Magnesium is an important nutrient that is naturally present in foods and is also available in dietary supplements. Elemental magnesium refers to the amount of magnesium provided by dietary supplements. Magnesium citrate is a type of magnesium supplement with an elemental magnesium content of 16 percent. Due to the amount and bioavailability of elemental magnesium provided by magnesium citrate, this medication provides certain health benefits. However, you shouldn't take magnesium citrate without first consulting your physician.
Treating Magnesium Deficiency
Elemental magnesium provided by magnesium citrate supplements is beneficial in the treatment of magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is an essential mineral, which means that preventing a deficiency of this nutrient is necessary for good health. While most healthy people get enough magnesium in their diet to avoid magnesium deficiency, people with certain health conditions and people taking certain medications may need to take magnesium supplements, under a doctor's supervision, to prevent or treat magnesium deficiency. Because certain antibiotics, diuretics and cancer medications can deplete magnesium stores and cause deficiency, individuals taking these medications may benefit from taking magnesium citrate. Poorly controlled diabetes, alcoholism and chronic malabsorptive problems may also cause low magnesium levels, and people with these conditions may benefit from taking magnesium citrate.
Laxative Benefits
In addition to correcting inadequate magnesium levels, magnesium citrate is also commonly prescribed for constipation or as a preparatory treatment for a colonoscopy because of its laxative effects. Elemental magnesium delivered via magnesium citrate helps relieve constipation and empty the bowels by drawing water into the intestines to induce defecation. Laxative medications containing elemental magnesium in the form of magnesium citrate are typically formulated as liquids rather than capsules or tablets. For laxative benefits, magnesium citrate is typically taken on an empty stomach, followed by a glass of water. According to Drugs.com, the usual dosage of magnesium citrate for laxative benefits is 240 ml. Talk to your doctor before using magnesium citrate for constipation, since it may interact with other drugs or health conditions.
Other Potential Health Benefits
Besides magnesium deficiency and constipation, magnesium citrate may also provide benefits to people with various other health conditions. However, evidence for these other uses is not conclusive. According to the University of Maryland Medical Clinic, when administered in addition to conventional treatments, elemental magnesium provided by magnesium supplements may possibly benefit individuals with diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and several other conditions. According to National Institutes of Health online medical encyclopedia Medline Plus, magnesium citrate in particular might help reduce the frequency and severity of migraine headaches when taken in high dosages of 610 mg, three times per day. There is also evidence that magnesium citrate, when administered at a dosage of 365 mg twice daily, may improve clinical outcomes in coronary heart disease patients, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Considerations
In addition to magnesium citrate, magnesium supplements come in the form of several other magnesium compounds, including magnesium oxide, magnesium chloride and magnesium sulfate. Although the elemental magnesium content of a magnesium supplement such as magnesium citrate influences its effectiveness, a magnesium supplement's bioavailability, or ability of the human body to absorb magnesium from that particular compound, is also important. Several magnesium compounds contain more elemental magnesium than magnesium citrate, including magnesium oxide, magnesium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide. However, magnesium citrate is recommended over these compounds because of its comparatively higher bioavailability, according to UMMC. Magnesium gluconate and magnesium lactate are also recommended magnesium formulations for increasing magnesium levels because of their good bioavailability.
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