Chelated Calcium & Magnesium

If you plan to take a calcium or magnesium supplement, you may wonder which type is best. Types of calcium supplements include calcium carbonate, calcium lactate, calcium gluconate, calcium citrate and calcium citrate malate. Calcium carbonate is not chelated like the other types. Some people believe that chelated minerals are more readily absorbed.

Identification

Chelated means that a mineral is firmly bound to amino acid or other organic component so that the two do not disassociate in the digestive system. Some companies that sell chelated minerals claim they are absorbed better. Chelation is required for the mineral to be absorbed by the body, but the body can complete the process on its own.

Function

Calcium is a mineral important for muscle contraction, blood vessel expansion and contraction, hormone and enzyme secretion and nerve impulses, according to the National Institutes of Health, or NIH. It also supports the structure of bones and teeth. Magnesium is a mineral that maintains normal muscle and nerve function, regular heart rhythm, immune system response and bone health, according to NIH. Magnesium helps control blood sugar levels and maintain normal blood pressure. It's also involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis.

Controversy

According to Oral Chelation, reputable companies that make chelated vitamins ensure maximum digestibility and usability. According to Gabe Mirkin, M.D., chelated vitamins offer no advantage because minerals naturally chelate to amino acids, sugar and organic acid in your intestines. Supplement Quality claims that chelated forms can be better, depending on the mineral. Chelated calcium and magnesium are unlikely to be better absorbed than other forms because inorganic compounds, like calcium carbonate and magnesium oxide are easily separated and well absorbed, according to Supplement Quality.

Comparison

Calcium carbonate is not a chelated supplement, but it is more commonly available and inexpensive, according to NIH. Calcium is more readily absorbed from calcium citrate, a chelated supplement, than from calcium carbonate, found a 1988 study published by Jean A. Harvey and colleagues in the "Journal of Bone and Mineral Research."

Supplements

If you choose to take calcium and magnesium supplements, consider the amount of elemental calcium in the supplement, not the total weight of the pill, Mayo Clinic recommends. Absorption is highest when you take less than 500 mg at once, according to NIH. The Institute of Medicine recommends that adults should get 1,000 mg of calcium a day. After age 50, they should get 1,200 mg. Men ages 19 to 30 need 400 mg of magnesium a day. After age 30, they need 420 mg. Women ages 19 to 30 need 410 mg of magnesium a day. After age 30, they need 320 mg.