Whoa boy: magnesium deficiency

I had quite the scare this week.

I am currently on a killer workload at work so all that remains for me to de-stress is exercise. Went running two days last week, spinning on sunday, then spinning on Wed. I noticed Wednesday morning how my heart was beating real hard off and on and kinda skippy - I wondered if a cold was coming on or sth....

Spin class was the one I told you elsewhere where the instructor did things no-one could copy so I did my own thing anyway and felt fine.

That night I wake up at 4 am worrying about the job (I do that :( ) and listening to my pulse - it really WAS skipping a half beat and then pumping real hard the next. Boyfriend agreed.

I went to see the doctor on Friday morning. Of course according to Murphy's law it was "gone" but she believed me and said it was extrasystoles - nothing to worry about but she gave me high dose Magnesium. Come to think about it I did have a cramp on Wed during spinning and one just kinda flexing my thighs.

So here I am sipping disgusting Magnesium drink and taking it reeeal easy tomorrow in training :rolleyes:

Hmmmm. Sounds scary. A few weeks ago I was having what sounds pretty similar. Can't say that anything's changed in my life, but it seems to have stopped. Maybe if it happens again I'll try some Mag supplements. Let us know how it works out for you.

Take care,

Lise

Yep- very scary stuff! I have to supplement magnesium and pottasium during "heavy workloads" in my traning program- like NOW. But you can't take them at the same time so I feel like a little old lady w/ my pill box and watch going off to remind me to "take my pill". For me I cramp really bad. Never had the heart issue! Thank god! But MAN does that sound scary. Thanks for giving everyone the heads up!
Take care and take it easy!
Denise

Alpine,
Do you know exactly what the extrasystoles condition is and is it temporary? Also wondering what magnesium is designed to "help" -- curious because I've had a few incidents similar in nature (few and far between, never consistent) and I've seen products such as "sportlegs" on the market that are basically calcium and magnesium, to be taken prior to a sustained workout or as recovery help.

I take a multi which has magnesium in it but curious if you know the way it works taking it as a supplement....time to visit Dr Weil's site....:)

Extrasystoles are a second contraction of the heart before it ejects blood.

Apparently, everyone has them now and then, just I really noticed them these couple days. My doctor was not very concerned, she only told me not to overwork and not to overdo it at sports. I told her my routine heart rates during training and she was not concerned at all.

I read somewhere on the 'net that training is actually beneficial (except with a screaming heart rate I guess :p ) and that both magnesium and potassium are important to prevent them.

I have been a good girl taking the magnesium. Funnily today was the first time I got really sweaty in class although I stayed well under 170! I am wondering if I have had too little for a long time... considering I was always practically sweat-less, nevertheless very thirsty during training - and I always only drank water (usually 1.5 liters). So I've probably lost enough magnesium the last couple weeks to make me "notice".

I am not worried anymore and I will just keep in mind taking it.

Magnesium and Potassium have been the mainstays in my supplement world. For years now if I don't take potassium everyday I get stiff and sore everywhere, even when I'm not exercising. At my last physical the doctor, a women, told me that women's bodies just eat up magnesium. And if I was planning to do any amount of exercising extra Magnesium was a must. So I take one of each, everyday along with my other supplements. :D BikerHen

What are some good sources of magnesium food-wise?

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Originally Posted by amg

What are some good sources of magnesium food-wise?

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I've been taking magnesium supplements for a while on the advice of my doc. Of course, I can't remember what symptoms I was having that caused her to recommend that I take them.

Here's a link to some info on magnesium from the US National Institutes of Health. It does include a list of the amount of magnesium in certain foods. I'm assuming it's a decent place to start...

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/magnesium.asp

My real starting point was this page, courtesy of The Food and Nutrition Information Center, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA):
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DeniseGoldberg

I've been taking magnesium supplements for a while on the advice of my doc. Of course, I can't remember what symptoms I was having that caused her to recommend that I take them.

Here's a link to some info on magnesium from the US National Institutes of Health. It does include a list of the amount of magnesium in certain foods. I'm assuming it's a decent place to start...

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/magnesium.asp

My real starting point was this page, courtesy of The Food and Nutrition Information Center, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA):
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/

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Great links, thanks!