Question

What is magnesium oxide??

Answer 1

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• Magnesium oxide is a type of magnesium mineral supplement that is mostly made of magnesium—it actually contains more magnesium than other magnesium supplements. Magnesium oxide is acquired by burning magnesium with pure oxygen, but this method is quite costly.

Answer 2

What is magnesium oxide?

Magnesium oxide is an inorganic salt of magnesium formed with ions of magnesium and oxygen .

It’s one of many forms of magnesium available for purchase in supplement form. It’s added to dietary supplements as well as over-the-counter medications used to treat constipation, indigestion, and headaches.

Compared with other forms of magnesium, it may be less effective at raising blood magnesium levels (3Trusted Source).

How does it compare with other forms of magnesium?

Magnesium oxide and other inorganic salts of magnesium like magnesium carbonate are high in elemental magnesium, which is the total amount of magnesium in a supplement (3Trusted Source).

However, they have a low solubility rate, making them less bioavailable than other forms of the mineral. So, even though magnesium oxide supplements provide a good amount of magnesium, it’s not the most available form for your body to utilize (3Trusted Source).

A 2019 study confirmed this by testing 15 magnesium supplements and finding that a supplement containing only magnesium oxide had the lowest bioavailability (3Trusted Source).

Meanwhile, a supplement with both inorganic and organic magnesium salts — magnesium oxide and magnesium glycerophosphate, respectively — had the highest bioavailability (3Trusted Source).

Because of its low absorption rate in your intestines, magnesium oxide may lead to digestive effects like diarrhea. In fact, its strong laxative effects are why it’s commonly used to treat constipation (3Trusted Source).

A 2017 rat study demonstrated its low absorption rate, concluding that only 15% of orally administered magnesium oxide was absorbed, while 85% was excreted in the feces. Older research suggests the absorption rate is even lower in humans (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source).

In contrast, magnesium citrate, magnesium acetyl taurate, magnesium malate, and magnesium glycinate all have high absorption rates and are more effective at increasing magnesium levels in the body (6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source).

Still, magnesium oxide has been shown to offer several benefits and is commonly used to treat medical conditions like chronic constipation. used to treat constipation, indigestion, and headaches.

Compared with other forms of magnesium, it may be less effective at raising blood magnesium levels (3Trusted Source).

How does it compare with other forms of magnesium?

Magnesium oxide and other inorganic salts of magnesium like magnesium carbonate are high in elemental magnesium, which is the total amount of magnesium in a supplement (3Trusted Source).

However, they have a low solubility rate, making them less bioavailable than other forms of the mineral. So, even though magnesium oxide supplements provide a good amount of magnesium, it’s not the most available form for your body to utilize (3Trusted Source).

A 2019 study confirmed this by testing 15 magnesium supplements and finding that a supplement containing only magnesium oxide had the lowest bioavailability (3Trusted Source).

Meanwhile, a supplement with both inorganic and organic magnesium salts — magnesium oxide and magnesium glycerophosphate, respectively — had the highest bioavailability (3Trusted Source).

Because of its low absorption rate in your intestines, magnesium oxide may lead to digestive effects like diarrhea. In fact, its strong laxative effects are why it’s commonly used to treat constipation (3Trusted Source).

A 2017 rat study demonstrated its low absorption rate, concluding that only 15% of orally administered magnesium oxide was absorbed, while 85% was excreted in the feces. Older research suggests the absorption rate is even lower in humans (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source).

In contrast, magnesium citrate, magnesium acetyl taurate, magnesium malate, and magnesium glycinate all have high absorption rates and are more effective at increasing magnesium levels in the body (6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source).

Still, magnesium oxide has been shown to offer several benefits and is commonly used to treat medical conditions like chronic constipation.