Magnesium malate combines magnesium and malic acid. Both substances help produce energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which studies show can be deficient in fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS). Magnesium helps cells form and maintains muscles, bones and nerves.
Some research supports magnesium malate for boosting energy and alleviating the pain and tenderness of FMS. Many doctors and patients say they've had success with it, but one controlled study showed it was no more effective than placebo. More studies need to be done on whether these supplements are helpful.
Some FMS/ME/CFS experts recommend taking 140 mg of magnesium twice a day, and 600 mg of malic acid 3 times a day, before meals. One uncontrolled study showed a benefit with 200 mg of malic acid and 50 mg of magnesium 3 times a day. It's likely to take some experimentation to find your optimal dosage.
Magnesium is found in fish, artichokes, bananas, grains, yogurt, black beans, almonds, cashews and brazil nuts.
Malic acid comes from apples or other tart fruits.
Both magnesium and malic acid can cause intestinal problems. So if you develop symptoms such as persistent diarrhea, bloating, or cramping, you might want to take a break from these supplements to see if symptoms resolve. You may also want to try them individually to see if one is easier to tolerate than the other.
If you have kidney or heart problems, be sure to check with your doctor before starting magnesium supplements.
More Supplement Information
- Back to Supplements for Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Other supplements for energy:
- Other supplements for pain/tenderness
Source:
Journal of Rheumatology. 1995 May;22(5):953-8. "Treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome with Super Malic: a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled, crossover pilot study."
