The food supplement shelf at the supermarket is full of different magnesium cans. There are over 80 of them even in the magnesium category of a large domestic food supplement online store. We at Puhdas+ also have 15 magnesium- containing products, of which 14 are pure magnesium products and one collagen & magnesium combination product. How do these different magnesium preparations differ from each other? What should you pay attention to when choosing a magnesium product? Does the form of magnesium matter? I will try to answer these questions in this blog post.
Differences between magnesium preparations
There are magnesium preparations on the market in the form of oral capsules and powders, externally used sprays, gels and creams, and flakes for foot baths. The advantage of externally used products is that possible intestinal challenges are not an obstacle to the absorption of magnesium, and magnesium can be used in larger quantities at once in people with sensitive stomachs.
Another difference is the form of magnesium used in the preparation, or more precisely the magnesium carrier. When reading the ingredients list of the jars, you will encounter e.g. magnesium citrate, -oxide, -taurate, -malate, -glycinate and many other forms of magnesium. Some users have a slightly mistaken idea that a certain form of magnesium is better absorbed than another. However, with the exception of magnesium oxide, this is not true. The task of the magnesium transporter is to transport magnesium to the digestive system, where the transporter and magnesium separate and only pure magnesium and the transporter remain separately. Of course, the carrier itself may have other positive effects on the body. However, the concentrations of the transporter in a single capsule are comparatively very small, so a better response would actually be obtained by taking magnesium and glycine separately. You should also think about the timing of taking magnesium according to the form and your own needs. If you suffer from problems with sleep, you should emphasize the time of taking it in the evening (excluding magnesium malate), and if there are no problems with sleep, you should spread the dosage evenly throughout the day.
The third difference can naturally be found in the amount of magnesium the product contains, i.e. the strength of the product. The carrier and possible fillers take up a surprisingly large percentage of the live weight of the powder, so the amount of magnesium may vary greatly. For example, the forms of Puhdas+ Quattro magnesium have been carefully chosen to maximize the amount of magnesium in a single capsule, which has achieved a magnesium content of up to 140 mg. The amount is even half as much as many similar products of popular competitors.
The fourth difference is the other possible ingredients of the preparation. There are many combination products on the market that combine, for example, magnesium and calcium in one capsule. In addition, the list of ingredients may contain various fillers, binders or surface treatments, which practically never bring benefits to the user, but may even cause harm in the form of absorption and unpleasant stomach problems.
Pay attention to these things when choosing a magnesium preparation
- Magnesium content: The weight of the product or the number of capsules is a rather weak basis for price comparison. Pay more attention to the amount of magnesium in the product, so that when you buy magnesium, you pay for the maximum amount specifically for magnesium.
- For the carrier of magnesium: Avoid magnesium oxide, because according to studies, its effectiveness is comparatively weak compared to other forms. Magnesium citrate is a reliable and cost-effective choice, but in this case the small benefits of the amino acids acting as a transporter are missed. Magnesium malate, magnesium taurate, magnesium glycinate are generally valued forms of magnesium.
- Other ingredients of the product: If you are buying magnesium, you should pay attention to whether you are paying for an unreasonably long list of different fillers, from which you will at least not get any benefit.
- Intended use: Are you looking for magnesium to help with varicose veins or muscle cramps? In this case, you should try locally applied sprays or gels . If, on the other hand, you are looking for help with night awakenings, magnesium glycinate may work best. If you are looking for a cost-effective preparation for an adequate intake of magnesium, magnesium citrate may be the best solution. Or if you need a versatile and easy-to-use magnesium capsule; Quattro magnesium. Or if you want the maximum benefit from a relaxing foot bath, then choose magnesium flakes .
- Price: As said, price comparison of magnesium products is relatively challenging. When doing that, it is worth calculating the weight specifically for strength and high-quality forms, instead of capsule or gram amounts.
In the Puhdas+ selection you will find a comprehensive selection of magnesium preparations for every need. All capsule and powder products are completely additive-free. Among the products that can be applied to the skin, you will find our own sprays for both muscles and joints, as well as a very strong magnesium gel and bath flakes. Puhdas+ Quattro magnesium capsules are the strongest versatile capsule on the market.