Magnesium Citrate 150mg 300 mg by Vital Nutrients

Magnesium citrate suits two kinds of people: those whose intake or lab results run low, and those who also want help staying regular. If your Magnesium or RBC Magnesium (a view inside the cell) is low or low-normal, or you have taken a diuretic or an acid-suppressing medicine for a long time, this is a reasonable form to replete with. Because citrate draws water into the bowel, it is a better pick than glycinate when stools tend to be hard, and a worse one when they are already loose.

Citrate is magnesium bound to citric acid. It dissolves easily and is absorbed better than magnesium oxide. Absorbed magnesium is a cofactor for hundreds of enzymes, including the ones that make cellular energy; it helps muscles relax after they contract, supports normal nerve signaling and heart rhythm, and is part of bone mineral. The portion that is not absorbed holds water in the intestine, which softens stool and explains this form's mild laxative effect.

The label directs 2 capsules daily, which provide 300 mg of magnesium, or 150 mg per capsule. Take it with food, and split it between two meals if your stomach or bowels are sensitive. Starting with 1 capsule for a few days before moving to 2 is a sensible way to find your tolerance. Evening suits people who take it to wind down. If you are correcting a low level, recheck Magnesium or RBC Magnesium after 4 to 8 weeks.

Magnesium binds several medicines in the gut. Take it at least 2 hours apart from tetracycline and quinolone antibiotics and from bisphosphonates, and 4 hours from levothyroxine. People with kidney disease clear magnesium poorly and should not supplement without their clinician's supervision. Loose stools or cramping mean the dose is more than your gut tolerates, so cut back or split it. If you are pregnant, nursing or on prescription medicines, check with your clinician first.

Softer, easier stools usually show within a day or two. Muscle tightness and sleep take 1 to 2 weeks, and lab values 4 to 8 weeks. Compared with glycinate, citrate helps the bowels but is more likely to loosen them; compared with oxide, more of it is absorbed. This is a supplement dose, not the liquid magnesium citrate used for bowel preparation, and ongoing constipation is something to raise with your clinician.