Hi Russ/Laura,

Given that Algin is so darn efficient at absorbing heavy metals… how can we be 100% sure that NSP Algin product does not contain any heavy metals prior to us consuming it ?

Are there any lab reports that we can view to confirm this ?

Many thanks for your time,
Cheers ..Karen <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />
PS: I posted this on the forum rather than contacting you direct as I thought others might interested too.

Hi Karen,

This concerns me too. I was taking Genestra Sodium Alginate, but when I emailed them about possible heavy metal contamination, I didn't get any answers. So I stopped taking it.

I know others here highly recommend NSP Algin, but I am also not impressed with them. Firstly, they don't cater for vegetarians (and have no interest in doing so either as I emailed them about it.). Secondly, they say there is mercury level in the Algin, but by Californian standards it is a safe level (even though there is no known safe limits, and that's exactly the argument amalgam supporters make).

The whole debate with the algin is whether the mercury in it is released into the system or is held tight and excreted. I took alginate for a few months and I'm sure I felt a benefit, so I don't think it was releasing any mercury into my systerm, but I stopped taking it because I am really scared of taking anything with mercury in it and hal Huggins doesn't recommend it.

Hope this doesn't offend Algin supporters - just my humble opinion, for what it's worth!

I still have a bottle left so I'm going to experiment. I'm going take a couple over the next day or so and see if I get improvement. I guess that is the only way to see if it helps. These companies appear to be very bad at answering public questions. I might just take some the days I get my fillings replaced.

Hi Karen,

I've emailed NSP before about mercury levels in products like Algin and the Super Omega-3 fish oils, especially since I've been taking Algin for years. Below are the answers they emailed to me:



They also assured me that:



I've never asked them for lab reports, but if you'd like to, you can contact them by visiting NSP Contact Us

In my opinion, even if there are trace amounts of mercury in Algin, the amount of mercury it's absorbing and the health benefits I'm receiving from taking it outweigh the small exposure I might be getting. I know that Algin has helped both Russ and I tremendously, and from the feedback we've received from others, Algin has helped a lot of others as well.

I wonder if there's actually more mercury in the air we breathe or the foods we eat than in NSP's Algin. In fact, NSP's Health Sciences department actually told me that:



So, I guess we really have more to be concerned about by eating produce grown in California than by taking products manufactured by Nature's Sunshine. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

And regarding Demi's comments about vegetarian capsules...

Actually, Nature's Sunshine does have several vegetarian products in either liquid or tablet form. In fact, NSP has been extremely interested in vegetarian products and used to offer a greater number of them. However, consumer interest in these products was so low that NSP was forced to discontinue most of them. The additional costs to purchase and maintain the equipment needed to produce vegetarian capsules would require price increases on their 400+ encapsulated products. As you know, most consumers are very concerned about prices and simply aren't willing to pay more to have vegetarian capsules. Consumers ARE interested in getting products that don't contain heavy metals or other contaminants, so that's where NSP has placed their focus.

Hope this helps! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for your reply Laura.

I have been taking Algin for a while now with no ill effects. The one thing I do notice though is that if I take 4 capsules last thing at night I get major heart pounding unless I take it with at least 3 glasses of water (which makes it interesting for the rest of the night !).

I could always use one of my heavy metal test kits to see if it shows up anything with a sample of Algin, but I’d rather not waste a test at the moment. If I ever do I’ll post the results.

Cheers..Karen <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

That really doesn't help me, Laura. But who should care about me, as a vegetarian with mercury poisoning? The answer is, no one does care.

And, not to be argumentative, but your reply about mercury being in the air etc is exactly the reply I got from the British Dental Health Foundation - that I was getting it from the environment or from food. Funny how everyone justifies the use of mercury in products by the same arguments when it is their products.

What it ultimately always comes down to is money. Dentists use amalgam because it's cheaper, and people will opt for a cheaper option than the composites. NSP is no different by putting money considerations first.

The Dental Associations and NSP don't care about my plight or needs, so why should I care for them?

Demi,

You're way out of line here, and you are drawing conclusions that are outlandish.

If (I'm speculating) NSP did detect mercury in Algin, if it absorbed 1000-times more mercury than it contained, would it still be a useful supplement?

NSP is an excellent company that I personally respect. Their products are second-to-none and I use them almost exclusively and have recovered from mercury toxicity using them, including Algin.

You said...



NSP does not "use" mercury in anything. Based on their response, they cannot even detect it and they are the only company that voluntarily produces a full product line that meets California's "65" standards.

Perhaps you've misread the response?

You said...


Your choice to be a vegetarian is a standard you are holding yourself to. Does NSP have to abide by your standards? Do I?

I have chosen not to be a vegetarian and am happy with this decision, although I do eat a lot of vegetables.

You said...


No. For me, it comes down to health, which is exactly why I chose to take NSP products almost without exception.

You said...


Demi, I'm not sure what's gotten into you but I would take a breath and reconsider posting things until they are well thought out, for you own sake. It's always good to think carefully before speaking.

As a product, NSP Algin is useless to me. The product goes against my ethical beliefs. What you're saying is I don't have a right to criticise that? I don't have a right to say Huggins is against use of such products - on a board for mercury detox?

If we're not allowed to criticise an NSP product because you and Laura sell them, then there is no free speech here.

I will no longer be contributing or participating in this board.

Hi Karen,

You're welcome. I typically take 4 algin at night right before I go to bed and I know I don't drink more than half a glass of water, if that. I've never experienced the heart-pounding that you mentioned, and I honestly don't know what would cause this. Hmmmm.

As far as mercury levels in foods and supplements...I thought the following info might be interesting to you.

According to information another NSP distributor gave me, the limit for California's Proposition 65 for mercury in ANY dietary supplement is 0.3 micrograms. This is a very small amount that can only be detected with special equipment (which NSP has).

In fact, according to the World Health Organization's "Environmental Health Criteria" document published in 1991, they estimated that people ingest the following amounts of mercury daily from:

Amalgam fillings - 3 to 17 micrograms per day
Fish/Seafood - 2.3 micrograms per day
All other foods - 0.3 micrograms per day

And as I mentioned before, there's a lot of California produce that doesn't even pass Prop 65, but since people have to eat, these foods are exempted.

So, as far as doing a mercury test on Algin, you'll want to make sure your test kit can measure mercury at least as low as 0.3 micrograms.

Hope this helps!

Demi,

Honestly, I'm not forbidding anyone free speech on this system. I have been more willing to let people say whatever they wish and link to wherever they want than 99.9% of the forum systems you will find.

...And it has nothing to do with the fact that I sell NSP products. I simply like NSP products because they are, in my opinion, as good as any other you can find. It's that simple.

I never said you don't have a right to criticize. I said that the conclusions you've drawn are way out of bounds because they are not logical.

NSP is an excellent company. It's not fair to them to say they are "only in it for the money" because they don't produce vegetarian capsules. That is unfair and whether it was an adult, a child, or a corporation (which consists of people), they should not be spoken against unfairly and I will stand up for them all.

I completely respect your right to be a vegetarian but it doesn't mean you should speak unkindly (and you did) towards those who don't share your practice (i.e. saying they are only in it for the money).

Laura said that it's not financially expedient for them to cater for vegetarians. As a vegetarian, that IS putting money before our interests. If all companies took that approach, vegetarians would have nothing. If organic companies took that approach regarding organic food - that it's cheaper to make non-organic produce and more people will buy non-organic (which is definitely the case) then there would be no organic food supplies.

Ultimately, a company will sell what it believes in. If it means more money to make something, meaning a higher purchase price, they will do it. If Algin is so essential for detox, the

If Algin is so essential for detox, the "wonder-product", then by reason any company that cared about having this available to mercury poisoned people, would make it suitable for as many people as possible (animal derivative free, gluten free etc). They would want to do this out of belief, out of principle.

If they switched the capsules, and many companies no longer use gelatin, you and everyone here would still buy it. But, the difference would be, so could vegetarians. If it's a dollar or two more expensive because it costs more to make,surely people wouldn't begrudge that? I already pay a lot more for things because of my beliefs i.e. equivalent $3.00 for a litre of Rice Milk, which is a lot of money when you don't have much, but those who truly believe in something, will pay for it.

NSP owes me nothing - but by the same token, I owe then nothing either.

I apologise if I was off-hand. I am going through a difficult time right now. But as a vegetarian, my opinion of NSP is not the same as yours.

Note: The message somehow got cut so I am reposting the rest.

Karen, I recall asking Laura if Algin had any iodine in it. If I recall correctly, Laura had said that NSP stated that there was no iodine. However, Algin, being a seaweed (am I right here?) probably does contain some iodine, at least to start with - I don't know if NSP removes it or what. Anyway, some people, particularly people with thyroid problems, are particularly sensitive to Iodine (I know I am) and iodine will do one of two things: Suppress the thyroid and make you hypothyroid (slow, constipated, brain fog, tired etc) or, will rev. your thyroid up (diarrhea, wired and overly energetic, fleeting thoughts, shakiness, and speeding heart rate, etc, etc.....) . If you already are getting enough iodine in your diet or multivitamin, just a little more left in the Algin tabs could push you over the edge. This can be dangerous, re: the rapid heartbeat. Rapid heartbeat also happens with me when I am magnesium deficient. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

PS I do apologise if I offended anyone. I am just going through a depression/frustration thing. It's probably best if I don't post while I feel like this. I'm sure it's the mercury, it messes with my head so much. And it's so hot here I can't sleep, and I've had such a headache the past few days. I don't know if anyone else gets these symptoms, but it makes me sometimes irritable, although generally I am good-natured. I get like black bouts of despair and just want to sleep, and then frustration, and then feel happy.

If the gelatin capsules in Algin are a concern, have you considered getting your own empty, vegetarian capsules and filling them with Algin? Just dump the Algin out of the gelatin capsule into one of your empty vegetarian capsules. You can buy empty vegetarian capsules at pharmacies and such. I'm sure NSP could tell you what size capsule they're using -- it looks like Size 0 or maybe Size 00 -- but I"m not certain on that.

I'm not trying to be flippant here, it just seemed an easy solution to your dilemma. And it doesn't take alot of time to fill capsules. I'd just use sterile gloves and a clean, sterile surface while doing this to avoid any contamination.

SomedaySoon

Yes, Demi, I go through all of this too. I sometimes go through the house yelling (quietly) at people who are driving me nuts so that when I am face to face with them, I can be civil. They wouldn't understand. Neither do my kids when they hear me ranting and raving to myself <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> This mercury makes me so frustrated and irrational. I sometimes want to scream - esp when trying to deal with my health issues, my low thyroid which is making me extremely tired, and trying to do what is best for my kids who are also mercury poisoned and have health issues, when the medical "profession", even the holistic drs., refuse to give me the answers I need. AAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> Really, we need another instant graemlin to express the way I feel about this - A SCREAMING one!

Hi someday.

I don't buy any product made of animal remains. This includes things like leather or suede. It's not the eating of the gelatin that is a concern, or the use of leather etc, it's the killing of the animal to obtain it.

I don't really know how to explain it, but if the animal is killed to make a product (shoe or burger), and it's the killing one objects too, then if one buys the product, one supports the animal slaughter industry "regardless" of whether one actually eats the burger or wears the shoe. If I buy the product, I may aswell eat it, because it's not the eating that is the point.

I don't know if that makes sense, but it's a view many vegetarians will share.

This is not an attack on meat-eaters (my family eat meat) just my own lifestyle choice that I am committed too. It's not always easy, and there are dilemmas i.e. a loved one is sick and needs you to shop or cook. But I never ever buy animal remains products for myself.

I'm hoping Genestra will get back to me on their heavy metal policy (they sell vegan alginate), but I'm not holding my breath. Communication is very bad in these places.

Dallas, that is how I get aswell. Not all the time, but some days it is very bad, and has been the past week. But considering mercury has messed my brain and hormones up, and my levels much be changing now I am in the process of removing the fillings, it's probably not helping. Mercury has really blasted my personality in terms of OCD and other things. Things kind of build up and then I got so stormy, and then I just want to cry. And then I feel bad for having been irritable. It's terrible.

Hi Demi, you're not alone. This is normal and happens to me. So bad in fact, that I have threatened members of my family with violence on occassion (totally out of character) and have currently a hole in my door and in my wall from me throwing objects hard and fast across my room in a state of almost unspeakable rage and anguish, just from the mercury.

So I'm only glad I didn't do worse. I have written letters that could have gotten me into serious trouble because at the time, though I had justifiable anger, I crossed over the line and didn't really think it at the time.

You become totally distraught and you have no idea what to do, where to go, what to take because anything you try and do seems to have another problem or another block and you get to a point where you feel totally persecuted.

Don't feel bad, it's not your fault. I have to refrain from posting or writing letters most of the time now because of this as I can change from one day to the next in how I think and feel and I find it frankly frightening.

I often think it's like a split-personality thing. A mood or an irritation comes out of no where. I too have written or spoken something I regret (almost as soon as I have done it). Most of the time I kind of feel deflated, and irritation isn't the norm for me (I am gentle person), but I do get so annoyed that I clench my teeth sometimes and feel like hitting the wall or something.

I've heard mercury causes bi-polar, wonder if mild effects of that are mood-swings. Aggression can be caused by mercury, aswell as paranoia i.e. a sense of everyone is out to get you, conspiracy theories everywhere, no one likes you, outcast, and so forth.

Demi, I know what you are going through. My husband refers to it as my ‘Jeckle & Hyde’ personality. When I am sick it feels as if someone else comes in and takes control of my thoughts and emotions. It is extremely, extremely unpleasant. I hope your headache etc.. passes soon. Also, I personally believe that there isn’t just one supplement that works for everyone, we all have different physiology, exposures, beliefs etc .. If you can’t take Algin due to your vegetarian beliefs, there WILL be other supplements and foods out there that can help you. Also I’d like to offer a quick message of hope, I have in the last couple of weeks gone from about 30% health (mostly bedridden for 3 years) to 60% health in the space of a few weeks, my thoughts are clearer, I have less constant pain and much more energy. It IS possible to feel better. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Laura, thanks for the clarification. I live in rural Australia so the ‘Californian Proposition 65’ doesn’t mean a whole lot to me! Also I must admit I am rather sceptical when it comes to legislative ‘safe requirements’ for air quality, water quality etc .. At this stage I’ll assume that the algin does indeed absorb heavy metals that it contains.

Dallas, re: iodine. Thanks for your comment. Would I be right in assuming that the American labelling laws require iodine to be listed if it is detectable? I notice that some Kelp/Algin supplements list iodine and others don’t. Since the NSP Algin doesn’t list iodine I am assuming it doesn’t … I’ve stopped taking it at night now and try to fit it in once or twice during the day in between meals, which is a bit of a challenge at times given that there are a few other supplements I take that also require them to be taken away from meals!

Cheers .. Karen <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Post deleted by Terms of Use

Karen - that's great about your health recovery <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Thanks for the encouragement.

Dawn - I consider you a friend aswell <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I don't understand why I get so ratty sometimes and take things so personally. I try to be more disciplined. I just kind of feel sensitive to things sometimes, like no one out there cares about what I'm going through, like there's no help, just confusion.

Did it say on the website why whey protein is bad? I take rice protein, a teaspoonful a day with rice milk and vitamin fortified milkshake powder (strawberry or chocolate) just to make the taste nicer. It helps to increase my protein intake.

I really need to focus more on my diet. I know I eat too much spicy foods and don't eat enough home-made foods - partly because cooking is such an effort.

I get scared about being poisoned aswell, just try not to think about it too much, but some days it really gets me down. I get scared of some of the supplements so try to do it naturally, but I know at the moment I am not taking enough supplements so need to remedy that.

As I mentioned before, mercury is in the air, as well as the food supply (including many vegetables, fruits and cereal products). Mercury is also in many water supplies, which is why many municipal/city water supplies filter their water for mercury. I brought up this point simply to explain that we are being exposed to mercury from all kinds of sources, some greater, some lesser than others.

With Algin, at least NSP's Algin, IF there is any mercury in it, it absolutely cannot be higher than 0.3 micrograms by California State Law (the most restrictive law in the United States).

To help resolve this question, I've sent an email to NSP asking if they can tell me what, if any, mercury is in their Algin. I'll let everyone know as soon as I receive a reply.

Of course, no amount of mercury in safe for consumption, and California's Proposition 65 does not declare the limit as safe...it declares that this limit is the maximum allowable level that is legal.

I, too, am skeptical regarding government safety standards, but at least California is lowering the legal limit in an effort to reduce people's exposure.

For those of you outside the United States, here's another reference for mercury. The World Health Organization has estimated that people are exposed to 3.8 to 21 micrograms of mercury vapor per day just from their amalgam fillings, with 3 to 17 micrograms per day being retained in the body. The WHO also states that a specific "no-effect" level cannot be established, which means there is no level of exposure to mercury vapor that can be considered harmless. These estimations may actually be low, considering electro-chemical studies of amalgam corrosion (by Gross and Harrison) have calculated that an average amalgam filling releases 15 micrograms of mercury vapor per day. Thus, a person with 10 average fillings (a common number of fillings in adults) would be exposed to 150 micrograms per day. (Source: "Is Dental Amalgam Safe?" Journal of Australian College of Nutritional & Enviornmental Medicine, December 1993)

For me, Algin has been tremendously beneficial. I'm pretty sensitive to mercury, at least in my own opinion. I'm 6 years post-removal and I still can't eat any fish, or even cilantro in Mexican salsa, without experiencing a recurrence of my mercury-related symptoms. For me, Algin has never caused any recurrence of these symptoms. In fact, I've done my own type of test by eating fish with and without Algin. The difference has been dramatic. Bad mercury symptoms without Algin, little or no symptoms with Algin.

For those of you who can't take a non-vegetarian Algin, then you might want to try some other type of fiber, such as Slippery Elm powder or perhaps bran fiber. While these fibers don't have the same affinity for heavy metals that Algin does, at least they can help facilitate bowel movements and hopefully some excretion of mercury.

Hi Demi,

Russ and I and many others on this forum DO care about you and we all collectively have spent a lot of time posting information and supportive comments to help you and everyone else on the forum. This is a wonderfully caring and supportive forum.

If you have a vegetarian Algin product that you want to recommend, please share it with all of us. I'll be more than happy to contact the company myself and find out if they test for mercury and if so, what their limit for mercury is. I'd love to be able to recommend a vegetarian alternative that is as safe as NSP's. And, even if a vegetarian Algin had higher levels of mercury than NSP's, then at least we could let people know and they could then choose if they want to take the risk in order to have a vegetarian alternative.

I do understand that you and probably many vegetarians are more than willing to pay extra for vegetarian products. However, I believe that many (dare I say most) non-vegetarians would not be willing to pay extra. This is the reality of the world we live in. People have free choice and the reality is that supply and demand are what businesses live and die by. When enough people demand vegetarian capsules, then I'm sure more companies will make this switch. In the meantime, there are companies out there that have decided to fill the gap with vegetarian products, and that's a great thing. (I really mean this, because even though I'm not a vegetarian, I am a big animal lover.)

Does this mean that companies that don't produce vegetarian products are solely driven by making money? I'm sure environmentally-conscious, charity-supporting companies that produce non-vegetarian products (like Stonyfield Farms, Amy's, Dakota Beef, and Wholesome Harvest) would disagree.

I really hope we can all work together to help each other. Russ and I spend a lot of time every week, even daily, trying to help people on this forum...and it's not about money. What products people do buy from us, they buy at our wholesale cost. We're not offering this forum to get rich, since we spend much more than the little we make to keep it going. Instead, we have this forum so we can offer information and hope to people like yourself who are sick and are looking for answers.

If you disagree with us or the products we've found that have helped us, that's fine, but please understand that many people on this forum are mercury-toxic AND financially-challenged. They need to find products that are safe, that work, and that are affordable. In our experience, this is what NSP offers. Their products have helped us and a lot of other people, and since we know their products are among the safest you can find, these are the products we use and recommend.

I truly hopes this helps, and I do hope you can find some peace with knowing that there are caring non-vegetarian companies in the world that do a lot of good for people and for the environment.

P.S. I learned a long time ago that mercury toxicity can definitely facilitate anger, irritability and emotional outbursts. I know because I used to experience this a lot (just ask Russ). I, too, had to work really hard on emotional control, which wasn't easy with the mercury disrupting everything. The good news is that now that my amalgams are gone, my life has become much more peaceful. I no longer "fly off the handle" at things like I used to. I'm much more calm and understanding of things, which is such a relief. Once you get your amalgams removed and can begin to slowly detox, I'm sure you will start feeling better. Maybe you might want to try your vegetarian Algin again, especially since you said that you felt a benefit? Just a thought. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Sincerely,

Hi Laura,

I appreciate all the work that you and Russ put in, and help to people. My frustration with NSP wasn't directed at either of you. It's kind of you to allow us all to use this forum to help each other, when a lot of us don't even buy from you (distance etc). If they're not making vegetarian Algin, then you have to sell what they are making for non-vegetarians.

I'm scared of taking the algin I have incase there's a lot of mercury in it. I'm hoping they will get back to me on their policy.

Demi:

I agree with you. Russ and Laura are very considerate in allowing us to recomment other products while using their forum.
I keep kosher or vegan, when I can't find kosher certified products.
I use Nordic Naturals Algin. They state that:
All Nordic Naturals products are doctor recommended, pharmaceutical grade, molecularly distilled, and third party tested to document the absence of all environmental pollutants (No PCBs, dioxins, pesticides or heavy metals).
The best price I have found ($19.99 for 120 veggie caps) is
at www.healthcare21.com.

For all of you who agreed with Demi about the mood swings and angry feeliings etc., boy can I sympathize with you. It is the mercury messing up your thought patterns, it seems everyone is out to get you, everything makes you crazy, BUT there is help for that. I know that you all probably think that I am just a broken record, but it is only because I have seen such hugh benefits and want to help others in the same boat. Magnesium is key to getting your life back and helping your mind work like it should. Even my daughter (who has no amalgams) has the Dr. Jeckle/Mr. Hyde personality thing if she doesn't continue to take her mg each day.

I refuse to go bck to the thoughts and behavior that I had before finding magnesium. I would buy it before I would food. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Missy, how much magnesium do you take? Do you divide it into several doses and lastly what form of magnesium have you had best results with?

Thanks <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I use an ionized liquid from mag-i-cal.com because it is cellular ready and therefore is 100% bioavailable. I take 400mg at night (this is when your levels are the lowest) and 400mg in the mornings (2nd lowest time) and then I will take more if I see my levels dropping (waking up at night, muscle tension are my two symptoms that appear first, and also irritablitiy).

I believe Cuttler recommends 600-800mg. Also keep in mind that you absorb more from liquid, then capsules and lastly tablets. This is especially important if you have compromised
digestion.

There are many forms out there and it can be very confusing and difficult trying to find one that is good for mercury toxic people. You also will need more than the average person because hg blocks mg and you also use so much while detoxing.

Don't worry about too much. Your body will flush out excess (if a hg toxic person could actually get too much!)

Most mg is bound to an amino acid to make it more absorbable. Mg oxide-cheap, but no good
Mg aspartate or glutamate-stay away from these because they are excitatory amino acids.

Mg citrate-many people like this one if they have tendencies toward constipation as it draws water into the colon. Some use a little of this along with another form. There is a powder of citrate called Natural calm that you mix with water.

Mg taurine, malate are also good forms.

Re: heavy metals in Algin. Since Algin is a mercury sponge, it seems to me that a person using Algin - even if there were trace amts. of mercury in it already, should have no mercury absorption problem from the Algin, as Algin, being a sponge like it is, would hang onto the mercury as well as pulling mercury from the person's system. I do not use Algin because of it being a seaweed, I am afraid that it will contain trace amounts of iodine - even if the iodine has been removed, and iodine, I think, causes problems with my autoimmune thyroid. Therefore, I use Bentonite clay with psyllium. The Bentonite clay does contain aluminum, but they say that because of the charge on the aluminum, it is held by the oppositely charged clay and not distributed to the body. In fact, the clay is supposed to detox. aluminum from the body. It all has to do with the electrical charge in the clay and in the body and the heavy metals. I certainly stand to be corrected on that if necessary. Because if this is not true, I certainly do not need any more heavy metals in my body. I have also started using the clay foot baths. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Regarding the posts about magnesium, I use Magnesium Complex (citrate & malate). It contains magnesium citrate and malate, both of which are better absorbed and more highly bioavailable than magnesium oxide, magnesium carbonate, etc. It does not contain any calcium, which I like since I don't really need any extra calcium. The other thing I like is that I can open the capsules and pour the powder under my tongue to get the magnesium into my system faster. The taste is no problem, a little tart, kind of like the little tart candies I ate as a child.

Since each capsule provides 100mg of magnesium, I take roughly 3-4 capsules with lunch and another 3-4 capsules with dinner or sometimes before bed.

For me, most liquids are either too sweet or just don't agree with me. I've never had a problem with the capsules. As far as absorption goes, I've stopped a bad leg or foot cramp in about 60 seconds by pouring the powder under my tongue.

Hope this helps,

Wow Missy, thanks <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Yes, I knew that about the aspartate form. I previously took this form and it actually worsened my panick attacks which I was suffering from at the time!

Interesting to read how much Cutler advises to take. I think I'll up my dose a bit. In my case, I have to spread doses throughout the day as I have very low blood pressure and mag. lowers this even more <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> In addition my kidneys are totally messed up from mercury and copper so they don't remove excess mag. as efficiently as everyone else.

I sounds as if there may be a relationship between Aspartame (which is an excitotoxin found in NutruSweet) and Aspartates. Does anyone know for sure if this is true?

Aspartame is a toxic stimulant to the brain and kills brain cells.

Aspartate and glutamate are both potentially excitotoxic amino acids. Aspartame is made up of aspartic acid (aspartate), phenylalanine, and methyl alcohol (methanol). Heat breaks Aspartame down into the component parts. Furthermore, the body breaks methyl alcohol down into formaldehyde and formic acid. The best book I've found thus far on excitotoxins in general is, _Excitotoxins: The taste that kills_, by Russell Blaylock. If you're interested in reading the scientific literature run a PubMed search on John W Olney. The major sources for excitotoxins in the American diet are Aspartame and MSG (and other food additives high in free glutamate), and Olney does a great job of proving how excitotoxins damage the brain. The whole excitotoxin story is a frightening example of how the food and drug industry can obscure good scientific results.

I also have very low blood pressure (86/56),so I too was a bit concerned about the mg lowering my pressure, but I've been taking it for about five years now and it never lowered by pressure.

In my opinion, I think that mg probably doesn't "lower" your blood pressure, but that it relaxes the blood vessels allowing better blood flow which would naturally lower your blood pressure if you had high blood pressure problems.

Tito,

Do you know if natural glutamate and MSG are different? Glutamate is high in a lot of meats. It's also high in my Rice protein shake, but it doesn't say "MSG" as an ingredient, just rice and vanilla extract.

Monosodium glutamate is pure free glutamate. When you eat it or drink it (it's often added to packaged soups) it is quickly and readily absorbed. In your rice protein shake the glutamate is mostly bound (still linked to other amino acids). This slows down the absorption of the glutamate. But, you are still ultimately ingesting that much glutamate, and depending on your personal brain chemistry may cause problems for you. Some people can be crazy-sensitive to glutamates and glutamate analogues (like theanine). When I was on lipitor (which blocks CoQ10 synthesis) and still had my amalgams, any amount of free glutamate (MSG or high-glutamate flavorizers) would tip me over. I'd get woozy, an instant headache, slur my speech, get cold feet, suffer insomnia, or have wild hallucinations if I did get to sleep. Not a good scene. There is also evidence that when glutamate and mercury are simultaneously an issue they act synergistically on certain receptors in the brain.

One final note, drinking protein shakes will also increase the amount of sulfur-bearing amino acids in your system, which can cause issues for some folks with mercury poisoning.

I'm extremely sensitive to glutamate in any form, but especially the MSG and gluten in grains. It doesn't cause stomach upset like it does for celiacs, but mental ones. The anxiety just increases dramatically on days where I don't make my own food, but eat other places. I've also found that glutamate is in absolutely every processed/packaged food in the grocery store. They hide it under flavour, natural flavour and hydrolized protein powder to name but a few......

Demi, this is a really good site about glutamate and other exitorary stuff.

http://dogtorj.tripod.com/id16.html