Kirkman® offers Buffered Magnesium Glycinate® capsules in a hypoallergenic formulation for individuals with special dietary requirements and sensitivities.  Magnesium glycinate is a form of magnesium that is easier to digest and absorb than some other forms of magnesium.

This product is also part of our Bio-Max Series that uses forms of nutrients that have clinically proven to be among the best absorbed and most highly bioavailable.  Our capsules are buffered, which means that they are resistant to pH changes when in solution, making them less reactive and less likely to irritate the digestive tract.  Increased absorption capacity may also result.
Kirkman® uses magnesium glycinate exclusively from Albion Labs, Inc. of Clearfield, Utah, a leader in the manufacture of mineral chelates.  The product, also known as Albion® Magnesium Amino Acid Chelate, has been evaluated as superior to other forms of mineral salts in both animal and human bioavailability studies.  Results of these studies are available from Kirkman® upon request.
 
The use and effectiveness of magnesium supplementation is well-documented.  Magnesium is an essential mineral that is involved in many body functions, as well as being constituent of bones and teeth.  It is an essential element of cellular metabolism and is an enzyme activator.  Other body actions include:

     •  Magnesium relaxes nerve impulses and muscle contractions.
     •  Magnesium promotes relaxation and, in the process, may aid in restful sleep.

Signs and symptoms of magnesium deficiency can include fatigue, mental confusion, heart disturbances, irritability, weakness, muscle spasms, loss of appetite, insomnia or a feeling of weakness.  The Physician's Desk Reference for Nutritional Supplements states that recent data of inpatient and outpatient populations suggests that magnesium deficits may exist in 12% to 40% of individuals.

Magnesium supplements usually have their beginning as minerals that have been influenced by our environment.  For that reason, the purity of magnesium raw materials is important.  Magnesium, like calcium, can have undesirable impurities present.  The responsibility to assure the absence of lead and other heavy metal content falls on the manufacturer.  Kirkman® uses only the purest forms of magnesium that has been tested for heavy metal content, as well as other impurities.

There are many different forms of magnesium, and The Physician's Desk Reference for Nutritional Supplements states that there is no compelling data indicating absorption differences.  There are reported differences in how different forms affect the gastrointestinal tract, however.  Below are some guidelines, though individual results may vary and should be discussed with your physician before administration:
 
     •  oxide:  tends to firm stools
     •  glycinate:  a very gentle form of magnesium that is easier on the system
     •  citrate:  tends to loosen stools
     •  sulfate:  tends to loosen stools
     •  chloride:  tends to loosen stools