How do you know how much magnesium to take? it’s a common question. Unfortunately, the Serum Magnesium blood test is not accurate because only 1% of the total body magnesium is in the blood.
The most accurate is an Ionized Magnesium test, which is a research test and not yet available to the public. Instead I recommend the Magnesium RBC blood test. If your doctor won’t order it, you can go to Request A Test Lab and order it yourself for only $49.00.
When you get your Magnesium RBC results notice that the range for the test is 4.2-6.8 mg/dL. But this is not an optimum range by any means. It’s just the average range of the people frequenting that lab. It other words, it’s the range of our “sick” population. If, as I claim, 80% of the population is deficient in magnesium, the value you want to achieve it at least 6 mg/dL and higher.
I don’t think most people need to have a magnesium test but you can use your Magnesium RBC test to determine your baseline magnesium. Then repeat the test every 3-6 months to make sure you are building up your magnesium stores. Unlike most drugs, as your body becomes saturated with magnesium, you will need less, not more, to sustain your health.
However, I must warn you that in the first 3-6 months your baseline level may actually drop because so much of your magnesium in the beginning is going straight to work opening up and activating the 700-800 enzyme systems for which they are responsible.
Since magnesium is very safe to take, I don’t think you have to have a blood test in order to begin supplements. But to gauge your magnesium deficiency and follow your progress here is a list of 100 factors that are associated with magnesium deficiency from my book, The Magnesium Miracle.
Here’s what you do. Print up several copies of this page and put a big check mark by your magnesium deficiency factors. Start taking ReMag. In a few weeks pull out a fresh sheet and mark it up. Compare both. If you still have many symptoms remaining, increase your magnesium intake.
| 1. Alcohol >7/wk | 22. Food cravings | 42. Muscle problems |
| 2. Anger | a. Carbohydrates | a. Cramps |
| 3. Angina | b. Chocolate | b. Spasms |
| 4. Anxiety | c. Salt | c. Twitching |
| 5. Apathy | d. Junk food | d. Tics |
| 6. Arrhythmia | 23. Gagging or choking | e. Weakness |
| 7. Asthma | 24. Headaches | 43. Numbness hands/feet |
| 8. Blood tests | 25. Heart disease | 44. Osteoporosis |
| a. Low calcium | 26. Heart – rapid rate | 45. Paranoia |
| b. Low potassium | 27. High blood pressure | 46. Parathyroid (hyper) |
| c. Low magnesium | 28. Homocysteinuria | 47. PMS |
| 9. Bowel problems | 29. Hyperactivity | 48. Polycystic ovaries |
| a. Undigested fat in stool | 30. Hyperventilation | 49. Pregnancy |
| b. Constipation | 31. Infertility | a. Currently pregnant |
| c. Diarrhea | 32. Insomnia | b. Preeclampsia/eclampsia |
| d. Constipation/diarrhea | 33. Irritability | c. Multiple pregnancies |
| e. IBS | 34. Kidney stones | d. Postpartum depression |
| f. Crohn’s | 35. Medications | e. Child with cerebral palsy |
| g. Colitis | a. Digitalis | 50. Radiation therapy |
| 10. Brain trauma | b. Diuretics | 51. Raynaud’s syndrome |
| 11. Bronchitis, chronic | c. Antibiotics | 52. Restlessness |
| 12. Caffeine >3 per day | d. Steroids | 53. Sex drive low |
| 13. Chronic fatigue | e. Oral contraceptives | 54. Shortness of breath |
| 14. Cold extremities | f. Indomethacin | 55. Smoking |
| 15. Concentration poor | g. Cisplatin | 56. Startled easily |
| 16. Confusion | h. Amphotericin B | 57. Stressful life |
| 17. Convulsions | i. Cholestyramine | 58. Stroke |
| 18. Depression | j. Synthetic estrogens | 59. Sugar intake high |
| 19. Diabetes | 36. Memory impairment | 60. Syndrome X |
| a. Type I | 37. Mercury fillings | 61. Thyroid hyperactivity |
| b. Type II | 38. Menses pain/cramps | 62. Tingling hands/feet |
| c. Gestational diabetes | 39. Migraines | 63. Transplants: kidney/liver |
| 20. Fibromyalgia | 40 Mineral supplements | 64. Tremor of hands |
| 21. Food intake | a. Calcium w/o mag | 65. Water contamination |
| a. Limited greens | b. Zinc w/o mag | Flouride, chlorine, calcium |
| b. High protein | c. Iron w/p mag | 66. Wheezing |
| c. Limited nuts/seeds | 41. Mitral valve prolapse |
I personally can’t take most magnesiums so I depend on my ReMag a stabilized ionic form of magnesium that is fully absorbed at the cellular level and does not have a laxative effect. This way I can get therapeutic levels for my heart palpitations and leg cramps and not waste magnesium with the laxative effect.
Carolyn Dean MD ND
The Doctor of the Future®
RESOURCES: Along the borders and in the links of my web site you can find my books, writings, and my call-in radio show. Email your questions to: questions@drcarolyndeanlive.com.
