Magnesium for Constipation
Let’s explain how magnesium acts as a laxative. It draws water into the gut, adding extra moisture to over-dehydrated fecal matter; It helps the smooth muscles of the gastro-intestinal tract contract better to move things along.
Magnesium promotes better gut muscle contractions especially for those who are magnesium deficient. The symptoms of magnesium deficiencies can often be irritability and nervousness, anxiety, sleeping problems, chronic fatigue and tiredness.
Scientific studies tell us that magnesium for constipation can be as effective as polyethylene glycol, also called PEG, a very popular laxative often prescribed by doctors.
Overall, there is a high probability that magnesium will provide punctual help during your constipation crisis. You will still have, of course, to get to the root cause of the problem. If you were magnesium deficient, there is a possibility that it may provide a longer lasting effect, in which case lack of magnesium may have been one of your constipation triggers.
If you have serious constipation with fecal impaction, magnesium may not make any difference – the added water and stronger contractions won’t be sufficient to remove the impaction. If you have an acute constipation case without impaction though, magnesium is definitely worth a try.
Magnesium for constipation: Protocol
You will need a dose that is higher than the maintenance dose mentioned above.
You only need one B-vitamin complex capsule a day. If you have already taken your B-vitamin capsule with your 200 mg magnesium maintenance dose, you do not need to take another one.
As discussed previously, when you take too much magnesium, you get loose stools. This is the effect we want to create. As a result, you will need to take enough magnesium to reach what we call “bowel tolerance”. Bowel tolerance is the point where you start to get loose stools.
That dose is highly individual-specific. So you will have to experiment with what works best for you. Then, after a few tries, you will be able to figure out roughly your “bowel tolerance” dosage range, and whether magnesium for constipation works at all for you.
Others have used the following magnesium dosage rate to help with constipation:
In the evening, before bed, take 400 mg of magnesium with water (2 capsules of 200 mg). The next morning, see if you can have a normal bowel movement. If yes, you have found your “bowel tolerance” dose. If not, take an additional 400 mg in the morning (2 capsules of 200 mg). Wait for the afternoon (let at least 4 hours pass). In the afternoon, if you still cannot have a bowel movement and you are still backed up, take another 400 mg (another 2 capsules). Remember, everyone is different. Above are some guidelines that have worked for our clients.