If you've ever suffered through passing a kidney stone, you know the pain and discomfort involved. Around 10 percent of Americans have kidney stones, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. UMMC advises that taking magnesium, an essential mineral, may decrease your risk of developing certain types of kidney stones. Magnesium must be combined with other compounds for absorption. The amount of elemental magnesium and its bioavailability in different supplements can vary. Ask your doctor which magnesium supplement to take and in what dosage.
Elemental Magnesium
The amount of elemental magnesium in magnesium supplements varies, depending on what type of compound the magnesium is mixed with. Elemental magnesium simply means the amount of pure magnesium in the supplement. To treat or prevent kidney stones, you need 84 to 252 mg of elemental magnesium per day. Magnesium oxide contains the largest amount of magnesium, 60 percent, while magnesium sulfate contains the least, 10 percent, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Magnesium carbonate provides 45 percent magnesium, and magnesium hydroxide contains 42 percent. Both magnesium chloride and magnesium lactate contain 12 percent magnesium; magnesium citrate supplies 16 percent.
Bioavailability
While the amount of elemental magnesium found in compounds is a factor to consider, its bioavailability, or the amount of the compound your body can absorb, is equally important. A study conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and reported in the December 2001 issue of "Magnesium Research" found that just 4 percent of magnesium oxide, despite its larger percentage of magnesium, was absorbed. Magnesium chloride, aspartate and lactate, which contain much less elemental magnesium, provided greater bioavailability.
Amounts
The UMMC website suggests 200 to 400 mg of magnesium citrate daily by mouth to treat or prevent kidney stones. Drugs.com advises a daily dose of 140 to 420 mg of magnesium oxide. Doses of up to 350 mg per day appear to be safe, MedlinePlus reports. High doses may cause diarrhea, muscle weakness, confusion, slow breathing or coma.
Considerations
Magnesium supplements have not been conclusively proved to decrease the incidence of all types of kidney stones. No single established dose for treating kidney stones with magnesium has been established, since different forms of magnesium vary in their bioavailability and the varying amounts of magnesium they contain. Talk to your doctor before taking magnesium supplements to treat kidney stones.
References
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Magnesium
- MedlinePlus; Magnesium; July 2011
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Magnesium; Steven Ehrlich; June 2010
- "Magnesium Research"; Bioavailability of US Commercial Magnesium Preparations; M. Firoz, et al.; December 2001
- Drugs.com: Magnesium Oxide
- Schachter Center for Complementary Medicine; The Importance of Magnesium to Human Nutrition; Michael B. Schachter, M.D.; 1996
