Magnesium is a mineral that can help improve exercise performance, mental health, and sleep.
It can lower blood pressure and is responsible for hundreds of biochemical reactions in your body. Below, you’ll find the best magnesium supplements, ranked and reviewed by our expert health panel.
Rankings
1. Live Conscious MagWell
Live Conscious magnesium supplement is the superior choice for bone health and a healthy immune system. It contains three forms of magnesium for maximum potency and effectiveness: magnesium citrate, magnesium glycinate, and magnesium malate.
What we like: MagWell contains zinc citrate and zinc ascorbate, alongside vitamin D3 in the form of cholecalciferol. Together, they further improve the triple-magnesium’s power.
You’ll also find no fillers, additives, or common allergens here. Live Conscious ensures maximum purity by adhering to the strictest manufacturing standards and rigorous third-party lab testing; a main reason why they’re number 1 on our list.
Flaws: The triple magnesium formula doesn’t have the fastest absorption on the market.
2. Essential Elements Mg
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Essential Elements provides a full spectrum of benefits with this supplement, including better enzyme function, a stronger immune system, more bone and muscle strength, and a healthy heart.
What we like: It has a potent combination of zinc and vitamin D3 that supports a healthy heart and immune system function. This combination reduces the risk of mineral deficiency. It also contains no icky fillers or ingredients.
Flaws: Some magnesium supplements have better magnesium variety.
3. Doctor’s Best
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Doctor’s Best magnesium supplement optimizes bioavailability and GI tolerance. Since it’s chelated magnesium, it absorbs faster and at a higher rate than ionic salts.
What we like: Doctor’s Best magnesium contains cellulose and two stearate sources to help bind tablets together. It also includes croscarmellose sodium, which helps the table break down quicker, thus improving the bioavailability.
Flaws: It has less magnesium than some of our top ranked products.
4. Nature Made
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With 250 mg of magnesium, Nature’s Made High Potency Magnesium will help your muscles feel more relaxed. In addition, the high dosage allows for better nerve, heart, and bone support.
What we like: Nature’s Made High Potency Magnesium is free of synthetic dyes, artificial flavors, and artificial sweeteners, It’s also gluten-free, which is a big bonus. Because it comes in a soft gel formula, dosage is easy; requiring just one soft gel per day, instead of having to take multiple pills.
Flaws: It’s made of magnesium oxide, which doesn’t absorb as fast as other forms.
5. Nature’s Bounty
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Nature’s Bounty high potency magnesium formula will help optimal bone, muscles and nerve health. Each tablet is coated for easy swallowing.
What we like: Nature’s Bounty is extremely pure, and contains no fillers, gluten, or artificial ingredients. Each product is subjected to numerous quality tests throughout the manufacturing process to verify purity and potency. In fact, Nature’s Bounty tests their final products in their own microbiological laboratory.
Flaws: It doesn’t contain magnesium citrate or magnesium glycinate.
6. Nobi Nutrition Magnesium Complex
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Nobi Nutrition’s magnesium complex supports muscle, bone, and nerve health. It also helps improve sleep quality by properly regulating your melatonin and GABA.
What we like: Nobi Nutrition’s magnesium complex comes in vegan capsules that are easy to swallow. Each serving contains 500 mg of pure magnesium to ensure optimal blood saturation levels.
Flaws: You won’t find any zinc in this magnesium supplement.
7. NOW Magnesium
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NOW Magnesium is are a bestseller, supporting optimal energy production and proper enzyme function. It’s only main ingredient is magnesium citrate, making it extremely simplistic.
What we like: It’s GMP quality assurance, so it’s manufacturing process and testing methods (for potency and purity) have been tested and approved. NOW products are also packaged in the USA and has a long reputation of being a trustworthy company.
Flaws: This supplement doesn’t have any vitamin D3.
8. KAL Magnesium Glycinate
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If you want to feel naturally calm and support healthy muscle function, KAL magnesium glycinate is a great choice.
What we like: It’s free of dairy, soy, artificial sweeteners, fillers, and toxic ingredients. It comes in vegan friendly capsules, and with 400mg of magnesium glycerinate per serving, it really packs a punch.
Flaws: It won’t be as good for your muscles since it’s made of magnesium glycinate, and magnesium malate is better for muscle recovery.
9. Natural Vitality Calm
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Support healthy magnesium levels and feel calm and relaxed with Natural Vitality’s Calm magnesium drink. It supports your mood since it has some calcium, which combines well with magnesium.
What we like: Unlike other products on our list, Naturally Vitality Calm magnesium supplement comes in a delicious raspberry-lemon flavored powder. While some people don’t appreciate it, we loved the smooth and refreshing taste.
Flaws: It has 7 calories and a little bit of sugar.
10. BioSchwartz
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BioSchwartz magnesium bisglycinate supplement provides a very potent formula that will protect you against muscle soreness, promote restful sleep, and give you more energy,
What we like: BioSchwartz magnesium bisglycinate is great for people who hate large capsules, because each capsule is minimized. It also tends to be easier on your gut, so you shouldn’t get any laxative effects.
Flaws: With only 72 mg of magnesium per serving, you’ll have to take multiple pills to reach optimal levels.
Who Should Buy Magnesium?
An overwhelming amount of people are deficient in magnesium. Unfortunately, it’s hard to get enough magnesium from your diet alone. Magnesium is important for your body to function properly. It maintains normal nerve and muscle function, supports a healthy immune system, protects your heart, and strengthens your bones.
Athletes and the elderly can especially benefit from supplementing with magnesium. It’s been shown to boost exercise performance, and as we age, our magnesium levels tend to lower.
If you suffer from depression, then supplementing with a magnesium supplement may be beneficial. Also, if you have insomnia, raising your magnesium levels could help. Men should shoot for ingesting 400 to 420 milligrams of magnesium a day, and women should aim for 310 to 320 milligrams daily.
How We Ranked
A good magnesium supplement will contain zinc since they go hand in hand. Like magnesium, zinc is a powerful micronutrient that plays a vital role in biological reactions, and it helps your body’s immune function. Our number one ranked magnesium, Live Conscious, contains 7.5 mg of zinc for optimal bone health and a strong immune system. It also contained 3 different forms of magnesium to optimize absorption and effectiveness. Essential Elements ranked high as well because it has a potent combination of zinc and vitamin D3 – which is great for your heart health and immune function.
Another factor we considered is how well the magnesium absorbs into your body. The faster magnesium absorbs into your body, the more magnesium your body will obtain. Doctor’s Best was a top-ranked supplement because it contains chelated magnesium, which absorbs quickly. KAL is also ranked because of its high bioavailability.
For some people, swallowing pills is a nuisance, so we wanted to include some magnesium supplements that were easy to take. BioSchwartz contains mini-capsules that are effortless to swallow, and Natural Vitality’s Calm powder comes in a delicious and refreshing raspberry-lemon flavor.
FAQs
Q: What is magnesium good for?
A: Magnesium is crucial for your body to function properly (1). Magnesium regulates muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure. It also helps make protein, bone, and DNA. Magnesium has abundant benefits, including increasing your exercise performance, sleep, mental health, and bone strength.
Q: What are the symptoms of low magnesium in your body?
A: Low magnesium levels can have some detrimental effects on your body. Some of these effects include nausea, vomiting, weakness, and decreased appetite. Furthermore, low magnesium levels have been linked to anxiety, depression, and type 2 diabetes (2).
Q: Is it okay to take magnesium every day?
A: Yes, you can take magnesium every day, however, it’s recommended that you don’t exceed more than 350 mg of magnesium a day. If you take too much magnesium, you could experience nausea, abdominal cramping, and diarrhea.
Q: What should you not take with magnesium?
A: Magnesium is generally safe to take with other supplements, but you should be cautious when combining magnesium with antibiotics and other medications.
Q: What are the side effects of taking magnesium?
A: Most healthy adults won’t experience any side effects. Although, some people may experience bloating, diarrhea, an upset stomach, nausea, and vomiting. If you end up over-consuming magnesium though, it’s possible to get serious side effects, such as low blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, mental confusion, changes to breathing, a coma, and death.
Q: How long before bed should you take magnesium?
A: Magnesium can be a great supplement to help you fall asleep and improve your quality of sleep. It’s recommended that you take magnesium 1-2 hours before bed.
Q: How do I know if I need magnesium?
A: If you have low magnesium levels, you should take a magnesium supplement. Some symptoms of low magnesium include fatigue, muscle cramps, mental problems, irregular heartbeats, and osteoporosis. Also, a blood test will tell you your magnesium levels.
Q: What does it mean if your magnesium is high?
A: If your magnesium levels are high, you are at risk for low blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, mental confusion, changes to breathing, a coma, and even death (3). Your kidneys excrete magnesium and sometimes they can cause a rise in magnesium levels if they aren’t working properly. A shift of potassium within your cells could also potentially cause your magnesium levels to increase.
Q: How long does it take magnesium supplements to work?
A: After taking magnesium for just one week you may notice improvements in your health. However, it could take as long as six months to notice any benefits if you’re extremely deficient in magnesium.
Q: Is magnesium good for anxiety?
A: Yes, magnesium helps reduce your anxiety levels since it has a calming effect.
Q: When should you not take magnesium?
A: If you have heart disease, intestinal disease, or kidney disease, then you shouldn’t take magnesium before speaking with your healthcare provider. Very high doses of magnesium can be fatal. Watch for signs of a magnesium overdose, including nausea, diarrhea, low blood pressure, muscle weakness, and fatigue.
Q: Does magnesium help you lose belly fat?
A: Clinical research strongly suggests that magnesium supplementation is able to aid in weight loss (4). Of course, if you want to optimize your weight loss you’ll engage in exercise as well.
Q: Are there any contraindications for taking magnesium?
A: If you’re taking diuretics, heart medications, or antibiotics, this mineral supplement may be unsafe to take. In large doses, magnesium can cause gut-related issues, such as diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Generally, magnesium is safe to take though.
Q: Does magnesium make you calm?
A: Yes, magnesium helps your nervous system function and helps you feel calm and relaxed. Magnesium also alleviates anxiety and depression.
Q: What vitamins should be taken with magnesium?
A: Vitamins are great to take with magnesium since they all integrate to help your body function. Vitamin D is especially good to take with magnesium since both of them support your immune system and bones. Also, minerals are good to take with magnesium as well, including calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium.
Q: What type of magnesium is best for muscle pain?
A: Any type of magnesium should help alleviate muscle paint. But there is some evidence to suggest that magnesium chloride may be effective for muscle pain (5). The evidence to support that, however, is spotty at best.
Q: Should I eat before taking magnesium?
A: Yes, you should eat before taking magnesium. If you take magnesium on an empty stomach, you could suffer from diarrhea.
Q: Can I take magnesium and ibuprofen at the same time?
A: Combining magnesium with ibuprofen every once in a while shouldn’t be any cause for concern (6), however, if you have and specific concerns talk to your healthcare provider.
Q: What is the best time of the day to take magnesium?
A: Magnesium can be taken at any time of the day, but it’s recommended that you take it with food to prevent diarrhea from occurring. With that being said, some people take magnesium with dinner, in the morning, or before bed.
Q: What destroys magnesium in your body?
A: Certain medical conditions including Crohn’s, kidney disorder, celiac disease, digestive disorders, and low stomach acid can affect your body’s ability to absorb magnesium.
Q: Can magnesium help with anxiety and panic attacks?
A: Magnesium is beneficial for your nervous system so it may help prevent anxiety and panic attacks. Magenium has a relaxing effect on your body, and it can also help with anxiety, restlessness, and irritability.
Q: Is magnesium better than calcium?
A: Research confirms that magnesium is essential for maintaining healthy bones (7). Whether it is any better for bone health than calcium is open to debate.
Q: Is magnesium a good anti-inflammatory?
A: Low levels of magnesium are associated with chronic inflammatory. This can cause aging, obesity, and chronic disease.
Q: Is magnesium good for depression?
A: Yes, magnesium significantly reduces depressive symptoms. Magnesium citrate is highly absorbable, and it’s been shown to be beneficial for depression.
Q: Can magnesium enhance exercise performance?
A: Yes, magnesium can enhance exercise performance. Magnesium enhances glucose availability in the brain, muscle, and blood, and reduces lactate accumulation in muscle.
Q: How much magnesium should an athlete take daily?
A: Athletes require more magnesium than ordinary people because they need to replenish stores and reduce cortisol levels. It’s recommended that athletes take 500 to 800 mg of magnesium, while ordinary women only need 300 to 550 mg a day, and ordinary men only need 400 to 450 mg a day.
Q: Should you take magnesium before you exercise?
A: It’s not too important when you consume magnesium for exercise performance as long as you do consume it. However, it’s recommended that you take it right after a workout for the best benefits.
Q: Does magnesium build muscle?
A: There is no conclusive evidence to suggest that magnesium builds muscles (8). It is, however, important to muscle function so physically active individuals and those engaged in strength training should consider taking supplemental magnesium.
Q: What type of magnesium is best for athletes?
A: Well-absorbed magnesium such as magnesium citrate, magnesium malate, and magnesium glycinate is the best for athletes.
Q: Does exercise deplete magnesium?
A: Exercise could deplete magnesium which is why it’s important to supplement with magnesium if you exercise. In fact, magnesium enhances exercise performance. A deficiency in magnesium can have negative effects on your gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and neuromuscular function.
Q: Does magnesium relax muscles?
A: Yes, magnesium blocks calcium, which helps your muscles relax after contracting. Cramps and muscle spasms may occur if your magnesium levels are too low.
Q: Does sweating make you lose magnesium?
A: Sweating could make you lose magnesium since it will cause you to lose hydration, which means you’ll be lower on electrolytes.
Q: Does magnesium help with dehydration?
A: Since magnesium is an electrolyte, it will help you with dehydration, although it’s not as important as sodium and potassium are for hydration.
Q: How much magnesium should I take for high blood pressure?
A: You don’t need to consume any more than 350 mg a day to manage high blood pressure. Women should take about 320 mg a day and men should take about 420 mg a day.
Q: Is magnesium good for sleep?
A: Magnesium may help alleviate insomnia, especially in the elderly (9), and it may help you achieve deep and restful sleep.
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Recap
Magnesium is an important mineral that supports a healthy brain, heart, and body. It’s responsible for over 300 enzyme reactions and is a critical mineral for optimal functioning.
Since magnesium is an electrolyte, it’s an excellent supplement to take to support your workouts. It will prevent muscle spasms and cramps.
For cpoe.org’s #1 recommended magnesium supplement, click here.