How to Best Absorb Magnesium Supplements

Magnesium is needed for hundreds of your body's basic functions, including regulating your heart and blood pressure and helping to metabolize sugar and fats. It also helps your nervous system and combats such problems as insomnia and anxiety.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Epsom Salts
• Calcium Supplement
• Magnesium Supplement
• Vitamin C
• Epsom salts
• Vitamin C

1. Take the chelated form of magnesium, such as magnesium citrate, glycinate or malate. This form is absorbed best by your body.

2. Combine magnesium with calcium. The easiest way is to take a balanced formula of one part magnesium to two parts calcium.

3. Take vitamin C at the same time. It helps make magnesium more biologically available to your body.

4. Bathe in magnesium sulfate, better known as Epsom salts. The mineral can be absorbed through your skin.

5. Reduce or eliminate your consumption of soft drinks. Their high level of phosphates causes magnesium to be depleted from your body.

6. Lower your fat intake. A high fat intake will also cause magnesium to be depleted from your body.

7. Watch your intake of vitamin D. High doses will cause magnesium to be leached from your body.

8. Decrease or eliminate alcohol use. It can lead to magnesium loss.

9. Check your prescription drugs. Diuretics, digitalis, tetracycline and corticoids are some of the medications that can lead to magnesium loss.

10. Watch your intake of foods high in oxalic acid. These include almonds, chard, cocoa, rhubarb and spinach. They can cause reduced magnesium absorption.

11. Decrease or eliminate your intake of animal proteins. High amounts can lead to reduced magnesium absorption.

Tips & Warnings

• Foods high in magnesium include brown rice, fish, bananas, tofu, blackstrap molasses, seafood and avocados.
• The recommended dosage of magnesium is 350 to 750 mg per day.
• Vitamin B-6 increases the amount of magnesium that can be absorbed by cells. High doses of B-6 can be harmful, however.
• If you are taking prescription medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking supplements.
• Taking more than 750mg of magnesium per day can cause side effects such as diarrhea and drowsiness.
• Discuss magnesium supplementation with your doctor first if you have any type of kidney disease.
• Avoid taking large amounts of laxatives or antacids that contain magnesium.

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[MyJB]

on 4/13/2009 Magnesium is so important to bodily functions and you pointed that out very well along with the best forms of magnesium to take. 5*

[ccc773]

on 3/27/2009 I found this information to be VERY helpful. It actually provides detailed advice that the average (informed) person wouldn't otherwise know, so I was surprised at the relatively low rating. Then I noticed that the lower scores come from (fake) commenters who are posting ADVERTISING. Also, I was surprised to see that "Leading Fitness" gave this article 5 stars, but then posted an inaccurate comment re: calcium. According to the magnesium supplement bottle in my hand, "Magnesium helps to regulate calcium transport, and is essential for bone mineralization." Supplements aren't regulated by the FDA, so I don't take every word printed on their labels as "gospel." However, that statement is quite the OPPOSITE of "don't take with calcium"...

[KuanShiYin]

on 2/16/2009 Good advice - and comments, too.

[LeadingFitness]

on 2/6/2009 Dairy and Calcium inhibits absorbtion of supplements. Even check on most magesium supplement bottles as they say do not take with calcium.

[VickiZerbee]

on 6/16/2008 DELIVERY systems are key to your body absorbing the product and you getting the benefit you seek. Science and research behind a product results in good quality and results.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx2LY1zu9ss