# Magnesium Citrate....does it lead to dependency?



## blondgirl31 (Dec 11, 2007)

I am new & I suffer from IBS-C. I have had symptoms on and off for 8 years or so. Most of the time I feel fine, other than a little bloated and gasy. Occasionally I have really painful stomach cramps. My main complaint is that I have a bm a few times a week, sometimes just once or twice. I have tried just about everything to keep regular- benefiber, miralax and zelnorm. I just started taking magnesium citrate. My chiropractor (also a health/wellness expert) recommended I take it to keep regular. She advised me not to take fiber supplements because it can cause irritation. The magnesium works great, no diarrhea, no stomach cramping. The side effect that I have noticed is nausea & reflux. I will take it for a few days and see if it goes away. Has anyone used it before and did it lead to dependency? What has been your experience taking magnesium?


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## randyadams (Feb 5, 2008)

I tried magnesium for two weeks in early January and found that it caused more reflux then normal so i stopped. It also helped with bowel movements but the reflux was just to much to handle. I am now taking nexium for my gerd and might think about using magnesium again.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

It is an osmotic laxative.All it does is pull water into the stool.The ones they worry about with dependency are the stimulatory laxatives because they act on the colon muscles.The doctor should know you need an osmotic every day to keep things moving as you may need some tests to see what is going on.You might check the total amount of magnesium you are taking in a day. If you are over the 1000 mg per day recommended maximum you may want to keep an eye on your kidney function more than other people. It shouldn't harm your kidneys, but if you start having problems and they don't function well you might not be able to clear the excess and if you get enough built up over time it can mess with your heart rhythm.K.


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## 13863 (Mar 23, 2007)

Hi, I recently few months back, tried taking magnesium oxide pills at about 750 - 1000 mg a day. It was working good, but my stuff was real liquified & just came out real fast. I did some researching & found that was not so good. I tried reducing the dose but then just stopped. I am not taking any now for about a week but am thinking of adding 250 mg a day starting in a few days.I read that too much magnesium can be bad for the liver. It's all so confusing. Now I am worried cause I am not taking any magnesium at all.I wonder if I can get the amount I need just from foods? I am on strict anti-candida diet though now.


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## AONewling (Feb 24, 2008)

Hi. I don't seem to have a dependency issue with Magnesium and have been taking it for a few months now. I am taking 500mg of magnesium oxide, which I think is harder to absorb than the formulation you are taking. I actually figured out that I should try Magnesium because I needed a calcium supplement. Calcium carbonate is bad news for C sufferers, so I switched to calcium carbonate. The research I did while trying to figure out how to get more calcium without more C led me to taking magnesium. Seems to work ok for me. Good luck to you.


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## poor_kiwi (Jan 21, 2008)

blondgirl31, you didn't mention lactulose as a thing you've tried. Can recommend it as a 100% safe long term laxative. don't know much about magnesium, sorry.


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## Fred37 (Feb 25, 2008)

As one of the moderators said, Magnesium Citrate is an osmotic laxative, which means it doesn't cause dependency (stimulant laxatives like Senna are the ones that cause dependency). I found this worked fairly well for me, but it does seem like it irritates the bowels, especially over time. Miralax worked better for me.


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## ABNormal (May 24, 2006)

I've been taking Magnesium Citrate for about a year. It helps, but it's not perfect. I also take a probiotic and a product called Colon Clenz. I don't think you get dependent on it.


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## sara1991 (May 13, 2017)

I realize this is an old thread but wanted to ask a question about this. Im quite small-built and started supplementing with magnesium citrate 1000-1250 mg a day to treat my constipation and its been giving me mushy stools. I tried cutting down to 500 mg a day but i didnt have a bm at all. Ive been on this dosage for 3 weeks now (1000 mg) and my question is whether this is normal with mag citrate? I see you mentioned it doesnt lead to dependency so its safe for long term use on this dose? I weigh 50 kg and 162 cm tall so not sure why i need this high dose to be able to go. Appreciate anyones input on this.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

magnesium citrate the mineral supplement is not a laxative --it's a mineral supplement. it will not cause dependency and is safe to use long term as long as you do not have renal problems. if you're taking 1000 mg, it's a good idea to get your magnesium levels checked periodically.

i've seen a number of people here on the board who have to take the 800-1000 mg of magnesium citrate in order to be able to go. different amounts work for different people. some people are deficient in magnesium which could be why they need to take more in order to go.

magnesium relaxes the muscles in the intestine which helps establish a smoother rhythm and also helps soften the stool by attracting water to the colon which helps make stools easier to pass.


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