In order to be able to specifically compensate for a magnesium deficiency with supplements, medicines should be used that are characterized by high bioavailability. Organically bound compounds of the biofactor in oral form such as aspartate, orotate or citrate are preferable.1,2,3 These are characterized by a higher bioavailability compared to inorganically bound magnesium salts such as magnesium oxide.
According to an in-vitro study, magnesium orotate showed a very high absorption rate of up to 90 % and a rapid release of the active ingredient within 10 minutes.4
In addition, two magnesium compounds with contrasting bioavailability, i.e. one compound with particularly high and one with poor bioavailability, were tested in an in vivo study based on the in vitro tests. It was found that the in-vitro bioavailability can be directly translated into poorer bioavailability in vivo and that the in-vivo bioavailability was not related to the magnesium content of the preparations, but to the in-vitro solubility and bioaccessibility.
In daily practice, attention should therefore be paid less to the magnesium content and more to the magnesium compound and its bioavailability with regard to supplementation. This also benefits the tolerability of magnesium supplementation, as diarrhea can occur with a high magnesium intake due to the water-binding effect in the intestine. Healthy people should therefore adhere to the maximum daily dose of 250 mg recommended by the BfR and spread this over at least two intakes.
Further information on magnesium can be found here.
Read also the review:
J. Frank, K. Kisters, OA. Stirban, S. Lorkowski, M. Wallert, S. Egert, MC. Podszun, JA. Pettersen, S. Venturelli, HG. Classen, J. Golombek.:
The role of biofactors in the prevention and treatment of age-related diseases. Biofactors 2021, 47: 522-550, IF 6.113
Literatur:
(1) Walker AF et al.: Mg citrate found more bioavailable than other Mg preparations in a randomised, double-blind study. Magnes Res 2003 Sep; 16(3): 183-191
(2) Stepura OB et al.: Magnesiumorotat in severe congestive heart failure (MACH). Int J Cardiol 2009 Jan 9; 131(2): 293-295
(3) Kisters K et al.: Positiver Effekt einer Magnesiumorotat-Therapie bei hypertensiver Herzerkrankung. Nieren- u. Hochdruckkrankheiten Jahrgang 45, Nr. 1/2016, 1-6
(4) Blancquaert L et al.: Predicting and Testing Bioavailability of Magnesium Supplements. Nutrients 2019 Jul 20; 11(7): 1663