5 ms·

My working assumption about multivitamins is that they contain enough of a given vitamin/mineral to _say_ it's in there, but not enough to cause problems caused

My working assumption about multivitamins is that they contain enough of a given vitamin/mineral to _say_ it's in there, but not enough to cause problems caused by an excess of that nutrient. Which makes them not very useful for nutrients which are commonly quite low in the common diet (like magnesium). Magnesium, for example, is a laxative in higher doses. If you're selling a multivitamin, you don't want to be giving your customers diarrhea, so you run the numbers and put in just enough magnesium so that your customers will get the benefits of your product without tipping the scales into diarrhea-ville. On a side note, if your multivitamin is using magnesium oxide, it's barely getting absorbed by the body anyway.

pflanze 3y ago
The better magnesium forms (like citrate) tend to be very voluminous. They might not want to make multivitamin pills large because people tend not to like that. That's my personal hypothesis. (People who have decided that they want magnesium specifically and are informed about the better forms will just (have to) accept the bigger pills.) Also, price probably plays a role.
giardini 3y ago
arcanemachiner says >" if your multivitamin is using magnesium oxide, it's barely getting absorbed by the body anyway."< Magnesium oxide works fine. Suffered repeated bouts of cramps after hard swim workouts for 15 years (Masters' swimming). One day driving home a guy on the radio explained that you need as much magnesium as calcium. I began taking magnesium oxide. Results: no more cramps, breathholding ability way up and enjoyed a far more relaxed swim stroke.
- pc86 3y ago
  Did you take MO as part of a multi or just as a standalone supplement?
  - giardini 3y ago
    I was taking a calcium pill (eating bananas too for K) and wondering why my cramps persisted. I added MgO and (poof) the cramps vanished and other good side-effects appeared immediately. Though Ca and Mg are often combined, some combinations may be marketed differently. For example "Rolaids" is sold primarily as an antacid but is little more than calcium:magnesium oxides in the ratio 1:5. It tastes better than most CaMg supplements so, if someone wants to merely try a supplement, I recommend Rolaids! Most Ca+Mg supplements have a ratio 1:2 of the oxides.

pflanze 3y ago

The better magnesium forms (like citrate) tend to be very voluminous. They might not want to make multivitamin pills large because people tend not to like that. That's my personal hypothesis. (People who have decided that they want magnesium specifically and are informed about the better forms will just (have to) accept the bigger pills.) Also, price probably plays a role.

giardini 3y ago

arcanemachiner says >" if your multivitamin is using magnesium oxide, it's barely getting absorbed by the body anyway."< Magnesium oxide works fine. Suffered repeated bouts of cramps after hard swim workouts for 15 years (Masters' swimming). One day driving home a guy on the radio explained that you need as much magnesium as calcium. I began taking magnesium oxide. Results: no more cramps, breathholding ability way up and enjoyed a far more relaxed swim stroke.

pc86 3y ago
Did you take MO as part of a multi or just as a standalone supplement?
- giardini 3y ago
  I was taking a calcium pill (eating bananas too for K) and wondering why my cramps persisted. I added MgO and (poof) the cramps vanished and other good side-effects appeared immediately. Though Ca and Mg are often combined, some combinations may be marketed differently. For example "Rolaids" is sold primarily as an antacid but is little more than calcium:magnesium oxides in the ratio 1:5. It tastes better than most CaMg supplements so, if someone wants to merely try a supplement, I recommend Rolaids! Most Ca+Mg supplements have a ratio 1:2 of the oxides.