Best Type of Magnesium for You and Your Health
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Magnesium enhances relaxation, magnesium helps with anxiety, magnesium relieves constipation, magnesium aids with sleep … These are just a few of the attributes you may have been hearing about the new ‘it supplement’ magnesium, and the reason you may have landed in the drug store ready to purchase a bottle.
However, once in the drug isle, you may be overwhelmed by the many types of magnesium supplements that line the shelf: magnesium citrate, malate, glycinate, and chloride to name a few. Which one do you grab? Do you really need to supplement? Is it safe to supplement? Read the following post to find out the best type of magnesium for you and your health goals and the recommended daily amounts.
What Does Magnesium Do for the Body?
Magnesium is an essential mineral for the optimal functioning of the cardiovascular, nervous, and musculoskeletal systems. Magnesium also supports bone health, boosts immunity, and is an important electrolyte. It is essential, because the body does not produce it and you must get it from your diet or supplements.
Magnesium is involved in hundreds of biochemical reactions in the body, so it’s important to get enough magnesium in your diet for your body to function optimally.
Some bodily functions magnesium helps support:
-Maintaining a healthy heartbeat
-Regulating muscle contractions, so helps sooth muscle cramps
-Helping one to relax, so aids in sleeping
-Regulating brain function and mood
-Having strong anti-inflammatory properties
-Regulating insulin
What are the Different Types of Magnesium Supplements?
As always when choosing supplements, make sure to talk to a health professional to ensure the supplement does not interact with your medications or health conditions. It is possible to get too much magnesium in the blood, so one should be informed and cautious with regular use.
There are many different types of magnesium supplements and they come from many different sources. Magnesium supplements are made by attaching a molecule of magnesium to a carrier (amino acid or organic acid). These carriers help magnesium to be better absorbed by the body. The following is a list of some of the different types of magnesium supplements sold on the market:
- Magnesium carbonate (also known as dolomite or magnesite)
- Magnesium chloride
- Magnesium citrate
- Magnesium glycinate
- Magnesium malate
- Magnesium oxide
- Magnesium taurate
- Magnesium sulfate
- Magnesium glutamate and aspartate
Magnesium Carbonate
Is also known as dolomite or magnesite and it is a mineral salt used to increase the amount of magnesium in the blood. It is also used to treat digestive issues like heartburn and indigestion that are caused by excessive stomach acid.
Magnesium Chloride
Magnesium chloride supplements have been used to help with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and migraines. The use of magnesium chloride can also help the body process and absorb calcium. Magnesium chloride helps produce hydrochloric acid (HCL) in the stomach, which helps with nutrient absorption.
Magnesium Citrate
Is the most common formulation of magnesium supplements to purchase. The citrate is used as an aid for constipation, because of its ability to increase water in the small intestine. It is also used for nutritional support by increasing magnesium levels in the body.
Magnesium Glycinate
Magnesium glycinate comes form the amino acid glycine. It has calming properties and has been used to promote sleep and calm anxiety. It is a highly absorbable and digestible form of magnesium supplement.
Magnesium Malate
Magnesium malate is a combination of magnesium and malic acid, both having several health benefits and combining them gives you the benefits of both. This form has been used to treat and prevent Alzheimer’s disease, osteoperosous, type 2 diabetes, headaches, and fibromyalgia.
It is also an energy boosting form, so may be too stimulating and disruptive for sleep as compared to magnesium glycinate.
Magnesium Oxide
Magnesium oxide may be used for different reasons. Some people use it as an antacid to relieve heartburn, sour stomach, or acid indigestion. Magnesium oxide may also be used as a laxative for short-term rapid emptying of the bowel.
Magnesium Taurate
Magnesium taurate contains the amino acid taurine. This form of magnesium may help regulate blood sugar levels and help with high blood pressure.
Magnesium Sulfate
Magnesium sulfate is formed by combining magnesium, sulfur, and oxygen and is commonly referred to as Epsom salt. Epsom salt is commonly used in baths to relieve muscle tension and pain.
What is the Most Highly Absorbable Form of Magnesium?
Some forms of magnesium are more bio-available, which means more readily absorbed by the body. According to author and magnesium expert, Dr. Daniel Crisafi NDA, MH, Ph.D., the following table displays the absorbability of magnesium compounds. He notes that citrate is the most bio-available in his research, because it does not require hydrochloric acid (HCL), stomach acid, to absorb the supplement and many people lack sufficient HCL.
What are the Recommended Amounts Of Magnesium?
According to Eat Right Ontario, men between 19 and 30 years old need 400 mg per day, while women of the same age group need 310 mg. Men over 31 need 420 mg per day, while women 31 and over need 320 mg. However, it is important to note that anyone of any age should not have more than 350 mg of magnesium per day from supplements.
Is it Okay to Take Magnesium Daily?
It is okay to get plenty of magnesium from your diet. However, one should be cautious with supplements. You should not go over the daily recommended amount noted above. High doses of magnesium from supplements or medications can cause nausea, abdominal cramping, and diarrhea. High levels can even be toxic.
Who Should Not Take Magnesium?
People with diabetes, intestinal disease, heart disease, or kidney disease should not take magnesium before speaking with their health care provider.
Magnesium can interact with certain medications, so caution is required.
What Foods Contain Magnesium?
Over a third of adult Canadians are not getting enough magnesium in their diet even though it is readily available in plenty of food. This could be due to people eating too much processed food and not enough whole foods that contain essential vitamins and minerals.
Magnesium can be found in a variety of nutrient-dense foods, including whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, avocados, leafy greens, bananas, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, tofu, and quinoa.
Try this Quinoa and Chickpea Salad for a delicious meal that is rich in magnesium.
This Green Glow Protein Smoothie, full of leafy greens, provides magnesium along with many other nutrients for a breakfast or snack.
Another snack idea is to have a banana with a piece of dark chocolate or homemade trail mix with nuts, seeds, and dark chocolate chips.
What are the Signs That You May Need Magnesium?
Habitually low intakes or excessive losses of magnesium due to certain health conditions, such as chronic alcoholism, and/or the use of certain medications can lead to magnesium deficiency.
Symptoms of low magnesium levels are as follows:
- Jitteriness
- Anxiety
- Elevated heart rate
- Tremors
- Muscle aches or cramps
- Seizures
- Voicebox spasms
- Muscle weakness
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
What are the Side Effects of Too Much Magnesium?
You may be getting too much magnesium if you are experiencing nausea, cramps, diarrhea, low blood pressure, muscle weakness, and fatigue, interactions with certain medications and health conditions. Contact your health professional to determine if you have too little or too much magnesium in your blood.
Conclusion
Magnesium is a very important mineral that we need to consume in our diet because the body does not produce it and it is required for so many functions. It is best to consume magnesium through our diets, including such foods as bananas, avocados, leafy greens, legumes, and whole grains. However, we are still often deficient in the mineral, so opting for a supplement can help. There are many forms of magnesium supplements, so knowing the best type of magnesium for you and your health is important and can be determined by talking to your health professional versus just randomly grabbing a bottle from the drug store shelf.
