When it comes to magnesium, how much you use is not as important as what kind of magnesium you use. Everyone is familiar with milk of magnesia; unfortunately, magnesium is harsh and not as safe as many would think. At the same time, when you take a good look at your multivitamin, you will find that magnesium features prominently on the list of minerals contained therein and it is considered vital to the proper functioning of your body. This begs the question: is all magnesium created equal?



In the world of magnesium there are the good, the bad, and the ugly:

1. The good form of magnesium - the kind that you won't mind taking as part of your colon cleanse regimen - is magnesium oxide. This form of magnesium will enable you to cleanse your colon yet it relies on oxygenation to do so, which will make the process of the colon cleanse longer, but at the same time more natural and thus gentler on your body as a whole.

2. The bad kind of magnesium is magnesium sulfate. It will not kill you, and you might actually know it as Epsom salt. Once in a while it is used as a laxative mixed at home in a pinch, but for the purpose of a colon cleanse, it will not provide the decimation of the compacted fecal matter that has built up in your colon. Instead, it will simply flush out whatever fecal matter would have evacuated during your next bowel movement anyways - thus simply rushing things along a bit.

3. The ugly kind of magnesium is the one that is most popular: magnesium hydroxide. Do not be fooled into thinking that magnesium oxide and magnesium hydroxide are the same substance or even share similar qualities! You most likely know this product as milk of magnesia and it is indeed a powerful laxative but at the same time it depletes your intestines of vital salt, thus interfering with the electrolyte balance in your body. If you have ever noticed a friend or loved one undergoing a colon cleanse and instead of looking refreshed and vitalized they are tired, moody, and seem to run out of energy quickly, you must know that you are probably looking at someone who uses a colon cleanser that relies on magnesium hydroxide to get things moving along.

It is important to make sure you are educated on the ingredients used in the colon cleaner. It is also important to understand how the ingredients work together to achieve the colon cleansing effect. Just because one cleanser contains 10 ingredients while another only contains three, does not mean that either one is better or worse. It is the harmony between the ingredients, and the forms they take that decide the quality of the substance.