Magnesium Oxide benefits review
Magnesium Oxide Supplements – Are They Effective?
Magnesium oxide is the most commonly sold and marketed magnesium supplement. It is often included in multivitamins, mineral complexes, and/or sold by itself. Magnesium oxide is a very cheap form of magnesium, which is why it is used in so many supplements. As for its chemistry, magnesium oxide is a salt that is made up of one magnesium atom and one oxygen atom (MgO). It is a plain, white powder.
Magnesium Oxide Effectiveness
So how effective is magnesium oxide at supplying your body with magnesium? Not very effective at all! Magnesium oxide is a poorly absorbed form of magnesium. Once in your body, only a very small percentage (less than 5%) of magnesium is assimilated into your blood stream. The rest of it just passes right through you giving it a laxative effect.
Magnesium Oxide Supplement Alternatives
Magnesium supplements that are chelated have better absorption rates. If you are serious about increasing your magnesium intake, then I would suggest you not only eat magnesium rich foods, but also supplement with at least one chelated form of magnesium. Fixing a magnesium deficiency can take a rather long time. You may see quicker results by supplementing with several different forms of chelated magnesium. Some of the best forms of chelated magnesium include magnesium glycinate, magnesium taurate, magnesium orotate, magnesium fumarate, and magnesium succinate.
Another great form of magnesium is magnesium chloride. This form is most typically used as a transdermal magnesium supplement although there are some oral magnesium chloride supplements. Magnesium oil is a topical solution of magnesium chloride that you apply to your skin. Transdermal magnesium is particularly effective for those that have digestion problems which affect how well they assimilate oral magnesium supplements.
When taking magnesium supplements or any supplement for that matter, it is important to realize that you may be absorbing other ingredients and additives in the supplement. In this case, we are talking about the molecule that is attached to the magnesium ion. Magnesium supplements that contain molecules such as glycine, taurine, and fumaric acid have several other health benefits in addition to providing magnesium.
Magnesium Oxide Uses
There are a couple of conditions that magnesium can be effectively used for treating. Magnesium oxide can be used as an antacid for relieving acid indigestion, upset stomach, and heartburn. As mentioned earlier, it may also be used as a short-term laxative. However, remember that magnesium oxide should only be used briefly for both of these conditions. In the long run, you are better off finding the cause of these symptoms, rather than treating the symptoms with the use of magnesium oxide supplements.
Magnesium oxide is not an effective supplement for increasing your magnesium intake to fix a magnesium deficiency. However, it can be effective for temporary relief of upset stomach, heartburn, indigestion, and constipation. If you would like to restore your magnesium levels to a proper balance, my suggestion to you is to supplement with some chelated forms of magnesium, transdermal magnesium oil, and increase the magnesium rich foods in your diet.