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Magnesium CitraMate is an excellent formulation of a reliable, high-quality, and very absorbable magnesium. Citrate is an organic form that is particularly well-recognized by body tissues because it is part of the energy-producing Krebs cycle, and thus much preferred over magnesium oxide. Magnesium bound to citrate may help relieve fatigue. In our experience the citrate form is the least likely to cause loose stools. Magnesium is also better absorbed from a capsule containing a powder than from a hard tablet.

Our patients have generally had excellent results for blood pressure, sleep, migraine, asthma and heart protection from this particular Thorne magnesium formula.

About this product

Magnesium is the second-most ubiquitous mineral within cells of the body, after potassium. Its many health benefits arise from its role in activating a wide variety of enzymes for numerous metabolic processes. Magnesium is especially concentrated in the brain, heart, liver, and kidneys where it has a critical role in energy production. Magnesium is found in whole foods including leafy vegetables, seeds, nuts, legumes, and whole grains. Deficiency is very common in the US population, especially in the elderly and women during the premenstrual phase of their cycles, because of low dietary intake, alcohol, diuretic drugs, oral contraceptives, kidney or liver disorders or loss of magnesium due to excessive calcium intake. Magnesium levels should be measured in red blood cells, not serum. Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include fatigue, muscle cramps, insomnia, and lowered ability to cope with stress.

For cardiovascular health, magnesium can improve energy production within heart muscle cells, open the coronary arteries so that more oxygen reaches the heart, reduce the heart’s workload when blood pressure is lowered, and discourage platelets from clumping or forming clots. Magnesium is known as “nature’s calcium channel-blocker”: it can help lower pressure by impeding calcium’s entry into vascular and heart muscle cells. The vessel walls can then relax to reduce vascular resistance and allow more efficient functioning of the heart. Magnesium’s relaxing effect on muscle also contributes to its benefits for angina due to coronary artery spasm.

For arrhythmias, numerous double-blind studies since 1935 have shown magnesium can have a normalizing effect on heart rhythm and may help atrial fibrillation and ventricular arrhythmias. Magnesium helps ease the heart’s workload and counters the magnesium depletion that can occur with beta-blockers, diuretics, and other drugs. Optimal magnesium levels in patients with congestive heart failure correlate with an almost doubled survival time.

Migraine sufferers have lower magnesium within cells and supplementation is a preventive. Low magnesium levels exacerbate migraine and tension headaches, and magnesium drops right before or during a migraine headache. Also, magnesium deficiency may cause nerve cells in the brain to misfire. Taking extra magnesium improves blood vessel tone and has shown excellent results in studies for reducing the frequency and intensity of migraines. Magnesium may also help by improving mitral valve prolapse, which leads to platelets releasing mediators that eventually cause dilation of blood vessels in the head.

Because of its relaxing effect on muscle and calming effect on nerve transmission and the brain, magnesium is often an effective remedy for insomnia. In clinical research, magnesium has been shown to decrease plasma cortisol levels which calms hyper-vigilance and encourages relaxation. Our patients generally take between 150 to 450 mg at bedtime.

For asthma, higher tissue levels of magnesium correlate with better lung function and reduced asthma symptoms. Since 1912, research has repeatedly shown that magnesium relaxes smooth muscle in the bronchial passages so that airways open more, and breathing is easier. Intravenous magnesium is used to halt acute exacerbations of asthma and COPD, and its good effects can last longer than rescue inhalers.

Magnesium can help constipation related to spasm, inactive or sluggish bowel muscles. With magnesium’s help, cells can more efficiently pump sodium out and draw potassium in. As “nature’s calcium-channel blocker”, magnesium can reduce calcium entry into smooth muscle cells which encourages the muscle tissue to relax and helps to effectively ease constipation. Looser stools can be a harmless though annoying side-effect of taking magnesium.

For vertigo, benign positional vertigo (BPV) and Meniere ‘s disease, magnesium has a calming effect on the nervous system and can help reduce episodic vertigo. Magnesium seems to act by regulating neuromuscular excitability, cell membrane permeability and cell energy production. Studies show that magnesium may help noise-induced hearing loss. People with lower magnesium levels in their white blood cells are more vulnerable to hearing loss. Oral magnesium treatment may reduce temporary and permanent noise-induced hearing loss and may improve permanent hearing thresholds.

PMS, including anxiety, breast tenderness, mood instability, muscle aches and bloating, can frequently be helped by a small dose of magnesium (300-450 mg) especially when taken daily with vitamin B6 for two weeks from mid-cycle to the start of the next period. Magnesium may significantly reduce symptoms in up to 80-90% of people. Several studies have confirmed low levels of magnesium within the cells of PMS sufferers.

Magnesium is also found to be effective in preventing muscle twitching, such restless leg syndrome at night or eyelid twitches due to its muscle relaxant properties. Magnesium is one of the few minerals that is well absorbed through the skin so magnesium bath salts at bedtime may be helpful.

Contents

1 capsule provides:

Magnesium (55 mg as Magnesium Citrate and 80 mg as Albion® DiMagnesium Malate)135 mg

Other Ingredients: Hypromellose (derived from cellulose) capsule, Medium Chain Triglyceride Oil

This product does not contain artificial coloring, artificial flavoring, gluten, soy, or dairy.

Cautions

Always take natural remedies under the supervision of your health care provider. Do not use magnesium without the advice of your healthcare professional if you have kidney disease or are on hemodialysis.

Do not use magnesium if you have heart disease or atrioventricular block without guidance from your healthcare provider. If you take medicines for high blood pressure, use magnesium with caution and monitor blood pressure regularly as its relaxant effect may lower blood pressure and reduce the dose of medication you need. Also observe your blood pressure carefully if you are taking other natural remedies for blood pressure such as coenzyme Q-10, Carditone, fish oil, or hawthorn.

Take with caution and only with a medical professional’s advice if you are using natural remedies for anxiety or insomnia such as 5-HTP, hops, Jamaican dogwood, kava, skullcap, or valerian.

Do not use during pregnancy or lactation unless under the guidance of your physician as there is insufficient data about safety during pregnancy. Occasionally magnesium causes looser stools, which is harmless but annoying, though this is less likely with citrate than the inorganic sulfate or oxide.