Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body and is essential for hundreds of biological processes, supporting muscle and nerve function, blood pressure regulation and the immune system.
But what does magnesium do and why is it important to take it?
What is magnesium?
Magnesium is the eighth most abundant element in the earth's crust and is one of the seven macrominerals, i.e. minerals that must be consumed in relatively large amounts (at least 100 milligrams (mg) per day) for the body to function properly.
Magnesium is a cofactor in more than 300 enzyme reactions and is therefore essential for many physiological functions, such as:
- Heartbeat
- Vascular tone
- Nerve function
- Muscle contraction and relaxation
- Bone formation
What are the consequences of magnesium deficiency?
Certain conditions, such as Crohn's disease, celiac disease or type 2 diabetes, can be associated with inadequate magnesium levels in the body. In fact, these conditions affect nutrient absorption, increasing the body's need for magnesium or depleting mineral reserves.
Magnesium absorption also decreases with age, and our kidneys excrete more of the mineral as we age, so older people are more likely to suffer from low magnesium levels.
Over time, low magnesium levels can lead to low calcium and potassium levels. Symptoms of magnesium deficiency may include:
Very severe magnesium deficiency can cause numbness, tingling, muscle cramps, convulsions, personality changes and abnormal heart rhythms.
Where is it found in food?
Magnesium can be obtained from plant and animal foods.
Magnesium-rich foods include green leafy vegetables such as spinach, legumes, seeds, beans, fish, whole grains, nuts, dark chocolate, yoghurt, avocado, bananas and many others.
The liposomal technique
The body often breaks down and degrades complex molecules before they are absorbed (or cannot absorb them quickly), reducing their absorption levels.
The liposomal technique is very innovative in that liposomes are easily absorbed, so products encapsulated with them achieve much higher blood levels than those found in unencapsulated products such as pills or oils.
Liposomal Technique
Many nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, can be encapsulated in a liposomal system. Liposomes are vectors consisting of closed vesicles formed by a double layer of phospholipids, very similar to the membranes that surround our body's cells. The phospholipid membranes have the ability to spontaneously form these vesicles when they are in aqueous solution, filling and entrapping the dissolved components such as nutrients.
The process of liposomal encapsulation allows the substances to effectively penetrate the tissues, protect them from the risk of oxidation and degradation, pass through the digestive system intact, be distributed in a targeted manner throughout the body via the bloodstream to the intracellular level, effectively reaching the target without damage. This greatly improves their absorption and bioavailability in the body.
Liposome Functions
Liposomes have three main functions
- Protect the active ingredients. The acidic environment of the stomach can damage some active ingredients. Liposome encapsulation protects the active ingredients in the digestive system.
- "Masking. Phospholipids mask the active ingredients so that larger amounts can be absorbed and escape the selective function of the small intestine. The side effects of some vitamins and minerals in high doses can be reduced.
- Improved absorption. Liposomes are preferentially absorbed in the intestine because they are made up of phospholipids, just like our cell membranes. Through normal fat absorption, the active ingredients are delivered directly to the enterocytes (intestinal cells) and from there to the blood via the lymphatic system. This bypasses the liver.
Many supplements can be formulated as liposomal substances, either in powder, tablet or liquid form.
Liposomal technology: why use it?
Every supplement targets the cells in our tissues that are reached by the bloodstream.
Oral supplements are by far the most common and are usually the first and best choice for taking certain types of substances.
However, the main drawback is their perceived ineffectiveness, which is why supplements tend to have a bad reputation.
In fact, the most sensitive compounds lose most of their effectiveness as they pass through the digestive tract, or are not absorbed and are excreted before they can do their job.
Researchers have found that liposomal formulations can be used to transport substances, including dietary supplements, to protect them.
Liposomes have been used for decades, but their usefulness is also evident in achieving complete absorption of many nutrients.
Liposomes have been shown to improve the bioavailability of nutrients by up to 46 times - bioavailability indicates how much of a substance actually enters the bloodstream.
Bioavailability can be compared to cost-effectiveness: the higher it is, the more effective the substance is in our bodies.
In addition, with traditional pills it is not possible to get more than a certain amount of a particular substance into the bloodstream: with liposomes this amount can be much greater.