Fibromialgia, zinc and magnesium

Fibromialgia is one of those illusive disease that has multitude of different symptom grouping around pain, lark of restful sleep and exhaustion. I suspect that there is multiple reasons for fibromialgia just like there is a multitude of reasons for headaches.

If there are multiple ways to develop this disease it means that there are multiple ways to overcome it. And most importantly some nutritional treatments will only work for those who that specific nutrient problem. Thus increase a nutrient for one person that makes a massive difference may not work for someone else.

This seems to be best shown in vitamin D status. There is conflicting results on increasing vitamin D and decrease in pain symptoms. Some studies show great results other no result at all.

So with this in mind zinc status seems to be inversely associated with number of pain points and magnesium inversely correlated with fatigue.

So if you haven't tried increasing your zinc or magnesium intake, it would be a good thing to try. So the obvious questions are how much should you take ?! Firstly a multimineral would be better than just two nutrients so that your body is still in balance. Secondly remember that amino acid chelates are better than metal salts which are better than oxides.

Zinc in the region of 10mg (5-15mg) is where I would start. The magnesium should be taken with calcium - twice as much calcium and magnesium. If my memory serves me well Metagenics do a calcium/magnesium specifically for large doses of magnesium so find some of this and use as directed.

Hope that this may help !