Calcium and magnesium supplements come in various forms, including combined vitamin/mineral formulas and specific mineral supplements. Calcium carbonate is the cheapest form, but calcium citrate is better absorbed. Magnesium can come in different forms, and overdose is rare. These minerals are important for the body’s functions and must be obtained from the diet.
Calcium and magnesium supplements come in many different forms. They are usually found as part of a combined vitamin/mineral formula, but can also be found in a specific calcium/magnesium mineral supplement, often with added vitamin D, or simply by themselves. The amounts of calcium and magnesium will vary depending on the supplement. As a general rule of thumb, it’s better to take about half as much magnesium as calcium, since magnesium is needed for proper calcium absorption. Calcium and magnesium supplements are often formulated together, with less magnesium than calcium.
The two main forms of calcium found in dietary supplements are calcium carbonate and calcium citrate, although calcium gluconate, calcium lactate, and calcium phosphate can also be found. Calcium carbonate is the cheapest form, but it may not be absorbed as well as calcium citrate. It is recommended that calcium carbonate be taken with food for better absorption, while calcium citrate can be taken with or without food. Also, calcium is best absorbed in doses of no more than 500 mg. This means that if 1,000 mg is taken daily, it should be divided into two doses of 500 mg each.
Magnesium can come in a variety of forms in dietary supplements; Magnesium citrate, magnesium oxide, magnesium sulfate, magnesium carbonate, magnesium chloride, and magnesium lactate are the most common forms. Additionally, magnesium hydroxide is commonly used in formulas for bowel regularity. Many people do not get the recommended amounts of magnesium from the diet and therefore do not have sufficient magnesium levels, although the symptoms of more severe magnesium deficiency are not commonly found in developed countries. Magnesium overdose is rare, usually caused by excessive ingestion of milk of magnesia or Epsom salts.
Calcium and magnesium supplements are available as capsules, powder, liquid, liquid-filled soft gels, syrups, or tablets. Additionally, the minerals can be found as a chelated supplement. This is a supplement in which the calcium or magnesium is tightly bound to another molecule.
Calcium and magnesium supplements are important because the body does not produce the essential minerals; They must be obtained from the diet. Calcium is found in many foods, but is needed in relatively high amounts. Calcium is stored primarily in bones and teeth and plays an important role in many of the body’s functions. Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body. Approximately half is found in bone, and the remainder is found primarily within cells, with a small amount present in the blood.
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