![9 Best Magnesium Supplements for 2022](https://images.medicinenet.com/images/article/main_image/magnesium-glycinate.jpg?output-quality=75)
Magnesium is a vital mineral that your body needs for essential functions. However, although it is found in a variety of foods, many people don’t get enough magnesium in their regular diets. Magnesium supplements can help prevent nutritional deficiency.
Learn about the best magnesium supplements available on the market and what to look for when choosing one.
9 of the best magnesium supplements
1. Magnesium oxide
- Relieves heartburn and indigestion
- Treats anxiety and migraines
- Has the highest levels of elemental magnesium
- Not readily bioavailable as a supplement because most of it is removed from the body due to its laxative effect
- Low magnesium levels may persist while taking magnesium oxide
2. Magnesium citrate
- Available in powder or gel form, meant to be mixed with water.
- Used as a laxative to treat constipation
- Takes 30 minutes to 6 hours to take effect
- Not recommended for long-term use unless advised by a doctor
3. Magnesium chloride
- Easily obtainable over-the-counter in a pill or topical form (Epsom salt)
- Commonly derived from seawater
- Promotes bone health and can help prevent osteoporosis
- Works as a mild antacid
- Mild laxative effects
- Treats sore muscles and helps relieve pain
- Can cause side effects such as:
- Flushing
- Sweating
- Low blood pressure
- Hypothermia
- Respiratory depression
4. Magnesium glycinate
- May be an alternative for people who have sensitivity to citric acid or oxide form of magnesium due to the laxative effects
- Improves sleep quality
- Does not produce a laxative effect even in high doses
- Increased bioavailability of magnesium
5. Magnesium malate
- Available as a pill or capsule
- Improves mood, energy, and exercise performance
- Mild and does not have a laxative effect
6. Magnesium sulfate
- Available as a liquid or powder
- As an osmotic laxative, the powder form must be mixed with water before consumption
- Administered before colonoscopies to clear the stomach
7. Magnesium orotate
- Combination of magnesium salt and orotic acid (orotic acid is poorly soluble in water, but well absorbed by cells)
- Has antioxidant-like properties
- Provides bioavailable magnesium without a laxative effect
- Does not have the usual side effects of other magnesium supplements
- Well absorbed by the cells
8. Milk of magnesia
- Available as a chewable pill, regular pill, and liquid
- Active ingredient is magnesium hydroxide
- Treats constipation
- When combined with calcium carbonate, can be used to relieve indigestion, heartburn, and an upset stomach
9. Magnesium L-threonate
- Improves learning and memory in people suffering from dementia
How to choose a magnesium supplement
While choosing a magnesium product, you should consider the following factors:
- Amount of magnesium you consume through your diet
- Whether a supplement or topical product is needed to treat a condition
- Best route of delivery, whether oral or topical
- Other ingredients in the supplement
Check out for certifications from independent, third-party testing companies, such as ConsumerLab.com, National Sanitation Foundation International, and United States Pharmacopeial Convention for quality testing. Always talk to your physician before taking a magnesium supplement to evaluate the benefits and risks.
How much magnesium do you need?
Age | Male | Female |
---|---|---|
Birth to 6 months | 30 mg | 30 mg |
7 to 12 months | 75 mg | 75 mg |
1 to 3 years | 80 mg | 80 mg |
4 to 8 years | 130 mg | 130 mg |
9 to 13 years | 240 mg | 240 mg |
14 to 18 years | 410 mg | 360 mg |
19 to 30 years | 400 mg | 310 mg |
31 to 50 years | 420 mg | 320 mg |
51 years and older | 420 mg | 320 mg |
![](https://images.medicinenet.com/images/quiz/vitamins-supplements/vitamins-supplements-s1.jpg)
QUESTION
Next to red peppers, you can get the most vitamin C from ________________. See AnswerWhy does your body need magnesium?
Some of the major functions of magnesium inside the body are as follows:
- Produces amino acids
- Promotes energy production
- Enhances bone health
- Improves vitamin D production
- Regulates blood glucose
- Maintains blood pressure and cardiovascular health
- Transports calcium and potassium across cell membranes in the nervous system
- Maintains heart rhythm and promote heart health
When are magnesium supplements recommended?
Taking magnesium supplements has the following benefits:
- Relieves muscle aches
- Helps with quitting smoking
- Enhances vitamin D absorption
- Maintains health during pregnancy
- Promotes bone health
- Improves sleep quality
- Boosts mental health
Magnesium supplements may be prescribed as a part of the treatment plan for the following conditions:
What are food sources of magnesium?
In addition to taking magnesium supplements, eating magnesium-rich foods can be beneficial in treating magnesium deficiency.
Food | Serving size | Amount of magnesium |
---|---|---|
Pumpkin seeds | 1 ounce | 168 mg |
Almonds, dry roasted | 1 ounce | 80 mg |
Spinach, boiled | ½ cup | 78 mg |
Cashews, dry roasted | 1 ounce | 74 mg |
Peanuts oil, roasted | ¼ cup | 63 mg |
Cereal, shredded wheat | 2 large pieces | 61 mg |
Soymilk, plain or vanilla | 1 cup | 61 mg |
Black beans, cooked | ½ cup | 60 mg |
Edamame, shelled and cooked | ½ cup | 50 mg |
Dark chocolate, 60%-69% cacao | 1 ounce | 50 mg |
Peanut butter, smooth | 2 tablespoons | 49 mg |
Bread, whole wheat | 2 slices | 46 mg |
Avocado, cubed | 1 cup | 44 mg |
Potato, baked with skin | 3.5 ounces | 43 mg |
Brown rice, cooked | ½ cup | 42 mg |
Yogurt, plain low-fat | 8 ounces | 42 mg |
Health News
- One Death, 10 Hospitalizations in Listeria Outbreak Tied to Peaches, Plums
- Charity Scams Get Active Over the Holidays: Expert Tips to Avoid Them
- Too Few Seniors Get Follow-up Care After a Serious Fall
- AI Could Predict a Nonsmoker's Risk for Lung Cancer
- Breast Cancer Rates Higher in Urban vs. Rural Areas
More Health News »
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
AASLD. The Best Magnesium Supplements. https://engage.aasld.org/blogs/vance-ross1/2021/01/08/the-best-magnesium-supplements
Cleveland Clinic. Magnesium Rich Food. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15650-magnesium-rich-food
National Institutes of Health. Magnesium. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
Top 9 Best Magnesium Supplements for 2022 Related Articles
13 Essential Minerals
Essential minerals are a class of nutrients that are vital for maintaining the body’s health. They are inorganic components that play a multitude of functional roles in human cells both physiologically and biochemically. The 13 essential minerals include calcium, sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorous, iodine, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, sulfur and selenium.What Are the Benefits of Taking Magnesium Glycinate?
Magnesium is a crucial element that we should be getting from a well-balanced diet. Unfortunately, many people don’t get enough magnesium in their diets. Before you reach out for supplements, you should know that a few servings of magnesium-rich foods a day meet your daily requirement of magnesium.chromium
Chromium (trivalent chromium, chromium 3) is an essential trace metal required by the body and may be taken as a dietary supplement by people with chromium deficiency. Common side effects of chromium include headache, irritability, sleep disturbances, insomnia, mood changes, movement (motor) dysfunction, perceptual dysfunction, cognitive dysfunction, destruction of red cells (hemolysis), low red cell count (anemia), and low platelet count (thrombocytopenia). Consult with your doctor if you are anemic, pregnant, or breastfeeding.Magnesium: What Is it, Health Benefits, and Good Sources
Magnesium is a critical mineral nutrient that the body needs, along with calcium and potassium, to regulate blood pressure. Many people do not get enough magnesium. Magnesium deficiency may result in muscle cramps, seizures, and heart disease. Eat more nuts, seeds, and leafy greens to prevent deficiency and keep magnesium levels up.magnesium hydroxide - oral
magnesium salicylate - oral, Doan's
magnesium sulfate (antidote)
Magnesium sulfate is used as an antidote to reverse toxicity caused by digitalis by stabilizing the heartbeat. Magnesium is also used to treat torsades de pointes, a life-threatening heart rhythm disorder that results from low blood magnesium levels (hypomagnesemia). Common side effects of magnesium (antidote) include central nervous system (CNS) depression, motor and respiratory paralysis, abnormal ECG, heart block, flushing, low core body temperature (hypothermia), low blood pressure (hypotension), diarrhea, and prolonged bleeding time.magnesium sulfate (injection)
Magnesium sulfate is a sterile solution given by injection prescribed for seizures with pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, eclampsia; Torsades de Pointes, an abnormal heart rhythm; and hypomagnesemia. Side effects of magnesium sulfate are flushing, sweating, hypotension (low blood pressure), flaccid paralysis, lowered body temperature, and cardiac and central nervous system depression.magnesium supplement
Magnesium is a mineral that is abundant in the human body and is essential for several biochemical functions. Most people can obtain sufficient magnesium from dietary sources, however, people with magnesium deficiency may take magnesium supplements. Common side effects of magnesium supplements include stomach upset, diarrhea, and excessively high magnesium levels in the blood (hypermagnesemia). Pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid magnesium supplementation unless there is a deficiency and magnesium is prescribed by the physician.magnesium supplement - oral, Uro-Mag
19 Key Vitamins and Minerals
Minerals and vitamins are key nutrients your body needs to thrive. Vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, niacin, and riboflavin are just a few of these nutrients. Some vitamins act as antioxidants. Minerals serve many vital roles.selenium
Selenium is an essential trace element that is required in minute quantities to maintain good health. Selenium is taken as a supplement by people with selenium deficiency. Selenium is available over the counter (OTC) as tablets and capsules and is also administered as an intravenous (IV) injection for patients who cannot take it orally. Selenium taken in recommended doses does not have any known side effects. Prolonged use with high doses can cause side effects including hair loss (alopecia), brittle nails, skin rash, garlic breath odor, gastrointestinal disturbances, fatigue, irritability, tingling and numbness (paresthesia); and impairment of speech, balance and coordination (ataxia).trimagnesium citrate anhydrous
Trimagnesium citrate anhydrous is a salt of magnesium and citric acid, used as a dietary supplement to treat and prevent magnesium deficiency (hypomagnesemia) in people with congestive heart failure, high blood pressure (hypertension), Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, and other conditions. Common side effects of trimagnesium citrate anhydrous include diarrhea, abdominal cramping, weakness (asthenia), muscle weakness, electrolyte imbalance, high magnesium levels in blood (hypermagnesemia), respiratory depression, low blood pressure (hypotension), and dizziness.Vitamins Quiz
Take the Vitamins & Supplements Quiz to learn just how many essential vitamins your body needs to function!What Are the Signs of Magnesium Deficiency?
Magnesium deficiency is often overlooked because symptoms often appear until your levels are dangerously low. Here are the 4 signs to look out for.What Level of Magnesium Is Too Low?
Magnesium deficiency (Hypomagnesemia) is an electrolyte disturbance caused when there is a low level of serum magnesium in the blood. A value of magnesium levels below 1.25 mg/dL is considered severely low.Vitamins and Supplements: What to Know Before You Take Herbal Supplements
Not all herbs and supplements are safe, especially if you have certain medical conditions or take some drugs. Find out which ones you may need to skip with the help of this WebMD slideshow.