Re: CALCIUM AND MAGNESIUM

August 16, 1999

Hi Geri,

Four and a half years ago my hepatologist (as well as

the dietician) suggested a calcium supplement. Each

of them said to find one with vitD and magnesium.

Even the doctor my mom goes to insisted on the

combination of all three. The doctors I see are

pretty hip on nutrition as it's a part of their

medical training. The doctors I've mentioned are in

their 30's and I'm not sure if older doctors are as

aware.

The miacalcin is still working very well for my mom

and I'm sure you'll have success with it too. I'm

still on the calcium supplements and it would be great

to have a spray instead of pills, but it's not

indicated for me yet.

Barbara Ann

AIH Transplant Recipient

August 16, 1999

Barbara -

Do you have Autoimmune Hepatitis?

Jackie

August 16, 1999

--- JKosiorek@... wrote:

> From: JKosiorek@...

>

> Barbara -

>

> Do you have Autoimmune Hepatitis?

>

> Jackie

Jackie,

Due to cirrhosis caused by Autoimmune Hepatitis,

I had a liver transplant.

Barbara Ann

AIH Transplant Recipient

August 17, 1999

Hi Barbara,

I don't know why none of my doctors have ever suggested magnesium. My mail

server has been down most of the night so I've done some web browsing about

osteoporosis and calcium. Couldn't find anything suggesting magnesium.

Also, today I received a new copy of UCLA Healthcare in the mail and

coincidentally, they have an article on osteoporosis. They suggest weight

bearing exercises, raloxifene, calcium and vitamin D but not a word about

magnesium. Maybe this is one of those deals where they assume you know.

But, I didn't know. Until months after I started taking Prednisone, I

wasn't even taking calcium. I was in no condition to retain most of what

anyone told me when I was first diagnosed so hard telling what else I've

forgotten.

My new doctor is also probably in his 30's. I've only seen him once and

there's only so much we were able to accomplish in one appointment. The

big concern now is whatever is going on in my abdomen (Another CT scan on

Wednesday. Lucky me.) The Miacalcin seems to be working fine so far. I

hope that it restores some bone density.

He said something to me about Evista and I wasn't sure what it was about,

but I think (and I'll know more later) that he was saying that Evista will

be approved to be used to restore bone density loss. However, someone else

said it's already approved for that. I think we were talking about the

pros and cons of Fosamax and Miacalcin at the time. I shouldn't even be

mentioning it, because I really don't remember.

For what it's worth, the big time pain I was having in my back and legs is

almost gone today. It lasted about 4 days total. I started taking

Miacalcin 4 days ago. It couldn't have a positive effect so quickly, I'm

sure, so I don't know what has made the difference.

Someone told me that osteoporosis doesn't cause pain, but according to the

Osteoporosis Foundation, it can cause back pain and also bone pain in the

back and legs. I don't think that's typical, though, and I think it only

happens when osteoporosis is severe. I have no reason to think mine is

severe though it's getting a lot of doctor reaction.

Hope you never have to take something like Fosamax or Miacalcin. Not

everyone is high risk, but I am genetically and also I fit the profile for

someone at risk, even without pred. That's why they've kept me on hormones

all these years. It wasn't indicated for me either until I'd been taking

pred for a year and a half. Pre-pred, my bone density was 120% of average

for a woman my age. Think I'm going to simply crumble away?

Take care,

Geri

July 15, 2003

At 03:12 PM 7/15/2003 -0400, you wrote:

>I take 1200 mg of calcium plus vitamin D that my Rheum prescribed. My friend

>swears dire things can happen to my bones and heart if I don't add magnesium

>with the calcium. What is your opinion on this? I am on a limited budget.

Good question!

BALANCE

-----------------------------------

Excess calcium causes a reduction in:

- manganese

- magnesium

- phosphorus

- zinc

In the reverse excess phosphorus and magnesium will cause a reduction in

calcium.

MAGNESIUM

-----------------------------------

Magnesium taken before bed can help you sleep, but if you take too much

magnesium your body doesn't absorb the extra and it can cause loose bowels.

Excess magnesium is a laxative.

Too little magnesium (or a very very large amount of calcium which reduces

your magnesium) can result in irregular heartbeat, muscle cramps, weakness,

tiredness, low blood sugar, hyperactivity in children. I have not read

anything about low magnesium affecting bones.

CALCIUM ABSORPTION

-----------------------------------

Calcium absorption is improved by both magnesium and Vitamin D.

The type of calcium also affects absorption.

The best-absorbed forms of calcium are:

calcium asparate (bound to aspartic acid, an amino acid)

calcium chelate (bound to a form of hydrolyzed vegetable protein)

calcium citrate (bound to a form of vitamin c)

calcium lactate (bound to a form of lactic acid)

lower absorption:

calcium carbonate (inorganic calcium salt, a.k.a chalk)

[note: In the U.S., chalk is added to white flour by law. That's what you

have to do when you base an entire food pyramid on breads - an unnatural

part of our diet]

SUPPLEMENTATION

-----------------------------------

So, it's generally a good idea to take a calcium supplement that also

includes magnesium and vitamin D.

However, if you are supplementing with fish oils for your arthritis (which

I highly recommend), you should be careful about your Vitamin D intake

becoming too high. If you are taking fish oils, buy a supplement that just

has calcium and magnesium together.

Recommended ratio of Calcium to Magnesium supplementation: (source:

nulifevitamins.com)

1:1 - diet is high in meat, processed foods, and water supply low in magnesium

1.5:1 - for individuals on a vegetarian diet that includes eggs and dairy.

2:1 - for individuals consuming sufficient quantities of whole foods but

little or no dairy

For me, 2:1 calcium:magnesium supplementation works the best because I've

pretty much gone off all milk and cheese. I find that if I take any

magnesium supplementation, I get loose bowels, so that's about the right

amount. I get all the vitamin D I need from sunlight and fish oils.

Elfstrom

July 16, 2003

> and others,

>

> I take 1200 mg of calcium plus vitamin D that my Rheum

> prescribed. My friend swears dire things can happen

> to my bones and heart if I don't add magnesium

> with the calcium. What is your opinion on this?

> I am on a limited budget.

>

> Marti

Hi Marti,

My guess is that we probably get plenty of magnesium from the foods

we eat, but if you feel the need to supplement (the Minimum Daily

Requirement - MDR of magnesium is 400 mg), you can get 200 ea Twinlab

400mg Magnesium Capsules (magnesium oxide & magnesium aspartate) for

$11.60 at http://snurl.com/1t5d

You could also just take a sip of Milk of Magnesia laxative

to get your MDR of magnesium if you wish. The 12 fl oz bottle of

Milk of Magnesia is $4.79 at http://snurl.com/1t5g

One teaspoonful of Milk of Magnesia (5 ml) contains 400 mg of

Magnesium Hydroxide, so the 12 oz bottle contains enough magnesium

for 71 one-teaspoon doses of 400 mg of magnesium. The Milk of

Magnesia is slightly (1 cent per dose) more expensive than the

Twinlab Capsules, but it has the advantage that it's " Faster Acting " -

LOL!

Just remember that " dire things " will happen to your intestinal tract

if you ingest too much magnesium - namely, you'll spend most of your

time in the bathroom. ;-)

-- Ron

July 16, 2003

--

Thanks and Ron for the info. Looks like I need to extend my

balance work beyond PT- LOL!

Marti

September 7, 2004

> I am new to this list and am adding supps. (and enzymes as soon as

> they arrive). My son was up at 2 am the first night of calcium and

> magnesium

If it is liquid cal/mag, try giving it in the morning with No-Fenol

enzyme, see if that helps.

>>> wondered if it was the corn at dinner,Sprite or the calcium. Do I

> sound crazy?

No, you don't sound crazy.

It could have been any of these things you indicate above.

Today he was so irritable and aggitated, not himself at

> all. Has anyone had problems with calcium and magnesium.

Yes, my son did not tolerate most brands, and NO liquids. Try giving

him just straight cal/mag with very few, if any, fillers and

additives. See if that helps.

Dana

September 10, 2004

I don't know if it is one of the other things you mentioned, but I

have had real difficulty giving my son calcium and magnesium. Our

first try, a pure powder, resulted in him not eating for three days

(at 1/8 a dose). Our next try, included in Brainchild minerals (it

could well have been another mineral), resulted in a week-long

regression, almost back to where we were before any interventions.

And, a few days on magnesium glycinate he was lying on the ground,

complaining his stomach hurt. He does fine with magnesium sulfate in

a cream on his skin, or epsom salt baths. He also seems fine with

juice with calcium added (the commercially available kind). I cannot

figure it out, so we're moving on without for now...

Judy

> Hi everyone,

>

> I am new to this list and am adding supps. (and enzymes as soon as

> they arrive). My son was up at 2 am the first night of calcium and

> magnesium and I didn't know if it was because I put a little Sprite

> in it. ( it takes 2 of us to hold him down and I think we need 3)

> Then 2 days later he was up again. This is unlike my son. Again I

> wondered if it was the corn at dinner,Sprite or the calcium. Do I

> sound crazy? Today he was so irritable and aggitated, not himself

at

> all. Has anyone had problems with calcium and magnesium. We have

been

> gf/cf/sf and sugar free up until now. Should I stop it and see

what

> happens? He is getting a multi-vit. He hasn't looked very well

> since starting this diet.

>

> All advice is welcome:)

>

> a

September 11, 2004

Finding supplemrnts that my son tolerates has been soooo difficult. Calcium was

the worst...he has osteoperosis now (he's 6 years old).

Anyway, I just started him on the NOW Cal-Mag capsules. I worked him up slowly

to 2 capsules per day. I empty them into some applesauce and give them right

after meals. It's the only calcium supplement I've ever tried that he had no

rxn to. We also started him on Carbo from Enzymedica (until the other ones come

in from Houston).

HTH!

Lori Getz

Re: Calcium and Magnesium