# Magnesium Side Effects?



## Darklight00 (Jun 2, 2007)

I have been taking GNC's Magnesium Oxide now for 3 days. I am taking 2 250mg pills per day. The magnesium is working I have been going to the bathroom normally, but I seem to be experiencing some kind of side effect which I have no read about. I have began to noticed muscles twitches in my arms and sometimes on my legs. Ironically muscle twitches is one of the things that magnesium is supposed to alleviate. Another thing I've noticed is excessive gases and flatulence as well as some mild hard to explain mental feeling.Has anyone here experienced anything similar when taking magnesium? Any suggestion or advice will be apreciated


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Have you read this?http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-998-MAGNESIUM.aspx?activeIngredientId=998&activeIngredientName=MAGNESIUMMight want to discuss the dose with either your pharmacist or Dr.


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## Darklight00 (Jun 2, 2007)

BQ said:


> Have you read this?http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-998-MAGNESIUM.aspx?activeIngredientId=998&activeIngredientName=MAGNESIUMMight want to discuss the dose with either your pharmacist or Dr.


Thanks for the reply. Yes I have read that link and I have done a lot of reading on magnesium I just found it curious that in all my reading I did not find similar report to mine. But now I am convinced that it was not the magnesium that was causing those side effect. I now believe that it might have to do with my serotonin levels. I had drank an anti depression med and was feeling those same effect that I described above. Thank God I discontinued that med now.


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## Darklight00 (Jun 2, 2007)

I am going to update this even though no one else has replied, but just in case it might help someone. I have to admit I was wrong when I said earlier that it wasn't the magnesium causing these side effects. it appears now clearly to me that it is indeed the magnesium that gives those awful side effects. It seems I am experiencing something called a paradoxical reaction to the Magnesium. This is when a medication induces the exact symptoms that it is supposed to alleviate. I my case Last night I did not sleep more that 15 minutes the whole night. I was jittery, my heart was beating hard I though I might be getting a heart attack. I just felt very uncomfortable whole night. On the plus side, I did go to the bathroom more that 10 times and no cramps nor diarrhea just plain old nice bowel movements. I don't know if these problems or reactions are because of the brand that I am using (GNC) or it is just the magnesium, and even though I do not want to stop because of the good things it is doing for me, I am not sure if I will take it again.


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## aaltimas1 (Aug 15, 2010)

I have found Magesium helps to get bowels moving great but there is side effects like you said, I finding it is irratating my stomach and bowels. It has been quite fustrating for me because all the laxatives I have tried seem to irratate the bowels but with out taking something I just get really jamed up and just can't seem to go to the bathroom. I am now trying ducusate sodium I hope this will help and not irrate my stomach I will give it a good try. Andrew


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## Darklight00 (Jun 2, 2007)

aaltimas1 said:


> I have found Magesium helps to get bowels moving great but there is side effects like you said, I finding it is irratating my stomach and bowels. It has been quite fustrating for me because all the laxatives I have tried seem to irratate the bowels but with out taking something I just get really jamed up and just can't seem to go to the bathroom. I am now trying ducusate sodium I hope this will help and not irrate my stomach I will give it a good try. Andrew


I am not familiar with ducusate sodium. I hope it works for you. I seem to be having a love/hate relationship with magnesium, it does many good things for me but then I start getting all those side effects and now its not even helping me with my bowels anymore. I will try to stick with it for while and see if my body gets used to it.


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## Girl (Jun 19, 2006)

Hi Dark I have just seen your post here, Are you still taking it? Maybe would be better to take a general vitamins supplment?


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## Darklight00 (Jun 2, 2007)

Girl said:


> Hi Dark I have just seen your post here, Are you still taking it? Maybe would be better to take a general vitamins supplment?


 Yes I am still taking it even though it is no longer helping me with the constipation. But I other problems besides constipation that it is helping me with. For example I had lower right back pain, and pain when sitting on my right buttock that would radiate down my thigh. All that is gone since I started taking magnesium. Emotionally I also feel better, less depressed. But I still get jittery and sometimes a little agitated when I take it. I don't know if a general multivitamin would do the same. Do you have anyone that you could recommend?


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## aaltimas1 (Aug 15, 2010)

Hi yea if the magesium does not work try ducusate calcium or sodium you can get it at most pharmacies so far is seems to be working for me I have been taking the calcium form it is worth a trying I am also taking a product called agarol it a mixture od mineral oil and glycerin so far so good.Andrew


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## MarianneK (May 22, 2011)

Hi Darklight00,I have experienced something similar. For a long while I had constipation and was bothered with twitches and cramps. Often the cramps and twithces are symptoms of magnesium deficiency. Ironically one can be taking magnesium as magnesium oxide, but the problem I had as well with magnesium oxide is that it gave me diarrhea which depleted my magnesium levels further leading to more twitches and cramps. Magnesium oxide is not a form of magnesium which is well absorbed by the body. I monitor my magnesium status by how much twitches I have and how easily I get cramps. You could be having a constipation in the first place due to being low on magnesium, the magnesium oxide, especially if it gives you diarrhea, could be enhancing the problem. My solution to the problem is magnesium oil, please read my post: http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/topic/140495-magnesium-oil-and-ibs/.best wishes,Marianne


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