Zinc, Magnesium, and Calcium

[Ignoramus]

The article on zma (http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/zman.php) says that you should not combine calcium and magnesium but the article on calcium (http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/calcium.php) says you should take them together for better absorption.

For now I just got the Calcium, Magnesium, and Zinc combo that was at the drug store.

Could somebody help clear this up?

[DirtbagDan]

You basically bought a supplement that the company who made it knows nothing about. There's all kinds of that stuff out there.

[Bigpete]

Depends what you want to absorb. Zinc and magnesium help the absorption of calcium, but calcium prevents their absorption. In the earlier part of the day, when you should consume your calcium, you want to take magnesium and calcium together. Often times the companies will combine the two (check your calcium supplement). Before you go to bed, you want to have absorption of the magnesium, so you try to avoid calcium at all costs.

[Ignoramus]

[ QUOTE ]
Depends what you want to absorb. Zinc and magnesium help the absorption of calcium, but calcium prevents their absorption. In the earlier part of the day, when you should consume your calcium, you want to take magnesium and calcium together. Often times the companies will combine the two (check your calcium supplement). Before you go to bed, you want to have absorption of the magnesium, so you try to avoid calcium at all costs.

[/ QUOTE ]

THANKS! a clear answer finally.

[l0stsheep]

Big Pete might be right, but I have to disagree right now.

From the Calcium article:

[ QUOTE ]
For the best absorption use a calcium supplement that contains both vitamin d and magnesium as they both increase absorption and usage.

[/ QUOTE ]

From the ZMA article:

[ QUOTE ]

A Solution
....
c. Do not take anything that has calcium in it with zma! Calcium competes ferociously with the absorption of it!

[/ QUOTE ]

This looks like a contradiction except for the fact that ZMA doesn't just contain magnesium.

Here's just a study about Zinc and Calcium absorption that says:

[ QUOTE ]
Zinc absorption was reduced significantly by 50% when the calcium supplement was given with the meal.

[/ QUOTE ]
http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/65/6/1803

So, I think both of the articles on ABC are correct. Magnesium helps with the absorbtion of calcium and calcium should not be taken with ZMA because it reduces the absorption of it; that of Zinc, one part of ZMA. The article on ZMA makes a strong case for the importance of zince, which is why I think this is added in there.

Just what I think.