:

Agreed on all points.
The reports I've read regarding successful mag. treatments, both through infusion and daily injestion, don't mention if any calcium was added to the protocols.
Does it work as well, or at all, if you play it safe and add the calcium? I don't know.
I'd probably suggest adding an equal amount of mag/cal and hope for the best results. I've only read one report that suggested requiring a double amount of calcium.

PF

Title: Re: magnesium and vit. b questions
Post by ave on Feb 6^th, 2004, 6:32am

Somebody more knowedgeable than I may set us right;

when I was put on Verapamil, a calcium channel antagonist, I asked whether I needed extra calcium.
The doctor laughed amd said it did not fight (or break down) the calcium in my boy; it only prevented the calcium channels in my nerve cells to do their job.

So are we talking about a calcium blocker (leaving us without Ca) or about a "calcium-channel blocker" which leaves us with plenty of calcium as long as we consume calcium...

Maybe floridian?

Title: Re: magnesium and vit. b questions
Post by ave on Feb 6^th, 2004, 6:33am

"boy"is obviously "body"

Title: Re: magnesium and vit. b questions
Post by floridian on Feb 6^th, 2004, 8:55am

Magnesium competes with calcium for a position at the calcium channel site, and magnesium has a much weaker affinity for the site. So calcium would antagonize magnesium's effects. In the long term, not taking calcium with magnesium is bad, but in the short run, it would probably be more effective to skip the calcium. Magnesium deficiency seems to be more of a problem in people with clusters or migraines than calcium deficiency, so a week or two of only taking Magnesium (400-600 mg/day divided in 2 or 3 doses with a meal) is reasonable. Most people will be getting some calcium from their diet.

Take magnesium in moderation, maybe it will help, maybe not, but the chances of side effects are very low - if taken in moderation.

Verapamil has a much higher affinity for the calcium channel (it is "stickier") - so normal calcium levels would not affect it as much.

In related news, calcium channel blockers are emerging as a leading cause of death related to prescription medicine:
http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic75.htm
Lots of people here find some relief from verapamil - please be aware of the potential side effects so you can avoid them, or get treated quickly if you recognize these problems. Not sure how verapamil interacts with the triptans (which can also affect the heart), but that is a topic that should be explored further.

Title: Re: magnesium and vit. b questions
Post by Samantha_Smith on Feb 7^th, 2004, 10:21am

I tried the magnesium and Vitamin B trick and all it did was give me the runs.