Living with IBS-C? Tell us about your experience. Take our survey here.

caret icon Back to all discussions

Need to supplement magnesium with IBS-D

Hey there!
Maybe you all can give me some advice. When I started supplementing high dosages of D3+K2 last week, I wasn't prepared for the serious need of magnesium that this supplementation would entail. I'm getting serious cramps already and I don't want this to get worse (D3 is really helpful tho and my mood - at least - is getting better after just 1 1/2 weeks so I really don't wanna stop with my 3000 units D3 per day).

My other problem is that I'm also prone to IBS-D so just popping some regular over-the-counter magnesium citrate would give me some dirrhea (already tried a few times).

Now I'm collecting some ideas how to implement magnesium supplementation. I already found out:

- magnesium glycinate is the most gentle form of magnesium out there and adding glycinate also apparently helps the intestinal barrier (so win-win?)
- magnesium should always be taken WITH a meal to help shield the stomach/guts from its laxative effects
- it's easier for the guts to digest more/low dosages magnesium per day

So that's why I'll try 50mg of magnesium glycinate with meals starting tomorrow and see how this works out.

Does anyone here have any other tips/ideas? 😀

  1. It sounds like a great idea to start trying magnesium glycinate. It's known for not having the gut effects that other forms of magnesium often have.
    I have tried it, but for something else about 2 or 3 years ago I was suffering with terrible exhaustion and heart palpitations and a friend suggested trying it. At the time I wasn't clear about having IBS-D. I wasn't sure what was wrong with me at that time, but it was just before the gut problems really set in.
    I am NOT saying mag. glycinate started them!! All I know is I did take it daily, and imagined it would be a miracle cure for what I was feeling at the time. It didn't turn out to be, and I didn't notice any difference with my energy levels, so kind of lapsed with taking it.
    I can say that I got no gut issues while I was on it.
    So my guess is you should be okay. But obviously some of us can be very sensitive to some things most people aren't. But I'd say it's worth a try.


    1. That's good to hear. I'm not taking it to "cure" me anyways, I'm taking it because I'm starting it to have signs of magnesium-deficiency since I started with high-dose D3 (f.e. cramps as mentioned above). I'll also start with a low dose of 50 (which would add up to 150 with my 3 meals) and normally what you should take is around 300.


      Wish me luck 😁

  2. How about applying it topically, like a magnesium lotion? I do this whenever I get cramps and it works really well. Since it's applied to the skin and not taken internally, it doesn't cause any problems for me at all. Karina (team member)

    Please read our rules before posting.