Natural help for muscle cramps
A MUSCLE cramp always feels like a surprise. Have you been woken up from restful sleep by a painful leg cramp or a charley horse?
Can you relate to the feeling of creepy crawlies in your leg (restless leg syndrome)? Have you ever been struck down on the sports field due to sudden painful cramp?
Muscle cramps, meaning the sudden contraction or tightening of the muscles, is a terrifying and excruciating experience. Fortunately, help is available.
While muscle cramps can be caused by many conditions ranging from dehydration to overly vigorous exercise, studies show that one of the causes of cramps is the deficiency of magnesium. It is the mineral responsible for the regulation and proper functioning of over 300 enzyme processes in our body, including muscle and nerve function.
In fact, clinical studies show that magnesium is able to help for all types of muscle-related pain – from headaches to digestive distress to menstrual cramps.
In order to obtain the many benefits of magnesium without experiencing its side effects, one can consider taking amino acid chelated magnesium, such as magnesium glycinate.
In the area of supplements, the definition of “chelated” means that the magnesium is bonded to amino acid, a protein naturally found in our body.
Research reveals that amino acid chelated magnesium is one of the most bioavailable forms of magnesium for supplementation. In a 2005 review article by Coudray et al., magnesium glycinate is listed as a ‘good’ source of magnesium since it is soluble, easily absorbed, and bioavailable.
Moreover, amino acid chelated magnesium is also one of the most gut friendly magnesium supplements. Schuette et al. reports magnesium glycinate as an absorbable form of magnesium for some patients with intestinal resection in the Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.
This means that those who experience diarrhoea with magnesium supplementation can consider switching to amino acid chelated magnesium instead.
The key reason amino acid chelated magnesium is safer and more effective is due to how it is absorbed by our intestine. Other forms of magnesium supplements break apart when they come into contact with the gastric juices of the stomach, this process releases ionic magnesium in the intestine and will reduces the absorption rate of magnesium.
On the other hand, amino acid chelated magnesium remains intact despite exposure to gastric juices in the stomach, hence allowing it to be absorbed by the intestine and thus delivering the benefits of magnesium.
Currently, the recommended intake for magnesium is 400–420mg for men and 310– 320mg for women. One should always choose the right magnesium that has high absorption and bioavailability, such as amino acid chelated magnesium for the most optimum results.