Webinar preview: Balchem improves magnesium absorption with mineral chelation technology

Amid a growing market interest in magnesium for its stress and sleep benefits, Balchem underscores the challenges of delivering bioavailability and digestive tolerance. Albion Minerals, Balchem’s brand for chelated minerals, tackles these common issues by binding molecules to glycine. 

Ahead of the company’s upcoming webinar, “Navigating the Jungle of Magnesium Bioavailability,” Nutrition Insight meets with Oliver Riemann, senior manager of Marketing and Business Development for Albion Minerals. 

With Dr. Eric Ciappio, Balchem’s senior manager of Nutrition Science, Riemann will explore the magnesium market, spotlighting Albion magnesium bisglycinate chelate as a highly bioavailable mineral.

“Magnesium is the fastest-growing mineral in the supplement market and holds the biggest share among minerals used in supplements,” he says. “But not all minerals are the same, and there is a huge variety of magnesium forms out there being used as ingredients in consumer products. They are all called magnesium but have different pros and cons.”

Riemann details that the webinar will highlight key considerations when choosing a high-quality magnesium ingredient and determine the best for a specific purpose. In addition, the website will present the scientific benefits of Albion magnesium bisglycinate chelate and market application examples showing how a brand can use the solution in new product launches.

Mineral chelation

One of magnesium’s main challenges is offering a highly bioavailable form while being gentle on the digestive system. Some magnesium forms can cause discomfort or have limited absorption. In addition, ensuring stability in formulations is crucial, especially in complex supplement blends.

According to Riemann, Albion’s chelation process enhances absorption and tolerance by binding magnesium with glycine.

“If you look at the molecular structure of chlorophyll, for example, you realize that it has a mineral, magnesium, bound to a large organic structure. This is one way that nature uses minerals in biology.”

The webinar will highlight key considerations when choosing a high-quality magnesium ingredient.“What Albion did by creating the first mineral chelates for human nutrition was mimicking nature’s way of utilizing and delivering minerals, which is the magic behind why chelated minerals are considered one of the most superior mineral forms when it comes to bioavailability.”

Riemann says this chelation process is backed by scientific research. “Albion Minerals is the inventor of chelation and the pioneer in the market for decades. This can be translated into trust, experience and reliability.”

Driving market forces

The magnesium market is driven by increased health awareness and demand for preventive care, says Riemann.

“As this ingredient acts as a cofactor for more than 300 enzymes, it is a true versatile star and, therefore, the fastest-growing and most-used mineral in the supplement market.”

“Lifestyle-related issues such as stress and insomnia are trending and consumer-resonating topics, especially in current uncertain and dynamic times with all its global crises. Also, muscle cramping is prevalent, and consumers are actively looking for ways to support heart, bone and muscle health.”

He adds that these consumer interests and demands align closely with magnesium’s scientifically supported benefits, making it a popular choice for consumers who seek proactive health maintenance.

“Magnesium bisglycinate has a huge hype on social media, especially TikTok, which pushed the market to new heights.”

Developing a high bioavailable form of magnesium that is gentle on the digestive system is one of the mineral’s main challenges.Albion magnesium bisglycinate is used in supplements for general health and as a single-ingredient magnesium product. It is also tailored to stress relief, muscle recovery and sleep support.

Riemann says the ingredient can be used in various formats, such as capsules, tablets, stick packs and gummies. “Due to its high solubility, it can also be used for beverage applications or effervescent tablets.”

Quality seal

At the same time, Riemann says the primary market is driven by inorganic salts such as magnesium oxide or citrate. Although these are cheap, he cautions that they can cause gastrointestinal distress and are less effectively absorbed.

“There is still a way to go to educate both brands and consumers to look for the better minerals, the superior magnesium form and the webinar, which is part of our strategy to gain visibility for this.”

Albion Minerals developed its quality seal, TRAACS — The Real Amino Acid Chelate System — to demonstrate its rigorous quality standards, product consistency and reliability.

Riemann says Albion Minerals considers its seal an industry standard for proving a fully reacted mineral amino acid chelate by fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), a technique used to obtain an infrared spectrum of the absorption or emission of a solid, liquid or gas.

“Only when a mineral chelate is truly fully reacted can consumers benefit from the unique benefits of this mineral form. If the reaction accidentally fails, the resulting product can’t deliver the promised benefits, or even worse, can cause common side effects of the cheaper inorganic minerals salts.”

“That is something brands should not risk, and therefore, all Albion mineral chelates are verified for being fully reacted batch by batch,” he adds.

Riemann says Albion magnesium bisglycinate chelate can be used in formats such as capsules, tablets, stick packs and gummies.Scientific support

Research is crucial, as magnesium is one of the most challenging minerals for measuring absorption rates. Riemann says that Albion Minerals’ chelated magnesium is the “most clinically researched magnesium bisglycinate in the market.”

For example, the company recently provided support to help found the Mineral Metabolism Research Center at Virginia Tech to explore the role minerals — particularly magnesium — play in human health. 

During the webinar, the speakers will explain the challenges and difficulties in measuring magnesium absorption rates due to the absence of a robust, measurable biomarker.

“It is so important to not just rely on one single trial, but refer to a broad, well designed and peer-reviewed portfolio of studies done in different populations, different models and transparent protocols that combine results from cell lab trials and true clinical studies,” says Riemann.

He stresses that only this combination provides the best reliability of magnesium’s benefits. “We believe only Albion can provide this scientific quality and proof due to its history and recognized citations.”

The speakers will refer to clinical trials conducted with the Albion magnesium bisglycinate molecule, demonstrating reduced tolerability issues.

“The webinar will also delve into research highlighting Albion magnesium bisglycinate chelate’s superior absorption rates against other magnesium forms and its impact on maintaining optimal magnesium levels in the body,” he adds.