Magnesium and vitamin D question
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Magnesium and vitamin D question
Is it possible that magnesium and vitamin D deficiency could be responsible for my incredible anxiety and depression the last few months? Also, I have a GI appointment Tuesday. What blood tests should I request to check these levels?
Hi Kelly!
Our other experts will chime in. Ask for a vit D level (most insurance won't pay for this test) which is just a simple blood draw. You can also order a kit with the Vit D council on line for 55 bucks including shipping.
The magnesium gets tricky....a simple blood serum test won't give you the full story. Our body does everything it can to keep a steady amount in our blood stream at all times, pulling it from our muscles and bones. If your blood serum level of mag is low, you are severely deficient. But most of us are mag deficient because we aren't storing much needed mag for all of the body enzyme systems that requires it. You can ask for a magnesium RBC test, and that will tell you about 40% of the story. You want the level to be at least 6.5 (can't remember the measurement). And Yes! Absolutley anxiety and depression are associated with mag def. Most of us have found we don't cry at dumb commercials anymore after our magnesium stores were replenished.
My "problem" with anxiety has been mineral deficiency all along....
There is a "sticky" at the top of the page with a lot of mag info. Also RnAreset.com is Dr. Carolyn Dean's website that has a blog/info section. She's the Magnesium Miracle lady. If you search anxiety and depression you should get some pretty good info.
Our other experts will chime in. Ask for a vit D level (most insurance won't pay for this test) which is just a simple blood draw. You can also order a kit with the Vit D council on line for 55 bucks including shipping.
The magnesium gets tricky....a simple blood serum test won't give you the full story. Our body does everything it can to keep a steady amount in our blood stream at all times, pulling it from our muscles and bones. If your blood serum level of mag is low, you are severely deficient. But most of us are mag deficient because we aren't storing much needed mag for all of the body enzyme systems that requires it. You can ask for a magnesium RBC test, and that will tell you about 40% of the story. You want the level to be at least 6.5 (can't remember the measurement). And Yes! Absolutley anxiety and depression are associated with mag def. Most of us have found we don't cry at dumb commercials anymore after our magnesium stores were replenished.
My "problem" with anxiety has been mineral deficiency all along....
There is a "sticky" at the top of the page with a lot of mag info. Also RnAreset.com is Dr. Carolyn Dean's website that has a blog/info section. She's the Magnesium Miracle lady. If you search anxiety and depression you should get some pretty good info.
Vanessa
As Vanessa said, "Absolutely". Been there, done that. According to my research, magnesium deficiency is the number 1 cause of depression and anxiety, but most doctors don't even have magnesium deficiency on their radar.Kelly wrote:Is it possible that magnesium and vitamin D deficiency could be responsible for my incredible anxiety and depression the last few months?
Here are some links to a few medical references. In the quote from the first reference I have emphasized in red some of the symptoms that you mentioned.
Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms and Diagnosis“Symptoms involving impaired contraction of smooth muscles include constipation; urinary spasms; menstrual cramps; difficulty swallowing or a lump in the throat-especially provoked by eating sugar; photophobia, especially difficulty adjusting to oncoming bright headlights in the absence of eye disease; and loud noise sensitivity from stapedius muscle tension in the ear.”
“Other symptoms and signs of magnesium deficiency and discuss laboratory testing for this common condition. Continuing with the symptoms of magnesium deficiency, the central nervous system is markedly affected. Symptoms include insomnia, anxiety, hyperactivity and restlessness with constant movement, panic attacks, agoraphobia, and premenstrual irritability. Magnesium deficiency symptoms involving the peripheral nervous system include numbness, tingling, and other abnormal sensations, such as zips, zaps and vibratory sensations.”
“Symptoms or signs of the cardiovascular system include palpitations, heart arrhythmias, and angina due to spasms of the coronary arteries, high blood pressure and mitral valve prolapse. Be aware that not all of the symptoms need to be present to presume magnesium deficiency; but, many of them often occur together. For example, people with mitral valve prolapse frequently have palpitations, anxiety, panic attacks and premenstrual symptoms. People with magnesium deficiency often seem to be “uptight.” Other general symptoms include a salt craving, both carbohydrate craving and carbohydrate intolerance, especially of chocolate, and breast tenderness.”
Magnesium in depression.
Rapid recovery from major depression using magnesium treatment.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
YES!!! I am one of those here who has a strong family history of depression, anxiety and suicide, and am greatly affected in my mc with neurological issues. It's something that many people, even on these forums, may still feel a bit uncomfortable talking about. For myself, having grown up in a family with so much of it, it's a very real, important topic that affects every part of my life every day and has since I was a toddler.
Anyway, taking magnesium (haven't noticed Vitamin D helping as much, but it certainly hasn't hurt) has been extremely helpful for the depression and anxiety. I'm in a big funk right now, and frequently think of the time Tex posted that resolving neurological symptoms is often the last part of achieving true mc remission. In other words, it gives me hope knowing that the psychological symptoms take the longest to resolve - translation, provides hope that they WILL resolve.
I hope more people will feel free to post about these issues. They are real, chronic, and even if you've experienced them in the past like I have, for me it's been like the dam of the other mc symptoms ... once it burst, everything in my body seemed to become totally out of whack (of course, it already was, I just didn't know it). The same has been true for me with the neuro issues; the dam has burst and up to now I've been really struggling with panic attacks, depression, etc. I don't know if I could have survived this without learning about and taking magnesium, and for me, specifically the ReMag.
~ Holly
Anyway, taking magnesium (haven't noticed Vitamin D helping as much, but it certainly hasn't hurt) has been extremely helpful for the depression and anxiety. I'm in a big funk right now, and frequently think of the time Tex posted that resolving neurological symptoms is often the last part of achieving true mc remission. In other words, it gives me hope knowing that the psychological symptoms take the longest to resolve - translation, provides hope that they WILL resolve.
I hope more people will feel free to post about these issues. They are real, chronic, and even if you've experienced them in the past like I have, for me it's been like the dam of the other mc symptoms ... once it burst, everything in my body seemed to become totally out of whack (of course, it already was, I just didn't know it). The same has been true for me with the neuro issues; the dam has burst and up to now I've been really struggling with panic attacks, depression, etc. I don't know if I could have survived this without learning about and taking magnesium, and for me, specifically the ReMag.
~ Holly
2015 Hashimoto's, MTHFR
2016 LMC, Malabsorption
2017 Lymphocytic Dermatologic Vasculitis
"I strive to live in my heart, not in my head!"
2016 LMC, Malabsorption
2017 Lymphocytic Dermatologic Vasculitis
"I strive to live in my heart, not in my head!"
Thank you, Kelly! The same to you! Sometimes the best that we can do is to share from our own experience and heart, with the hope that someone else may benefit from that knowledge, or at the least, to know that they are not alone!
Hugs,
~ Holly
Hugs,
~ Holly
2015 Hashimoto's, MTHFR
2016 LMC, Malabsorption
2017 Lymphocytic Dermatologic Vasculitis
"I strive to live in my heart, not in my head!"
2016 LMC, Malabsorption
2017 Lymphocytic Dermatologic Vasculitis
"I strive to live in my heart, not in my head!"
Tex / Gabes or any of you magnesium experts, I just purchased liquid magnesium product similar to ReMag at my local health food store. I almost got the chelated magnesium tablets but the mg dosage was lower and it was magnesium oxide which I read was inferior to elemental magnesium which the liquid claims to be. Also got a call from my doc and my vitamin D is "slightly" low. He recommends 2000 ius of supplement daily. This is concerning because I ve been drinking at least 2 high nutrition ensure drinks a day and taking a multivitamin. I shouldn't be low in vitamin D. 
Kelly
Hi Kelly,
You are low on vitamin D because:
1. These days most people are low on vitamin D.
2. Energy drinks and food items in general are poor sources of vitamin D, despite advertising claims.
3. You are taking budesonide, and budesonide depletes vitamin D.
4. Inflammatory bowel diseases (including MC/CC/LC) deplete vitamin D in 2 ways:
A. IBDs significantly reduce our ability to absorb vitamin D.
B. Our immune system uses up a lot of vitamin D fighting the inflammation that causes MC/CC/LC.
The average healthy person uses an average of approximately 5,000 IU of vitamin D each day. IBD patients use much more.
A vitamin D test result of below 30 ng/mL is considered to be insufficient. A vitamin D test result below 20 ng/mL is considered to be deficient.
A test result below 30 ng/mL is worrisome because it makes us vulnerable to the development of additional autoimmune diseases. A test result below 20 ng/mL is serious, because in addition to imposing a much higher risk of the development of additional autoimmune diseases, it prevents our immune system from functioning properly, meaning that we cannot heal correctly.
Without knowing your actual test result, we can only guess as to whether or not you have a serious issue or a minor one, but even if your vitamin D level is actually only slightly below 30 ng/mL, taking 2,000 IU per day of vitamin D supplement would require years to rebuild your vitamin D to a safe level. With an IBD, our immune system seems to function best when our vitamin D blood level is around 55 ng/mL (more or less). To rebuild your vitamin D to a save level within 3–6 months, requires somewhere in the neighborhood of 5,000 IU per day for most IBD patients, but some of us require more, depending on our level of inflammation.
Tex
You are low on vitamin D because:
1. These days most people are low on vitamin D.
2. Energy drinks and food items in general are poor sources of vitamin D, despite advertising claims.
3. You are taking budesonide, and budesonide depletes vitamin D.
4. Inflammatory bowel diseases (including MC/CC/LC) deplete vitamin D in 2 ways:
A. IBDs significantly reduce our ability to absorb vitamin D.
B. Our immune system uses up a lot of vitamin D fighting the inflammation that causes MC/CC/LC.
The average healthy person uses an average of approximately 5,000 IU of vitamin D each day. IBD patients use much more.
A vitamin D test result of below 30 ng/mL is considered to be insufficient. A vitamin D test result below 20 ng/mL is considered to be deficient.
A test result below 30 ng/mL is worrisome because it makes us vulnerable to the development of additional autoimmune diseases. A test result below 20 ng/mL is serious, because in addition to imposing a much higher risk of the development of additional autoimmune diseases, it prevents our immune system from functioning properly, meaning that we cannot heal correctly.
Without knowing your actual test result, we can only guess as to whether or not you have a serious issue or a minor one, but even if your vitamin D level is actually only slightly below 30 ng/mL, taking 2,000 IU per day of vitamin D supplement would require years to rebuild your vitamin D to a safe level. With an IBD, our immune system seems to function best when our vitamin D blood level is around 55 ng/mL (more or less). To rebuild your vitamin D to a save level within 3–6 months, requires somewhere in the neighborhood of 5,000 IU per day for most IBD patients, but some of us require more, depending on our level of inflammation.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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Gabes-Apg
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kelly
dont be worried, you are asking all the right questions! and you are getting the info taking the steps to optimise healing!
Tex has answered your Vit D3 question...
of note, even living in sunny Australia and spending time outdoors, I still need Vit D3 supplementation (the dose is way less since fixing magnesium deficiency
with the magnesium, (and ANYTHING in MC world) we always suggest starting low and work up gradually to higher dose.
A good start for you at the moment is about 200-300mg ELEMENTAL magnesium per day
if you are ok with that, after 3 days go up to 400mg elemental magnesium per day for few days/a week
if the body is ok, then work up to 450mg or 500mg elemental magnesium per day
spread this out across the day
to correct deficiency, you would need "about" 600mg - 800mg per day for 8 week minimum. What each person can handle varies depending on weight, other health issues, cell health etc etc etc..
If you read through various recent discussions about magnesium you will see that -
a) too much oral magnesium can cause loose motions, if you up the dose and this happens - drop back a bit
b) as magnesium is key for clearing toxins, an increase in urination or pooping may occur, this does not always mean you are taking too much, it just means your body is using the magnesium you are taking. LIsten to you body and juggle the dosage to a level that suits you. take things at the pace that suits you.. the suggestion above is a very 'loose' guideline
correcting cell health takes time... there is no quick fix for this and while you are tweaking your eating plan a bit there will be subtle changes to poop, symptoms etc.. dont overthink things too much in the first 6 weeks of taking the higher dosage of the magnesium...
hope this helps
dont be worried, you are asking all the right questions! and you are getting the info taking the steps to optimise healing!
Tex has answered your Vit D3 question...
of note, even living in sunny Australia and spending time outdoors, I still need Vit D3 supplementation (the dose is way less since fixing magnesium deficiency
with the magnesium, (and ANYTHING in MC world) we always suggest starting low and work up gradually to higher dose.
A good start for you at the moment is about 200-300mg ELEMENTAL magnesium per day
if you are ok with that, after 3 days go up to 400mg elemental magnesium per day for few days/a week
if the body is ok, then work up to 450mg or 500mg elemental magnesium per day
spread this out across the day
to correct deficiency, you would need "about" 600mg - 800mg per day for 8 week minimum. What each person can handle varies depending on weight, other health issues, cell health etc etc etc..
If you read through various recent discussions about magnesium you will see that -
a) too much oral magnesium can cause loose motions, if you up the dose and this happens - drop back a bit
b) as magnesium is key for clearing toxins, an increase in urination or pooping may occur, this does not always mean you are taking too much, it just means your body is using the magnesium you are taking. LIsten to you body and juggle the dosage to a level that suits you. take things at the pace that suits you.. the suggestion above is a very 'loose' guideline
correcting cell health takes time... there is no quick fix for this and while you are tweaking your eating plan a bit there will be subtle changes to poop, symptoms etc.. dont overthink things too much in the first 6 weeks of taking the higher dosage of the magnesium...
hope this helps
Gabes Ryan
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama