Magnesium

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Magnesium is a mineral involved in hundreds of processes in the body, including normal muscle and nerve function. Compare magnesium glycinate (bisglycinate), citrate, L-threonate, magnesium complexes and ZMA products from NOW Foods, Life Extension, Primabolics, Beast Labs Nutrition, Nutraco, Day One Performance and more.

Read the Magnesium buying guide
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Magnesium: buying guide

Which form of magnesium?

  • Glycinate (bisglycinate): a popular, gentle form that is usually well tolerated by the stomach.
  • Citrate: well absorbed and often cheaper; higher doses can have a laxative effect.
  • L-threonate: a newer form, usually more expensive per milligram.
  • Complexes and ZMA: several forms, or magnesium with zinc and vitamin B6.

How to compare

  • Look at elemental magnesium per serve, not the total compound weight.
  • Check how many capsules make one serve.
  • Many people take magnesium in the evening; follow the label directions.

Order online with Australia-wide delivery, free on orders of $100 or more, or visit a Supps247 store in Melbourne, regional Victoria or Brisbane to compare tubs in person and taste flavours before you buy. Members can use our price match guarantee on full-priced items.

Supplements should not replace a balanced diet. Always read the label and use only as directed. If symptoms persist, or if you are pregnant, take medication or have a medical condition, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Magnesium: questions and answers

What is the best form of magnesium?
There is no single best form. Glycinate is popular because it is gentle on the stomach; citrate is well absorbed and good value. Compare the elemental magnesium per serve and choose what suits you.
What does elemental magnesium mean?
It is the amount of actual magnesium in the compound. For example, 700 mg of magnesium glycinate contains much less than 700 mg of elemental magnesium. Labels usually state both.
Where can I buy magnesium in Melbourne?
You can buy magnesium online at Supps247 or from our stores across Melbourne, such as Reservoir, Carnegie, Carrum Downs and Point Cook. Magnesium glycinate is the most popular form, with options from NOW Foods, Beast Labs Nutrition, Doctor's Best and Thorne, alongside Life Extension Neuro-Mag (L-threonate) and magnesium citrate capsules. Each store carries a different mix, so check the product page or call before visiting. Find a store, or order online for delivery Australia-wide.
What is magnesium malate, and do you stock magnesium taurate?
Magnesium malate is magnesium bound to malic acid, a compound found naturally in fruit. We stock NOW Foods Magnesium Malate (180 tablets) and Vitamatic Magnesium Malate with B6. For taurate, the Nutraco Magnesium Complex combines glycinate, citrate, malate, oxide, taurate and aspartate in one product. Whatever the form, compare the elemental magnesium per serve, not the compound weight. If a product contains vitamin B6, add it to any other B6 you take, as the TGA warns nerve damage may occur at 50 mg a day or even lower.
Can I buy magnesium powder?
Yes. If you prefer a drink to capsules, try Nutricost Magnesium Citrate Powder, NOW Foods Magnesium Bisglycinate Powder or California Gold Nutrition Magnesium Powder. Powders make it easy to adjust your serve and mix into water in the evening. Citrate can have a laxative effect at higher doses, so follow the label directions. Australia's upper limit for magnesium from supplements is 350 mg a day for adults, so count any magnesium in a multivitamin or sleep formula you also take.
Is magnesium safe, and what are the side effects?
For most adults it is safe at the label dose. High intakes from supplements can cause diarrhoea, nausea and stomach cramps, says the US Office of Dietary Supplements, while magnesium from food does not pose that risk for healthy people. Keep supplemental magnesium within 350 mg a day unless your doctor advises otherwise. ZMA-style products also contain vitamin B6, which the TGA warns can cause nerve symptoms even below 50 mg a day. Separate magnesium from antibiotics and osteoporosis tablets, and talk to your GP first if you have kidney disease.
Does magnesium help you sleep, and should I take it before bed?
The evidence is thin. A 2021 review found only three small trials, in 151 older adults with insomnia: those taking magnesium fell asleep about 17 minutes faster on average, but the authors rated the evidence low to very low quality. Taking it in the evening is fine if that suits you. Glycinate is a popular gentle choice, for example Beast Labs Magnesium Bi-Glycinate 750mg, which gives 150 mg of elemental magnesium per capsule, but no form has been shown to be best for sleep. If poor sleep lasts, see your GP.
Can magnesium help with anxiety or stress?
Possibly, but the research is weak. A 2017 systematic review of 18 studies found signs of benefit for self-reported anxiety in people already prone to it, such as mildly anxious adults and women with premenstrual symptoms, yet the authors judged the evidence to be of poor quality, and no benefit was seen for anxiety after childbirth. So magnesium may help some people feel calmer, but it is not a substitute for proper care. If anxiety is affecting your daily life, talk to your GP about options with stronger evidence, and use magnesium only at the label dose.
What are the signs of low magnesium?
Early signs listed by the US Office of Dietary Supplements are loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, tiredness and weakness. A more serious shortfall can cause numbness, tingling, muscle cramps, seizures, personality changes and an irregular heartbeat. These signs overlap with many other conditions, so do not self-diagnose. People more likely to run low include older adults, people with type 2 diabetes, people with coeliac or Crohn's disease, and long-term heavy drinkers. Some reflux and ulcer medicines taken for a long time can also lower magnesium, so ask your GP about testing.
How much magnesium do women and men need?
Australia's recommended intake is 400 mg a day for men aged 19 to 30 and 420 mg from 31, and 310 mg for women aged 19 to 30 and 320 mg from 31, with more during pregnancy. That total includes food, and legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains and leafy greens supply most of it, so a supplement only tops up the gap. For example, Nature Best Magnesium Glycinate gives 200 mg of elemental magnesium per 2-capsule serve. Women and men can use the same forms, and the 350 mg supplement limit applies to both.
Which magnesium should a beginner start with, and where can I find it near me?
Start simple: one form, one product, at the label dose. A plain glycinate such as NOW Foods Magnesium Glycinate, with 200 mg of elemental magnesium per 2 tablets taken with food, is easy to compare because nothing else is added. Skip combination products until you know how you tolerate magnesium, and check whether your multivitamin or electrolyte drink already contains some. To buy in person, our store locator shows the nearest of our 18 stores, and the product page or a quick call tells you if it is in stock before you travel.

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