Magnesium and vitamin D

[Pegs11]

Hi, I’m 40, went through surgical menopause aged 32. I also had a hemicolectomy and had my gall bladder and spleen removed, so I have some digestive issues. I started taking magnesium citrate and vitamin d on the advice of a private nutritionist I saw, and have been taking that for several years now.

A week ago I asked my GP if I could get these supplements on the NHS (because I’m skint)... and she said no, and started reeling off the risks of having too much magnesium and ordered a blood test. She kind of freaked me out, suggesting I could be damaging my heart with the magnesium.

I’m still awaiting the blood test but in the meantime I have stopped both supplements.

In the last couple of days I have started feeling terrible - very fatigued, stiff and achy, almost virus-like symptoms. Perhaps it is a simple virus... But I’m wondering if stopping these supplements could have caused this to happen, and to happen so quickly...? Can the body start exhibiting magnesium/vit D deficiency within only a week?

I have rarely received good advice from my GP, so I’m considering ignoring her and just getting back on the supplements.

why are you taking these? are you deficient in your diet or are they supposed to treat some symptoms? No one should routinely take supplements unless their diet is deficient.

If you lost your ovaries at 32 are you using HRT? If not, you ought to be up to the age of average menopause- 51- to protect your heart and bones. This is medical advice from NICE and it's really important to prevent cardio vascular disease and bone loss .

Hi @JinglingHellsBells, we have chatted on here before, nice to see you! I am on HRT thanks to your wonderful advice... it has changed my life and I am so so grateful to you for effectively rescuing me from a horrible existence!

I don’t know if I have deficiencies or not, I was never tested for these things before I started the supplements. I started taking them on the advice of my nutritionist and this advice was seconded by my meno clinic. The nutritionist recommended magnesium as I have only half my bowel and therefore absorption was compromised. The meno clinic said magnesium and vit d for post-menopause support (bone health, immune, energy, sleep).

Hi sorry I forgot your user name! I honestly don't know but some excess of minerals can be harmful. I guess you need to judge if you are way over the RDA. Vit D is okay- some experts say 25Kmcg a day is fine! much magnesium can create loose bowels - certainly with me as I take a calcium/magnesium supplement as I don't eat much dairy.

Doctors don’t study nutrition and for that reason you should listen to actual nutritionists.

I think vitamin k2 needs to be taken with vitamin D.

@TwilightSkies yes, I agree. Honestly my GP is useless. I don’t think it’s her fault, she is just under-resourced with time and expertise.

@

@MadeForThis wow, no one has ever mentioned this to me before! I will investigate further.

@JinglingHellsBells Strangely enough (especially given that my bowel is a lot shorter than most) I suffer with constipation, not diarrhoea. I think the magnesium was helping with this as I’ve had no bowel problems since being on it... but now that I’ve stopped, I’m constipated again! I’ve just started them again so hopefully I’ll be back to normal soon.

I have found it so difficult to get good advice on the NHS. When I spoke to an NHS dietician, she didn’t seem to care at all about the extensive surgery I’ve had and what that might mean for my dietary requirements. She literally just asked me how my bowels were and told me to take a multivitamin.

@MadeForThis and @Pegs11 No evidence you need to take Vit K with Vit D. NHS advice is everyone takes Vit D in autumn-spring months, and if we had to take Vit K as well, we'd be told that.

Such conflicting advice about magnesium! It has been recommended to me by my menopause clinic, my nutritionist, and my psychiatrist... yet my GP is dead against it, keeps warning me about dangerous side effects and won’t prescribe it on the NHS. It’s so confusing!

@JinglingHellsBells Do you know what type of magnesium is best for post-menopausal women?

I didn't know there were types- isn't it just 'magnesium'?

@JinglingHellsBells It seems there are many types - glycinate, citrate, oxide etc and they all serve slightly different functions 😏

choose the one that does what you want it to? Or ask your dietician?

You should take K2 with vitamin D. Otherwise you risk calcium going to places you don't want it, like arteries. Just because the NHS doesn't tell you to do something, that doesn't mean you shouldn't. I think NHS advice is based on people taking low amounts of D rather than high amounts. Taking higher amounts has been linked to better outcomes re Covid.
Personally OP I'd carry on with the Magnesium. I'd trust the private nutritionist over the hurried GP.

You should take K2 with vitamin D. Otherwise you risk calcium going to places you don't want it, like arteries.

can you link to this? I've read a lot about calcium supplements but not seen anything on this or Vit D.

Vitamin D is not calcium- so not sure why you say take K2 to stop calcium going to the wrong places.

What about a transdermal magnesium spray instead? I use this every day for twitches in my calves and it works really well.

Jingling I can't remember where I read it now, but it relates to taking higher does of vitamin D. I think this explains it

maapgh.com/blog/2016/02/are-you-taking-vitamin-k2-with-your-vitamin-d/

I read about the link between vitamin D and K2 the other day. I think a lot of tablets or sprays have them combined.

The nhs in Scotland doesn’t usually prescribe vitamins such as D as I’ve asked before. I know you may be different if in England but id be surprised. I don’t know about magnesium.

I’d continue taking them until you get the test results. GPs in my experience don’t know as much as nutritionists. And nhs dieticians are not as good as nutritionists. I’ve been to both due to bowel issues. I’d trust your nutritionist.

Managed to get a bit of free advice from the nutritionist I saw a few years ago. She recommends three type of magnesium for three different effects, sounds like I need all three. Need to investigate further though. For now I’m going to keep taking the supplements but will make sure I stay well under the maximum RDA. Blood test results should be in later this week so perhaps that will help decipher things.

@Pegs11 may I ask which type of magnesium you were recommended for the bowel issues? I am interested as I also have motility issues after hemicolectomy.

And nhs dieticians are not as good as nutritionists. I’ve been to both due to bowel issues. I’d trust your nutritionist

@Elieza To be an NHS dietician you have to have a degree and be registered with the BDA. Anyone can call themselves a nutritionist and sadly many use that title after doing a short 'Micky Mouse' online course. There are degrees now in nutrition, but it's still not a protected title and anyone seeing a nutritionist must check out their training.

I take magnesium and vit d, it makes a big difference to my mood and sleep pattern. I'd keep taking until you get your blood results back. I've read up on magnesium and not found many negative side effects, doesn't mean they aren't there. It can leave your system quickly from what I've read.

@LarkDescending I use magnesium citrate, 400ml capsules that have 60ml elemental magnesium. Aavalabs is the brand I use. One a day. Has kept me nice and regular (got constipated when I stopped taking them for a few days)