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. LiveWell MagWell
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LiveWell’s 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. LiveWell 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, LiveWell, 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.
Benefits
Magnesium helps your body with biochemical reactions. Magnesium is found in your body and about 60% of it is found in your bones. Your muscles, soft tissues, and fluids contain magnesium too.
Low levels of magnesium are linked to Alzheimer’s disease, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, migraines, and ADHD (1).
Magnesium is responsible for over 600 enzyme reactions in your body, including energy creation, protein formation, gene maintenance, muscle movements, and nervous system regulation (2).
Magnesium boosts your exercise performance. Magnesium is an electrolyte and when you exercise, your body becomes depleted of prevalent electrolytes, including magnesium, potassium, and sodium. This causes dehydration which can onset muscle spasms and cramps.
A study on 20 male chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients found an infusion of 2 g of magnesium sulfate to improve exercise performance (3).
Athletes tend to receive some major benefits when supplementing with magnesium. One study on volleyball players proved taking 250 mg of magnesium daily can increase your jumping and arm movement (4).
Another study showed that after just 4 weeks of taking magnesium, athletes had faster cycling, running, and swimming times during a triathlon (5).
Magnesium can help you fight depression and anxiety. Several studies have linked low levels of magnesium to an increased risk for depression.
According to this 2015 study, low magnesium levels cause young adults to especially experience depression. Over 8,800 people were examined, and it was proven that people under the ages of 65 had a 22% greater risk of depression (6).
A 2017 study linked low magnesium levels to anxiety (7). Magnesium is involved in releasing feel-good chemicals in your brain, such as GABA, which functions as a mood enhancer.
Magnesium may prevent you from getting type 2 diabetes. If you have low magnesium levels, you have a much greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes. Magnesium helps your body regulate your blood sugar levels.
One study examined over 4,000 young adults aged 18-30 for 20 years and discovered that you’re 47% less likely to suffer from diabetes with higher magnesium levels (8).
In one study, people with type 2 diabetes showed an improvement in their blood sugar levels when they supplemented with magnesium (9).
Magnesium lowers your blood pressure. Magnesium prevents your blood vessels from constricting, which increases your blood pressure. Of course, having bad blood pressure is linked to cardiovascular health issues.
A study found that both diastolic and systolic blood pressure significantly decreases if you take 450 mg per day (10).
Magnesium has anti-inflammatory benefits. You have a higher chance of experiencing inflammation with low magnesium intake. Inflammation can lead to diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and autoimmune disorders.
Taking less than 250 mg of magnesium a day is associated with serum-C reactive protein concentration, an indicator of inflammation (11).
In fact, older adults over the age of 51, improved their inflammatory response to stress after supplementing with magnesium (12). As you age, your body naturally becomes more inflamed.
Magnesium may prevent migraines. One study found a reduction in headaches in children who took magnesium for 16 weeks (13).
One study demonstrated that taking magnesium is more effective than medication in treating migraines (14).
A wave of brain signaling, cortical spreading depression, causes migraines. Magnesium sublimates this and alleviates pain by blocking pain-transmitting chemicals in the brain.
Magnesium improves PMS symptoms. A common symptom of premenstrual syndrome is lower serotonin levels. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter responsible for regulating your mood. Low levels of serotonin are associated with feelings of sadness and irritability, and magnesium deficiency may lower your serotonin levels.
One study showed oral magnesium to improve the mood of premenstrual women (15).
Also, a daily supplement of 200 mg of magnesium alleviates premenstrual symptoms of fluid retention (16).
Magnesium improves your sleep. Research in 2012 showed that magnesium improves sleep quality (17).
Since magnesium releases GABA, it helps you feel relaxed, which is important for sleep. Of course, if you aren’t getting adequate sleep, then you’re at risk for a multitude of health issues, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Magnesium strengthens your bones. According to the European Journal of Epidemiology, low magnesium levels are associated with an increased risk of bone fractures (18).
Being low in magnesium alters the structure and size of bone crystals and helps with the process of bone growth and repair.
FAQs
Q: What is magnesium good for?
A: Magnesium is crucial for your body to function properly. 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.
Q: What food is highest in magnesium?
A: Although it can be hard to consume adequate magnesium from foods alone, some foods contain higher levels of magnesium than others. Some high magnesium foods include avocados, dark chocolate, nuts, legumes, tofu, seeds, whole grains, and fatty fish.
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. 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: What fruit is highest in magnesium?
A: Some fruits can be a good source of magnesium, including avocados, guavas, bananas, kiwi fruit, papayas, blackberries, raspberries, cantaloupes, and grapefruit.
Q: Is oatmeal high in magnesium?
A: Yes, oatmeal is an excellent source of magnesium. Oatmeals are low in calories, nutrient-dense, and are good for your heart, muscles, and immune system.
Q: Does magnesium make you gain weight?
A: Magnesium isn’t directly linked to weight gain, however, low magnesium levels will make losing weight much harder since it causes you to feel fatigued and decreases your exercise performance.
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: Can I take magnesium and vitamin D3 together?
A: Yes, in fact, combining magnesium and vitamin D3 will make the effects more powerful. Magnesium will help your body absorb vitamin D3 better, and vitamin D3 is important for strong bones. Essential Elements is a supplement that contains a potent combination of magnesium and vitamin D3.
Q: Can magnesium make you tired?
A: Magnesium isn’t supposed to make you tired, but it does increase your GABA levels, which will make you feel more relaxed.
Q: What is the best form of magnesium to take?
A: Magnesium citrate is absorbed the best by your body and magnesium oxide has the highest magnesium per weight.
Q: Are blueberries high in magnesium?
A: Blueberries do contain some magnesium as well as potassium and calcium.
Q: Is peanut butter high in magnesium?
A: Yes, peanut butter is high in magnesium. Two tablespoons of peanut butter have 49 mg of magnesium.
Q: Does magnesium help you lose belly fat?
A: Magnesium alone doesn’t help you lose belly fat, but if you combine with exercise and a healthy diet, then it’s an excellent supplement for weight loss.
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: Can you get addicted to magnesium?
A: You can’t necessarily get addicted to magnesium, however, being addicted to variant substances, such as heroin, morphine, cocaine, nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine, can be related to a magnesium deficit.
Q: What magnesium is best for anxiety?
A: Magnesium glycinate is the best form of magnesium for anxiety. It’s also good for insomnia, chronic stress, and inflammatory conditions. Magnesium citrate is better suited for people with constipation.
Q: Can I take a magnesium supplement on an empty stomach?
A: Since magnesium has a laxative nature, it’s best to take it with a meal. Otherwise, it can cause diarrhea.
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: Magnesium chloride is the best for muscle pain. It treats muscle spasms and helps relieve muscle tension, tightness, and stiffness.
Q: Does magnesium salicylate make you sleepy?
A: Since magnesium helps you feel calm and relaxed by releasing GABA, it could make you sleepy.
Q: Can magnesium improve your mood?
A: Yes, magnesium can be just as effective as an antidepressant at improving your mood. Magnesium has potent benefits for your mental health and can relieve anxiety and depression.
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, however, prolonged use of them could result in a higher risk of gastrointestinal infection.
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: Does coffee deplete magnesium?
A: Coffee could make it harder for your intestinal lining to absorb magnesium.
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: How long does it take for magnesium to help with anxiety?
A: Your anxiety could improve in as little as a week, but depending on how deficient your magnesium levels are, it could take up to six months.
Q: Can a lack of magnesium cause anxiety?
A: Yes, low levels of magnesium might cause anxiety.
Q: Can magnesium help with panic attacks?
A: Yes, since magnesium is beneficial for your nervous system, it can prevent panic attacks. Magenium has a relaxing effect on your body, and it can also help with anxiety, restlessness, and irritability.
Q: Can magnesium cause panic attacks?
A: Low levels of magnesium could be a factor in causing panic attacks.
Q: Which magnesium is good for your bones?
A: Chelated form of magnesium is good for your bones since it absorbs well into your body. Magnesium oxide is another form of magnesium, but it doesn’t absorb as well.
Q: Is magnesium good for a broken bone?
A: Yes, magnesium is good for broken bones because it’s good for your bone health. Low levels of magnesium are linked to osteoporosis.
Q: Is magnesium better than calcium?
A: Some researchers are concurring with the notion that magnesium is more beneficial for your bone health than calcium is. Magnesium is a vital nutrient for biomechanical reactions, which is essential for good health.
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.
Q: Does magnesium cause depression?
A: No, in fact, it can help alleviate depression.
Q: What magnesium is best for depression?
A: 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: What does magnesium do for athletes?
A: For athletes, magnesium can boost their performance. That’s because magnesium helps move blood sugar into your muscles and gets rid of lactate, which causes fatigue, and it rises during exercise.
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: Should magnesium be taken at night?
A: Magnesium is good to take at night because of its calming effects.
Q: Does magnesium build muscle?
A: Magnesium may help you build muscle since ATP production requires magnesium. Also, it helps you produce more insulin-like growth factor and balance and control stress hormones, which helps you build muscle.
Q: Which magnesium is best for muscle recovery?
A: Magnesium malate is good for energy and muscle soreness, and magnesium sulfate is good for muscle relaxation and detox.
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: Is magnesium a good supplement for athletes?
A: Magnesium is an excellent supplement for athletes. For athletes, it regulates heart rhythm, allows muscles to contract and relax properly, lowers blood pressure, and it’s essential for ATP production.
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: Should I take magnesium after exercise?
A: It’s beneficial to take magnesium after exercise since it relaxes your muscles.
Q: Does magnesium help with recovery?
A: Yes, magnesium can help your body recover by providing your body back with nutrients loss from exercise, which can prevent your muscles from cramping.
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 magnesium help with lactic acid?
A: Lactic acid buildup can cause muscle soreness and spasms and increasing your magnesium intake could prevent this.
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: What type of magnesium is good for high blood pressure?
A: Magnesium taurate could be the best type of magnesium for high blood pressure.
Q: Can too much magnesium cause high blood pressure?
A: No, in fact, too much magnesium can cause your blood pressure to become too low.
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: When should I take magnesium for sleep?
A: Taking magnesium before bed may help you fall asleep. For sleep aid, it’s recommended that you take magnesium 1-2 hours before bed.
Q: Is magnesium good for sleep?
A: Magnesium can help cure insomnia, and it helps 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.