Everything you ever wanted to know about magnesium
“The global magnesium supplements market is valued at approximately USD 12.83 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 24.15 billion by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.23% between 2024 and 2032.”
– Vantage Market Research
Clearly, magnesium is a widely used, but seemingly misunderstood mineral. We often know we need it, but we don’t know why / how much / in what form and what to look for. Our deepest insight is, generally, that it can reduce muscular cramping – which it can – but not necessarily.
"A deficiency in magnesium can lead to more than just cramps; it can affect your mood, sleep, and overall health." – Dr. Michael Greger
Some Overview:
Intake is crucial for over 300 biochemical reactions in the body – including energy production, muscle and nerve function, and regulating blood pressure.
It’s been claimed that there would be no life on earth without magnesium – considering it is a vital portion of the chlorophyll molecule – which is responsible for photosynthesis.
In more simple terms: no magnesium = no chlorophyll = no photosynthesis = no plants = no life.
Often, the only time most people think of magnesium is when they’re lying on the ground holding their calf as it spasms and grips — and some helpful soul suggests more magnesium would be a good option. Or possibly the idea is offered up by a friend when we’re not sleeping so well.
So, we buy a bottle labelled something creative like, “Magnesium” or “mega- or ultimate-magnesium”, or similar, at the local supermarket – and give it a go.
Until a few days pass, and our sleep didn’t improve, and we’re not so concerned about cramping anymore – so, of course, it’s added to the pile of pill bottles at the back of the cupboard – one more to the breach.
Re-confirming the long-held, illogical, belief – that supplements just don’t work.
However, maybe we read somewhere that the form of magnesium matters –
So, you turn your Blackmore’s, or whatever, bottle over and find that it’s probably, “magnesium oxide”– which often acts as a laxative prior to replenishing the bodies magnesium stores.
So now what…
Consider the following list of different available forms, their chemical bonding, their relative bioavailability and specific benefits:
FORM BOND BIOAVAILABILITY SPECIFIC BENEFITS
Glycinate Glycine 80-90% Muscle relaxation; sleep quality
Chloride Chloride 50-60% Muscle relaxation and hydration
Threonate L-theanine 25-40% Support cognitive function and memory
Citrate Citric Acid 25-30% Relieves constipation and cramps
Malate Malic Acid 20-30% Energy production and muscle function
Lactate Lactic Acid 20-30% Energy production and muscle function
Taurate Taurine 20-25% Heart health, stress relief
Aspartate Aspartic Acid 20-25% Muscle function, exercise performance
Orotate Oratic Acid 20% Heart health and athletic performance
Sulfate Sulphur 4-20% (oral) Reduce muscle soreness
Oxide Oxygen 4% Relieve constipation and reflux
Hydroxide Oxygen and hydrogen <4% Relieve constipation and heartburn
If that all seems like a jumbled bunch of words, the main take away would be that –
About 90% of magnesium glycinate is absorbed by the body – whereas only about 4% of magnesium oxide is absorbed by the body.
That’s a huge difference.
Also, further to the form, the quality matters:
Understanding Mineral Supplements:
You’ve also probably noticed two numbers on the bottle: Total and Elemental Magnesium.
Total Magnesium
Refers to the total amount of magnesium contained in the supplement, including both the elemental magnesium and any other compounds or ligands – that may be present in the formulation. For example, if a magnesium supplement contains magnesium citrate, the total magnesium would include the weight of the entire magnesium citrate compound (including the citric acid component) — not just the magnesium portion.
Elemental Magnesium
Refers specifically to the actual amount of magnesium available for absorption and use by the body. Elemental magnesium is the pure magnesium content that contributes to the physiological effects and benefits of magnesium. For example, in magnesium citrate, the elemental magnesium is only a portion of the total weight of the compound. For instance, magnesium citrate might contain 16% elemental magnesium by weight (not including the citric acid component).
Importance of the Difference
Dosage and Efficacy: When choosing a magnesium supplement, it's crucial to look at the elemental magnesium content to determine how much magnesium that’s available. A supplement can have a high total magnesium content – but if the elemental magnesium is low, it may not provide the desired effects.
Comparing Supplements: Different forms of magnesium (e.g., magnesium oxide, magnesium citrate, magnesium glycinate) have different percentages of elemental magnesium. Knowing the elemental magnesium helps you compare the efficacy of different supplements.
Determining Quality Claims in Magnesium Glycinate Supplements:
“I know minerals are hard to understand. You’d think a 20% magnesium glycinate is better than a 10%, but it’s actually the reverse. Even though 20% material is higher potency, the absorption/activity is up to 1/3 less.” – Dan Richard, NOW Supplements
In 2022, NOW tested magnesium products from 16 different supplement companies at Eurofins state-of-the-art laboratory. Only one of the products met the label claim when looking at the chelated form of magnesium – suggesting that most brands use non-soluble form of magnesium in place of more expensive chelated form.
“Some brands appear to take advantage of that complexity to obfuscate what they are doing in their formulations so as to induce customers to pay for more than what they’re getting.”
– Dan Richard
Calculating Accurate Magnesium Glycinate Content of Product Claims:
Dividing the molar mass of magnesium by the molar mass of magnesium glycinate will determine the percentage of magnesium glycinate that is elemental magnesium portion.
This calculation should equal just under 14% -- depending on how it’s been weighed by the manufacturer – it can be below 14%, but not above.
So, any product that lists an elemental magnesium amount that exceeds 14% of the total magnesium glycinate amount must be inaccurate – it has been mislabeled, or a cheaper form of magnesium has been blended in without listing it.
‘Buffered’ magnesium glycinate is an example of combining magnesium glycinate with another form, such as magnesium oxide or citrate, however, most don’t list the quantities of each.
For example, if a product claims 100mg of magnesium per serving and 500mg of magnesium glycinate. Divide 100 by 500 and multiply by 100, equals the percentage. In this equation it equals 20% - which exceeds the 14% limit, meaning that the label is inaccurate, or it has other forms of magnesium added.
This example is the first one that came up on a google search –
Vitaceuticals MagZorb Magnesium Glycinate 500mg
read the entire blog on substack — Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Magnesium
