When you hear magnesium do you
immediately think of sports performance or cramping legs? You are not alone. So
often we are conditioned to think of minerals as having one function, but the
reality is that many minerals, particularly magnesium are very diverse and can
be used for many health conditions. In fact, magnesium has over 300 different
functions in the body from electrolyte regulation, neurotransmitter production
and yes, you guessed it, muscle
contraction. In fact, it’s not just related to skeletal muscle contraction but
all smooth muscle contraction as well. That means those small smooth muscles in
your gut propelling food forward, or those regulating the lens of your eye, and
most importantly the smooth muscles of your heart. These contractions set the
rate at which your heart pumps out blood to your organs.
Now with a molecule that is so
biologically diverse how can we “direct” it towards a particular action? By
selecting the right form of course! Minerals are able to bind or chelate to
other molecules (some organic and some inorganic) and create salt forms.
Form matters for two major reasons:
1. It determines the absorption
pathway of the mineral. I.e. is it being absorbed through passive transport
into your blood stream, or active transport which required more energy but
yields higher concentrations?
2. The form can result in a synergy
of the action of both molecules when they dissolve in the body. For example, a
magnesium bisglycinate absorbs and separates into the magnesium, and the
glycinate. The glycinate molecule can have a calming and relaxing effect,
meaning this is the ideal choice for sleep concerns, headaches, and stress.
While magnesium malate yields malic acid upon absorption which is integral in
the energy production cycles of cells.
We made a handy chart so you can see the functions of many popular
magnesiums.
Magnesium Form
Description and Summary
Key Clinical Uses
Mg oxide
Commonly used in OTC laxatives
Laxative
Mg citrate
Commonly used form – good
absorption but still can be laxative
Laxative, general magnesium support
Mg (bis)glycinate
Amino acid glycine has calming
effect on nerves
Insomnia, restless legs, anxiety,
muscle spasm
Mg malate
Malate increases energy production
inside cell
Fibromyalgia, muscle pain
Mg aspartate
Aspartate helps transport fats
inside the cell
Chronic fatigue
Mg taurate
Normalizes electrical activity
across membranes in heart and brain
Cardiovascular disease
Arrhythmia
Mg orotate
Orotic acid also increases the
formation of RNA and DNA, which can help repair damage to heart cells,
improve stress tolerance and therefore improve function
Now when we are discussing the ideal magnesium for supporting the proper
health and conduction of impulses in the heart we have a few options: magnesium
taurine, magnesium potassium aspartates, and magnesium orotate.
Magnesium and taurine are integral in the nerve impulses that initiate
the cascade of contractions that result in a heartbeat therefore this form
tends to be most beneficial in helping maintain a healthy rhythm. Adding in the
potassium aspatrates can also help with conduction by maintaining a strong
electoral gradient but this one comes with some serious cautions as you can
cause something called hyperkalemia, or too much potassium.
Another relatively unknown chelate combination is magnesium orotate, containing
orotic acid. This form has good bioavailability and has been studied
specifically for heart health. Orotates can penetrate cell membranes, enabling
the effective delivery of the magnesium ion to the innermost layers of the
cellular mitochondria and nucleus. Orotates themselves increase the formation
of RNA and DNA which can help heart cells repair and therefore improve
function. This combination has been shown to improve heart failure, symptoms of
angina and exercise performance in clinical trials.
Certainly, when considering high-risk conditions, we want to investigate the atherogenic triad: ie. Blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol to determine a comprehensive treatment for cardiovascular health. Therefore, when the diet and lifestyle factors are supported magnesium can round out treatment as the missing piece. Interested in learning more about magnesium? Find our truth series magazines here! https://aor.ca/magazine_issue/the-truth-about-magnesium/
Dr. NavNirat Nibber, ND is a graduate of the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine and a registered Naturopathic Doctor. She is a Co-Owner at Crescent Health Clinic, as well as a Senior Medical Advisor at Advanced Orthomolecular Research.
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