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The Most Common Mistake When Buying Magnesium Supplements

Nutrition
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If you're taking magnesium supplements, you're probably wasting almost all your money without knowing it. The supplement market is dominated by a specific form of magnesium that your body can barely use, and in this article, we'll reveal this costly mistake and how to correct it.

The Magnesium Oxide Problem: 4% Absorption

The best-selling magnesium supplement on the market has a fundamental problem: your body can only absorb approximately 4% of its content. This means you're wasting 96% of each dose and, therefore, your money.

Popular brands like Nature's Bounty, Nature Made, and Nature's Truth primarily offer magnesium in the form of magnesium oxide. These presentations come in different doses:

  • 250 mg
  • 400 mg
  • 500 mg

However, scientific studies show that the human body can only use a minimal fraction of this specific form of magnesium.

Why Do Doctors Keep Recommending It?

As a family physician, during my early years of practice, I also prescribed magnesium oxide to patients with hypomagnesemia (low magnesium levels). The reason? It's what I was taught during my medical training.

This situation perpetuates for several reasons:

  1. Educational inertia: Traditional medical training doesn't delve into the differences between mineral forms
  2. Prescription availability: It's the only form of magnesium available by prescription that insurance covers
  3. Off-label use: Interestingly, magnesium oxide isn't even FDA-approved for treating low magnesium levels, but for digestive issues (dyspepsia)

Most doctors prescribe magnesium oxide because it's "the established norm," without questioning the real effectiveness of this mineral form.

Alternatives That Actually Work

Fortunately, there are significantly more bioavailable forms of magnesium. The choice will depend on your specific needs:

If You Tend Towards Constipation:

Magnesium citrate is your best option because:

  • It offers better absorption than oxide
  • Helps relax the intestine
  • Attracts water to the colon, facilitating transit

If You Have Normal Bowel Transit or Tendency to Diarrhea:

These options offer excellent absorption without laxative effects:

  • Magnesium malate
  • Magnesium taurate
  • Magnesium glycinate

All these forms are available in natural health stores and e-commerce platforms like Amazon, usually at prices similar to oxide but with far superior benefits.

Beyond Absorption: Specific Benefits by Type

Each form of magnesium has particular advantages:

  • Magnesium glycinate: Ideal for anxiety and sleep problems thanks to glycine, which has additional calming effects
  • Magnesium malate: Excellent for chronic fatigue and muscle pain
  • Magnesium taurate: Beneficial for cardiovascular health
  • Magnesium threonate: Crosses the blood-brain barrier, benefiting cognitive function

What to Do with Your Current Supplement?

If you discover you're taking magnesium oxide, you don't need to discard it immediately:

  1. Finish the current bottle (it's not harmful, just inefficient)
  2. When buying the next one, check the label and make sure it's NOT magnesium oxide
  3. Choose the form that best suits your specific needs

Recommended Doses for Bioavailable Forms

When switching to better-absorbed forms, you can generally follow the package instructions. As a reference:

  • General maintenance: 200-400 mg daily
  • Mild deficiency: 400-600 mg daily
  • Significant deficiency or therapeutic use: 600-800 mg daily (divided into 2-3 doses)

Remember that these forms have higher bioavailability, so the effective dose is considerably higher than with magnesium oxide.

Signs of Magnesium Deficiency

Magnesium is involved in more than 600 biochemical reactions in the body. Proper supplementation can alleviate:

  • Muscle cramps
  • Unexplained fatigue
  • Irritability
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Migraines
  • Sleep problems
  • High blood pressure

However, these benefits will only appear if you use a form of magnesium that your body can effectively absorb.

Conclusion: Choose with Knowledge

The next time you buy a magnesium supplement:

  1. Check the form: Avoid magnesium oxide
  2. Select according to your needs: Citrate for constipation, other forms for general absorption
  3. Don't pay for what you don't absorb: Remember that the similar price of different forms doesn't reflect their real value for your body

With this simple change, you'll transform a practically useless supplement into an effective tool for your health, truly making the most of the money invested in your well-being.