hello! just wondering if anyone has tried magnesium supplements to keep stools soft? i talked to a homeopathic doctor and she recommended trying them. i also have heard from several sources that they can sometimes help relax muscles (maybe an overactive sphincter muscle if i'm lucky). i'm just wondering about how to introduce these into my diet, as i don't want to end up with diarrhea. i bought some at a local health foods store. i was told this was the best source to get them from since the ones at walmart aren't regulated as strictly and aren't absorbed by the body as well. the supplement that i bought is 500mgs. please let me know if you have any experience with these!

I have tried mag supplements as have many other people here. In my opinion, any "supplements" are not truly ever "regulated," like prescription meds are, which is a whole other (hot) topic. I think the mag supplements helped me, but my Mayo doc wanted me to concentrate on only one anecdote (Miralax) as it is easier to regulate the dose of only one thing at a time. That is why I stopped the mag supplements plus I was concerned that I was getting too much of the mag. If you are having trouble keeping your stools soft, I wouldn't be too concerned with having diarhea because of the mag supplements. I read a very interesting book on supplements--"Natural Causes" by Dan Hurley. I would strongly recommend it. However, I still take Vit D supplement and am just starting to take Fish Oil.

thanks Cheryl

I take magnesium glycinate, 2 every night with dinner, which is 200 mgs. I swear on my LIFE by them. They have helped me so much! Even when I mess up on my diet by not getting enough fiber, these things help me to stay soft. Now, thats not to say that you can just chuck your fiber diet out the window and just take these things. I'm sure we all would if we could get away with it but we all know better.
You are right about the diarrhea. Its basically the same things as taking MOM but in pill form, so you have to be careful. I started out with just 100 and went up in increments of 100 until I found the right amount. 200 mgs works for me but it may be different for you. Just make sure you drink enough water, otherwise these things won't do you as much good as they could.
I swear by them though and Magnesium Glycinate is supposed to be the form of magnesium that absorbs best.
So best of luck. If I were you I would split one of your pills in half and start with that.
Good luck!

Kate

Thanks Kate! I took one of the pills last night. I decided to give it a try since even with the stool softeners I'm not really close to diarehha. It seems like it went ok... no diarrhea so far. Do you think that you have noticed it helping to relax your sphincter muscle at all? I have talked to a couple of people who use the magnesium to relax muscles and thought maybe there was an off hand chance it might help with the sphincter spasms. Probably not, but I can wish.

I can't really say, one way or another, if it has helped my sphincter muscles. I have had the surgery, so any tightness that was there was pretty much relieved with that surgery. But hey, its good to keep you soft, and it helps you sleep! So, theres really nothing bad about it!

Where do you all purchase your Magnesium Glycinate from? My Walgreens has Magnesium, but not Magnesium Glycinate...

I took Mag Glycinate (400 mg/daily) and bought it at a specialty pharmacy (independent) where they also do compounding.

yes a compounding pharmacy is where i get mine but you could probably order it online too.

Yes - Mg Glycinate is superior and I was getting mine in Whole Foods and also one small private holistic pharmacy - it is not that "exotic" ; ) !
Mg works same as Milk of Magnesia (hence the name) LOL Mg softens the poop - and that is all it does . No significant muscle relaxation will occur. Body has very fine regulatory mechanism of Mg ionic transfer to muscles - so no matter how much we take - muscle will use what it needs - the rest is execrated out ... Only, maybe, if one is Mg deficient and has muscle spasms sue to that, Mg can than help with those spasms - but than you will have all of your muscles spasming and especially BIG ones (like your upper or lower leg etc.)- not just your butt ; ).
FDA does a pretty crappy job "regulating" meds - so I do not see supplements any "better or worse" than regular meds - ESPECIALLY if one takes generic - OMG -