Magnesium Bicarbonate

Jib

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http://www.afibbers.org/Wallerwater.pdf

All you need is milk of magnesia and seltzer. Chill the seltzer, pour/funnel in 3 tablespoons of milk of magnesia, put the cap back on and shake it up for 30 seconds, leave in the fridge for half an hour, and it goes crystal clear. Shake it up again and it'll get cloudy again. It'll settle and become clear for good once all the magnesium hydroxide reacts with the carbon dioxide.

I've only been using this for a few days, but every other form of magnesium I've tried (citrate, glycinate, chloride), even in small amounts, sends me rushing to the bathroom pretty quickly. I don't know why I've had that issue. But I've almost gone through the whole liter (about 1500mg of magnesium total) in a few days and have had a lot more success than with other forms of magnesium. i.e. my bowels seem like they're pretty stable with this stuff. It might be a little early to tell, but even in one 200mg dose of magnesium glycinate, for example, I'd pretty much need to be within a stone's throw of a bathroom and wouldn't dare go out anywhere.

I've been sipping at it between meals. Not sure if the high pH is an issue or not and if I should even it out with a little citric acid, and if the citric acid would react with the magnesium bicarbonate or not (I'm definitely no chemistry buff). But I've been trying to have about 1 cup a day, which would be about 375mg of magnesium.

Between epsom salt + baking soda baths, orange juice, coffee and occasional chocolate, I'm much better off than I was, but I think the magnesium bicarbonate is so easy to make and can be a good way to ensure that I'm getting enough magnesium.

I'm also reminded of Danny Roddy's article here:

http://www.dannyroddy.com/main/2013/13/ ... id-hormone
 

mariange

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So a few questions on this.

I tried it yesterday - misread the recipe and used 3 teaspoons instead of 3 tablespoons, but I figure it's a good first start and I'll get it right next time.

How much should one drink at a time?

Once the reaction is complete, is there any need to refrigerate it? I don't do well with cold drinks and would prefer to just keep on the counter (for my milk, I pour out a mason jar or two in the morning and just work on them during the day - no refrigeration needed).

I dropped in an Alka Seltzer (as another post suggested) - interesting how it took a lot longer to dissolve than regular water.
Flavor was pretty good. I enjoyed it and was thinking about doing this again, but then noticed that Alka Seltzer has "Anhydrous citric acid 1000mg" listed as an ingredient. Is this the same citric acid that Ray Peat has suggested is responsible for tumors?

Thanks!
 

mariange

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Also, just wanted to add - I haven't quite perfected my fake Egg Cream recipe using this stuff.
I tried half a glass Mg Bicarb with half a glass of 2% milk + teaspoon sugar + few drops of vanilla. OK, but a little odd. I think I need to work on the ratios.
 

Ben

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mariange said:
So a few questions on this.

I tried it yesterday - misread the recipe and used 3 teaspoons instead of 3 tablespoons, but I figure it's a good first start and I'll get it right next time.

How much should one drink at a time?

Once the reaction is complete, is there any need to refrigerate it? I don't do well with cold drinks and would prefer to just keep on the counter (for my milk, I pour out a mason jar or two in the morning and just work on them during the day - no refrigeration needed).

I dropped in an Alka Seltzer (as another post suggested) - interesting how it took a lot longer to dissolve than regular water.
Flavor was pretty good. I enjoyed it and was thinking about doing this again, but then noticed that Alka Seltzer has "Anhydrous citric acid 1000mg" listed as an ingredient. Is this the same citric acid that Ray Peat has suggested is responsible for tumors?

Thanks!
RP said citric acid can "activate dormant tumors". He recommended against the citrate salts of metals, for example.

I don't see what's wrong with adding baking soda to milk of magnesia. It would be cheaper. I wouldn't drink it because magnesium has a laxative effect, though. I wrote about it in another thread unrelated to magnesium:

I said:
Magnesium causes diarrhea, and calcium causes constipation. This is because magnesium inhibits the cells of the intestine, while calcium excites them. These cellular effects cause differences in the speed that food goes through the intestines. Try taking magneisum with plenty of calcium at the same time, such as in eggshell powder form. You can form calcium citrate, which is better absorbed than the calcium carbonate in eggshells, by letting the eggshells sit in lemon juice. Be sure that you have a safe source of eggs for this because eggshells are sometimes contaminated with heavy metals. It would be best if you dissolved the calcium citrate in water because it would get more spread out that way and effect more cells.

Of course, citrate isn't ideal, and calcium carbonate isn't well-absorbed, so maybe I'll look into other salts.
 

BingDing

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Bump. I could have written the post by Jib. I've been using magnesium bicarbonate (from the instructions linked in Jib's post) for a few days and am very happy with the results, compared to every other form of oral magnesium I've used. I took about 2 oz (100 mg) an hour before bed last night and slept 7 hours straight, which hasn't happened twice in the past 10 years.

FWIW, I think Ben's comments above (about magnesium and calcium) are overly simplistic and can safely be ignored. They are certainly not true for me.
 

Jenn

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Have you tried taking the magnesium at night? My personal experience is that I can take 3 times as much at night vs taking in the AM. Better absorption. Everyone is different of course and I am glad that you have found something that works for you. Hurray for small victories!
 

BobbyDukes

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Well, it certainly works for me. It's pretty sedative in my case, so I take it at night.

With Milk of Magnesia containing magnesium hydroxide, I heard about how it affects iron absorbtion from its wikipedia page (magensium hyrdoxide).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9862585

When eating my meat broth dish, I find 500ml of magensium biocarbonate goes very well with it. I put lots of salt into my meat broth dish, to make up for the fact I am drinking 500ml of liquid (already have enough liquid in my diet :ugeek: ). So, it might even be lowering the iron that I am ingesting from the meat. This has allowed me to enjoy eating meat a bit more (I also give blood twice per year). Perhaps add an expresso for further reducing of iron (although, does it inhibit heme iron absorbtion - i've always thought it was non-heme, but I might be wrong).
 

Dean

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I've been having good luck with this in terms of improving bowel motility. I haven't been drinking a lot, but am thinking of making a concerted effort to increase drastically over a period of time. Haidut posted a study the other day about quite large doses of magnesium helping with depression. I would think someone on a high calcium diet would also benefit from maximizing magnesium intake.

I do have a question about the production process. The small town I live in doesn't sell just plain, unflavored carbonated water. What I've been using lately is a club soda that has potassium bicarbonate and potassium citrate as the ingredients. Would either of these ingredients get in the way of the chemical creation or utilization of mag. bicarb? I know citric acid isn't good. If I eat or drink anything with that in it I can tell immediately. I have taken potassium citrate capsules (including recently) to help ameliorate stones. It works and doesn't seem to bother me like citric acid/vit c does? I can't imagine that a liter of this club soda would have more potassium citrate in it than a 99 mg capsule.
 

Katty

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Dean said:
I've been having good luck with this in terms of improving bowel motility. I haven't been drinking a lot, but am thinking of making a concerted effort to increase drastically over a period of time. Haidut posted a study the other day about quite large doses of magnesium helping with depression. I would think someone on a high calcium diet would also benefit from maximizing magnesium intake.

I do have a question about the production process. The small town I live in doesn't sell just plain, unflavored carbonated water. What I've been using lately is a club soda that has potassium bicarbonate and potassium citrate as the ingredients. Would either of these ingredients get in the way of the chemical creation or utilization of mag. bicarb? I know citric acid isn't good. If I eat or drink anything with that in it I can tell immediately. I have taken potassium citrate capsules (including recently) to help ameliorate stones. It works and doesn't seem to bother me like citric acid/vit c does? I can't imagine that a liter of this club soda would have more potassium citrate in it than a 99 mg capsule.

I don't think it gets in the way of the body's utilization of the magnesium. The club soda I use also has other stuff in it and it always works fine.
I can't speak to whether there's a problem long-term ingesting these other substances, but I think if you're getting the benefit if the magnesium, that benefit likely outweighs the potential harm, if any, of the small amount of those other added ingredients.
I'm trying not to stress about minutiae. =)
 

SQu

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I love this stuff, even tastes quite good, very calming, helps with constipation in a gentle subtle way at a glass a day, and I make it with soda water too.
 

Dean

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I don't know why I've been kind of overly cautious with this stuff. Took me awhile to get used to the taste, I guess. I've been a little too preoccupied with A,D,&K's role in utilizing calcium as well. Today, I was like, why am I %$##* footing around ? What's the worst that could happen if I drank too much? Some squirts.

Well, I've drank pretty near the whole concentrated liter today without ill effect, or even a lot of positive effect (Guess it's fair to say I've been magnesium deficient). So, that's, including diet, about 13-1400mg today, which is about a 1/3 of what my daily calcium intake has been lately. Isn't the conventional wisdom 3:1 calcium:mag?
 

Dean

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Well, I'm continuing on with this and feel like it's helping. Only problem is that now that I am taking up to a liter of the concentrate a day, my liquid intake is too high. Is there any reason I can't pour a little of the carbonated water off and make room for a double dose of milk of magnesia, so I can get the same amount of magnesium with half the liquid? I'm assuming the only reason behind the 3 TB's to 1 liter of carb. water is because that is what will fit into a freshly opened liter bottle of seltzer water or the like? I mean, there wouldn't be any chemical reason why I couldn't make it more concentrated, would there?
 

Dean

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Anyway, I went ahead and tried to double the concentration. Had to shake it a 3rd time, but other than that it seems to have worked.

Look out, world of science; there is no stopping me now.
 

tara

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Dean said:
Well, I'm continuing on with this and feel like it's helping. Only problem is that now that I am taking up to a liter of the concentrate a day, my liquid intake is too high. Is there any reason I can't pour a little of the carbonated water off and make room for a double dose of milk of magnesia, so I can get the same amount of magnesium with half the liquid? I'm assuming the only reason behind the 3 TB's to 1 liter of carb. water is because that is what will fit into a freshly opened liter bottle of seltzer water or the like? I mean, there wouldn't be any chemical reason why I couldn't make it more concentrated, would there?
I've been using Mg hydroxide powder, and there is a limit to how much I can get dissolved/reacted in a bottle of soda water. Once there is no carbon dioxide left, it won't take any more.
 

BingDing

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I made it with 4 tbs in 1 liter once and it worked OK, a little mg hydroxide didn't react but it just settled to the bottom of the bottle.

I got something like this a couple years ago. In the long run I figure it is less expensive and I can use my own RO/de-ionized water. Can also make fizzy oj or lemonade.
 

Dean

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I posted this same question to Dan over at Toxinless, and he mentioned the same problem with getting more to react. I don't know. What else can happen to it if it doesn't settle at the bottom? Like I said, the 3rd shake culminated in no sedimentation at the bottom. Still none at the bottom today. It does taste stronger as well. I had gotten used to the taste in the time I've been drinking the normal concentration to the point where I usually found it unnoticeable. I can definitely taste this batch.
 

BingDing

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Nothing else can happen to it, it is just MOM if it settles out. I had so little that even if I had drank it there would have been no laxative effect.
 

tara

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Dean said:
I posted this same question to Dan over at Toxinless, and he mentioned the same problem with getting more to react. I don't know. What else can happen to it if it doesn't settle at the bottom? Like I said, the 3rd shake culminated in no sedimentation at the bottom. Still none at the bottom today. It does taste stronger as well. I had gotten used to the taste in the time I've been drinking the normal concentration to the point where I usually found it unnoticeable. I can definitely taste this batch.
I would guess that if you don't get any sediment, it's probably doing what you want it to do.
 

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