Magnesium Health Watch » magnesium absorption

Magnesium and Calcium Supplements For Bone Health

sarita — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 17:51:19 +0000

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.

How To Take Your Magnesium Citrate Supplement

sarita — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:22:30 +0000

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…”

Calcium and Magnesium Dietary Balance

sarita — Sat, 23 May 2009 22:08:49 +0000

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.

Magnesium is needed for the absorption of calcium. It’s magnesium that transports calcium to the bones. Without a sufficient supply of magnesium, calcium can start collecting in soft tissue and cause calcium deposits.

To balance these two minerals, the average person needs about one half as much magnesium as they do calcium. Keeping this balance is important for several bodily processes. For instance, calcium is needed for clotting the blood, but magnesium helps with the blood’s free flow. The two also work together in the muscles, magnesium to relax them and calcium to contract them.

There are a number of things in today’s world that can cause a depletion of magnesium from our bodies. Diets high in sugar, soft drinks, animal protein, salt and alcohol will flush magnesium out through the kidneys. Stress, gastric disorders and some drugs such as antibiotics, birth control pills, and insulin can also cause a deficiency. Excessive supplemental calcium usage can actually lead to a decrease in magnesium absorption.

There are a wide range of symptoms that can result from loss of magnesium because it effects so many of our body functions. Things like fatigue, muscle twitching, weakness, insomnia, headaches, irritability, rapid heartbeat, and confusion are just a few signs that a deficiency problem may be present. If you experience several of these symptoms you may want to have a chat with your physician.

Testing for possible deficiency can be somewhat inconvenient. It requires 24-hour urine measurements after having magnesium loaded into the blood stream. This is the most accurate test at this time, though. Since only 1% of the magnesium in our bodies exists in our blood, the rest is in bones and cells. There is no simple blood test that can give an accurate level reading.

Change in diet, of course, can be the ultimate answer. Giving up such things as ice cream, chocolate, potato chips, milk shakes, soft drinks, pizza and a multitude of hamburgers (a list that’s high in fat, sugar, and salt), can help maximize the absorption of magnesium into the body.

Replacing those foods with foods that are rich in magnesium will also add a major boost and make for a happy body. You’ll want to include leafy green vegetables, nuts (especially almonds), seeds, whole grains (such as brown rice and millet), fruits, and soy products, particularly tofu.

Dee Overly is an artist who discovered the health benefits of soy milk and now sells a Soymilk Maker at www.SoymilkCrossroads.com.

Technorati Profile