Which magnesium to buy? The buying guide

"Which magnesium is the best?" - the question sounds like it has a clear answer, but there's a catch. Short and direct: There is no single best magnesium, but rather the form that suits your purpose and your tolerance. For most people, a well-bioavailable, stomach-friendly compound such as bisglycinate or citrate with a clearly declared elemental content and lab testing is the right choice. Magnesium is always sold as a compound (citrate, bisglycinate, malate, oxide ...), and this compound determines bioavailability, tolerability and the actual magnesium content. Authorised framework: magnesium contributes to normal muscle function, to the function of the nervous system, to normal psychological function and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

The key points at a glance

• Magnesium contributes to muscle and nerve function, psychological function and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue (EU-authorised).
• What is decisive is the form: organic compounds (citrate, bisglycinate, malate) are considered well available; oxide is cheap but less soluble.
• Pay attention to the elemental magnesium content per portion, not just to the amount of the compound.
• Quality features: lab testing, transparent declaration, few additives.
• For a sensitive stomach, bisglycinate is for many the best-tolerated choice.

Why the form makes such a difference

Pure magnesium does not exist as a powder or capsule - the element is chemically always bound to a partner. This partner (the "salt" or the "chelate" bond) determines two things: how well the compound dissolves in the digestive tract and how much elemental magnesium it contains. In the body, magnesium is involved in well over 300 enzymatic reactions - it is, among other things, a cofactor in energy production (ATP), in muscle contraction and relaxation, and in the transmission of impulses in the nerves. Organic compounds such as citrate, bisglycinate or malate generally dissolve well and are usually well tolerated. Inorganic oxide does contain a lot of the element per milligram, but dissolves less readily. That's why the price per gram of compound says little about how much actually reaches the body. The basics are in Bioavailability simply explained.

What research is investigating

The fundamental role of magnesium as a cofactor in hundreds of enzymatic reactions is established textbook knowledge and the basis of the authorised claims. Beyond that, research investigates how well different magnesium compounds are absorbed and how tolerability differs - a practically very relevant strand, because it directly concerns the choice of form. The supply situation in the population and the increased requirement during heavy sweating are also subjects of study. What follows from this is not a product effect, but better guidance on form and dose.

Step 1: Choosing the right form

The complete form comparison is in Magnesium: citrate, glycinate or malate? and in the direct duel Magnesium bisglycinate or citrate? The quick orientation:

Step 2: Paying attention to the elemental content

A common mistake: looking only at the milligrams of the compound. What is decisive is the content of elemental magnesium per portion, which on a good package is stated separately. Two products with "500 mg magnesium compound" can deliver completely different amounts of usable magnesium. How to read the label is shown in Reading the label correctly. The percentage figure for the reference value (NRV) helps for a quick comparison.

How much magnesium - and in one portion or several?

Two practical questions keep coming up. First: how much? The reference value for adults is around 300 to 400 mg of elemental magnesium per day - part of it comes from the diet (nuts, whole grains, pulses), and a supplement fills the gap. Second: all at once or split up? The body tends to absorb smaller individual amounts better, and splitting into two doses (e.g. at midday and in the evening) improves tolerability for sensitive people. Anyone taking many supplements should pay attention to the order, see The order to take many supplements in.

Why many people supplement magnesium

Magnesium is one of the most commonly supplemented minerals of all - and there are solid everyday reasons for this. The requirement can rise in certain life situations: anyone who sweats a lot (intense sport, summer heat, sauna) loses magnesium through sweat, see Sports electrolytes and Electrolytes in summer heat. Anyone who eats a processing-heavy diet tends to take in less, because magnesium is found mainly in unprocessed plant-based foods. Phases of high demand also bring the topic into focus - the authorised claims on the nervous system, psychological function and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue explain why. This describes the situations in which people reach for magnesium; whether an increased requirement exists in an individual case is best assessed with a view to diet and lifestyle.

Step 3: Tolerability and dosage form

Some forms can, in higher doses, make the stool softer - somewhat more pronounced with citrate than with bisglycinate. Those who are sensitive often reach for bisglycinate or spread out the daily amount. Whether capsule, powder or oil suits better is clarified in Magnesium oil or capsules? and the fundamental question Capsule, tablet, powder or drops? On timing, Magnesium in the morning or evening? helps.

Step 4: Recognising quality

Beyond the form, product quality counts. How to recognise good magnesium is summarised by Recognising good magnesium; an evaluative overview is provided by Which magnesium is the best? The most important criteria:

• Lab-tested - see Lab-tested: what does that mean?
• Clear declaration of form and elemental content.
• Few additives - see Recognising additives & fillers.
• For an organic claim: Organic in supplements.

Step 5: Combination and duration of intake

Magnesium is often combined - not every combination is equally good. Common questions are answered by Magnesium & B6, Magnesium & vitamin D and Zinc & magnesium. How long makes sense is clarified by Magnesium: duration of intake, and for active people Sports electrolytes: magnesium & potassium is worthwhile. For persistent complaints or kidney disease: have it checked by a doctor before dosing high on a long-term basis.

Comparing price and value correctly

"Cheap" is a trap with magnesium if you look only at the package price. You compare fairly via the price per portion of elemental magnesium: divide the price by the portions and relate it to the elemental content per portion. A very cheap oxide with poor solubility can end up being more expensive than a well-absorbed bisglycinate, because less reaches the body. How to buy in a price-conscious and sensible way is shown by Buying supplements on a budget; whether a subscription is worthwhile is clarified by Is a subscription worthwhile?

Common mistakes when buying magnesium

1. Looking only at the amount of the compound instead of at the elemental content.
2. Comparing oxide with bisglycinate purely on price, without considering solubility.
3. Taking everything at once instead of splitting the amount with a sensitive stomach.
4. Ignoring the declaration - without a clear statement of form and elemental content, a fair comparison is impossible. More pitfalls are collected by Supplements: common mistakes.

Magnesium from your diet: where it occurs naturally

Before you reach for a capsule, it's worth looking at your plate - because magnesium is abundant in unprocessed plant-based foods. Good sources are nuts and seeds (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews), whole grains (oat flakes, wholemeal bread), pulses (beans, lentils), dark chocolate and green leafy vegetables. The magnesium often sits in the grain and kernel portion, which is lost in heavily processed products (white flour, polished rice) - one reason why intake more easily falls short in a processing-heavy diet. A supplement is therefore not a contradiction to good nutrition, but fills the gap when the requirement is increased (for instance with heavy sweating) or intake in everyday life is insufficient. Those who know the framework dose more consciously.

Which magnesium suits you?

• Evening and a sensitive stomach: bisglycinate is for many the best-tolerated choice, see Magnesium in the morning or evening?
• Regular training, a lot of sweating: a highly soluble all-rounder such as citrate, supplemented by potassium, see Magnesium vs. potassium.
• Price in focus: oxide delivers a lot of the element per capsule but is less well absorbed - bear this in mind with the pure milligram figures.

Honestly classified

The honest core: for most people, a well-bioavailable, stomach-friendly form such as bisglycinate or citrate with a clearly declared elemental content and lab testing is an excellent choice - expensive special forms or exotic blends are not needed for this. Magnesium has clear, authorised functions and a broad food base. A supplement makes sense when the requirement is increased or intake is short - not as a permanent high dose on suspicion. For persistent complaints or kidney disease, please have it checked by a doctor.

Matching products from Scheunengut

You'll find all forms bundled in the category Magnesium. Anyone paying attention to electrolytes in sport should look in Energy, and for the overall view of macrominerals in Minerals. All preparations are lab-tested and made in Germany.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Which magnesium is the best?

There is no single best magnesium, but rather the form that suits your purpose and your tolerance. For most people, a well-bioavailable, stomach-friendly compound such as bisglycinate or citrate with a clearly declared elemental content and lab testing is the right choice.

What is the difference between magnesium citrate and bisglycinate?

Both are considered well bioavailable. Citrate is a very highly soluble all-rounder but can make the stool somewhat softer in higher doses. Bisglycinate is regarded as especially stomach-friendly and is well tolerated by many in the evening. For a sensitive stomach, bisglycinate is often the more pleasant choice.

Why is the elemental magnesium content more important than the amount of the compound?

Magnesium is always bound to a partner. Two products with 500 mg of the compound can deliver very different amounts of usable, elemental magnesium. On a good package, the elemental content per portion is stated separately - only with this can you compare fairly.

Should I take magnesium all at once or split up?

The body tends to absorb smaller individual amounts better. Splitting the daily amount into two doses, for instance at midday and in the evening, additionally improves tolerability for sensitive people. The reference value for adults is around 300 to 400 mg of elemental magnesium per day.