Five Superior Sources of Highly Bioavailable Magnesium
BY STEVE BORN
After spending weeks tirelessly working on the formula, it's time to unveil the ultimate magnesium product - Essential Mg. Once you read more about the importance of magnesium, as well as the superiority of this new Hammer Nutrition product, we know that it will be an essential addition to your daily supplement program.
Magnesium Shines in Recent Research
Without taking anything away from the importance of all minerals, it very much appears that magnesium has earned its status as arguably the most important one of all. Two exciting pieces of research illustrate the health-benefitting effects of magnesium.
One study, which was reported in the Journal of the American Heart Association, showed a lowered risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) with higher serum levels of magnesium. Researchers in The Netherlands evaluated the data from nearly 10,000 participants - men and women ages 55 and older. Compared to subjects whose serum levels of magnesium were categorized as medium, subjects with low levels of magnesium had a 36% greater risk of CHD death and a 54% higher risk of SCD. The authors of the study state "The results from this and previous studies may provide a rationale to design intervention studies to analyze whether magnesium supplementation could prove to be effective in lowering the burden of CHD mortality and SCD."
The second piece of research, published in Biomedical and Environmental Sciences, is a meta-analysis of 15 articles that discuss the results of 19 studies involving nearly 540,000 men and women. These studies examine the effect of dietary or dietary plus supplemental magnesium on the incidence of type II diabetes. After comparing magnesium intake in each of the studies, a high intake of the mineral was associated with a 23% decreased risk of diabetes, with a mere 100 mg/day amount correlating to an average of 16% lower diabetes risk. These studies show that magnesium supplementation helps improve insulin resistance and fasting glucose levels in both diabetics and nondiabetics.
Magnesium: Mineral Superstar
The importance of magnesium is hard to overstate; in fact, one nutritional expert calls it "the key to health and life." According to the National Institutes of Health, "Magnesium is a cofactor in more than 300 enzyme systems that regulate diverse biochemical reactions in the body."
Muscle contraction, nerve function, carbohydrate metabolism, ATP activation, protein synthesis, blood pressure normalization, and blood sugar level regulation are just a few of the processes this mineral is crucial for. In addition, magnesium supports the increase in HDL (good) cholesterol levels and can help lower serum LDL (bad) cholesterol levels while inhibiting the oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Additionally, a deficiency in magnesium may also be associated with the progression of many ailments such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, hypoglycemia and insulin resistance, to name a few.
How much magnesium do you need?
The (Daily Value) DV for magnesium is 400 mg. However, Optimal Daily Intake (ODI) of magnesium is 500 - 750 mg, with even higher amounts (upwards of 1200 mg/day) being used, primarily to address the earlier-listed conditions. Unfortunately, while magnesium is contained in a variety of foods, the overall degradation of our food supply has caused the average American intake to decline to amounts signifi cantly below DV levels and ODI levels. Magnesium deficiencies are common; research shows that approximately 75% of Americans are not obtaining suffi cient amounts of this essential mineral. Magnesium toxicity is rare because, unless there are problems with kidney function, the body eliminates excess amounts.
The Essential Mg formula (100 mg of elemental magnesium per capsule)
1. Magnesium bisglycinate is magnesium chelated (bonded) to the amino acid glycine and is touted for its high absorption rates. It's also the form of magnesium considered to have the least amount of potential to cause a laxative effect which is common with forms such as oxide.
2. Magnesium succinate is magnesium chelated to succinic acid. This compound yields one the highest amounts of elemental magnesium while also providing the body with a Krebs cycle intermediate that not only plays a role in energy production but is also involved (along with protein) in the rebuilding of muscle fiber and nerve endings.
3. Magnesium citrate is magnesium chelated to citric acid, a key Krebs cycle intermediate, noted for its ability to help alleviate fatigue as well as playing a role in relieving symptoms of asthma and hypertension.
4. Magnesium malate is magnesium chelated to malic acid and is the most common form of magnesium used for alleviating fi bromyalgia. Malic acid (malate) is a Krebs cycle intermediate touted for its energy enhancing, fatigue-alleviating effects. Malic acid also supports enhanced exercise performance by counteracting the buildup of lactic acid.
5. Magnesium taurinate is magnesium bonded to the amino acid taurine. Because both magnesium and taurine are associated with cardiovascular health, magnesium taurate is often referred to as the "heart health" form. Among its many benefits (and like magnesium) taurine assists in regulating heartbeat and muscle contractions.
Now that you know about the myriad benefits of magnesium, incorporate NEW Essential Mg into your supplement regimen. When you ensure you're getting enough of this truly 'essential' mineral, you'll enjoy better athletic performance and better overall health.
