Magnesium is a mineral needed for over 300 processes in the body, and it’s estimated that over 70% of Americans aren’t getting enough magnesium in their diets. Magnesium is most well-known for its benefits for bone health and calcium absorption, but it has many other uses throughout the body. There are a lot of different forms of magnesium, which can be confusing, so I wanted to go over some of the most popular forms below and what their specific advantages are.
Magnesium Glycinate
Magnesium glycinate is a well absorbing form of magnesium that's bound to the amino acid glycine. This form of magnesium is most often recommended for stress and insomnia, though magnesium glycinate is also helpful for migraine prevention. The only bad thing about magnesium glycinate is that it takes up a lot of room in a pill, so it's often necessary to take several capsules or tablets of pure magnesium glycinate to get the recommended daily dose.
Magnesium Malate
Magnesium malate is magnesium bound to malic acid, a natural fruit compound. Magnesium malate is well absorbed and is the form most recommended for helping with relaxing muscles and also for pain relief. This form is what is also most recommended to help people with fibromyalgia.
Magnesium Citrate
Magnesium citrate is a form of magnesium that's bound to citric acid, an antioxidant compound found in citrus fruits, and since it's a natural form of magnesium, it is absorbed well by the body. Magnesium citrate can also be used to help with constipation, since it helps to bring fluid into the intestines, working like a natural stool softener.
Magnesium L-Threonate
Magnesium L-threonate is different from other forms of magnesium in that it’s used specifically for brain health and brain function. Its dosages are also different from other magnesium. Studies have shown that Magnesium L-threonate may help to preserve brain cell and neuron health and work to prevent degenerative brain diseases. More research is needed, but the preliminary studies have been promising.
Magnesium Taurate
Magnesium taurate is a type of magnesium that’s bound to the amino acid taurine, which is prevalent in heart tissue. This form of magnesium is more geared towards cardiovascular health and is a favorite of athletes because it is often used to help to increase athletic performance.
Magnesium Oxide
Magnesium oxide is not as well absorbed into the bloodstream as other forms of magnesium, and it primarily used to help with preventing constipation. It also works to neutralize acid in the stomach, so some people find it helpful for heartburn.
Chelated Magnesium
When minerals are chelated (pronounced “chee-lated”) it means they’re bound to amino acids to enhance absorption. Magnesium glycinate is a type of chelated magnesium, though in the majority of chelated magnesium products, they aren’t specific about which amino acids the magnesium is bound to.
This is not an exhaustive list of magnesium supplements, but it includes most of the common forms. Something important to remember is to always look on the back of the bottle to see which forms of magnesium a product actually contains and what the serving size is. Also, many of the better forms of magnesium are larger molecules than other types, so to get the recommended dosage of 350 to 400mg per day, you may need more than one pill to get the dosage you’re looking for. Additionally, depending on how your body processes magnesium, if you take too much at one time, you may experience loose stools, which are your body’s way of saying that you’re taking too much magnesium at once. If you experience that, try lowering your dose or split your preferred magnesium dose into two different times in the day.
We have a lot of great magnesium products at the store, though we particularly love a product called Magnesium Breakthrough by Bioptimizers since it contains seven different forms of magnesium. Another favorite of ours is the poorly named Magnesium Citrate by Now Foods since it contains a mixture of magnesium citrate, magnesium glycinate, and magnesium malate in a softgel form. Stop by the store so we can help you to find the best product for your individual needs. We’re at 7228 W. College Drive in Palos Heights.