Hi Friends,
I've been waiting to share this for a few weeks just to be sure it was really working the way I believed it was and not just hopeful thinking, but I read a few posts here about magnesium and though I shouldn't wait any more.
I am always having problems with colicky cramps no matter what I eat and no matter if I have normal bowels or D. I started taking a cal/mg supplement and I noticed that the more I took the less colicky pain I had, however the more I took the softer my BMs got. So, I found online people were raving about all the benefits of using magnesium oil...the primary benefit was that you could get a larger dose in you without the side effect of taking the supplement orally. Even some people with well functioning bowels tend to have a hard time with oral magnesium not causing loose stools.
The product I have been using is called DermaMag and is about 31% magnesium chloride oil. You can find them at :
www.magnesiumdirect.com
There are many other companies that produce magnesium oil as well.
I have to say that the effect was pretty dramatic for me. I immediately felt a calming sensation come over me and within 10 minutes my cramps were soooo much better if not gone. I use it 4 times a day, rubbing it all over my arms, legs and abdomen and it has really made a difference in the amount of pain I get and also has calmed my anxiety.
After I started it I did get a test back from my naturopath showing that I am having malabsorption issues and showed a need for many amino acids and magnesium.....so maybe this helps me because of my malabsorption issues.
Love,
Cristi
Magnesium Oil
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Hmmmmmmm. Interesting. I can certainly see how transdermal absorption is effective, but the problem I see is that it is very, very difficult to determine the dosage rate, with absorption through the skin. Transdermal patches, for example, work, because they contain a measured, (and calibrated), dose. Spraying material on the skin, or absorbing it from bath water, is a much trickier method, because total absorption level is a function of temperature, viscosity, quantity applied, surface area involved, certain absorptivity parameters of the skin itself, and no telling what else. Initially, starting with a deficiency, there's no problem, because an overdose is very unlikely. What happens in the long run, though, after cellular levels of magnesium reach an optimum level? How does one regulate the dose, since absorptivity is such a highly variable feature? Of course, oral doses are no sure thing either, because even orally, only a fraction of available magnesium is likely to be absorbed. Without the potential for causing D, though, (so prominent with oral treatment), one loses a quick and obvious indicator of the amount being absorbed, if transdermal absorption is used, (i.e., with oral supplementation, D will warn when there is an overdose, and it will do so within a few hours).
I assume, like riding a bicycle, one will quickly develop a "feel" for what works, and what is insufficient. I'm wondering what the symptoms of an overdose might be, though, with transdermal treatment methods. How does one know, if too much is being used?
Love,
Tex
I assume, like riding a bicycle, one will quickly develop a "feel" for what works, and what is insufficient. I'm wondering what the symptoms of an overdose might be, though, with transdermal treatment methods. How does one know, if too much is being used?
Love,
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.
I got curious about this, as transdermal supplementation avoids the D problems with oral intake. However, when I went to PubMed and typed in all the various permutations of search terms (magnesium oil, magnesium chloride oil, transdermal magnesium, magnesium supplementation) I couldn't find a single scientific study on it. so that has me wondering........ I'd want to know more before I tried it. You make some good points about all the complex perameters of transdermal delivery, Tex. My husband did research in transdermal drug delivery for a major pharmaceutical company, and for testing he got skin samples from a local hospital that did plastic surgery on removing excess skin from very obese people who had lost weight. He said it was pretty gross..... 
Rosie
Rosie
Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time………Thomas Edison
I hear you about the dosage problem. In the beginning I would spray more on as the cramping started to return. In the third week now I am finding that I am using less as the cramping is not happening as much. Perhaps it is not accurate but the stuff I am using comes with a spray bottle and says what dosage you get from every 4 pumps. For me with a plasma and saliva test showing malabsorption and a deficiency in magnesium, not being able to take the oral magnesium because of the D, and finally the relief from the nearly constant cramping over the last 4 years has made me very grateful for this find. I am not suggesting that it is right for everyone as we all are different, only that it is working for me. I wish I had known about it a long time ago. I will proceed with caution as we all would with any drug or supplement. From what I can gather fatigue is the first sign I might be getting too much and there could be a problem with calcium as these two need to be balanced. For myself I plan on retesting in a few months to help me determine the correct dose for me.
Love,
Cristi
Love,
Cristi
Holy Hanna, to quote a famous PP, you mean magnesium causes D? That's just great.
I always blamed all my cramping etc. on my statin drugs.........
My doc finally set me up for some neurological tests for my feet and toes after hearing me complain at my last three appointments. Now I wonder if magnesium would help. Of course, my weird toes are better now that I have the appointment. I was thinking it was from the sublingual B-12.
Tex, I also saw hair loss and magnesium deficiency. I'll be checking that out for sure.
I always blamed all my cramping etc. on my statin drugs.........
My doc finally set me up for some neurological tests for my feet and toes after hearing me complain at my last three appointments. Now I wonder if magnesium would help. Of course, my weird toes are better now that I have the appointment. I was thinking it was from the sublingual B-12.
Tex, I also saw hair loss and magnesium deficiency. I'll be checking that out for sure.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor and don't play one on TV.
LDN July 18, 2014
Joan
LDN July 18, 2014
Joan
Joan,
Yep, Milk of Magnesia, and some of the "prep" solutions use magnesium. The magnesium oil is probably the easiest way to get around that problem.
If you're talking about muscle cramps, they probably are caused by the statin, (if you're taking one), but they can also be caused by a deficiency of some of the B vitamins, and they can be caused by a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium deficiency can cause symptoms similar to peripheral neuropathy, also, if it's severe.
Large doses of B-12, B-9, and B-6, are used to treat peripheral neuropathy. I'm taking a generic version of Metanix, for that reason:
http://www.metanx.com/WhatIsMetanx
Magnesium deficiency can contribute to all sorts of problems, including hair loss.
Tex
Yep, Milk of Magnesia, and some of the "prep" solutions use magnesium. The magnesium oil is probably the easiest way to get around that problem.
If you're talking about muscle cramps, they probably are caused by the statin, (if you're taking one), but they can also be caused by a deficiency of some of the B vitamins, and they can be caused by a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium deficiency can cause symptoms similar to peripheral neuropathy, also, if it's severe.
Large doses of B-12, B-9, and B-6, are used to treat peripheral neuropathy. I'm taking a generic version of Metanix, for that reason:
http://www.metanx.com/WhatIsMetanx
Magnesium deficiency can contribute to all sorts of problems, including hair loss.
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.
I found the book The Magnesium Miracle by Carolyn Dean on Amazon and looked inside. I found the Supplements for Longevity Section. It said Magnesium citrate 300 mg, 2 to 3 times a day and Magnesium oil applied to skin 10-20 sprays per day. It said to dilute by half in distilled water if oil stings (each spray of undiluted oil carries about 20 mg of magnesium.)
Does it sting, Cristi?
Somewhere, I saw something about magnesium cream........
Does it sting, Cristi?
Somewhere, I saw something about magnesium cream........
DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor and don't play one on TV.
LDN July 18, 2014
Joan
LDN July 18, 2014
Joan
Hi Joan,
I do dilute mine. I read the same thing and I have pretty sensitive skin so I didn't even try it without diluting it. It doesn't sting me unless I get it on a cut and then it doesn't sting as much as rubbing alcohol does but enough that I rinse it off the cut. I don't notice anything until it is the last spraying down before bed...I usually do 4 sets of sprays. For some reason the last application will make me itch. So, I have started doing the last application 20 minutes before bed and then jump in the shower right before bed for a rinse and then it doesn't bother me. I also wash my hands after application as it makes my hands itch, probably because they are always slightly chapped from housework and doing dishes. I am still doing well with the magnesium oil. I hope you do too.
Cristi
I do dilute mine. I read the same thing and I have pretty sensitive skin so I didn't even try it without diluting it. It doesn't sting me unless I get it on a cut and then it doesn't sting as much as rubbing alcohol does but enough that I rinse it off the cut. I don't notice anything until it is the last spraying down before bed...I usually do 4 sets of sprays. For some reason the last application will make me itch. So, I have started doing the last application 20 minutes before bed and then jump in the shower right before bed for a rinse and then it doesn't bother me. I also wash my hands after application as it makes my hands itch, probably because they are always slightly chapped from housework and doing dishes. I am still doing well with the magnesium oil. I hope you do too.
Cristi
Magnesium Oil
I was diagnosed with MC about 2 years ago in addition to my earlier diagnoses of celiac sprue. I have had leg cramps at night for many years. I take potassium (Mayo clinic says that potassium deficiency is common with MC) which helps a lot but did not solve the problem. This fall new doctor recommended a magnesium supplement. The magnesium made my MC worse but when I stopped the supplement my cramps became worse.
Anyway my story it the same at yours (clugwig). I started taking magnesium oil topically and cannot believe the difference. I am sleeping better. My energy levels are high. MC symptoms are going away. However it is still early and I am wondering if this is for real.
I found the magnesium oil on Amazon. It is cheap, about $9 for 8 oz. I do not use as much as you, about one or two squirts on each leg twice a day (very little solution spread over a large area). I think a bottle will last 6 month to a year.
My blood test shows that my magnesium levels are normal. It will be interesting to see what happens to them.
I see that Tex sleeps better because of magnesium supplementation. This is the best change that I have made to improve my MC.
There seems to be a lot of posts dealing with magnesium. Thanks for hosting, Tex.
Anyway my story it the same at yours (clugwig). I started taking magnesium oil topically and cannot believe the difference. I am sleeping better. My energy levels are high. MC symptoms are going away. However it is still early and I am wondering if this is for real.
I found the magnesium oil on Amazon. It is cheap, about $9 for 8 oz. I do not use as much as you, about one or two squirts on each leg twice a day (very little solution spread over a large area). I think a bottle will last 6 month to a year.
My blood test shows that my magnesium levels are normal. It will be interesting to see what happens to them.
I see that Tex sleeps better because of magnesium supplementation. This is the best change that I have made to improve my MC.
There seems to be a lot of posts dealing with magnesium. Thanks for hosting, Tex.
Hi,
Welcome aboard. Yes, magnesium deficiency seems to be a common problem, even in the general population, but it can especially be a problem for someone with CD or MC, because of malabsorption problems and diet changes. Actually, I doubt that magnesium exacerbates MC, per se, but it definitely can cause diarrhea. I suspect that the reason why magnesium causes D so readily for us, is simply because our intestines are often hypersensitive to begin with, so doesn't take much laxative to trigger D, unfortunately.
Remember that the blood tests for magnesium are only useful for detecting excess amounts in the blood, (as is the case with certain diseases that interfere with the normal excretion of magnesium). Unfortunately, these tests are close to useless for detecting a magnesium deficiency, because only about 1% of the body's magnesium supply is actually circulating in the bloodstream. IOW, the body will automatically maintain "normal" blood levels of magnesium, until the cells of the body become very, very depleted, so the test won't indicate a deficiency until it is already at a very severe level.
Again, welcome aboard, and thanks for posting a progress report. Please keep us updated on how well it continues to work in the future.
Tex
Welcome aboard. Yes, magnesium deficiency seems to be a common problem, even in the general population, but it can especially be a problem for someone with CD or MC, because of malabsorption problems and diet changes. Actually, I doubt that magnesium exacerbates MC, per se, but it definitely can cause diarrhea. I suspect that the reason why magnesium causes D so readily for us, is simply because our intestines are often hypersensitive to begin with, so doesn't take much laxative to trigger D, unfortunately.
Remember that the blood tests for magnesium are only useful for detecting excess amounts in the blood, (as is the case with certain diseases that interfere with the normal excretion of magnesium). Unfortunately, these tests are close to useless for detecting a magnesium deficiency, because only about 1% of the body's magnesium supply is actually circulating in the bloodstream. IOW, the body will automatically maintain "normal" blood levels of magnesium, until the cells of the body become very, very depleted, so the test won't indicate a deficiency until it is already at a very severe level.
Again, welcome aboard, and thanks for posting a progress report. Please keep us updated on how well it continues to work in the future.
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.
I agree magnesium is not a cure. However I have learned, if you have MC you should supplement with potassium AND magnesium. And magnesium is a laxative. It works better for me to use it topically.
I need to find a way to take calcium, the same problem is taking it orally irritates my bowels. I don't think it can be absorbed topically. I also have osteopenia for gluten intolerance so I need to find a solution.
I need to find a way to take calcium, the same problem is taking it orally irritates my bowels. I don't think it can be absorbed topically. I also have osteopenia for gluten intolerance so I need to find a solution.
A lot of members swear by Caltrate 600+.
Are you getting enough vitamin D? Vitamin D seems to be at the bottom of a heck of a lot of cases of osteopenia and osteoporosis. With adequate vitamin D intake, you may not need any calcium supplementation, (other than your diet). Conversely, if you're not getting enough vitamin D, it doesn't matter how much calcium you ingest, your osteopenia will continue to progress.
If your 25(OH)D level is in the 30 to 50 ng/mL range, then roughly 5,000 IU of vitamin D daily should be sufficient. If it's lower than that, then you need much more Vitamin D, to boost your blood level, so that you can properly utilize the calcium in your diet. This is not just my opinion, it's the opinion of Dr. Cannell, founder of the Vitamin D Council, and many other researchers who are cognizant of the importance of vitamin D's role in our overall health.
Tex
Are you getting enough vitamin D? Vitamin D seems to be at the bottom of a heck of a lot of cases of osteopenia and osteoporosis. With adequate vitamin D intake, you may not need any calcium supplementation, (other than your diet). Conversely, if you're not getting enough vitamin D, it doesn't matter how much calcium you ingest, your osteopenia will continue to progress.
If your 25(OH)D level is in the 30 to 50 ng/mL range, then roughly 5,000 IU of vitamin D daily should be sufficient. If it's lower than that, then you need much more Vitamin D, to boost your blood level, so that you can properly utilize the calcium in your diet. This is not just my opinion, it's the opinion of Dr. Cannell, founder of the Vitamin D Council, and many other researchers who are cognizant of the importance of vitamin D's role in our overall health.
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.
