The effervescent quality of citric acid increases the bioavailability of citrate mineral chelates.* Cal-Mag Citrate Effervescent Powder provides 500 mg calcium and 200 mg magnesium per scoop. This ratio is especially desirable for individuals who need higher amounts of calcium but who, because of magnesium's laxative-like character, cannot tolerate an equal amount of magnesium.* One scoop also provides 500 mg of vitamin C and 500 mg of the amino acid glycine. The desired amount of powder should be placed in a glass containing a small amount of water and allowed to effervesce. When it has stopped bubbling, the solution can be consumed directly or it can be further mixed with a fruit juice. The resultant calcium and magnesium chelates include citrates, ascorbates, and glycinates. Calcium and magnesium are the essentials: anthropological evidence indicates humans were high consumers of calcium until the onset of the Agricultural Age 10,000 years ago. Current calcium intake is one-quarter to one-third of our evolutionary diet, indicating we may not be consuming enough dietary calcium. Recent analysis of large numbers of previously conducted studies on calcium and bone mass demonstrate that supplementation of 500 to 1,500 mg of a well-absorbed form of calcium daily promotes bone mass in adolescents, young adults, older men, and postmenopausal women.* Magnesium is present in all cells of the body and is involved in over 300 enzymatic processes, including energy production.* Magnesium is essential for maintaining normal bone density, normal cardiac rhythmicity, normal pulmonary function, and normal blood glucose regulation.* Other body functions requiring magnesium include nerve conduction, methyl-group transfer, conversion of pyridoxine to pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (the active form of vitamin B6), production of energy, and muscle contraction.* Magnesium supplementation appears to be a significant support to maintaining already normal bone density.* The appropriate intake ratio of calcium to magnesium is undecided, with some authors in the scientific literature supporting a 2:1 ratio (twice as much calcium than magnesium) and others recommending a 1:1 ratio. Thorne Research offers several formulas with varying ratios of calcium to magnesium to meet individual needs.