Magnesium chloride: what is it for?
Meet Magnesium Chloride, a supplement to treat and prevent various health problems
Magnesium chloride is a substance widely used as a food supplement. Understand its characteristics, what it is for, benefits and contraindications.
Magnesium (Mg) is an essential element for the proper functioning of the body. It participates in over 300 biochemical reactions in the human body. The best source of magnesium for humans is food, but the poor soil and the use of chemicals in crops compromise the absorption of magnesium by plants, which ends up causing a lack of magnesium in a large part of the population. Not to mention the problem of poor diet resulting from the consumption of processed foods, which aggravates this deficiency, which can lead to a deficiency in magnesium, also known as hypomagnesemia. Understand this theme better in the article: "Magnesium: what is it for?".
What is Magnesium Chloride?
To overcome the lack of magnesium chloride in the body, many choose to use pharmacological supplements to incorporate into their daily diet. These supplements are available in different forms, but the most common is magnesium chloride (MgCl2).
Magnesium chloride is an inorganic salt in the natural form of colorless crystals with a bitter taste and is found in abundance dissolved in seawater. THE Food Drug Administration, the US food and drug agency, considers magnesium chloride a safe substance to be used both as a nutritional supplement and as a food ingredient. However, due to the bitter taste, it is not common in cooking.
When searching the internet for magnesium chloride as a nutritional supplement, numerous purchase options are presented for various uses and treatments. This form of consumption is the most common, as the price is more affordable, it is easy to find in pharmacies, it is easily absorbed by the body and quickly replenishes the level of magnesium in the body. Many of these magnesium chloride supplements come with the acronym PA (Pure for Analysis), which means that this product is more concentrated and better assimilated by the body.
What is magnesium chloride for?
Magnesium chloride PA serves to treat and prevent our body from a series of problems, bringing benefits to our health. As magnesium is used in hundreds of functions in our body, it helps fight various health problems. Here are some of the benefits that magnesium chloride PA can bring:
- Increased brain functions. Studies indicate that an adequate concentration of magnesium in the brain improves short- and long-term learning and memory by increasing the elasticity and density of synapses in the memory-corresponding area of the brain. A new compound called Magnesium-L-Threonate or MgT has proven to be quite effective in improving brain-related functions - it acts as a synapse protector and may prevent Alzheimer's disease.
- Strengthens bones. Magnesium is directly related to bone metabolism, its deficiency in the body is linked to osteoporosis and its consumption is linked to bone density. Several studies have shown improvements in bone health after taking magnesium alone or combined with potassium.
- Fights infections. In 1915, the French surgeon Prof. Pierre Delbet was looking for an improved substance to heal wounds. So he found that magnesium chloride PA did not harm tissues and had a great effect on leukocyte activity and phagocytosis. It also found that if the patient consumed magnesium chloride PA orally or by injection, the compound had an immunostimulating effect, fighting infections.
- Prevention and treatment of migraines and headaches. Studies show that magnesium is a very tolerable, safe and inexpensive option for patients to prevent migraines. It has also been shown to be effective in acute treatment against several types of headache.
- Prevention or treatment of hearing loss. Hearing loss is a relatively common problem and most cases are the result of metabolic disorders. The exact process performed by magnesium is not fully known, but as it is a safe treatment it can be used alone or in combination to prevent or treat hearing loss, especially noise-induced hearing loss.
- Alleviates stress. The amount of magnesium in the body is associated with the level of stress, the greater the stress the more magnesium will be lost from our body. Magnesium has a protective role to reduce the adverse effects of stress that is potentiated by hypomagnesemia and vice versa.
- Prevention and treatment of depression and anxiety. Studies show that daily magnesium intake is an important preventive agent against depression and anxiety.
- Reduces the intensity of addictions. The administration of magnesium reduces the intensity of addictions to alcohol, nicotine, caffeine and also illicit drugs by its moderate effect of stimulating the brain's reward system and by reducing the activity of substances related to compulsive use.
- Decreases the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Hypertension is one of the biggest risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Magnesium supplementation lowers blood pressure as well as the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
- Fights asthma in children. Studies in adults were inconsistent, while in children there was an 80% improvement in lung function.
In addition to these benefits mentioned above, the consumption of magnesium is being studied for the treatment and prevention of several other problems. How magnesium acts in different situations is not fully understood, so there is still a lot to discover. But remember: although it is a supplement and does not require a prescription, consult a physician or nutritionist before consuming magnesium chloride PA.
How to take magnesium chloride?
To buy magnesium chloride PA, it is necessary to look for a reliable place, such as pharmacies or secure internet sites, to guarantee its origin. You can buy the supplement in capsules, powder or liquid (drops). The powder has a not very pleasant taste, so some opt for capsules, although they are a little more expensive. The supplement in capsules and in liquid form should be taken with plenty of water. To take magnesium chloride PA powder, it is necessary to dilute it in filtered water. To correctly take magnesium chloride PA, follow the instructions on the package.
Contraindication
Magnesium chloride PA is considered a very safe substance, but it is not indicated for people who have kidney problems, myasthenia gravis or have diarrhea, as magnesium chloride PA has laxative properties.
Side Effects of Magnesium Chloride
The consumption of PA magnesium chloride is generally well tolerated by the population, but in some cases it can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. If taken in high concentrations, it can cause intoxication and lead to hypotension, muscle weakness, difficulty breathing, among others.
