I found this answer Dr Mike Eades gave to a question on his MSG article:

Mike, have you read Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills by Russell Blaylock?

His credentials seem solid and he believes MSG is neurotoxic, as it crosses the blood- brain barrier and “over excites” neurons. I’d be interested if it does (or obviously hasn’t) changed your thoughts on this subject.

Hi John–

Yes, I’ve read Excitotoxins. And I found Dr. Blaylock’s arguments convincing until I dug a little deeper. It turns out that glutamate does indeed ‘excite’ neurons, and does so by allowing calcium to enter the cells. This excitation of the neuron is offset by the ‘calming’ influence of GABA, which acts in opposition to glutamate. The GABA-glutamate axis in the brain is much like the insulin-glucagon axis in the metabolic system. One needs both to function properly.

Since the tiny bit of MSG used to season foods breaks down into glutamate and sodium – both normal constituents of the human body, and, in the case of glutamate, actually made by the human body – it’s difficult for me to image how a little bit of glutamate added to the body’s large circulating stores could substantially influence the neurons. If taken in large amounts, perhaps, but a pinch, occasionally, I don’t think will hurt. And maybe if a person is deficient in magnesium there could be a problem. Magnesium is Nature’s calcium channel blocker, so inadequate magnesium might not offset the influx of calcium driven by glutamate. This is just a hunch, but, because – according to the latest survey I read – about 75 percent of Americans don’t even get the already-too-low RDI of magnesium, maybe it’s the widespread magnesium deficiency that allows whatever negative effects experienced by some people when consuming a lot of MSG to happen. I don’t have magnesium consumption figures at hand for the Japanese, but given what they eat, I would assume they get a lot more magnesium in the standard Japanese diet compared to what we do in the standard American diet.

The strongest argument for the harmlessness of MSG is the fact that it’s used in such large quantities in Asia by enormous numbers of Asians without any apparent epidemic of negative effects. The Japanese, for example, use MSG (and believe it’s healthful) in large quantities and outlive everyone else on earth despite the fact that most of them smoke. And they’re blowing the tops out of all the admission processes in American colleges, leaving US students in the dirt, so it can’t be affecting their cognitive abilities. If MSG were truly harmful, I would suspect the Japanese would suffer its ill effects. But, again, perhaps the greater intake of magnesium by the Japanese is protective. Which may be why they live longer, after all.

Cheers–

MRE

Take what you want from it, but his KGH-Style answer sure sounds way more logical and down-to-earth than all these scaremongering "OMG MSG is gonna turn you into a zombie" ones.

The amount of magnesium in soil was deficient in the 1930's due to farming. Its far worse now, so you definitely need it. You don't get enough through vegetables anymore. Magnesium is not fat soluble either so it doesn't need oil. Try the "oil" form which you spray on your skin. It has less known problems with digestion. Citrate can cause digestion problems in some, but the MSG stuff sound like BS. Natural calm at first gave me problems, but now is quite nice. No issues with it now, and I have Chrohns!

Leafy greens are the best dietary source. Chlorophyll is constructed out of magnesium the same way that hemoglobin is constructed out of iron. Usually with magnesium supplementation you know when you need to back off when you get the scoots. It sounds like you have reached that point and then some. It is easy to take too much of that stuff. The dosage is pretty small. You could also look into transdermal magnesium or magnesium oil to get it via the skin. This method is especially useful to people who are just starting out and have absorbtion problems because of a leaky or irritated gut. You can find magnesium oil at a good health food store or online.

That sounds terrible. How much are you taking? I know that leaky stools is a sign of taking too much. How is your dietary intake of magnesium? Maybe you are getting too much.

I tracked my dietary intake for a while, and realized that I needed a couple of things, but i'm only taking a half dose of magnesium for now.

I would stop taking it and see how you feel - your symptoms are unacceptable and you need to address them now! I hope that you start to feel better Tim!

I just happened to stumble across this because I was looking to see if there is anyone else who feels awful after taking this stuff! After taking Natural Calm this morning, I have a horrible headache, my stomach has some aches/cramps, others on here described a "fog", that's exactly what it is! I can't even think straight. I also notice a lot of nervous energy or something, or maybe that's because I feel so f*cked up and my system is out of control! My body aches, it's just weird. I'm about to take some Valium to ease these symptons. I only have one valium left, so I was REALLY hoping that Natural Calm would actually help, not hurt. Thankyou all for your replies. At least I know I'm not alone.

strong text Interesting! I have been taking Natural Calm plus Calcium for 2 days...except today. I have had diarrhea that is dark green almost and today it was grainy...and I have had terrible gas and bloating issues too and I am taking 1/2 tsp twice a day. I am just now starting to feel better after not taking it at all today. I also have gastritis and found that magnesium tablets kill my stomach, which is why I went for the Natural Calm...guess I will not be taking it anymore...on the other hand I love spinach salads and almonds :)

I was just searching online to find if someone else has intense back pain with magnesium supplements and ran across this thread. I get relief from insomnia and charley horse type muscle spasms with the supplements, but after a few days get terrible pains in my spine, both upper and lower. Terrible neck aches and stiffness, or terrible radiating pains from my lower spine down my legs, along with some intense congestion and sometimes a terrible foggy headiness. My local health food store recommended I change from Natural Calm to another form of magnesium to a buffered magnesium glycinate chelate, but after a couple of days I get the same symptoms. Although whole grains are listed as the foods naturally highest in mag, you can also get good amounts from dried herbs, squash and watermelon seeds, cocoa powder, sesame and sunflower seeds, brazil nuts, almonds, cashews, pine nuts, and molasses in addition to green leafy vegetables. You'll get more from veggies grown on organic farms where they work on soil conditioning, most of the green stuff in grocery stores has really negligible amounts of mag. So I personally plan to work on eating more nuts and seeds and organic greens and seeing if I can just cut out the mag supplements completely.

Bone broth is a great source of balanced minerals: calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, sodium, sulphur, as well as proline, glycine, and hyaluronic acid. What I'm getting at is that it provides your body with a balanced intake of all the stuff you need for your cells to function correctly. I like it because it's not one mineral or amino acid in isolation.

I swear bone broth has changed our life, drinking some every day has totally balanced my hormones, made my skin great because of the gelatin, and makes everything you cook with it taste delicious.

The other way you can get magnesium is to take Epsom salt baths, you'll absorb quite a bit through your skin if you're convinced you need magnesium.

Best of luck, it sounds like you're just not a natural calm candidate.

Wow, it sounds like you should cease use immediately. How much are you taking?

The dosaage is extremely small - only 1/4 teaspoon. You say you are taking 1/2 dose. So you are taking 1/8 tsp? Absolutely stop taking it. Thanks for sharing you experience, this is valuable information. Btw,were you diagnosed with low magnesium levels initially?

Magnesium, in general, seems to do many people good. However, not everybody. It has the paradoxical effect of keeping me WIDE AWAKE (GABA has the same effect!) if I take it before sleep. Everybody is different and Robb Wolff (or anybody else for that matter) cannot take everybody into account.

My opinion (based on personal observations) is that you need a magnesium supplement if you are strict paleo and active. I get noticeable symptoms of magnesium deficiency when I'm active and strict paleo for a period of time and I don't supplement (muscle cramps and headaches). Never had a reaction similar to yours though...

Wow, I had the same experience with the nightmares. I never took more than 1/2 of the recommended dose, either. I had the most intense, horrifying dreams I'd ever had in my life. I always dreamed I was dying -- really creepy, vivid stuff.

I've taken citric acid by itself without problems. I don't know what the problem is. Regular magnesium doesn't bother me -- nor help with back pain, which Natural Calm did.

I can identify with you Tim. After a few days of taking Natural Calm I was in a complete fog! My wife began to get concerned and mentioned that I was staring into space like a zombie... which is exactly what I felt like. Beside this (which was bad enough) I became VERY exhausted; I felt like all my energy was gone. After getting off the product I returned to my normal energetic self and my brain fog went away. I should also mention that like others who have posted here, I too had very vivid dreams while taking Natural Calm.

another natural source of magnesium is homemade bone broth. It's almost the purely paleo solution.

look up Sally Fallon's version, you get calcium, mag, and others plus gelatin.

whoa, why were you taking mag in the first place. if its for muscle soreness maybe you are low on the other electrolytes. lack of potassium can cause those "night terrors" like the worst scariest dreams ever........switch up what you are taking? eat some avocados? dulse, kelp, sour cream or raw cream?

I started takign magnesium about 2 months ago on a regular basis. I didn't connect the dots at first but, as I took it I started waking up more during the night....then waking up a little earlier and a littler earlier....Then (still not connecting the dots) I started to just sit there in a alomst ALMOST asleep and my body would just wake me up. I then developed insomnia issues. Which started some anxiety I was so very confused and didn't know what Was goin on. Finding these threads on magnesium really helps me mentally and I wont take it before bed tomorrow night. I was almost dead asleep on the couch and I walked into the kitchen slammed some mag. and 3.2..1 WIDE AWAKE. Thank you guys for all your help!

Wow! Your body is talking to you! Almonds are a good source of magnesium. Leafy greens like spinach. You need a little oil or fat to absorb magnesium so a nice salad made of leafy greens with a good oil/vinegar dressing would work well. Beans are a decent source too.

While I didn't have near death experiences, I didn't respond well to Natural Calm either regardless of the dosage and eventually gave a nearly full $20 container away to a friend who didn't really care for it either. You didn't say why you started to take it. I decided I was far better off without it, as I sleep well anyway, and it seems most take it as a sleep aid.

Robb Wolf was taking it because he had adrenal fatigue. If you dont have that i wouldnt recommend taking nc. Anyway..anyone know any good dietary sources except spinach and almonds? doesnt seem to be many

My mom calls natural calm 'draino' for good reason! :)

I have IBS and it makes my stomach cramp and grumble for hours.

Mg oil is fantastic though, really well absorbed but a bit itchy.

The side effects listed for Magnesium Citrate are: SIDE EFFECTS: Mild abdominal discomfort/cramps, gas, or nausea may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, contact your doctor or pharmacist promptly.Serious side effects are unlikely to occur unless this product is used for a prolonged time or in doses that are too high. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: slow/irregular heartbeat, mental/mood changes (e.g., confusion, unusual drowsiness), muscle weakness, persistent diarrhea.

I'm happy to say I've never had those symptoms (and I'm doing 100% of RDA with Magnesium Citrate, not Natural Calm). Which doesn't help you of course. :)

However, sounds like you're in the "unlikely but serious side effects" area. Has this happened before with you with Magnesium Citrate? I'd double check your doseage (was it Tablespoons instead of Teaspoons for example) and definitely stop taking it.

Does anyone else have serious knee, leg pain while taking Natural CALM? Since taking it, I have had the vivd nightmares, the gas issues and most notably, terrible leg pain... So bad in fact that my knee sometimes buckles and I can barely walk....

I recently tried out Natural Calm Magnesium supplement. I believe its not for everyone and everyone should be careful in taking it. On the first dose I found my heart beats rate was increased abnormally, I can hear it loud. Other symptoms were nervousness, sleeplessness.I could not sleep during night. I tried it again with smaller dose and had similar symptoms again. Finally stopped it, Be careful everyone.

I am so glad I found this site. I've been studying this for long and I am convinced it has a lot of side effects. I started taking natural calm because it does help me to have a restful night but I developed a strong acid reflux. The part difficult to find is that supplements like this are suppose to help acid reflux. I will have to stop taking it. I miss my deep sleep and I don’t like the effects of sleeping aids. But if any of you have an advice please post it.

I tried Natural Calm for about a month or longer. I noticed that I had started to lose weight and it helped with my IBS and allowed me to be regular with bowel movements which I thought was great. I was taking 1/2 teaspoon once a day. I decided to increase to 1 teaspoon and did that about twice and had the worse case of nausea and started feeling bad. I stopped taking it and did some research on it, thinking I had taken too much. I don't feel comfortable taking it again so I will stop.

Thanks for all your posts everyone. I have been taking magnesium citrate for migraines for two weeks now. I have developed very painful back pains that are starting to travel down my legs. I also have some abdominal pain as well. I had done quite a bit of leaf raking a week ago and attributed it to that, but it has continued and is getting worse. I'm going to discontinue the magnesium citrate and see if it helps. I'm disappointed, though, because I've read that migraines really need magnesium. However, I'm very sensitive to every supplement I take (and medications), so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. I think I'll try the bone broth that others have mentioned. What kind of bones? Beef or chicken or other?