Magnesium Health Watch

Do you wonder why you’re always seeing calcium and magnesium combined supplements?  Here’s a general overview of why these two important minerals are offered together to promote bone formation, cardiovascular functioning and muscle effectiveness.

Magnesium helps with calcium absorption.  Like calcium, it’s naturally found in dairy products (among other places).  However, unusually large intakes of calcium reduces the absorption of magnesium in the body.  When you have a mineral deficiency (through a poor diet or otherwise), the body’s pH balance becomes offset and highly acidic.  Calcium and magnesium, which usually help eliminate excess acid, need to neutralize this additional acidity and are lost in the bloodstream.  This results in bone loss.

If you have a condition where you are deficient in magnesium and/or calcium, there are many options including dietary modifications, mineral supplements and even skin treatments that can help restore proper mineral levels in the body.

The 6/12/09 Sacramento Nutrition Examiner gives some helpful insight on the best forms of magnesium citrate supplements:

“Natural Calm magnesium citrate powder often is recommended for general use. You put it in hot water. It fizzes and tastes like lemonade with no added sugar. Mix it with fruit juice, and it bubbles like champagne. But how do you choose the right type of magnesium for your own needs? Here’s the information you’ll need.

If you want a sweet lemonade or citrus-like taste rather than the taste of lemon juice in hot water, put a half scoop (2.5 grams) of d-Ribose, that tastes like sugar in a glass of water and add a tablespoon or less of magnesium citrate powder. You’ll get a wonderful sweet taste of lemonade in that beverage…”

“You want a soluble magnesium that your body can absorb. And you want the amount of ionic magnesium or elemental magnesium that the supplement is actually releasing. You want the type of magnesium that can be dissolved in water…”

Everyone seems to understand the importance of calcium in a diet. But when it comes to the other side of the coin, magnesium, few people realize just how important this mineral is to their well-being. It’s estimated that only 25% of the American population today receive the recommended amounts, which is 150 – 250 mg for children 10 years of age and under, and 300 – 400 mg for adults. (more…)