Can nutritionists / experts help me re Magnesium

[twordle]

I am suffering with peri-meno symptoms of heart palpitations & early waking/ feeling of doom/unwarranted panic - on hrt but heard magnesium is good too. But there are so many types/doses. Can anyone advise me on which is best for my specific symptoms. The Holland & Barrett staff are lovely but not the best qualified I fear!

I am not a nutritionist or expert, but have done lots of reading and personal experimentation with this.
I have settled on taking magnesium glycinate at bedtime and this gives me more restful sleep, and really helps curb the anxiety/panic.

I ran out two weeks ago and had to wait to get more and was back to waking up mid panic at 2am and spending my days wandering around with an impending sense of doom over nothing in particular.
4 days back on it and I feel much better already.

@twordle I’m not a nutritionist either, but I DID find magnesium glycinate (from Amazon) helped. One thing I’ll add is that, more than that, drinking NO alcohol has been the best decision. I used to drink a couple of glasses every evening and would experience utter doom in the day. I gave up this summer (the first fortnight was tough) but I feel such freedom and balance now. May I ask if you drink? If so there may be a link. If not, you can safely ignore my anecdote!

@Rubiesue no I barely drink- odd glass every few weeks. I do like my coffee but have cut right back to max 2 cups a day before lunch. It's the heart palpitations that are really getting me down. I heard magnesium taurate was good for that.

Interesting. Could you (also) start with reducing the coffee? It really has a profound effect on me (Tho these days I do drink one cup a day, first thing, Ie about 6am…). I used to drink a lot more. I went cold turkey, years ago, by swapping coffee for tea. This was long before menopause, but I noticed definite improvements in health.

again I’m NOT a nutritionist (be great if one came along! but I believe coffee’s “half life” is 8 hours but that it stays in your system for 16. To improve sleep it would almost certainly help if you tried cutting down to a cup, or abandoning it altogether? Try replacing with tea, as above, and then maybe replacing tea with green tea (the flavoured stuff from twinings is actually really nice). Good luck!

can anyone recommend a brand?

I've virtually given up alcohol.

Hav you had your thyroid checked? Could be part of heart palpitations.

Fishy oil is recommended for heart health.

Fish

Palpitations are not [always] linked to the health of hearts. Palps are a sign of anxiety, so more MH issue.

@twordle One thing to be aware of with magnesium is it can act as a laxative.
I used to take a combined calcium & magnesium supplement ( 400mcgs mag a day) and it really affected my bowels.

I always buy Lamberts.

@twordle I know you didn't ask on this issue but here is one article on how magnesium can be used for constipation.www.healthline.com/health/digestive-health/magnesium-for-citrate-constipation#side-effects
Be warned :)

See the attached chart. I take magnesium glycinate in the evening for sleep - as below, glycine is specifically helpful for anxiety too. No real danger of it affecting your bowels either, unlike cheaper forms (citrate and oxide). 400-600mg is recommended for migraine sufferers, so should be perfectly safe to take in other circumstances too.

I'd also get rid of the coffee altogether for a while to see what happens. If you've suddenly become sensitive to caffeine (as happened to me, albeit not with peri), even a cup or two in the morning can trigger those feelings of doom at other points in the day, even if previously fine with it.

@notyourmam thats really useful thx.
@JinglingHellsBells thing is I don’t have any reason to be anxious but I seem to be getting the physical symptoms for no good reason - I literally feel like I have an electric current running thru me at times?! maybe I need to up my hrt..
re laxative - good, I could do with that!!!
@Benjispruce4 yes thyroid all fine.
thanks for all inputs so far.

Good you’ve had thyroid checked and ok. I went through a few months of palpitations in my 30s. Never got to the bottom of it as heart was found to be fine and I didn’t drink coffee then.
Now 51 and for the last 10 years I’ve hardly had any and I drink coffee(espresso) daily now as the antioxidants are good. I do take omega 3 so that may help.

I take the together marine magnesium and it definitely helps me fall asleep and relax. Not sure what type, the packet says it's 5 types. They're small also unlike some that are like horse pills!!

Which brand @nellynoodly ?
I use magnesium soap.

What stopped yours? Mine started a week after last covid jab- must admit I am curious as to potential link..

@Benjispruce4 it's just called together marine magnesium, it's on Ocado and Amazon - has great reviews and ir def works for me, I can feel myself getting spiky in the evening if I don't take it

bookmarking

Lara Briden writes about magnesium.

You can also make up your own spray for much less than half the price in the shops

Palpitations can be caused by anaemia, so worth checking that out.

I’m on the L-Threonate after a recommendation on MN regarding sleep. It’s not cheap, but it does seem to help.
I’ve virtually given up alcohol, so I make a saving there.

And Epsom salt baths are relaxing, so that’s a dose of magnesium too, and helps sleep.

I’m not sure what stopped my palpitations or started them. I read an article about ‘holiday heart syndrome’ which can effect women when we drink more on holiday and the mix with hormones etc. I remember it made sense at the time but the palpable carried on. Then I just noticed that they had reduced and faded away.
Im looking into magnesium supplements now as I’m awake every night for 2 hours this week. Exhausted.