Health Organization for Pudendal Education

Hi all,
I've heard magnesium citrate is the most effective form of magnesium to prevent constipation and promote "normal" bowel movements.
Have you guys found this to be true?
Tho we are all different ......how many milligrams are an effective dose?
My bottle (bought from the Vitamin Shoppe) is 200mg per tablet, which you take with a meal. Seems like a higher dose would be better?

For me its feast or famine.. I was just started Linzess but my doc started me on lowest dose, tho I know my body ..it needs the higher dose!
So I think I should add something along with it to produce results.
I started with Milk of Magnesia 3Tbls --- way too strong!

So now I am trying magnesium citrate .. In addition to my Linzess, I'm hoping it will help.. Thus, my dosage question?

I have a constant urge to have a BM --- but I'm not really constipated!
My urge is caused by 'Pelvic floor dysfunction' , which is now manifesting this way this year , along with severe pain in anus..

My phys. therapist describes it a a crimped water hose... you feel like you need to 'go 'all the time, but muscles are very tight, so stool feelis stuck somewhere along that "hose" and you feel that constant urge.

We have been working on trigger pt therapy etc, regularly but she says for me it will take a long time as I ve had this for several years in various ways. Ive had improvement in activity levels so I feel we are moving forward, but still have this issue.
I trust her, as best one can "trust" any practitioner with regards to pelvic floor issues.

Sorry to digress, just looking for dosage advice on the magnesium citrate.
I would prefer magnesium malate as its easier on a sensitive bladder, but magn citrate is said to be more effective on above issue
Thx. in advance, everyone.

Kathy, I take at least 600 mg a day but I also eat a lot of fruits and veggies. It was just a matter of trial and error to find out what's the best dose. Sometimes I take an extra 200 mg tablet if 600 mg isn't enough.

Good luck,

Violet

Thx Violet, Do you take the magnesium malate or the magn citrate?
Are you also taking it to prevent constipation from pain meds, also? ( you don't mind my asking)
Thx for the info. Such a guessing game to find a product that works just right.

Kathy, I take mag citrate. I'm not on any pain medication now. I would probably have to increase the mag citrate a bit if I was on opioids. I know it's frustrating to get the perfect formula and it can vary from day to day but mag citrate is pretty easy to adjust up or down to what you need. I also try to drink a lot of water during the day, especially first thing in the morning. I drink about a liter of water in the first hour of the day and it does help. Good luck,

Violet

Thx Violet for the advice,
Just noticed your reply.
You're right,sometimes things work fine one day and differently on another! Magnesium Citrate, I had read could bladder irritation to those with IC or irritable bladder..I was misdiagnosed with IC years ago so avoided many things... now Ive added most of them back in.. thankfully .
I think Magnesium Citrate is the best laxative -type magnesium..It worked okay for me for several days, then bladder started being irritable.
But since my problem is more muscular..and more stress -movitivated, the muscles could've been tight, thus the bladder urgency.. as my PT agrees.
So I will give it another try.. Meanwhile Ive been taking Magnesium malate.
For me, the meds like Movantik, Amitiza, Linzess etc bring on the "urge" but not necessarily results.
(unless I add on a small amount of Phillips MIlk of Magnesia caplets, Which I only do occasionally.
So I would rather stay with the supplements as you do, and only use the meds if necessary.
I wish there was one formula but all of our ailments and thus our reactions are different.
Thx again.

kathyd, I usually take a total of 400 mg of Magnesium Citrate a day, 200 mg in the morning and 200 mg at night. I recently came across a recipe to make magnesium gummies. I haven't tried it yet but plan to at some point. Probably not until after the holidays. Below is the recipe and link to the webpage.

Homemade Magnesium Gummies
Makes 3/4 cup’s worth of gummies—for me this was 35 gummies total in this silicone mold.
Note: You can adjust the recipe to have more or less magnesium powder if you’d like. See the information below after the instructions regarding magnesium dosage.
Ingredients
• 3/4 cup juice (I used an organic lemonade, which was really tasty and worked perfectly with the flavor of magnesium I used!)
• 3 T grass-fed kosher gelatin powder (you could just as easily use the porcine variety, if you’d like)
• 5 T magnesium citrate powder (I used this kind, with that specific flavor. Very tasty!)
• 1 T sweetener—organic cane sugar, honey, sucanat, whatever you’d like. (The magnesium powder does have stevia in it, but I recommend adding real sweetener)
• Pinch of sea salt (add in as much as you can stand, really. The more the better. But everyone’s tastes are different due to differences in hormonal balance.)

http://butterbeliever.com/homemade-magn ... sleep-aid/

Thx NYT
For this info!
It sounds like magneisium citrate is not only a good laxative but also good in relaxing the central nervous system-- the key for me in reducing the pain levels and other symptoms.
BTW do you have bladder issues?
I ask bwcause magnesium (citrate) has bladder irritating properties. Those with irritable bladder avoid anything acidic ..citrus for example is a big offender.

I have PFD but for years "thought" I had IC ....hence my years of research, and dietary changes..which led to the overactive central nervous system.

My fairly new and savvy PT finally was able to get through to me that my issues were more muscular (PFD)... extreme tightness etc.
This re-assurance helped a lot in activity levels and in gaining back all my lost weight ...thankfully.

Still, sometimes magnesium citrate irritates me....some times it doesn't....I guess its based on the state on my muscles each day.

For ex; if they are over used by using the rest room too often in one day ( due to too much laxative - I -can't find the balance!) the muscles rebel and cause bladder to be irritated...With pelvic floor dysfunction ..it's all related.

So thanks again for the recipe.. haven't tried it yet either.. seems like at least some of the ingredients could be bought at the supermarket ...others maybe in health food store.

Do you feel the homemade Magnesium Citrate would be more helpful laxative wise and with muscle relaxation than the just taking the pill itself?

If so it would be worth trying to make this concoction!
Thx again and Happy New Year!

Btw for folks who need a dependable laxative, I think the Phillips Milk of Magnesia Caplets are helpful and not TOO strong.. The Milk of Magnesia liquid is stronger I think, but good if necessary.. With the caplets start very low dose and work your way up, depending on how much pain med you take.

Still haven't tried the recipe yet. If you have IC then maybe just sticking with the Milk Of Magnesia is the best plan for you.

ThX NYT,
I will have to use my judgement on which product to use .
My PT has shown me how tight muscles in the pelvic floor can cause irritable bladder, and my bowel issues as well.
MY history has certain proven that.
Thats why sometimes the Mag Citrate will bother me.... sometimes not.
It's a guessing game..
For me it 'snow all about an over-active central nervous system. Calming it could be the key to calming the pain .. and the bowel issues. etc .
Thats an issue for another thread!
Thx for your recipe and reply. Hope you are well!

ThX NYT,
I will have to use my judgement on which product to use .
My PT has shown me how tight muscles in the pelvic floor can cause irritable bladder, and my bowel issues as well.
MY history has certain proven that.
Thats why sometimes the Mag Citrate will bother me.... sometimes not.
It's a guessing game..
For me it 'snow all about an over-active central nervous system. Calming it could be the key to calming the pain .. and the bowel issues. etc .
Thats an issue for another thread!
Thx for your recipe and reply. Hope you are well!