What is magnesium malate?
Magnesium malate is a combination of magnesium and malic acid, a substance that can be found in apples, oranges, and other fruits. The malic acid ensures the magnesium is more easily absorbed by the body and has its own health benefits.
Magnesium Malate vs Citrate
Magnesium citrate and magnesium malate are similar forms of magnesium, as they are both bound with acids (malic acid and citric acid) found in fruits, but have slightly different uses. While you can take either as a supplement, magnesium citrate is largely marketed and used for its laxative effects.
Magnesium Malate Benefits
The benefits of magnesium malate include:
Anti-inflammatory – Magnesium is an anti-inflammatory, which means it helps reduce inflammation throughout the body. Chronic inflammation is linked to all of our biggest killers, from heart disease to cancer. The more we can do to reduce long-term inflammation in the body, the healthier we can be and feel.
Fights depression and boosts mood – Magnesium has been used to reduce the symptoms of depression since the 1920s, and studies have linked low levels of magnesium with a higher risk of mental health problems. More recent studies have had remarkable results; one study found that adults taking 450mg of magnesium daily for 12 weeks found magnesium was as effective as antidepressants.
Improves exercise – Magnesium is essential for healthy muscle function, oxygen absorption, electrolyte balance, and energy production, all of which are critical for optimal performance. Studies have shown that magnesium reduces recovery time and lactate build-up and helps improve performance.
Improves blood sugar regulation – Magnesium helps the body regulate blood sugar and increases insulin sensitivity, which is essential for those approaching or who have diabetes. It has even been proven to help regulate blood sugar in children with type 1 diabetes.
Reduces chronic pain from fibromyalgia – Studies have found that those suffering from fibromyalgia are often deficient in magnesium, and that boosting their magnesium intake (to around 300mg – 500mg daily) helped reduce pain.
Improves sleep – Magnesium is essential for high-quality sleep, as it helps produce melatonin. Taking magnesium malate for sleep can help you fall asleep sooner and lengthen your periods of deep sleep.
Headaches and migraines – Magnesium malate has been seen to help reduce occurrences of headaches and migraines. A study found that adults who took 1g of magnesium when they felt the start of a migraine attack found relief much faster than any other common medication.
Improves digestive health – Magnesium malate promotes healthy bowel movements because it draws more water into the digestive system, which helps move the food through the digestive tract. It also acts as a natural antacid, which helps to reduce stomach aches and heartburn.
Aids muscular function – Magnesium is critical for good muscle and nerve function, and that includes your heart. Magnesium helps to regulate your heartbeat, and so those deficient in magnesium are likely to experience irregular heartbeats and palpitations.
Similarly, supplementation with magnesium has been seen to help reduce premenstrual cramps and other symptoms of PMS.
Reduces blood pressure – Studies have found that magnesium can assist in lowering high blood pressure and early research suggests that it can help balance good and bad cholesterol levels.
Protects against bone loss – Around 50% of your body’s magnesium is found in your bones and a magnesium deficiency is associated with brittle bones (also known as osteoporosis). One study found that those deficient in magnesium experienced three times more fractures than those with sufficient levels of magnesium in the blood.
Why does the body need magnesium malate?
The body doesn’t “need” magnesium malate specifically, but it does need a sufficient supply of magnesium to work optimally so you can reap the benefits we discussed above. The difficulty with relying on getting magnesium through food alone is that it’s generally only available in small amounts, and that amount is dwindling with over-farming. The world’s topsoil is being depleted of essential nutrients, which leaves our food deficient.
Since some forms of magnesium aren’t easily absorbed by the body, taking magnesium with malate not only gives your body all the magnesium it needs, but it ensures it can absorb what you take, too.
How long does it take magnesium malate supplements to work?
You’ll start to see the benefits of magnesium malate after taking it consistently for about one week, especially if you take it at the same time of day.
When is best to take magnesium malate?
You don’t need to take magnesium malate at a specific time and you can take it with or without food. If you’re taking magnesium malate for sleep, try taking it with your evening meal. If you’re taking magnesium malate for chronic pain, try taking it in the morning or twice a day.
Can you take too much magnesium malate?
It’s very difficult to take too much magnesium since excess can be removed by the body. If too much magnesium is somehow taken at an excessive rate over time, hypermagnesemia can occur, but it is rare. In most cases, the symptoms are not severe and the body can flush out the excess magnesium on its own.
Can I take magnesium malate with other supplements?
Yes. Taking magnesium malate will not interfere with any other supplements you take and can even help your body because magnesium assists in so many bodily processes.
Where to Buy Magnesium Malate UK
There are a lot of magnesium supplements out there, but few are eco-friendly, vegan, and all-natural. Fortunately, our Magnesium Malate is all those things and we only use the highest quality ingredients for our supplements. If you’re looking for high-quality magnesium malate in the UK, find our Magnesium Malate supplement here.
