Magnesium and Vitamin D and Gluten Intolerance- Oh my!

by Terriann
(Scottsdale, AZ)

I wish I was as healthy as I look....

How much magnesium do I need?

I was found to be vitamin D deficient and am now taking 4000 iu a day, do you think that is the right amount?

I am a 46 year old female. I eat fairly healthy but because I feel so poorly I have become discouraged and don't even eat that well anymore. I keep looking for answers. I believe I am gluten intolerant too. - ugh!! I need to feel better fast. I have chronic pain, chronic constipation and am very tired but able to rally to get things done.

Also- what kind of calcium is the best to take? That within itself is so mystifying. That’s a long question but I really appreciate your help. I take Percocet every day for pain. :(

Kindest regards,

Terriann

Comments for Magnesium and Vitamin D and Gluten Intolerance- Oh my!

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oh my!
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

Hi Terriann,

That is really a LOT of information for one response here. I'll answer your Calcium question first since that's the easiest.

Any calcium- EXCEPT calcium carbonate! Calcium Citrate is good. Same goes for magnesium.

But an easier way to deal with all of that Calcium, Vitamin D and magnesium issue in one is to just get a really good high quality multivitamin. I recommend
Jigsaw Health's Essential Daily Packs. You'll get your good quality calcium, 600 mg of good quality magnesium and 5000 IU's of Vitamin D all in one. Problem solved.

Then, as far as the extra magnesium is concerned, if you need more, then getting some Magnesium Oil and rub some into your skin would be good in addition to what you are getting in the multivitamin. Not so many pills that way.

Now, as far as the Gluten Sensitivity is concerned, if you THINK that you are gluten sensitive, then by all means give it a try and get off of gluten for a couple of months.

And be sure to get another Vitamin D Level in a couple of months to see if your levels are improving- then you'll know if you are taking enough. In the meantime, go put on a bikini and lay out in that nice Arizona sunshine and that'll get your Vitamin D Levels up in a hurry!

Kerri Knox RN Immune Health Queen

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Health Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Easy Immune Health.com

Thanks!
by: Anonymous

Thank you so much for your input. I will check all of the suggestions including the Arizona sun. :-)

Terriann

Calcium Carbonate?
by: Anonymous

Thanks for all of the great info! I am curious, why is calcium carbonate not desirable as compared to other calcium supplements?

Thanks,
Julia

Calcium Carbonate...
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

Calcium carbonate is simply much less absorbable than other calcium products. Really, calcium carbonate is just 'Chalk' -and our bodies don't absorb it well.

Kerri Knox RN Immune Health Queen

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune System Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Immune System

PS: Don't forget to get your FREE Ebook when you Sign Up For My Newsletter

So confused!
by: Anonymous

I took a diuretic called Spironolactone for 10 years for acne. Got off it because I began have constipation & burning in my colon area. This is supposed to be a potassium sparing diuretic. Discontinued the last of it in 2010. I continue to get more and more symptoms. Extremely dry skin with small itchy red bumps. They go a way and come back in another place. AS i sit here I feel like if I turn the slightest, I will get a cramp someone like my neck. I cannot grab anything or use any muscle with out getting a cramp, heart palpitations around the clock, ear infection/drainage, teeth shifting. I have had chronic low Ferritin since 1999 if i don't supplement, now chronic low vitamin D. I also noticed a greyish white tongue. I am waiting for the results of a extended GI panel because I don't know if this is yeast over growth or an electrolight imbalance.
I have literally spent thousands on doctors that act like this is in my head, feel like I am heading down deaths door.

What confuses me is what about Potassium. Don't we have to have that in balance also?

Everything needs to be in balance
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

Dear Anonymous,

Of COURSE potassium needs to be in balance. But the question that was asked was about magnesium, vitamin D and gluten intolerance. You could just as easily ask, "But shouldn't chloride be in balance too" or "Shouldn't copper be in balance too". Just because I didn't talk about each individual nutrient (there are hundreds) doesn't mean that it doesn't need to be in balance.

But, if you want to get well, you would do well to read the answer to the previous poster and get on high dose magnesium, vitamin d, AND begin taking a HIGH QUALITY multivitamin and mineral supplementation PACK that also contains antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids (and potassium), like Beyond Chelation Improved Multivitamin and Mineral Daily Packs.

And you MUST get off of gluten. Your low ferritin and low vitamin d, your ACNE -AND your super low magnesium- are in part due to gluten sensitivity and poor eating habits in general. Get off of gluten and get ONTO a whole food diet such as is outlined in The Healthy Urban Kitchen. And this is only a START, you may need to do far more, but any less than this and you are only going to get worse.

Kerri Knox RN

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune System Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Immune System
Side Effects

continued
by: Anonymous

Thank you for your response. I guess what I am asking is how do I know how much Potassium to take, is there a better kind? I take this multi-vitamin:

http://health-fitness.hsn.com/andrew-lessman-complete-autoship_m-10049039_xp.aspx?webp_id=6310888&web_id=6310888&ocm=sekw#

and have been adding additional vitamin D for a total of 5-7,000. Yesterday I took a total of 600mg of Magnesium.

Are potassium lab results worthless too?

Sorry for all the questions. After so many doctors, i now feel like I have to figure this out on my own.

Great appreciated!

You really don't
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

You really don't know how much potassium to take. Potassium blood tests are not worthless, per se, but if you have a low potassium level then, in many cases, you can actually take magnesium and your potassium level will come up! See my page on Normal Potassium Level.

Many incidences of low potassium are actually problems of low magnesium, which I guarantee that you have and that 600 mg is going to almost certainly fall far short of what you need. You might even need double that to resolve your symptoms.

Stop worrying so much about your potassium and worry about your magnesium and vitamin d and getting on a paleolithic/whole food diet with zero processed foods, zero sugar, zero 'vegetable oils' and nearly zero grains. You also seem to be VERY conservative about your nutrient intake. If you've had 'chronic low vitamin d levels' as you say, then why are you 'working up' to 5 -7,000 IU's of vitamin d per day? 5000 IU's per day is barely a maintenance dose- which is likely why you have 'chronic' low vitamin d levels, because you are not taking nearly enough! And because low magnesium levels will contribute to not being able to get your vitamin D levels up as well. There is just simply no reason to have 'chronic' low vitamin d levels- it just means that you aren't taking enough to resolve your deficiency.

So, be aggressive about magnesium and vitamin d. You are being overly cautious and you are continuing to suffer because of it.

Kerri Knox RN

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune System Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Immune System
Side Effects

PS: You DO know that your multivitamin doesn't have ANY potassium in it, right? So when you ask, "is there a better kind", I have to ask "better than what" because you aren't taking any? You are also not getting Vitamin K, which is essential for the utilization of Vitamin D and calcium...

continued
by: Anonymous

My blood Potassium & Magnesium levels are both in the normal range.
When my doctor told me I had low vitamin D levels, he told me to take 5,000 IU daily to raise the level. It did nothing so I raised it to 7,000 IU and it began to increase. I reached a level of 59, i was told this is good. So I went back to what I thought was a good maintenance level of 2,500-5,000 and it declined again.
I've also been dealing with a burning pain, gnawing feeling in my colon area for the last 6 years. No doctors have taking this serious enough to run tests. But I think it is effecting my nutrient absorption.

Like I mention I thought I had Candida over growth because of so many symptoms and just got the result back from an extended GI Panel. It showed H Pylori positive and low enzymes, I take these already. But I was very surprised because of the colon feeling and a whitish/grey tongue.

Anyway, I appreciate people such as yourself that take the time to help other.

Please leave your name each time..
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

Please leave your name each time that you comment again. It took me a while to figure out that you are the same person and who you were. It's FAR easier if you just leave your name.

I'm not sure if you are asking another question? Or just commenting... You DO understand and have read my pages on Gluten Sensitivity and realize that your colon issues were the reason why I recommended you to get on a gluten free diet? Yes? And did you actually read any of my pages on magnesium to understand that a normal magnesium level is completely worthless and not to be paid attention to in the least?

Also, I'm not sure why you believe that you have 'chronic low vitamin d' when taking the totally normal dose of 7000 IU's per day brought your level up the perfectly optimal level of 59, but then you dropped down to an inadequate maintenance dose and it dropped again. That is all totally and completely normal and expected. Your vitamin d level is responding almost textbook perfectly to the dosages that you are taking and that does not lead me to believe in any way that you are not absorbing it properly. Have you read my page on Vitamin D Therapy?

Also, I've written a book called The H Pylori Solution to help people get rid of their H pylori. You DO understand that this could be contributing to a lot of your problems and contributing to your (potential) malabsorption? I'm a bit confused because it sounds like your doctors have done a good job at finding a bunch of things wrong with you like H pylori and low vitamin d, but that you are still wondering what is wrong with you... You HAVE some of the answers right in front of you, you just need to resolve these problems.

Kerri Knox RN

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune System Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Immune System
Side Effects

continued from above
by: Becky

Hi,
I have purchased your H Pylori book and have ordered the supplements.
Actually I am sad to say that I don't feel I have received much help at all with doctors. I cannot tell you how much money I have paid them and each time my symptoms are not even considered to be real. Nor do they even consider nutrition a factor. To me my symptoms are growing and appear pretty serious.
I have learned a little from internet searching. The problem is my symptoms could be many things. I do feel it is coming from my gut. I have treated my self for what I thought was candida over growth for the past two years. It seemed to help my symptoms but not enough. So I recently learned about H Pylori and found an Extended GI Panel test through Diagnos Techs. That's how I found out I had H. Pylori.
I suffer from hair loss from July through Dec. for the past five years. I lose about 1/3 of my hair evenly through out my head. Then it grows back until it starts all over ago. It is growing in very kinky now though. Are white spots in the finger nails a zinc deficiency? I know my multi has 30mg in it, is this enough?
Do you do paid consultations? I need someone such as yourself that knows what you are talking about because I feel I probably have other issues with hormones and what not.
I am going to try using herbal remedies only.I also need to get my husband tested for it as I've noticed he had some symptoms before I did.

Becky

Chronic Pain
by: silk8668

Get off the Meds Now!

I suffer from Degenerative disc disease throughout my whole spine. I have Scoliosis and 3 herniations.

I quit Pain Meds cold Turkey over a year ago after years on meds with absolutely no help, no support, no suboxene, etc.
You wish someone would put a Bullet in your head to end the Nightmareand that is an understatement! It is a dead end street and living hell. It ruins your life and unless you have pure willpower or you take suboxene the rest of your life, you will never get off these meds

Guarantee your Chronic pain does not even touch the Pain I go through daily, But my life is so much better off this crap!

Good Luck

Ferritin Levels?
by: Anonymous

Hello, I am diagnosed gluten intolerant and have been off gluten since 2009. That is when I began having thryoid issues for the first time in my life. I am on Nature-Throid (65) and was doing well until suddenly in April of this year my hair started massively falling out for no apparent reason. I went to a Kinesiologist and he has me on Standard Process Organic minerals which I have been on for 5 weeks now but hair still falling out massively. Could my ferritin levels be too low? If so, how to bring ferritin levels up? I just want my hair to stop falling out!

Thank you for this wonderful blog!

Get your ferritin level checked
by: Kerri Knox, RN The Immune System Queen

You can just get your ferritin level checked and find out if it's low.

Kerri Knox, RN

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