Magnesium is a naturally occurring mineral. Magnesium is important for many systems in the body especially the muscles and nerves.
Magnesium amino acids chelate is used as a supplement to maintain adequate magnesium in the body.
Contents
Uses
This medication is a mineral supplement used to prevent and treat low amounts of magnesium in the blood. Magnesium is very important for the normal functioning of cells, nerves, muscles, bones, and the heart. Usually, a well-balanced diet provides normal blood levels of magnesium. However, certain situations cause your body to lose magnesium faster than you can replace it from your diet. These situations include treatment with “water pills” (diuretics such as furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide), a poor diet, alcoholism, or other medical conditions (e.g., severe diarrhea/vomiting, stomach/intestinal absorption problems, poorly controlled diabetes).
Benefits
Boost Magnesium Absorption
When it comes from a supplement, magnesium is poorly absorbed into your bloodstream. You’ll get more of the mineral when it’s connected to a substance that is easily absorbed, reports Thorne Research. This substance, called a chelate, is usually a type of acid. One chelated form used in supplements is magnesium citrate, but when the supplement is actually called magnesium chelate, it refers to magnesium united with amino acids. This type of magnesium and amino acid chelate produces a supplement that is absorbed better than any other form of magnesium, according to The AFIB Report.
Prevent or Treat Deficiency
Chelated supplements can help prevent or treat a deficiency. While it’s best to get magnesium through foods, such as green leafy vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds and whole grains, supplements can fill the gap when your diet falls short. Up to the age of 30, women should get 310 milligrams daily and men need 400 milligrams. After that, women need an additional 10 milligrams daily, while the amount for men increases by 20 milligrams. The average intake of magnesium is below the recommended dietary allowance, notes the Linus Pauling Institute, so talk to your health care provider if you have any questions about your intake.
Reduce Chronic Disease Risk
If your diet consistently falls short on magnesium, the resulting chronically low levels can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and Type 2 diabetes, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. A significant association exists between the amount of magnesium you consume and your overall risk for cardiovascular disease, reported a review in PLoS One in March 2013. Getting enough magnesium in your diet also helps lower inflammation, which may fight health conditions accompanied by inflammation, such as diabetes and heart disease, according to a review in the February 2014 issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Caution
To make sure you can safely take magnesium amino acids chelate, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:
- diabetes;
- Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis;
- if you are malnourished; or
- if you drink large amounts of alcohol.
FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether magnesium amino acids chelate will harm an unborn baby. Your dose needs may be different during pregnancy. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.
It is not known whether magnesium amino acids chelate passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Your dose needs may be different while you are nursing. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Interactions
None are recorded.
Other names
n/a
Reference
Source: LiveStrong, http://www.livestrong.com/article/291857-what-are-the-benefits-of-magnesium-chelate/
EverydayHealth, http://www.everydayhealth.com/drugs/magnesium-amino-acids-chelate