Product Form: Vegetarian Capsules
Product Class: Minerals
Primary Use: Relaxes nerves, muscles and promotes relaxation and restful sleep. Kirkman® offers Magnesium Glycinate® capsules in a hypoallergenic formulation for individuals with special requirements and sensitivities.  Magnesium glycinate is a form of magnesium that is easier to digest and absorb than some other forms of magnesium.

Kirkman® uses magnesium glycinate exclusively from Albion® Labs, Inc. of Clearfied, 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 bioavailabilty 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, sleep problems 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 metals falls on the manufacturer.  Kirkman® uses only the purest forms of magnesium that have 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