Ensure Mg in supplement is bioavailable -since many
magnesium supplements are poorly absorbed, it is important to choose one that is
bio–available - i.e.able to be
absorbed and utilized by the body's cells.
– Only approx. 1/3 to ½
of oral Mg
is absorbed by the body -
even under the best conditions of intestinal health.
Mg supplied in food or oral
supplements is primarily absorbed in the far end of the small intestines and
then transported via the blood to cells and tissues.
– Absorption rate is
affected by body's levels of Mg,
Calcium, phosphate, phylate, and protein
– Uptake involves various
transport systems - such as the
vitamin D-sensitive transport system. For optimum absorption, ensure sufficient
vitamin D, preferably by taking a daily sunbath.
– GI
disorders impair Mg
absorption -
E.g. Crohn's disease, IBS
– Optimum absorption from
the intestines requires a minimum 12 hour transit time –according to Dr. Shealy in his book
Holy Water, Sacred Oil: The Fountain of Youth. This allows
sufficient time for absorption. Unfortunately many Mg
forms cause diarrhea, thus
speeding up the transit time and of course expelling the Mg in the stools.
– A
slow-release form of Mg
would prevent diarrhea and better similate food consumption of Mg -i.e. in smaller doses
Only those forms of Mg
having high ionic availability are good choices for supplementation -not unlike other minerals, Mg
occurs in various organic/inorganic and high/low ionic forms. Poor, inorganic or ionic sources are not well-absorbed (E.g. Magnesium
oxide, magnesium carbonate). Magnesium oxide has been shown to have only ~4%
absorption rate and is primarily used as a laxative.
Firoz
M, Graber M. Bioavailability of US commercial magnesium preparations.
Magnesium Research. 2001; 14: 257-62.
– All
non-magnesium chloride forms require a sufficiency of hydrogen chloride for
their absorption – a
problem for many aging people, especially with chronic diseases. If chloride is not supplied with Mg, as in magnesium chloride, then our
body needs to produce additional hydrochloric
acid to convert the Mg in the supplement to chlorides to be able to absorb them
(any
supplemental Mg salt ionizes into Mg plus whatever other substance it is
attached to)
– Some forms may cause
diarrhea - which depletes magnesium - E.g. magnesium
carbonate, sulphate (Epsom Salts), citrate, carbonate, bicarbonate and magnesium
hydroxide (“Milk of Magnesia”)
So What are the best choices for oral Mg supplementation?
OK
sources:magnesium acetate, gluconate, lactate, malate, ascorbate;
Amino acid chelated forms are well absorbed - magnesium
orotate, glycinate, succinate, taurinate, aspartate (but possibly neurotoxic, see
below), lysinate, alpha-ketogluconate or arginate. Although, well absorbed these forms still lack the beneficial
contribution of chloride ions required for Mg absorption (body must produce the
chloride ions).
– Choose a FULLY-chelated
supplement –some companies produce a supplement containing only some chelated Mg
and the rest inorganic.
– HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
are Pure Albion Laboratories mineral chelates - Look for Patent Number
4,599,153 Albion Laboratories on the label and ensure the entire tablet/capsule
is Albion chelate and not a combination mixed with other ionized Mg sources.
Sold
under the brand names:Douglas Labs Amino-Mag 200 (magnesium
glycinate and lysinate), Solgar chelated Magnesium, J.R. Carlson Chelated
Magnesium, and others
Magnesium Citrate, Glutamate and Aspartate may be neurotoxic
Aspartate and glutamate are excitatory
neurotransmitters(i.e.brain chemicals that stimulate neurons to fire) - At high doses (consumed
either independently or in excess of other protein–containing foods. E.g., as
components of food additives or nutritional supplements like magnesium
aspartate), they can potentially stimulate neurons to the point of injury or
death, called excitotoxicity. In animal studies, neuroscientists found that
aspartic acid loads on the same brain receptors as glutamic acid, to cause
identical brain lesions and neuroendocrine disorders as glutamic acid, and to
act in an additive fashion with glutamic acid.(Similar brain-receptor “overload”results from consuming mono sodium
glutamate and the artificial sweetener aspartame, which contains aspartate)
Magnesium citrate can also contain aspartate and
glutamate in its citrate component - according to Jack Samuels,
President of the Truth in Labeling Campaign, “. . . the magnesium has been
chelated with citric acid. Most of the citric acid used in this country is made
from corn. Producers of corn based citric acid do not take the time nor
undertake the expense to remove all protein from the product. During production,
the remaining protein is broken down, resulting in some glutamic acid and some
aspartic acid”.
The blood brain barrier (BBB) only partially
protects the brain against neurotoxicity - the BBB is a selective filter,
which regulates the level of excitatory amino acids in the brain to a degree.
However, some structures of the brain, and in particular the hypothalamuswhich is involved in regulating appetite, emotions, energy levels, and
hormonal balance, are not protected by the BBB. It is ironic that those who most
need Mg to counter neuronal excitation, suffering from such as migraines,
depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, epileptics, should then
suffer neuronal damage from the chelate part of the Mg supplement:
– Brain
damage in mice from voluntary ingestion of glutamate and aspartate - When glutamate and aspartate were added to the water of laboratory
mice, the mice voluntarily ingested enough of these substances to cause brain
(hypothalamic) damage
– Adverse reactions to aspartame: double–blind challenge in patients from
those with depression and mood disorders -“Although the protocol required the recruitment of 40 patients with
unipolar depression and a similar number of individuals without a psychiatric
history, the project was halted by the Institutional Review Board after a total
of 13 individuals had completed the study because of the severity of reactions
within the group of patients with a history of depression.”
– Rapid recovery from major depression using magnesium treatment.
“Magnesium glutamate and magnesium aspartate greatly worsened the
59–year old man's depression. . .These magnesium compounds should be considered as
neurotoxic to depressives, and perhaps all people, and should not be used during
treatment of depression, anxiety or similar hyperemotional disorders.”
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