Best and Worst Oral Magnesium Supplements: What You Need to Know

Choosing a magnesium supplement can feel overwhelming. Citrate, glycinate, bisglycinate, oxide, malate—every bottle seems to make a different promise. But the truth is simple: magnesium is essential for handling stress, relieving anxiety, getting restful sleep, supporting muscles and nerves, and keeping your body running smoothly. And many people aren’t getting enough.

In this post, I’ll walk you through the various oral magnesium supplements I’ve researched for my book Feed Your Calm: Anti-Anxiety Anti-Stress Diet and Supplement Tips for Stress Resilience. You’ll discover which types absorb well, which ones to avoid, and how to choose the best option for your needs—without falling into marketing traps or wasting money on ineffective forms.

What's in This Magnesium Supplements Guide 

This post should not be taken as medical advice. It is always advisable to consult with your personal medical professionals.

How Magnesium Helps

Magnesium is used by hundreds of chemical reactions in your body. To learn about how it helps your physical and mental health, and the research behind its many benefits, check out this post: Magnesium Supplement Benefits for Anxiety, Depression & More.

Magnesium Dosage Guide: How Much Do You Need Per Day?

Before looking at types of oral magnesium supplements, let's get a feel for how much you need.  

There is no UL (Upper Limit) for magnesium. 

The magnesium RDA (Recommended Daily Amount) in mg/day:

• Men 19–30 years old: 400
• Men over 30: 420
• Women 19–30 years old: 310
• Women over 30: 320

Supplementation dosage recommendations (mg/day) for men and women:

• PDR for Nutritional Supplements recommends 100–350
• Nutrition Essentials for Mental Health recommends 100–400

If you are using magnesium to help with sleep, it is best to take it before bed. 

Choosing the Right Oral Magnesium Supplement

Magnesium has to be bound with some other biochemical, such as aspartate, citrate, or glycinate.

Oral magnesium can be more or less absorbable and diarrhea-causing depending on what it is bound to. 

Some forms of oral magnesium are compounded with neurotransmitter-related elements that can rev you up or calm you down. 

3 Magnesium Supplements to Avoid (And Why)

Before talking about some oral magnesium compounds that you might try, I'll mention three that you should avoid. Check supplement ingredient lists carefully to make sure manufacturers aren't mixing these in with other magnesium compounds that may be named more prominently on bottles and in advertising.

Magnesium oxide is the cheapest form and widely used for supplements, but it is also the worst. It is poorly absorbed by your body, and it tends to cause diarrhea. 

Magnesium aspartate is more absorbable than the oxide form, but it is not good for people with anxiety or dealing with stress because aspartate is an excitatory amino acid.

Magnesium carbonate is less soluble and absorbable than the compounds listed below. 

My Top Pick: Magnesium Citrate Supplements

My current favorite way to get magnesium is with Naturally Calm Magnesium Gummies. They are magnesium citrate, and although magnesium citrate can be overly laxative if taken as a powder drink, I don't find that is a problem with the gummies (probably since a lot of it gets absorbed into the bloodstream through your mouth.) 

I wouldn't normally think gummies are good supplements, but I love CALM Gummies for their effectiveness and ease of use. It is readily available in stores and online. I take a full dose daily in the evening and find that it works great for sleep and well-being. 

Naturally Calm also makes a powder version that you mix with water and drink. To minimize the diarrhea potential, when using the Naturally Calm powder—start by taking it in the evening and follow the container's instructions for experimenting with small doses to find the level that works well for you.

GUMMIES	POWDER

9 Other Oral Magnesium Supplements: What to Consider

I have not had good personal experience with any magnesium pills or capsules. I've tried at least half a dozen formulations, but they all make me feel a little nauseous. 

Here are some magnesium formulations you might try in capsule or tablet form if you want to see how they work for you.  

Magnesium malate, taurate, lactate, succinate, fumarate, and gluconate are some middle-of-the-road oral magnesium supplements.

Magnesium L-threonate is a relatively new kid on the block. Research on rats shows promising evidence that this form of magnesium has superior ability to enter the brain and improve learning and memory. Its ability to enter the brain might mean that it is particularly helpful for mental health as well. But, it is very expensive and may be more hype than extra benefit.

Magnesium glycinate has the advantage of including the calming neurotransmitter glycine. It is fairly well absorbed and less laxative than some other forms. (Watch out for supplements that say magnesium glycinate on the front but then reveal on the back that they have some other magnesium compounds, like oxide, as well. I got burnt on this myself.)

Magnesium bisglycinate is a slightly different glycine formulation that is promising. Thorne makes a powder version that can be used to make an evening drink to help with sleep. It is more expensive than Natural CALM powder but less likely to cause diarrhea. Many companies produce it in capsule form.

Foods That Block Magnesium Absorption: What to Not To Eat with Mg Supplements

If you use oral magnesium, it is recommended that you avoid taking it at the same time as two categories of food:

1. High phytate (unsprouted whole grains, legumes, nuts, or seeds) 
2. High oxalate (spinach, Swiss chard, almonds, rhubarb, or beets) 

These antinutrients may grab mineral supplements—such as magnesium—before the mineral gets a chance to enter your bloodstream.

You don't have to avoid these foods altogether; just be mindful of what enters your gut around the same time as these supplements. 

Who Should Not Take Magnesium Supplements? 4 Contraindications

In The Magnesium Miracle Dr. Carolyn Dean mentions these four conditions that don't go well with magnesium therapy:

• kidney failure
• myasthenia gravis [a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease]
• excessively slow heart rate
• and bowel obstruction

Feed Your Calm: Anti-Anxiety Anti-Stress Diet and Supplement Tips for Stress Resilience

It took me four years to write this book about food and supplements for anxiety becasue I wanted everything to be research-based. It's a great resource for anyone who wants to deal better with stress and professionals who help others manage stress. 

NOTES:

No part of this post should be taken as medical advice. It is always advisable to consult with your personal doctors and medical professionals about your individual circumstances. Pregnant and nursing mothers and people on medications should take special care to check with their doctor regarding any potential contraindications for specific natural remedies.

I include product links for your convenience. I may receive a small commission on sales from these links, but it doesn't influence my suggestions or affect your cost.

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