About Ligand Size

Are we starting to see where there can be differences in mineral chelates? From the host of ligands available on the market let us limit our ligand selection to just one type for illustrative purposes: Glycine.

Glycine is an amino acid that can be in a long chain of atoms, specifically oxygen, nitrogen, carbon and hydrogen. Ligand size or chain length, is a key factor involved in having a chelated mineral that can be absorbed at a highly efficient rate. Ligand molecule size together with the attached mineral atom makes a combined size. This combined size is important because these molecules can get larger than the size of the cell it is suppose to be absorbed into.

It makes just plain sense that if the chelated molecule is too large to go into the cell the only way it can be absorbed is if it hangs around long enough to be broken down in the digestive process. If the “chelate” is present long enough to be broken down, it has a chance to be absorbed but is little better than an inorganic form of mineral. A larger size substantially lowers the effectiveness of the chelate if the ligand must be broken so the body can re-chelate the mineral for absorption. Chances are the larger chelate will be passed through the digestive system without absorption taking place at all.

Chelate molecule size as determined by the choice of ligand used and the process used to create the specific chelate is a second differentiating feature between chelates in the marketplace.