Understanding Different Magnesium Types

Understanding Different Magnesium Types

We’re going to talk about magnesium. But first let’s make some assumptions:

1. You’ve heard about magnesium and some of its potential health benefits. Magnesium is an important cofactor for most body systems and optimal levels can lead to less muscle tension, reduced pain, better sleep, easier to pass bowel movements, improved mood and more energy.
2. You’ve heard that most of us are likely magnesium deficient. Magnesium is found in nuts, seeds, whole grains and some dark leafy greens, but many people don’t get enough of these in their diet. Plus stress and certain medications can deplete magnesium from your body or reduce absorption.
3. Ultimately, you agree that magnesium is important for your health but there are too many supplements to choose from. This is understandable given that magnesium has become one of the most widely available supplements on the shelf of your local health food store, pharmacy or naturopathic doctors office. But what is with all the different types of magnesium?

Yes, why are there so many “types” of magnesium supplements and how do you make sense of them all? 

If you look closer at a supplement label, you’ll see that “magnesium” is actually listed with another substance such as oxide, citrate or bisglycinate (these are the most common). This is because elemental magnesium has a positive ionic charge and needs to be combined with another molecule to stabilize it for delivery.

The second and perhaps most important point, is that in most cases there is likely a minimal difference in terms of efficacy between most different types or supplements *assuming* the same amount of elemental magnesium and that you ‘tolerate’ them equally with minimal stomach upset. This is more my opinion but I will elaborate later. For now, onto the various types!

Magnesium Oxide: This form has the strongest laxative effect and is, therefore, best for easing constipation. Generally speaking, absorption is lower than other types so it is going to take longer to see beneficial effects (ie for mood, muscle tension, headaches, etc). The main benefits of magnesium oxide are its cost effectiveness and ability to fit lots of magnesium into a capsule or tablet relative to other forms.

Magnesium Citrate: There is a slight laxative effect with citrate salts, but still much better than magnesium oxide. This form is somewhere in the middle of the pack when it comes to cost, absorption, effectiveness and so on. So when in doubt, magnesium citrate is a good option.

Magnesium Bisglycinate: This has become the ‘gold standard’ of magnesium forms because it is very stable and considered best absorbed with minimal laxative effect. Glycine is also an amino acid that helps to calm the nervous system (think anxiety, tense muscles and chronic pain).

Magnesium Malate: Malate is a compound needed to make energy within your cells! So it only makes sense that magnesium malate has been studied in fibromyalgia patients and shown to reduce muscle pain and tender points. If you have sore, weak and easily fatigued muscles, magnesium malate may be more indicated for you. 

Magnesium Threonate: This form has been studied for its ability to positively influence memory and cognition and appears to be generally well absorbed. More research is needed to determine its exact effects on the central nervous system, relative to other forms of magnesium. 

Magnesium sulfate: This type of magnesium is only used in intravenous therapy and epsom salt baths as it can be absorbed transdermally through the skin.

There are certainly other types of magnesium (including aspartate, orotate and taurate) but these aforementioned forms are going to encompass more than 90% of the products that you see on the shelf. In addition, it’s worth mentioning that there is not a lot of research comparing various magnesium types to one another. This comes back to the point made originally that magnesium appears to be the main driver of health benefits rather than its pairing. Put another way, perhaps magnesium bisglycinate would be just as helpful for improving memory when compared to magnesium threonate, or magnesium threonate would be equally efficacious relative to a malate form for a fibromyalgia sufferer.

In the end, tailoring your magnesium type to your health goal does make a lot of sense. However, you may want to try for yourself a few different forms to see if you notice a difference in health outcomes. Factors such as cost, taste, delivery method and number of daily doses or capsules are also important and very practical considerations.

Dr. Colin