Magnesium: what does it do and how do you get enough?

Magnesium is an essential mineral. In this article we explain (in simple words) what magnesium is, what it is in and how to prevent and solve a magnesium deficiency.

Complaints with a magnesium deficiency

Research shows that about 15 to 20% of people in developed countries have a magnesium deficiency [3]. The average dietary intake of the mineral is often lower than the recommended daily allowance.

Complaints that can occur with a magnesium deficiency are:

• Bad sleeping
• Fatigue
• Lethargy
• uscle cramps
• Not being able to relax
• Feeling anxious

In extreme cases of magnesium deficiency, cardiac arrhythmias can occur. This is uncommon.

Measuring a magnesium deficiency

It is difficult to measure whether the above complaints actually belong to a magnesium deficiency. A magnesium deficiency is difficult to determine , because simply taking blood samples makes little sense.

The magnesium that is present in your body is largely not in your blood, but in your bones, teeth, muscles and organs. Your blood contains only 1% of all magnesium in your body. Therefore, blood tests are not a good measure of your overall magnesium status.

If you think you are dealing with a severe magnesium deficiency, see your doctor.

Why should you use a magnesium supplement?

There are several reasons why it is good for your body to maintain its magnesium status:

• Magnesium contributes to the reduction of fatigue
• Magnesium aids in the normal functioning of the muscles
• Magnesium is good for the maintenance of strong bones
• Magnesium contributes to the proper functioning of the nervous system

Magnesium helps in the maintenance of a normal state of mind and a normal ability to concentrate and learn
Food remains the best source of magnesium and should never replace a supplement. A supplement is at most a supplement to your diet.

How do you choose a good magnesium supplement?
There are a ton of magnesium supplements on the market. We can therefore imagine that you have doubts about which one suits you best.

We at Nutribites have marketed our own magnesium supplement . We have invested our time and resources for months in developing a high-quality, easily absorbable and safe magnesium supplement. We are happy to share our knowledge with you below, so that you can also have a good magnesium supplement.

The four criteria for a good magnesium supplement are:

Organically bound magnesium
Contains additives for the best absorption
Dosed safely
Free from sugar, soy, gluten and titanium dioxide
Nutribites Magnesium meets all of the above requirements. This does not mean that other brands are bad: there are many good brands available. We recommend that you use the above criteria as a checklist to choose a brand that you feel comfortable with.

1. Opt for organically bound
Our body cannot absorb magnesium as a loose mineral. It must be bound to some other substance.

Research shows that inorganic compounds are the least well absorbed by the body [4]. That is why it is better to choose an organically bound form of magnesium for the best absorption.

Organically bound forms of magnesium are: magnesium citrate, magnesium bisglycinate, magnesium taurate and magnesium malate.

Inorganic means that the magnesium is bound to a substance that does not naturally occur in the body. Therefore, avoid magnesium oxide, magnesium chloride, magnesium hydroxide and magnesium sulfate.