Nutritionally savvy individuals know that supplemental calcium helps build better bones, and magnesium makes muscles mightier. However, unless you take a chelated mineral supplement, you're likely wasting your money.
Definition
Chelate simply means to combine. In the case of minerals, it refers to combining or chemically binding an inorganic element (a mineral) with an organic compound (the chelating agent) to make the mineral bioavailable.
Waste
Without the presence of the chelating agent, your body will not readily accept the inorganic mineral. Consequently, more than 95 percent of it passes along as waste, or worse, forms mineral deposits in the kidneys and other parts of the body, says Carolyn Dean, M.D., and author of The Magnesium Miracle.
Absorption
If you attach the mineral to an amino acid or salt chelate that chemically resembles a juicy orange, however, bioavailability dramatically improves. Your body now uses more of the mineral for nourishment and rejuvenation.
Calcium and Magnesium
To date, citric acid, or citrate, is one of the best overall chelates for calcium and magnesium, according to Dean. She also relates that when possible, stay away from poorly absorbed calcium carbonate and magnesium oxide, which you'll often find in multiple formulas because they're cheap and convenient.
Chromium, Selenium and Zinc
According to the bestselling reference guide Prescription for Nutritional Healing, the body easily absorbs chromium picolinate and chromium polynicotinate, while methionine is a good chelating agent for selenium. When buying zinc, look for picolinate or citrate in pill form and gluconate in lozenges.
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