Why do I have headaches, and back aches? I also have been experiencing fatigue for the past few days.

I am absolutely in agreement that fat is your friend in a low-carb lifestye. I try to keep my fat intake at least 65% of my total daily calories, and I try to keep carbs at 5% or less. I feel lots more satisfied after meals when I eat more fat, and I stay in at least in some stage of ketosis.

tami -

any more information? I mean, how long have you been low-carb, and what do you eat? Do you take supplements? Is it since going high-fat (if that's what you've been doing) that you've had these problems?

I used to get backache and have disc problems but since supplementing with magnesium these have gone away (along with a lot of other problems). Fatigue is experienced first going low-carb, but higher fat should help this.

You know, I have had a lot of back issues lately. I thought it was just too much activity in the boudoir (seriously -- I did!). But maybe there is a connection to the diet. I am not taking magnesium supplements per se, but I do take a multivitamin for women. It contains only 13% of the RDA of magnesium.

Gina -

is that magnesium oxide by any chance? Because that is the worst form to take (apparently).

I don't think too much ahem activity would do it - I never had a problem, but that depends on the position lol.

I sound like a broken record about this magnesium business - but from all I've read and experienced I believe it is a deficiency most people suffer - and it's not to do with low-carbing per se - a lot of people have it. In fact sufficient fat is needed to absorb it anyway.

However, if you want to supplement and see what happens with regards to your back, try to choose a supplement that isn't magnesium oxide, and if you suffer from any mental problems like depression or insomnia, avoid magnesium aspartate - also avoid magnesium carbonate as it's not absorbed well either. Most people take a multi-vitamin and don't realize that magnesium is the one thing it NEVER supplies near enough of, and in an absorbable form (mag oxide is the cheapest form).

Loops, I am going to look for a magnesium supplement tonight. How will I be able to tell if the supplement I pick up is the correct one?

There are lots of forms which are good - here are a few:

magnesium citrate (although be careful, can be very laxative in some people)
magnesium lactate (very good)
magnesium malate (good for energy problems)
magnesium chloride (often found as a solution - the stuff that's actually in sea water - very good and debatably the most absorbable)
magnesium taurate (good for anxiety)
magnesium glycinate (good for sleep)

If the bottle says 'chelated magnesium', make sure you find out WHAT the magnesium is chelated with (i.e. aspartate or glycinate etc.). I once took some 'chelated magnesium' and was awake ALL night - I then found out it was chelated with aspartate which is a brain excito-toxin. Glycine on the other hand is a calming amino-acid.

I actually prefer a mixed form, but it might be hard to find. I take two different forms - kal magnesium hydroxy acids with orotates (fancy name) and Dyno-mins magnesium which also has mixed forms of mag.

I take CALM, "A Relaxing Magnesium Supplement." 3 teaspoons is 615 mg (elemental from magnesium citrate). I don't take it every day, just when muscle pain rears its ugly head--which is much less often now. It also helped me with blood pressure, which is now the same as a teenager's. Since it is magnesium citrate (plus stevia and natural raspberry and lemon flavors), it certainly can act as a laxative, as you said Loops. 8 oz or 226 grams goes for US$20. I'm sure magnesium is much cheaper in Chile. Do you know how many pesos it is there for a month's supply? I have family living there.
I really appreciate the overview, it's very useful.

I agree and think Mg is low in most people because doctors, nutritionists & dairy producers have been overemphasizing Ca supplements (only) for so long.

I take a mixed form made by Nu-Life (Ontario-based) called Opti-Mins Opti-Cal/Mag 1:1+. The first type is bisglycinate - no wonder I sleep so well!, and it also has citrate & malate and the last ingredient on the list is oxide. It is interesting that santabarb mentioned a brand with "Calm" in its name. I feel calm & satisfied for the first time in 38 years of dieting, and I am eating more calories and more fat than I ever have on a diet.

The things that have contributed to my success are: Magnesium, plenty of fat (65% of my daily calories from animal fats, coconut oil & olive oil), and avoiding foods I discovered I am intolerant of via an elimination diet (wheat & most grains, soy, sugar, too many eggs, some but not all nuts and seeds - I eat lots of the ones I am OK with).

Recently had a wonderful high-fat dish at a restaurant along these lines - panang beef curry, where the beef kind of shredded (possibly due to long cooking) made with coconut cream, not coconut milk (or, possibly it had both). You can buy coconut cream at some grocery stores and the curry starts with a panang curry paste you buy (unless you want to go running all over for exotic ingredients). A good place to start is www.templeofthai.com for reading, though they don't have a panang beef curry recipe there, I don't think. Panang is a red curry type, based a lot on tamarind I think, and the dish also has basil in it or thai basil.


On a separate note re the magnesium, is anyone crediting magnesium intake with helping them lose weight, or just help w/peripheral issues such as backache, fatigue, etc.?

I would say magnesium is part of the weight-loss equation. Lack of sleep, stress, fatigue, foul moods & self-loathing typically contribute to weight gain. Adequate magnesium reduces or wipes out these symptoms (in me, at least).

LOL. Well put.




So are you guys favoring a so-called balanced calcium/magnesium supplement or something that's heavier on the magnesium?

I was using a 2:1 Ca/Mg supplement until I changed to a 1:1 several months ago & have noticed even more improvement in my moods and sleep patterns. It also depends on how much calcium you get from your food. For the past year I've been averaging 376g Ca to 203g Mg from food, according to my DietPower software. With supplements and food I am getting 976g Ca and 803g Mg.

The Drs. Eades (Protein Power & PPLP) turned me on to magnesium 6 years ago. After 30+ years of low-cal high-carb dieting (25 years as a vegetarian), I think I was severely depleted in Mg, which is why taking higher proportions has helped me so much.

Interesting - I wasn't aware the there were different types of Magnesium. I have recently changed brands, but kept the approximately same amount of Magnesium. A few nights ago my leg cramps got back.

I realized it could have something to do with the change (before I took magnesium lactate and magnesium citrate, but now it is chelated magnesium), but I didn't get this, until I read the above post (thanks, Loops!). Anyway, I upped the Magnesium some, and it seems to have helped.

Now I am taking 800 mg Calcium and 150 mg + 375 mg Magnesium.

If I take too much I will spend half next day on the loo...

I started taking a generic version of Slowmag; a magnesium & calcium supplement. I have had chronic pain for 10 years or more - tried everything under the sun to no avail; but this stuff works!

I read it also helps with insulin, hunger, and MSG reactions. So far I've found that to be true too, at least for me. I take it with every meal, no side effects.