Solgar Calcium Magnesium Plus Zinc

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Calcium Magnesium Plus Zinc is a combination supplement for supporting healthy bones, teeth and muscles. It also supports the musculoskeletal structure and nervous system, and it claims to improve overall mood, immunity, blood sugar control, and sleep quality. It is created by a trusted UK brand, Solgar, for adults of all ages and it is suitable for vegans.

Side effects are rare but may include headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain and cramps, loss of appetite, muscle weakness, numbness and tingling. The main downside of the supplement is that the tablets are a little big to swallow.

Personally, I would generally only recommend this supplement if you are sure you have deficiencies in these minerals. Many people are deficient because of the modern diet. However it is difficult to test for deficiencies, so you can watch out for the symptoms of deficiency and trial this tablet to see if it resolves them.

Some of the symptoms of calcium deficiency are muscle cramps, muscle weakness, numbness or tingling in the fingers and toes, brittle nails, dental problems, fatigue, and bone fractures.

Symptoms of magnesium deficiency can include muscle cramps, tremors, fatigue, weakness, irritability, depression, irregular heartbeat, loss of appetite, and nausea.

Symptoms of zinc deficiency can include loss of appetite, impaired sense of taste and smell, slow wound healing, hair loss, skin rashes, frequent infections, diarrhea, and mood disturbances.

These symptoms are quite wide ranging and overlap with many different conditions, it can be difficult to accurately diagnose. You should always see a consultation with a doctor to discuss the possibilities.

This supplement might be a good idea to take if you are taking high-dose vitamin B supplements, because they deplete these minerals greatly. The same applies to vitamin D. Vitamin D is required for magnesium absorption, while magnesium is involved in activating and metabolizing vitamin D. Both nutrients contribute to calcium balance. Deficiencies in either can impact bone health and overall well-being.

Magnesium deficiency is much more common these days because of the way modern farming strips away magnesium from the soil, vegetables now generally have a lower level of magnesium on average than the past. Most people’s diets have a lot of processed food, and therefore they just don’t consume enough of these minerals in their diet. Another issue is that Vitamin D is now widely known about as a something to supplement with to help with the immune system and the lack of sunlight that people suffer from with indoor lifestyles, but people don’t realise that Vitamin D depletes magnesium, so with the increase in Vitamin D supplementation, there’s a possible knock on effect of magnesium deficiency.

Alternatives would be eating food that are rich in these minerals. Calcium-rich food are dairy and fortified plant-based milks, cheese, yogurt, seeds, sardines, salmon, almonds, beans, lentils, leafy green vegetables. Food rich in magnesium are avocados, nuts, legumes, tofu, whole grains, fish, bananas and leafy greens. Last but not least, the best source of zinc is oysters. Other good sources are red meat, poultry, beans, nuts, crab, lobster, whole grains, breakfast cereals, and dairy products.

The interactions of the various essential nutrients in the body, are very complex and can be difficult to get a handle on. Blood tests aren’t completely accurate and people’s diets are varied and inconsistent. All this combines to make it hard to know what supplements to take, what dose to take them at and what other supplements to take with them. Supplements might solve one thing but then cause a different problems. Generally most supplements aren’t that influential, they perform a slight top up to your needs, but long term, it’s important for everyone to educate themselves on the exact methodology of what they are supplementing.