Underestimated magnesium may become a breakthrough in the raw material market

The rapidly growing magnesium market

According to data from the US market research agency SPINS, during the 52 weeks ending October 6, 2019, magnesium sales achieved an 11% increase to 151 million U.S. dollars, ranking tenth among all ingredients. Nick Dehnert, vice president of marketing for Nutranext, a healthcare brand, said, “The rapid growth of magnesium has allowed it to surpass calcium in natural channels. Magnesium is expected to continue to maintain a rapid growth trend as consumers begin to realize the importance of this ingredient to the human body."

Consumer interest in magnesium is also rising. The Responsible Nutrition Committee conducted a dietary supplement consumer survey of more than 2,000 American adults in August 2019, and listed magnesium as one of the top ten dietary supplements most commonly taken by American consumers, with 18% of the respondents The participants stated that they are taking magnesium. For a long time, magnesium has been an underestimated nutrient. Magnesium can not only activate the activities of a variety of enzymes in the body, but also regulate nerve function, maintain the stability of nucleic acid structure, participate in protein synthesis, regulate body temperature, and affect human emotions and participate in almost all metabolic processes in the human body. Anxiety, heart disease, muscle cramps, asthma, allergies, poor concentration and other health problems are all related to magnesium deficiency.

Nutritionists believe that adults need to consume at least 350 mg of magnesium a day, 450 mg for pregnant women and breastfeeding women, and 500 to 600 mg for athletes and strong physical workers. According to statistics, more than half of Americans consume a serious shortage of magnesium. This is because although magnesium is present in most foods, it is largely destroyed during processing and has a low absorption rate. The following people have a high probability of magnesium deficiency:

1. People suffering from digestive system diseases: digestive tract problems may cause the body to fail to absorb vitamins and minerals normally
2. Diabetes patients: insufficient INSULIN secretion, diabetes and excessive loss of magnesium
3. People who drink tea and coffee for a long time: caffeine makes it difficult to absorb magnesium in food in the intestines
4. People with alcohol dependence: People who drink a lot of alcohol generally lack magnesium
5. Elderly people: Many elderly people have lower magnesium content in their diets than young people, and the efficiency of absorbing magnesium is also lower

According to SPINS data, the application of magnesium in the field of dietary supplements is mainly focused on digestive health, brain health, heart health, mood, bone health and blood sugar management. Benefiting from consumers’ emphasis on emotional health and brain health, magnesium is currently the second most popular mineral in the US market, but its growth rate is much higher than that of CALCIUM, which is the number one. It is expected to surpass calcium in the next three years. Sales.

In China’s health care product market, magnesium is more often just an inconspicuous addition to calcium, or an inconspicuous additive element in compound nutrients. There are almost no health foods based on magnesium in China, and most consumers have a health effect on magnesium. They are all unfamiliar, and there is a lot of room for their future market.

The various effects of magnesium on human health

Magnesium is a key mineral essential for hundreds of biochemical reactions in the human body, including glycogen decomposition, ATP production, insulin production, resistance to inflammation, improvement of myocardial contraction, and expansion and contraction of blood vessels. With the continuous deepening of various clinical studies, the role of magnesium in brain health and sports nutrition has begun to be gradually understood by more people.

Magnesium and brain health

The main reason for the rapid increase in sales of magnesium in recent years is its role in brain health, mood improvement, and sleep aid. In 2019, the sales of magnesium-related health products from natural channels increased by 50.2% in the brain health category and 5.2% in the mood improvement category.

A study published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2004 showed that specific areas of the brain that control learning and memory rely on magnesium for regulation. Researchers describe magnesium as an essential component of the cerebrospinal fluid to keep the areas of learning and memory active. Few components. The paper in the Journal of Neuroscience also revealed that increasing brain magnesium levels can enhance the function of the brain areas that control normal learning and memory, but it does not affect the function of the brain areas that produce fear memory. Supplementing magnesium can not only enhance normal learning. Memory function can also suppress negative emotions (such as fear memory).

Magnesium and sleep

Magnesium promotes the production of melatonin and GABA, the two main substances that promote sleep. Magnesium is an important auxiliary substance in the conversion of tryptophan to serotonin and then to melatonin, and stimulates the receptors of GABA neurons to promote the release of GABA, thereby affecting the length and depth of sleep. In addition, magnesium reduces the release of the arousal neurotransmitters glutamate and cortisol by inhibiting glutamate neurons. So supplementing magnesium before going to bed is one of the effective ways to help solve insomnia.

Magnesium and blood sugar management

Magnesium is involved in the production and secretion of insulin, as well as the transmission of insulin signals in cells. If the body lacks magnesium, insulin cannot regulate blood sugar normally, so almost all people with diabetes will lack magnesium. In one study, researchers randomly assigned 42 newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients between 35 and 60 years old to receive 250 mg magnesium (a combination of magnesium oxide and gluconate) or placebo for three months . The results showed that the intervention of oral magnesium reduced the insulin resistance of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes in this population and improved blood glucose control indicators.

Magnesium and sports nutrition

Magnesium can help generate new mitochondria, repair damaged mitochondria, increase the efficiency of mitochondria to produce ATP, and directly participate in the synthesis of ATP. Therefore, people who exercise a lot need a lot of magnesium. Magnesium also helps to transfer blood sugar to the muscles and excrete lactate, reduce muscle soreness caused by exercise, and make people recover faster.

How to choose magnesium supplements?

Point 1: Add other synergistic ingredients at the same time

Enhance immunity: zinc, vitamin D3
Magnesium is essential for immune health, but this is the result of teamwork, which contains synergistic ingredients such as zinc and vitamin D3. Zinc works by activating T cells. Vitamin D3 improves the absorption of magnesium, reduces the risk of infection, and protects against airborne pathogens.

Enhance sleep: Magnesium can regulate melatonin and strengthen the effect of GABA. Magnesium supplements with GABA and melatonin to promote sleep more effectively.

Point 2: Be careful to choose products that combine calcium and magnesium

Supplementing magnesium and calcium together can increase the absorption rate of calcium. Most domestic magnesium health products are in the form of calcium-magnesium tablets, but the calcium content of the products is often high and the magnesium content is low. Calcium and magnesium have an antagonistic effect. Both have the same ion structure. Calcium ions can easily squeeze out magnesium ions from certain enzymes. Therefore, a certain proportional relationship must be maintained. In 2016, a study published by Vanderbilt University in the United States proved that the ideal calcium to magnesium ratio for the human body is 2 to 1. If this ratio is too high or too little, the impact on the body is "fatal".

Point 3: Choose a more easily absorbed and targeted magnesium source

It is very important to choose magnesium supplements, because it is difficult to absorb magnesium. Amino acid chelated magnesium is one of the most easily absorbed magnesium sources, including magnesium glycinate, magnesium taurate, magnesium threonate, etc.; Most magnesium compounds have laxative effects. People with weaker gastrointestinal tract need to choose a milder and safer magnesium source.

Magnesium Glycinate: an amino acid chelated form of magnesium, which has a very high absorption rate (about four times that of magnesium citrate). It is one of the most easily absorbed magnesium sources by the human body. It is also very safe and mild. Strong laxative effect, suitable for maintaining overall health.

Magnesium L-Threonate (Magnesium L-Theronate): A kind of magnesium that can pass through the blood-brain barrier, also called "brain magnesium", can directly reach the brain center, and has a quick effect after taking it. It is suitable for emotional health and sleep. .

Magnesium malate: A nutritional supplement often sold in the market in the form of tablets or capsules. These nutrients contain magnesium and malic acid, both of which help the body produce adenosine triphosphate, and are good for cells to produce and store energy. Suitable for sports nutrition.

Magnesium taurate (Magnesium taurate): Both taurine and magnesium have the effects of stabilizing heart rhythm and lowering blood pressure, and are suitable for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Other common magnesium sources with low absorption rate

Magnesium oxide: a non-chelated form of magnesium, the magnesium content can reach 85%, but the absorption rate is low.

Magnesium chloride/magnesium lactate: The magnesium content is low, less than one-fifth of magnesium oxide, but it absorbs better than magnesium oxide. Magnesium chloride is often added to drinking water as an ionic water agent.

Magnesium citrate: one of the most common sources of magnesium supplements on the market, with good absorption and low price, and has a laxative effect. Magnesium oxide and magnesium citrate are added with a slow-release agent to slowly supplement magnesium in a slow-release form, which can obtain good results and is often used as a sleep aid health product.