10 Magnesium Taurate Benefits

10 magnesium taurate benefits image

 

Magnesium Taurate is a complex of Magnesium and Taurine. Magnesium Taurate benefits include healthy heart function, energy and sleep.

Magnesium is one of the most important elements of our daily nutrition. It is needed for more than 300 processes that take place within our bodies such as releasing energy for cells, maintaining muscle and nerve functions and regulating our blood.

Around 60% of magnesium from our food is stored in our bones, helping them remain strong, but the body will use these reserves for muscles and soft tissues if it doesn’t get enough in the diet.

Magnesium is found in many foods we eat, such as leafy green vegetables, nuts, brown rice, whole grain bread, avocados, dark chocolate, fruit and also fish, dairy and meat.

However, many foods are lower in magnesium due to depleted soils and a number of medications can actually reduce the amount of magnesium we absorb from our diet.

Low magnesium levels are surprisingly common in the UK with 6.5 million adults not getting enough, and it can lead to numerous health issues including fatigue, depression, a weakened immune system, heart disease and blood pressure imbalances among others!

What is Magnesium Taurate?

Magnesium taurate is a compound made up from magnesium and taurine, an amino acid which provides a host of it's own health benefits. 

Taurine is an important amino acid which only occurs naturally in meat, fish, and dairy. Taurine has many beneficial functions in the body such as bile synthesis, blood pressure homeostasis and regulating GABA, a neurotransmitter involved in mood.

When magnesium is combined with taurine to form magnesium taurate it not only improves absorption of the magnesium but also provides additional health benefits which makes them a perfect combination for a daily supplement.

It's also an important supplement for vegetarians and vegans due to the lack of taurine in these diet. 

Why Magnesium and Taurine are Such Good Partners in Magnesium Taurate

Taurine is used by the body to transport magnesium in and out of cells through the cell membrane and has the ability to function differently for different types of cells throughout the body, such as nerve cells, heart cells, immune cells, skin cells and many others. Studies have also shown that taurine causes an increase in magnesium concentrations in cells critical for bone formation and as a reserve for those other vital functions.

10 Health Benefits of Taking Magnesium Taurate

1. Blood Pressure

 Both magnesium and taurine have blood pressure lowering effects, helping to improve blood flow and preventing blood vessels from contracting, so used together they are even more effective.

2. Nervous System

 Magnesium taurate supports healthy functioning of the nervous system. It helps to maintain normal levels of calcium essential for neurotransmitters and activates and increases GABA produced naturally in the brain.

3. Heart Support

 As magnesium and taurine both help to lower blood pressure, they protect the heart from developing an irregular heartbeat. Further to this, taurine actively helps the heart to effectively pump blood around the body. Therefore, magnesium taurate is particularly beneficial to cardiovascular health.

4. Blood Sugar

Studies have found that both taurine and magnesium work to regulate healthy blood sugar levels. Magnesium and taurate have both been shown to improve the body’s sensitivity to insulin and reduce the risk of diabetes complications. 

5. Brain/Mental Health

 Many people who suffer from bad headaches and migraines do so because they have a lack of magnesium in their bodies. Research has shown that taking magnesium taurate helps to reduce the risk of getting migraines as well depression, and maybe even neurodegenerative disorders. 

There is also evidence to suggest that taurine helps people to relax when they are stressed or feeling anxious, as an antidepressant, as well as working to slow declines to cognitive function by stimulating production of new brain cells. 

6. Better Sleep

 Magnesium taurate helps to relax your mind to fight insomnia. It can therefore help to increase your sleep quality and leave you feeling well rested, without having to take non-natural sleep aids.

7. Reduce Inflammation

 If you have low levels of magnesium in your body, you are often more prone to chronic inflammation, which can lead to more serious diseases. Taking supplements containing magnesium helps to reduce chronic inflammation, especially in older or overweight people. 

8. Healthy Digestion

Taurine assists the liver in the creation of bile salts which break down the fatty acids that are found in your intestines. Bile salts are how your body breaks down harmful cholesterol and turns it into bile to aid with digestion and promote good levels of metabolism.

9. More Benefits from Exercise

Taurine has also been found to help with increasing performance during exercise. It works to get rid of waste products created by the body when exercising that make your muscles burn and fatigued. You may therefore find that taurine helps to increase endurance and allow you to keep exerting yourself for longer, leading to better performance with less risk of aching muscles post exercise. 

10. Reduces migraines. Magnesium taurate may help reduce the frequency and severity of migraines, possibly due to its ability to reduce inflammation and promote relaxation.

Why Take Magnesium Taurate?

You might be wondering which is the most appropriate form of magnesium for you. All well-absorbed forms of magnesium will provide standalone benefits but if you are looking for additional heart, stress and sleep benefits then magnesium taurate is the best choice for you. It is also free from laxative effects so is more appropriate for those with a sensitive digestive system.

Magnesium Oxide vs Magnesium Taurate

Magnesium supplementation can be a tricky area to understand. Most people logically pick up a supplement and look for 100% of the NRV to meet daily requirements. 
However any magnesium supplement that provides 100% of the NRV in a single capsule has to be using form that aren't well absorbed. The table below illustrates the difference in magnesium content between magnesium taurate and magnesium oxide:
Elemental Magnesium Absorption
Magnesium Oxide  60.5% magnesium / 39.5% oxide Low
Magnesium Taurate 9% magnesium / 91 % taurine High

 

This means that in each capsule of magnesium taurate there is less actual magnesium but it is much better absorbed and has been shown to be clinically effective.

Recommended by Expert Cardiologists

At Ethical Nutrition we take magnesium supplementation seriously. We work with Dr Sanjay Gupta, a renowned cardiologist in the UK who recommends  Ethical Nutrition's magnesium taurate supplement to many of his patients.

How to Take Magnesium Taurate

Ethical Nutrition Magnesium Taurate UK Supplement

  • Take 2 capsules per day with water. If you have problems with swallowing simply open the capsule and empty contents into water. 
  • Rated 5 stars on Trustpilot from over 100 user reviews.
  • The strongest magnesium taurate in the UK! We've squeezed the maximum possible amount into each capsule. 
  • Provides 150mg elemental magnesium per day, the perfect supportive amount to a healthy diet.
  • Well-absorbed and gentle on digestion.
  • Completely additive-free.
  • Plastic free packaging.
  • Family owned, UK company.

How much daily magnesium do I need?

The amount of magnesium you need depends on several factors, including age, sex, and overall health. In general, a balanced diet that includes plenty of fresh vegetables and whole grains should provide most people with enough magnesium.

It's worth noting that your body doesn't absorb all of the magnesium you consume. On average, you'll absorb between 30% and 40% of the magnesium from your diet.

According to NHS guidelines, adult men should aim for a minimum of 300mg of magnesium per day, while adult women need a minimum of 270mg per day. 

However, research shows our ancestors evolved consuming closer to 600 mg per day.

How to get more magnesium from food.

If you're looking to up your magnesium intake, these five foods are a great place to start:

  1. Nuts and seeds. Almonds, cashews, and peanuts are all rich sources of magnesium. Just one ounce (28 grams) of almonds provides 80mg of magnesium, while the same amount of cashews provides 74mg. Two tablespoons of peanut butter will give you 49mg of magnesium. Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, and pecans are also good options.

  2. Whole grains. When it comes to magnesium content, whole grains beat processed grains by a mile. Two slices of whole-grain bread contain 46mg of magnesium, a packet of instant oatmeal contains 36mg, and half a cup of brown rice provides 42mg.

  3. Dark leafy vegetables. Dark leafy greens are another great source of magnesium. Just half a cup of cooked spinach contains a whopping 78mg of magnesium, while collard greens, kale, and broccoli are also good choices.

  4. Dark chocolate. Good news for chocolate lovers: dark chocolate is a great source of magnesium! Just one ounce (28 grams) of dark chocolate contains 64mg of magnesium.

  5. Fruits. In addition to being packed with potassium, bananas are also a good source of magnesium, with a medium-sized banana containing 32mg. Other magnesium-rich fruits to add to your diet include figs, tangerines, strawberries, grapefruit, and blackberries.

Thanks for reading our blog post about the benefits of magnesium taurate. The bottom line is whichever magnesium form you are looking to take it should be well-absorbed and provide enough magnesium to make a difference. For those looking for additional benefits for the heart, brain, sleep and blood pressure magnesium taurate could be a good choice. 

If you've liked what you've read sign up for our newsletter! You'll get access to our expert resources and free nutritional advice from our nutritionist Mark.