The shelves of pharmacies and supermarkets offer it to us in numerous versions, but among them magnesium supplements which can be considered the best?
The parameters on which to base an assessment of this type can be different. For some, the convenience of the price may be fundamental, for example, but today we want to focus on another feature: the bioavailability.
What does "bioavailable" mean?
In the nutritional field, the term "bioavailability" refers to the amount of a nutrient introduced into the body which is actually used.
In the case of magnesium supplements, the fact that not all formulations are equally bioavailable means that with the same magnesium taken, the same amount is not used.
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The most bioavailable magnesium supplements
The supplement market currently offers magnesium-based products in inorganic form (such as magnesium oxide and hydroxide, magnesium carbonate and magnesium chloride) or in the form of organic salts (such as magnesium citrate, magnesium lactate and magnesium gluconate) e chelates or magnesium complexes.
In general, i organic salts they seem to be characterized by greater availability. At the base of this characteristic there is the greater solubility of these compounds compared to the inorganic forms.
In fact, in order to be absorbed the magnesium salts must dissociate in gastric juices, releasing the magnesium that will be absorbed in the intestine.
Moreover the magnesium citrate (often considered the typical organic salt of magnesium) not only is it more soluble in gastric acids compared to magnesium oxide (which is often considered the typical inorganic form of magnesium), but also more easily absorbed in the intestine.
However, the bioavailability of some inorganic forms appears to be comparable to that of organic salts; doubts still remain on the real bioavailability of magnesium chelates, sometimes advertised as being more bioavailable.
Magnesium supplements: which one to choose?
At the moment, the safest choice in terms of bioavailability seems to be that of organic salts, in particular citrate, aspartate and magnesium lactate.
Among the inorganic forms, the magnesium chloride should be preferred to magnesium oxide.
Finally, pay attention to other supplements taken: some, especially those containing high doses of zinc, can interfere with the absorption of magnesium.
Read also Magnesium, effects of deficiency and excess >>
Credit foto: Siam Pukkato
