Try the magic of magnesium
OFTEN tired and don’t know why? You’re not alone. According to a recent study, up to 70 per cent of people in the UK could be deficient in magnesium, an essential mineral that helps us turn the food we eat into the energy we need for life.
Less than half of us consume the recommended daily amount of magnesium.
Best known for helping to reduce tiredness and fatigue, magnesium is also vital for everyday health.
Deficiency can cause mood swings, migraines, eye twitches and muscle cramps.
If you have low magnesium levels, you are also less likely to get a good night’s sleep.
Magnesium is present in foods such as black beans, bananas and pumpkin seeds, but to get the benefits we first need to consume it, then absorb it into our bodies. One way to ensure we consume a consistent level of magnesium is by taking a daily supplement — but not all supplements are equal. Your body’s ability to absorb the magnesium depends on the way it’s made.
‘Most supplements use magnesium oxide — it is the most common form, as it has a high concentration of magnesium,’ says Dr Miriam Ferrer, head of product development at a Cambridge supplement company. ‘However, this form does not release the magnesium easily, and it has a very low absorption rate of about 4 per cent.
‘When we created our supplement, we decided to use magnesium lactate instead — an organic form that is very soluble and has a high absorption rate of about 45 per cent.’
This is important, because consuming large amounts over a long period can affect the digestive system.
By taking a supplement containing magnesium lactate, you can absorb greater amounts of magnesium into the body while consuming less.
‘Not only is it ten times more absorbable over a standard magnesium oxide supplement, you take 88 per cent less per capsule, making it less likely to cause an upset stomach.
‘Overall, you still end up getting over a third more magnesium by taking it this way,’ adds Dr Ferrer.
Reviews of the formulation, gathered on the independent website Trustpilot, speak of its effectiveness.
‘This product gives your body magnesium without upsetting your digestive system. I have used other magnesium pills and suffered stomach problems — but none at all with this one due to the way the magnesium is delivered. I would recommend it to anyone,’ writes Robert.
And Annie, 74, says: ‘A few months ago I realised that I had no energy at all. I put it down to age, but it was really impacting on my life in so many ways.
‘My husband read an ad for the magnesium supplement and I thought I’d give it a try. Within two weeks I was a different woman, with energy to spare.’