This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

Hi,

So I have a couple questions for the experts here.

1. What qualifications should I look for if I hire a nutritionist.

2. Does someone have a quick ratio for how much calcium to mg I should be taking. I've developed GERD and am now on antacids that contain a lot of calcium.

Thanks very much.

re question 1, this is not something i've had a lot of experience with, and what i have had is frankly not up to my standard. i've done more educating of health professionals than the other way around. i went to a dietitian when i was first diagnosed so 2006 and even way back then she couldn't answer my questions. i went to a naturopath a couple times as well, she has ms herself, so you'd think that would be pretty bang on, except when i questioned the d3 test my doc had ordered when i first asked to have it tested (she had just written serum vitamin d3 on the requisition, and the lab defaulted to 1,25(OH)2vitD3) the naturopath and the doc both said at first that was the right test to run. i had to make a special appointment with the naturopath to get her up to speed so that she could then tell my doc that we in fact needed to run the serum 25(OH)vit D3 test. this was 8 yrs ago - i hope no one would make that mistake now. the other thing that rubbed me the wrong way about the naturopath was all the dietary restrictions she recommended. i had not eaten many of the things she suggested i avoid in over a decade. the principle of avoiding potential allergens seemed off as well - i was more inclined to identify whether i actually *had* a sensitivity and then work to correct it than just act as if i actually were allergic to a bunch of different foods.

one thing i can tell you about nutritionists is that depending where you live, they can be legit or not. for example in canada, with no specific formal training, i could hang out a shingle and call myself a nutritionist http://www.dietitians.ca/find-a-dietiti ... onist.aspx

the MAX calcium to mag ratio overall is 2:1. 1:1 is better.

if your GERD is related to spastic LES and low magnesium, then calcium to reduce stomach ph is just going mask the issue without addressing the underlying problem. when i had GERD (main symptom being a ferocious cough to the point of dry heaves), it turned out to be because i had too MUCH high potency magnesium taken at the wrong time of day on an empty stomach, and it relaxed the LES. (i would take it before bed which is fine with mag citrate but the mag glycinate is so absorbable, it would just hang out in my stomach and when lying down, it would be washing up against the LES. now when i take mag glycinate it's a day time thing, shortly before food. much better.)

Regarding Ca/Mg:

The Calcium to Magnesium ratio is supposed to be At Most 2:1
and this is from all sources according to Durlach.

Quote:
Even the commonly agreed-upon ratio of 2:1 calcium to magnesium found in many supplements is a major stumbling block overcoming the overcalcification of our population.

In fact, it's a myth. This so-called recommendation traces back to French scientist Jean Durlach who warned that the 2:1 ratio was a "never to be exceeded" level when considering calcium intake from all sources (food, water and supplements).[7] His warning has been greatly misunderstood and is taken as a recommendation of a 2:1 calcium-to-magnesium imbalance instead of something to avoid.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carolyn-d ... 40931.html

THX1138

http://www.thisisms.com/forum/natural-a ... ml#p219736

also:
Drug-Nutrient Interactions
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8584285

The largest group of agents recognized to cause interactions along the gastrointestinal tract are gastric antacids. ... by modifying gastric pH. Increasing gastric pH leads to diminished absorption of calcium, iron, magnesium, and zinc.

Thanks. I will look at all of this.

Sadly, I think the gerd is likely to be ms related since I've also developed some swallowing issues. MS sucks.

i had swallowing issues from mag depletion too. poor mag status is an ms thing. and it gets worse if you are taking vit d3 without ensuring proper dose and timing of magnesium. when my mag status was at its absolute worst, i was still taking it daily.. but with too much vit d3. it got so bad, i started cleaning up and organizing my stuff in case i suddenly choked and died. backing off on the d3, boosting mag intake, and adjusting the timing made it all go away.

Dr. Hyman mentions reflux and trouble swallowing being caused by having insufficient magnesium in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUWL1o2hSrs