Magnesium is the most important mineral for people with atrial fibrillation. Almost all afib patients are deficient in magnesium. Of all the supplements an afibber can take, magnesium is the most important.
But magnesium isn’t just important for afibbers. It’s important for everyone. Magnesium is responsible for over 300 enzyme reactions in the body and is the second most abundant element inside human CELLS. I’m emphasizing the word “cells” for a reason as I’ll explain shortly.
If you have atrial fibrillation, one of the first things you’ll want to do is test your magnesium levels. As I mentioned, there is a very good chance you’ll be low in magnesium!
Most doctors will recommend a simple serum magnesium test. The blood serum test is the most common magnesium test available. Unfortunately, the results from this test are virtually meaningless.
Only 1% of magnesium in the body is actually found in blood and only .3% is found in blood serum. Ninety-nine percent of magnesium is found inside human cells. Remember what I said earlier – it is the second most abundant element in human CELLS.
I have had the serum test done twice in the past couple years. I had it done first in early 2013 because at the time I thought it was the only test available and I assumed it was accurate. After all, why would my doctor give me a test that produces virtually meaningless results? I’m still asking that question today.
I had the serum test done again in January 2015 even though I knew the results would be meaningless. I was just curious if my magnesium levels were higher or lower from the time I took the test in 2013.
Here are the results of my tests:
You’ll note in January 2013 my test results showed 2.2 mg/dL. I was right in the middle of the normal range. In January 2015 I was at 2.0 mg/dL. My magnesium levels were down slightly but still well within the normal range.
If I didn’t know any better I’d look at these results and be relieved that magnesium wasn’t a contributing factor to my afib. In fact, my doctor wrote a note to me when he sent the results saying, “Your magnesium levels are normal and not a cause of your afib!”
My doctor couldn’t have been more wrong.
I learned about the EXA TEST in 2014. It tests intracellular mineral electrolyte levels and is considered the gold standard for magnesium testing. It gives you a true and accurate picture of your magnesium levels because the magnesium is measured in your cells where 99% of your magnesium stores are.
In addition to giving you an accurate picture of your magnesium levels, it measures important electrolytes at the cellular level. And as any afibber knows, a proper balance of electrolytes is essential for the heart so this is an incredibly important test to have done if you have atrial fibrillation.
Unfortunately, it’s not easy finding a doctor that knows what the EXA TEST is let alone one that offers it. I searched in vain in 2014 and couldn’t find a doctor that knew anything about it so I gave up on it for a while.
It’s also not cheap and most insurance plans won’t cover it unless a doctor actually requests one.
Finally in March of 2015 I found a naturopathic doctor in my area that administers it so I decided to take the plunge regardless of the cost. I wanted to know once and for all what my real magnesium levels were!
The total cost of the test was $715.25 – all out of pocket. The cost breaks down as follows…
The company behind the test, IntraCellular Diagnostics Inc., requires an upfront fee of $275 plus a $6 credit card fee for a total of $281. Since my insurance wouldn’t cover the full cost of the test because it wasn’t administered by a licensed MD, I had to pay the full amount of $678. Then the doctor charged me for fifteen minutes of his time which was another $31.25. Adding it all up and you get $678 + $6 + $31.25 for a total of $715.25.
While I’m not happy spending that kind of money, I’m glad I did it because I finally know the answer to my much anticipated question – am I magnesium deficient?
And what was the answer to my question?
YES – I am magnesium deficient!
Take a look at the actual test results:
(click the images for larger pictures)
As you can see, I’m low on magnesium – this despite taking 750mg of magnesium supplements every day for well over the past year. What an eye-opener this test was! Everything else looks pretty good, actually.
Side Note: I think it’s important to point out that my magnesium supplementation up until about three months ago was mostly magnesium citrate and basic magnesium glycinate capsules. In the past few months I have switched to ReMag (roughly 675 mg per day) plus about 300 mg of Viva Labs magnesium chelate. I will slowly be switching exclusively to ReMag and upping that dose to about 900 mg per day. I’ll then retest my magnesium levels in about 4-5 months.
There is one thing I need to highlight. There is a recommendation at the top of the report that I should supplement daily with 800mg of magnesium and 800mg of calcium.
I’m going to ignore both recommendations. The recommendation to take 800mg of magnesium assumes that I’m not already taking magnesium. Since I’ve been taking 750mg daily, I’ll actually up my daily magnesium to 900mg per day moving forward and may even push it to 1,000mg per day.
Although I have my doubts those levels will even make a difference. I know of some people that have to have magnesium administered via I.V. to get their levels up to normal. I have no idea how that would work. I can’t imagine in a million years my doctor agreeing to give me IV injections of magnesium. And in our state naturopathic doctors aren’t allowed to pierce the skin of their patients so they can’t administer anything via an I.V. For now I’ll have to stick to oral supplements and hope they boost my levels.
I’m going to skip the calcium all together because calcium is a big no-no for afibbers. Plus, my calcium levels are actually pretty good according to the test results. I must be getting enough calcium through my diet.
It takes several months to build up magnesium in the body. I’ll plan on retaking the test again towards the end of the year to see if I’m making any progress at my new daily magnesium levels of 900 – 1,000mg.
There is one other magnesium test available that I want to mention and that is the RBC magnesium test, or Red Blood Cell magnesium test. This test is supposedly more accurate than the serum test but still not very accurate. The reason being it only measures magnesium in the red blood cells in your blood stream and not the cells in your tissues where most of the magnesium is. This test can also be expensive and most doctors won’t even offer it as an option.
Case in point: When I requested the second magnesium test from my doctor in January 2015, I specifically asked for the RBC test. He said sure, only to set me up with the standard serum test. He completely ignored my request and probably assumed the serum test was “good enough.”
After my third afib episode I discussed my cations level with a good doctor who told me exactly that: “Your blood Mg level is too close to minimum to allow a good concentration into your tissue cells” So I started taking 1-g MgCl2 pills, one in the morning every day. Nonetheless, after taking it since 2015, I cannot say it solved my afib problem.
Another point: cell membranes oxidative stress. I started last year taking resveratrol pills, one 100-mg every morning. When in my university service, I studied oxidative stress of membrane phospholipids PUFA, and was able to report profound membrane structure modification in ROS-attacked membrane models. Altered phospholipid bilayers are not the ideal environment for correctly working cation pumps…but I retired before beeing able to perform functioning experiments on oxidatively stressed membranes. Yet, from the literature, I was aware that oxidative stress plays a role also in the arising of cardiac arrhytmia. At the same time I started taking flecainide, an antiarythmic molecule. I had a great 10 months period without afib, then it started again, very moderately, but it was there again….
I hope my observations and considerations will help.
Thank You,
Fracesco
You could try Magnesium Chloride powder (food grade) and make up your own solution. I wrote an article in my website: magnesiumandhealth.com titled “what is magnesium chloride”. It shows how to do your own supplement and explains why this magnesium salt is so bioavailable, whereas others are not. Dr Dean’s ReMag is a good option but expensive for those who have to watch their budgets. Her skin lotion is also very good for topping up but again, very expensive. You can use your own solution, half strength, for your skin but it itches some people and you may want to have a shower after!
It would be advantageous if you did not have to increase your flecainide dose as it can have some unwanted side effects. Good health to you and yours and I hope this information helps.
By the way, Dr Thomas Levy a board certified cardiologist, has a short video about Mg here: https://magnesiumandhealth.com/what-is-all-cause-mortality/ which is very interesting. He speaks of IV magnesium and how it helped those who participated in some long term research!
Thanks for the information! I appreciate it (and I’m sure my readers do too).
Travis
Why would your magnesium be low after supplementing that much? Would supplementing more really help? Maybe you have a genetic condition or an absorptive issue that isn’t amenable to more supplementation
Ian:
It is very difficult to restore your magnesium levels. Even if you are “normal” it can take MONTHS of heavy dosing to get your magnesium levels consistently on the high end of normal.
On top of that, a lot of afibbers are natural magnesium wasters so yes, that is an added challenge.
Everyone is unique so that’s why it’s important to be tested at least once a year to see what your magnesium levels actually are.
Travis
P.S. What complicates things even more is the type and quality of magnesium you take. You can take loads of cheap magnesium (i.e. magnesium oxide) every day for months on end and never budge your magnesium levels. Why? Because it’s not being absorbed. It’s very important you take the right type of magnesium and the right amounts consistently.
Hi, I’ve had afib for just under a year but palpitations for decades. I discovered how well magnesium worked about 12 years ago but now I have other health issues. If you don’t absorb well, you won’t absorb magnesium very well. Also, it depends on what type of magnesium you are taking.
Magnesium oxide is the worst as the absorption rate is no good. All other forms are good but some are better than others. I take 3 or 4 different kinds. For a while I have been taking around 750mg. Another very good way to get magnesium is through the skin. Using epsom salt bath or foot soaks, magnesium oil, spray, lotions, and mineral salts work too.
With the oils and lotions you can have some skin irritation or burning so test. The lotions work on me everywhere with no problems except the back of my legs.
Ooops, I didn’t realize this was a blog. I just came across the above info and was trying to help. I’m also still struggling with getting everything right. I have other health issues that contribute to the afib IMHO. I’ve only had 2 episodes that I know of.
The first was horrible. The second I panicked and may not have had to go to the hospital at all. I’ve tried both times to take beta blockers but found I felt so horrible on them both times I quit taking them. The first time I had to quit, but have been treated for hep C so things are better. I won’t know if the cure worked until February.
My heartbeat was slow and weak and was acting strange, no afib with it, just weak beats and felt like I couldn’t function throughout the day, even after being on it for a month. I was taking my dose at night. And it was only 12.5 mg a day.
All great points, Robin! Thanks for sharing. Has the magnesium helped with your palpitations? Since you’ve had palpitations for “decades” I’m assuming the magnesium hasn’t helped much.
Travis
No it did help. I started taking large doses of magnesium about 10-12 years ago. Mine seemed to come and go and every now and then get really bad. To the point that daily I was having the problem for hours at a time. It really affected what I could do. After doing some reading on magnesium I realized that was the key. The palpitations at that time were terrible, within a week of taking magnesium I noticed a difference and within about 4 months I was hardly having any problems at all.
I have since had other health issues that have complicated this. I still take magnesium, 750mg/day. Although for awhile I got tired of taking it and stopped. My palps are still not bad but developed afib this year. The reason IMHO are diabetic, hypothyroidism and hep C. I was diagnosed with diabetes 2 years ago. Hep C 15 years ago, my type couldn’t be treated until the FDA approved a new drug last year.
This is such a long story, not sure how to shorten it all. It’s been a learning experience. I’ve always been into nutrition, healthy eating, working out, etc. so I understood many things that the average Josephine probably wouldn’t know, but still had many blind spots. This has been one heck of a journey.
Thanks for the additional info. Glad to hear the magnesium helped your palpitations! I wish you well:)
Travis
I’m 61 and have had afib for 15 years (maybe longer). I had 3 afibs in 2 weeks last July caused by taking too much thyroid meds. Recently I had 3 afibs in 1 week (the third was cardio converted 3 hours ago). I believe the last 3 were caused by reflux. I’m 60 lbs. overweight. I am now going to eat better. Please tell me the name of the magnesium supplement I should purchase. It’s my understanding magnesium is good for both reflux and afib. Contact me by email. Thank you. Frank Markovic
Frank:
Hey Frank. Sorry to hear about your afib episodes and the recent cardioversion. The magnesium supplements I recommend are Remag (liquid magnesium product) and Ease (transdermal magnesium spray). It is my belief that these are the two most absorbable forms of oral magnesium. I’ll email you this same reply as well:)
Thanks,
Travis
Hi Travis,
Thanks for your blog. I was wondering how many sprays of the Ease you use a day? Did you do any type of “loading” dose? Did you have to experiment with the dose at all? I’ve been using the oils and lotion for about a month though just recently got the Ease. It does seem to absorb more readily than the Ancient Minerals. I recently did a RBC test (which you can order yourself from Request a Test online for $49 and skip the doctor) and my level was 5.4, which would be low according to Dr. Dean. I have a history of acute afib so am glad for all the information on magnesium.
Thanks, Judy
Judy:
Today I spray about 300-400 mg of magnesium per day (that’s 12-16 sprays). I basically “shower” my front upper torso in it…lol. I have never done a “loaded dose.” I’ve been doing the same number of sprays since day one. Actually, I used to spread out the sprays throughout the day but now I just spray 300-400 mg of it right after my workouts and then I’m done for the day.
Regarding your RBC levels, I talked to an integrative doctor once about this and he had a great point to consider. He said that those recommended RBC levels are based on averages. He said everyone is unique so your ideal number might be higher or lower. So while your levels might be low according to the scale, it might be your ideal range. Of course the only way to know that is to test regularly and monitor your results. For example, your heart might settle down with a higher level or it might get worse!
Travis
Hi Travis,
Just came across your blog while searching for magnesium deficiency. Thanks for sharing the valuable information.
I want to get EXA Test conducted for my wife, but I could not understand the procedure of getting it done.
Whether my doctor has to contact IntraCellular Diagnostics, Inc for getting this done or we could get this done in any of the Quest Diagnostics labs?
Also, what would the process to make payment and getting the results back.
I shall be highly obliged if you can let me know.
Thanks,
Sanket
Sanket:
You have to find a doctor who either has the EXA test kits on hand and provides the test, OR you have to see if your family doctor is willing to request a test kit and administer it for you. Unfortunately, it is not a test you can have done at home, which I personally think is a joke.
All the doctor has to do is scrap the inside of your mouth and then wipe it on a piece of paper and cover it and send it in. Anyone would be able to administer it themselves but for whatever reason the folks at EXA require a doctor be involved.
Travis
Just wanted to mention that if you think you are deficient and taking medications that can cause Mg loss (e.g. diuretic) it is good idea to get 24 hour urine Mg done. This will tell you if you are losing Mg from your kidneys. If you serum Mg is low, your kidneys should only be releasing 25 Mg in the urine. If your serum Mg levels are high, the most the kidneys should excrete is around 125 Mg.
My serum and RBC Mg where on the lower limits of normal but I suspected it was much worse because I was having awful muscle issues. Turns out I was losing 400 Mg a day in my urine. This is equivalent to your daily requirement. Unfortunately most doctors won’t order this test because they don’t know how to interpret it and don’t want to be sued if they mistreat you. I had to see a kidney doc to get it done.
Unfortunately, when it comes to Mg most doctors are clueless.
Pete:
Great information to know! Thanks for sharing.
I’ll also add that too much magnesium can also cause you to lose magnesium via your bowels and I’m not talking just loose stools either which is common for many people taking large amounts of magnesium.
I just read an article where they talked about magnesium-induced deficiency. This is when taking too much magnesium actually causes you to lose more magnesium from going “#2” sooner than you normally would.
Travis
Thanks Travis. You bring up a very good point. Faster transit time can definitely affect things. I stopped all Mg supplements for one week and could see the difference. I think as long as your transit time is 20 or more hours you should be OK. You can do a charcoal test to determine the time.
The intestines can be a source of problems, either absorption or loss. If you have issues in your intestines (e.g. inflammation) you can lose protein and fat in your intestines ( see, protein losing enteropathy). It is quite possible that you could also lose Mg from this process or the vitamins needed to get Mg into your cells. In either case, it is best to make sure you have healthy intestines if you are having Mg issues. I take probiotics and yeast inhibitors.
BTW: I recall you stating that you take ReMag. ConsumerLabs tested ReMag and found that it only contained 61.5% of the stated amount. They also had tried contacting the company but lets say they had an unsatisfactory communication. I don’t like how ReMag claims pico size when it is just dissolved Mg Cl. The Mg and Cl atoms separate when they dissolve. That is what is nice about this formulation. They also claim 100% absorption, which is completely bogus. Nothing is 100%. Just my 2 cents.
Pete:
You’re very well-versed on this topic. I love it…and thank you for your contributions here! I did not see that report on ReMag. I’ll have to check it out. Thanks for pointing it out. I never bought their “100% absorbed” argument. Nothing taken orally is 100% absorbed but I thought maybe it would be more absorbed than other products. Carolyn Dean, the doctor and creator behind the product, used to be very responsive to my emails but the last one I sent her she never replied. I’m not sure what’s going on.
Since you seem to be pretty knowledgeable on this topic, what magnesium supplements do you recommend? If you don’t have specific brand recommendations, what forms of magnesium do you recommend?
Travis
Travis,
Glad I can help. If you take any supplements I highly recommend to subscribe to https://www.consumerlab.com/ They do a great job analyzing supplements. One big thing I learned from them, I was consuming cocoa powder every day. I thought it was healthy because it is lower in fat than chocolate but had the nutrients. Turns out all cocoa products they tested had very high amounts of cadmium. Chocolate bars not so much.
You should also be aware that the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario concluded in 1995 that Dr. Dean was unfit to practice and revoked her registration certification. See: http://www.casewatch.org/foreign/dean/dean.shtml
Labdoor.com also test supplements, you can see some results here:
https://labdoor.com/rankings/magnesium
I think liquid MgCl is a good supplement, although tastes horrible. Besides ReMag, I wouldn’t use “Good State Health” because their label is also wrong. NutriCology sells liquid MgCl that I use. It has less stated on its label but it is accurate (and ConsumerLab tested). You can get the bottles for around $7-10, depending on bulk.
I also like Mg Malate from Source Naturals (tested by consumerlab). I can take quite a bit of it before it negatively affects my bowels. Mg Malate is also the preferred version for chronic fatigue suffers, since this form can help with energy. Amazon has it for great price.
Lastly, I tried both Mg Sulfate (epsom salts) and Mg Cl sprayed onto my skin. I find the MgCl works better because you can dissolve a lot more into the water. I dissolve it in hot water on the stove, put it in spray bottle and put it on after a shower. I’ve read that showering actually will increase absorption because it opens the pores up. I then use a little lotion to get the MgCl to better absorb. I wouldn’t bother buying the pre-made lotion because it is so easy to make. Just buy some flakes from amazon – I used ancient minerals flakes.
Pete
Pete:
Thanks for the response! I have some important replies to your comments, however.
I removed all the references in your comment between ConsumerLab and ReMag as I cannot substantiate them right now. I have to be really careful about the information I put on this site – even in blog comments! I also want to be fair about the “facts.” I will get access to ConsumerLab myself and find out what is going on with ReMag.
Your comments about Dr. Dean having her license revoked in Canada was very disturbing so I did a little research. There seems to be two sides to the story. Here are a couple articles I found. One was written by Dr. Dean herself where she explains what happened, and the other one is about doctors in Canada being under fire.
Dr. Dean’s side of the story
Doctors Under Fire (in Canada)
Finally, regarding your comments on magnesium spray, I agree with you that it’s much cheaper to make your own but whether you make your own or buy one, they are MESSY! I found a magnesium oil that soaks into your skin completely within minutes. It’s called EASE. Here is a link to it on Amazon. That’s an affiliate link but I’d recommend it regardless. I’ve been using it for several months now.
Travis
Pete,
Thanks for this helpful info!
I use Labdoor to vet my supplements, but they have limited listings. So I was very excited to read about ConsumerLab here. However, when I purchased a membership, I couldn’t find the place in their listings where they report on heavy metal content of supplements. I would love to understand if they routinely test for heavy metals in all the supplements they review, and if so, where do I find that information?
Thanks!
Melissa:
I don’t believe Consumer Lab tests for metal concentrations. I believe they test strictly for the stated ingredients in a given product. In other words, if they are testing a magnesium product, they are only testing to verify it has as much magnesium as it claims to have. They aren’t testing for metals or other ingredients but I could be wrong. I would just contact Consumer Lab directly and ask them.
I wish I could point you to a resource that does test for metals but none come to mind.
Travis
Melissa,
It depends on what they are testing. They test for contaminants when they can, which is most of the time. If you look at the test results for a particular supplement you will see multiple columns under test results, one usually being “did not exceed contamination limits for…” They will also describe it in the text for a particular supplement. For Mg, they tested for Lead, Cadmium and Arsenic. (All products passed.) By the way when they tested Cocoa powder, every product tested failed due to cadmium.
Pete
Thanks for that additional information, Pete! I didn’t realize they tested for all that.
Travis
Hi Pete and Travis,
I’ve also just discovered some concerning information regarding Dr Carolyn Dean and her association with a “being” called iON and the so called RnA Reset drops.
Travis, have you had the EXA retest yet? It would be very telling if the Remag has made a difference or not.
Boe:
Yes, I did have the EXA retest fairly recently. You can read about it here:
https://www.livingwithatrialfibrillation.com/1868/exa-test-rbc-blood-test-results/
It seems the ReMag helped.
Travis
My take on magnesium deficiency is not so much the low levels in soil (though this obviously counts), but the massive amounts of acidic foods we consume versus the virtually non-acidic diet we would have consumed eons ago before the agrarian age, ie, lots of raw, unprocessed food, even raw meats. Magnesium is drawn from the body to counter the acidic state within our blood created by cooking and/or high processing of food. So is it possible that what we eat from day to day affects the levels of magnesium in urine levels, i.e. are some days going to produce more magnesium in the urine because we had a meal that produced a high acid state in our cells/blood?
P.S.
For people not sure about the premise of acid and alkaline foods, here is an explanation from a random site I pulled up:
http://greenopedia.com/alkaline-acid-food-chart/
“Scientists can tell how foods will react inside the body by incinerating the food and analyzing the mineral content of its ash. If the mineral content is highly alkaline, then the food will likely have an alkalizing effect on the body, and vice versa.
In other words, how the body reacts to certain foods is what determines what foods are alkaline-forming and what foods are acid-forming. For example lemons are acidic in nature, but have an alkalizing effect on the body once they are digested. Similarly, milk is alkaline outside the body, but acidic upon digestion.”
It would be an interesting experiment to go totally raw for a week or so and then do urine tests. There are even plenty of raw meat options such as sushimi, steak tartare, beef tataki, and carpaccio.
Boe:
I love being a human test experiment but I don’t think I could go raw for even a week…lol. The thought of eating any kind of meat raw makes me want to vomit…lol.
I have been tempted to jump on the Paleo diet, however, for a couple weeks as a test to see if it helps improve my heart palpitations but I’ve been dragging my feet.
Thanks for sharing all the detailed info on acid and alkaline foods!
Travis
Hi Travis, What a brilliant article, there’s nothing like hearing it from the horse’s mouth so to speak. My husband had AF for many years and in 2006 he died suddenly, it was instant. We had moved to Spain from the UK as he felt so much better in a sunny climate. My husband was on ‘FLECAINIDE’ medication. I can remember his specialist warning him “No one with AF taking flecainide presents with a heart attack” It took us a few minutes to realize what he meant, but my husband had to risk it, the AF was so debilitating, he couldn’t live with it.
What really makes me so MAD is none of these professional medics EVER mentioned Magnesium, NOT ONCE. I know this was a few years back but all the same, Mg has been known about for nearly a century. In my opinion, my husband died of Mg deficiency exacerbated by a serious pharmaceutical drug. I’m now doing my best to spread the word about this amazing mineral that most doctors seem to know nothing about. Thank you so much for telling your story. I hope you don’t mind if I site this article in a post that I’m doing at this moment about Mg testing.
Best of health and kind wishes to you and yours, Ches
Ches:
Thanks for sharing your story and so sorry to hear about your husband’s passing. What was your husband’s official cause of death?
While magnesium *may* help reduce the burden of atrial fibrillation, I don’t think a lack of it contributed to your husband’s passing. I’ve never heard of anyone with atrial fibrillation dying from NOT taking enough magnesium.
Once someone has afib long enough (or bad enough), no amount of magnesium will reverse it or have much of an impact. Your husband may have benefited from magnesium to an extent but I don’t think it would have saved his life. I only point this out so people don’t get the wrong idea that magnesium can prevent afib-related deaths (assuming your husband died of something related to afib).
Travis
Ches Power I’m very sorry to hear about your husband, and your story really interested me. I had my first case of afib June 2014 and now it is August 2016 and I have been with two different doctors trying to figure things out. I have been on heart meds and have not been happy with them.
I have only had two incidents with afib – both were trips to the emergency room. Both times they didn’t really have a cause. I feel like it comes from taking corticosterioids! I have also been prescribed flecainide. I haven’t taken any yet cause I feel like they are always giving me pills for this and that, but not coming up with solutions. I feel like a test subject at times. I’m only 39 and I don’t think it’s natural.
Dorian:
I responded to your other comment as well but you should seriously consider an ablation. It’s your best shot at a cure and it’s the only way you’ll ever have a chance to be free of the drugs.
Travis
Hi,
Just wondering if Travis or anyone else has done a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis. I understand it is way more accurate than blood tests for detecting mineral levels, but am curious how it compares with the EXA test. If HTMA is relatively accurate, the lower cost would mean it is accessible to more people.
Boe:
Hey Boe. Thanks for your comments. I have to be honest with you. I’ve never heard of a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis so I’ll have to look into that. What do you know about it? Can you provide any links to articles about it? I’d like to learn more!
Travis
Hi Travis
Hair Analysis looks like a no-go. The minerals deposited into the hair are from the blood so do not accurately reflect magnesium levels.
Boe:
Thanks for the update, Boe! I’ll scratch this test off my list:)
Travis
Your Mg could still be low because your kidneys are excreting too much. This can happen with certain meds and supplements. Also keep in mind, you probably only absorb about 1/3 of your intake.
For transdermal Mg, try espon salts dissolved in water in a spray bottle. Spray on your body and then rub in with a body lotion. I wouldn’t recommend Mg oil, it is Mg Cl and will sting because it has some hydrochloric acid in it. Plus the sulfur in espon salts is also good for you.
Pete
Pete:
Thanks for the info! I use two primary forms of magnesium supplements these days. I use EASE magnesium spray (doesn’t sting at all and dries instantly) and ReMag, which is a liquid magnesium supplement. Based on my research, they are the two most absorbable forms of magnesium.
It’s funny you mention epsom salt. I just tried an epsom salt foot soak today for the first time. I may start incorporating these into my “magnesium regimen” as well.
I wish you well!
Travis
Travis, Thanks for your helpful article for others seeking the truth for good health. My osteopath (not a UK public NHS doctor) told me yesterday I had magnesium deficiency and told me I’m better to absorb it through the skin. He told to take a bath with Epsom Salts (20 mins twice a week to start with, then reduce to once a week). Today I have ordered 25kg of Epsom Salts from Amazon. Thanks for pointing out your doctor could not be trusted to diagnose magnesium deficiency and unable to give advice on how to absorb it through the skin. It doesn’t help that “big Pharma” prioritizes profit over health. Knowing afib is a side effect of magnesium deficiency means money could be saved on expensive EXA Tests. i.e. maybe review your magnesium supplement method instead? EXA Test have proven more useful than your doctor on this issue. I don’t understand your reasons for ignoring EXA’s advice that to absorb magnesium orally is better with a certain ratio of calcium.
Stewart:
Calcium can be a tricky supplement for afibbers. It can often trigger afib or at the very least palpitations. Most afibbers don’t do a lot of calcium supplementation for this reason (if any at all). I’m particularly sensitive to calcium so I don’t supplement it at all. If I took 800 mg a day as suggested by EXA, my heart would probably be flopping all over the place.
Vitamin D is more important for the absorption of magnesium and on days I’m not out in the sun I take 6,000 mg a day of it (liquid vitamin D).
Travis
If the RBC blood test is inaccurate as you state them why did you request your doctor run the test for you?
Barry:
Good question. The RBC isn’t totally accurate but it at least gives you a better idea of your magnesium levels vs the serum test. The serum test literally doesn’t tell you anything unless you’re severely deficient. The RBC at least gives you a general idea if you’re magnesium levels are good or not.
I encourage you to read this blog post where I talk in depth about my RBC test and how it compared to my EXA Test results:
https://www.livingwithatrialfibrillation.com/1599/week-9-may-7-2015/
Travis
Hi Travis, I am very curious about your info. I believe I am magnesium deficient. Just got my results back and I am also at 2.0, which is within range. I knew I was lacking something. I have a couple deficiencies. Not that it matters because I believe that root of it all is magnesium but they are B12 and vitamin D.
I’ll get to the point, though it’s a little personal. I have had a problem with my bowels not working properly and when this happens I also get awful heart palpitations. One day I tried milk of magnesium and within an hour I would start to feel better. Palpitations gone. I have been taking supplements of 500 a day, and Epsom salt baths to build my magnesium. I have been doing this for a month.
My doctor finally said he would check it. I can’t believe after a month of supplementing it’s where it is. I came across this just by chance. I am going to call my doctor tomorrow and see about getting this test done hopefully he will agree. I can’t let this go on. Hope you’re doing better.
Adina:
It takes a long time to restore your magnesium levels – literally MONTHS. A month of supplementation will barely move the needle.
If your doctor doesn’t spring for the EXA Test, push for the RBC test. The serum test you had done is totally worthless as I’m sure you realize after reading this post. Almost everyone will test normal using the serum test.
I wish you well!
Travis
Thanks for posting the detailed EXA TEST report, including the cost! I’ve been looking all over for this info, and your site was the only one I found with the details :-)
I’ll be very interested in seeing your follow-up, and new magnesium level.
What convinced you to switch to ReMag? Also, do you have any thoughts on Neuro-Mag (Magnesium L-Threonate)? It’s got good reviews at amazon, and is supposedly the only magnesium formulation that can cross the blood/brain barrier.
Ted:
Glad you found the post helpful! I switched to ReMag only because it’s the only magnesium supplement I can take massive doses of without any side effects (specifically loose stools). I take around 900mg of magnesium per day. If I took that much of any other form of magnesium, I’d be on the toilet all day…lol.
I still take Natural Calm magnesium as well. I’ll usually take around 300mg of Natural Calm and about 600 – 700mg of ReMag per day. Do they work? I have no idea if I’m being honest. This combination didn’t do much prior to my ablation as I was still having regular afib episodes. And now that I’ve had the ablation, I don’t have any afib but I don’t attribute that to the magnesium.
As for Neuro-Mag, I’ve never heard of it but I’ll check it out. Thanks for the heads up!
Travis
Don’t forget to try transdermal Magnesium. The body can only absorb so much Mg at one time through the gut apparently. At least one study has shown improvement through skin absorption. You can buy the salts and mix it yourself. 7-10 sprays~100mg of Mg, leave on for 20 min.
http://www.cnelm.com/NutritionPractitioner/Issues/Issue_11_1/Articles/7%20Transdermal%20Mg%20revised2.pdf
http://www.ancient-minerals.com/transdermal-magnesium/
Kristin:
You bring up some great points! I tried magnesium oil but gave up on it for two reasons. One, it was super messy. Two, I talked to a naturopathic doctor and he wasn’t a big fan of it. He said oil is best used for acute muscle issues. For example, if you have a frequent leg cramp, then applying oil on a regular basis on that muscle could really help. However, he didn’t think using oil as a general delivery method was effective. While I don’t totally believe him (as I think oil probably is an excellent way to get magnesium), it was enough to make me stop taking it since I was already fed up with the mess of using oils.
If it was possible to create a magnesium lotion – where it actually absorbed into your skin like a regular skin lotion – I’d be all over transdermal magnesium! Unfortunately, magnesium oils today are really messy and a pain to deal with so to me it’s just not a practical solution.
Travis
Hi, just answering to this amazing article I’ve been an off and on AFib patient since 97, I’ve been in Afib for 18 yrs off and on with 2 Ablations 2003 and 2009. I may get 1 or 2 episodes a year, just over a year ago I went to massage therapy and she recommended Magnesium to me (the natural kind) and I went almost a year without any Afib. I also lost 40lbs with lots of exercise.
For some reason I stopped taking the Magnesium last year late fall and then had a couple of bouts of afib a few months apart, then in February of 2015 the wheels fell off the bus. The first episode I had a cardioversion. They decided they found my thyroid was low so put me on 50 micrograms of Sinthyroid and then a couple weeks later another bout then Bisoporlol 5mg times 2 a day after that every couple weeks then they changed me to Sotolol 160mg two daily then daily bouts occurring then back to Bisoporol 10mg twice daily, with 5 Cardioversions from February to May and 4 Hospital visits.
So on the 20th of May after some research on here I got back into the Magnesium – 500mg twice daily and within two days daily afib rates fell from bouts of 140 – 162 to 83 – 120. May the 25 I decided to stop taking all Medication for the Thyroid and stopped taking the Bisoporol and currently on my fourth day of no sign of Afib. I’ve been off work since May 20th and figured I had nothing to lose trying this as my Afib became a cronic daily issue and I am off work, to even see a doctor for an appointment for an ablation is September so if I can cure myself in the meantime and get back to work then great.
Dave:
Your case has many similarities to mine. I was doing just fine until 2014 when the wheels fell of the bus for me. I went from having an episode once a year to having one every week or every other week. It was horrible.
So this will be your 3rd ablation? Please keep us posted. I hope it goes well and you finally get NSR!!
Travis
I also requested an RBC Magnesium test from my doctor, who is a D.O.. They called me about an hour ago and said my number was 2.1 and I questioned them AGAIN if it was the RBC Magnesium test. They assured me that it was, and are sending me a copy in the mail. I will certainly know for sure once it arrives. Another reason I questioned it was the ranges they gave me were very low, and even the 2.1 was not flagged.
Cathy:
Ya that doesn’t sound right. A level of “2.1” falls right in the normal range of the standard blood serum test (see my chart above). If it truly was the RBC Magnesium test 2.1 would be flagged as very low! Please report back when the test results arrive. I’m curious what exactly you had done.
Travis
Travis,
I’ve read your column with great interest. At A-Fib.com, we, too have looked at the EXA Test for several years, but, like you, couldn’t find anyone to administer it. Glad to read that you are skipping the recommendations for additional Calcium. Just because they administer the test, doesn’t mean they are qualified to make recommendations to treat the deficiency. I’m going to add a link to this column on our A-Fib.com blog. Thanks for sharing your information and your ablation story.
Patti Ryan
Editor, A-Fib.com
Thanks Patti! Say hi to Steve for me.
Travis
I wonder how they determine what the “desirable range” is…
Joe…great question! I wish I had an answer for you but that’s above my pay grade:)
Travis
Haha… I know routine blood tests use a large population to determine their normal values, but I’m not sure how they would do that with this test. Assuming the EXA numbers mean anything… I find it interesting that you have been supplementing for the past year and your numbers are still low. Is it an absorption issue? It will be interesting to see what your numbers look like you after you up your magnesium.
Joe:
Ya, I have no idea why my numbers are so low. It very well could be an absorption issue. We’ll see how it goes in the coming months.
Travis
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