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Magnesium / Calcium for cramps

Hi,

Reading through here, and elsewhere it sounds like magnesium and calcium come well recommended for (leg) cramps. I've been getting a fair bit of this with dasatinib over the last month since I have started it, although the legs are so much eased since coming off imatinib. They're not awful and totally tolerable, just enough that I'd very much prefer to be without the cramps.

Anyway, powdered dolomite seems to be recommended elsewhere for this - does anyone know if there's a difference or reason to take this over a simple calcium & magnesium supplement. Are they any different? A friend of my mother is a nutritionalist and said that dolomite is harder to digest than a more simple calcium / magnesium supplement.

Any ideas?

Many thanks, as alway -

David.

Hi David,

Take a look at this website: http://www.nutritionalmagnesium.org/

then you might like to take a look at a recent discussion thread we had back in February about pain and a possible way to manage low magnesium levels....see here http://www.cmlsupport.org.uk/node/7763

Personally I find magnesium supplementation generally very beneficial- and especially for muscle and joint pain/weakness. I agree that there is an issue with absorbing enough magnesium through the digestive system and found that the answer is to use either an 'oil' or a cream based product- see above link for where you can order this. I use 'Ancient Minerals' products as I find them very effective- if a little more expensive- and the cream based magnesium is really easy to use.

Soaking in a hot bath with the addition of Magnesium Chloride flakes might help with both cramps etc. as well as being generally relaxing- mangnesium is easily absorbed through the skin-
see here
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnesium-Chloride-Flakes-5kg-tub/dp/B007OX63SY/...

You could try supplementing with magnesium powder which is diluted in water/juice etc. Some people do find that has a laxative effect so you have to judge the dose accordingly.

http://www.naturesremedy.co.uk/pages/magnesium_171061-z=489337&p=54991.c...

As for Calcium- I have not found much need to supplement as you can get enough from food if you have a varied diet that includes calcium rich foods- cheese etc.- there is some research that says with low magnesium, calcium is not balanced and some health issues can arise from that imbalance.

Bit of mish mash but I hope it is helpful.

Sandy

BTW: a heat pack applied to cramping muscles gives immediate relief.

Hi Sandy,

I ordered some of the cream from Ancient Minerals which has just arrived. How much would you normally use? There's no directions on the bottle, really.

Thanks,
David.

Hi David... I don't think there is much chance of overdoing it so how much you use depends on you. Personally I started off with 1 tspn 2 times a day. You can also rub a little into to painful muscles as and when you feel any discomfort. If you apply to clean skin (i.e after bath or shower) then it will be more effectively absorbed.

I hope it works for you, for me it worked pretty quickly- palpatations o lying down at night lessoned within a few days and have now disappeared completely after 2 months or so. Joint and lower back pain are now more or less gone too.

Sandy