Magnesium is an essential mineral and electrolyte that is crucial to the functionality of the human body, playing important roles in protein synthesis, muscle and nerve function, blood glucose control, blood pressure regulation, and the metabolism of several other nutrients. Emerging evidence has also tied magnesium to cognitive health, in areas such as mood, stress, and sleep.

According to a review published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, the recommended daily allowance for magnesium is 420 mg for males and 320 mg for females, but the standard diet in the U.S. only contains about 50% of those amounts, and as much as half of the U.S. population is consuming a magnesium-deficient diet.¹

The widespread use of industrial agriculture and an increased consumption of processed foods have eroded the amount of magnesium present in the average western diet, according to a review published in Heliyon.² “In humans, subclinical magnesium deficiency is common and generates chronic inflammation, which is the common denominator of a wide range of mental and physical health problems from metabolic diseases to cognitive impairment, from osteopenia and sarcopenia to depression,” a team of biomedical and food science researchers noted. 

Choices in Chelates

Magnesium comes in several forms, and for finished products, it’s important to ensure that the most suitable form is used. Each form comes with unique advantages and disadvantages related to bioavailability, taste profiles, side effects such as digestive upset or interference with other compounds, solubility, and limitations on magnesium content per serving.

It is generally understood that organic magnesium salts provide greater bioavailability than inorganic, with research suggesting the former is absorbed roughly twice as much as the latter under identical conditions.³ Experts generally agree that inorganic forms are disadvantageous due to lower bioavailability and unwanted digestive discomfort.

Organic magnesium ingredients go through a process called chelation, in which magnesium is chemically bonded to an amino acid. “Mineral chelates have improvements in solubility, bioavailability, and tolerability, which provides benefits for product developers and consumers alike,” said Marlena Hidlay, director of marketing communications at Balchem.^4-6

The use of chelated magnesium is especially important for vegan and vegetarian consumers, Hidlay said, as these groups tend to have phytate-rich diets which have high anti-nutrient interference. “Mineral chelates have been shown to reduce the binding of anti-nutrients like phytates and are better absorbed than their non-chelated counterparts.”

“There are many types of magnesium present in dietary supplements and food products,” said Ohad Cohen, CEO of Gadot Biochemical Industries, a supplier of specialty minerals for dietary supplements and functional foods and beverages. “More common types of magnesium include magnesium citrate, magnesium bisglycinate, magnesium oxide, magnesium sulfate, magnesium malate, and magnesium chloride.”

Magnesium citrate is the most commonly recommended organic form for the purpose of replenishing low levels of magnesium, said Cohen, however, certain manufacturers may opt for bisglycinate if digestive issues are a concern. The glycine content of this chelated form may also make it more suitable for mood and sleep applications, according to Cohen. “For formulators, it has the advantage of excellent solubility, neutral flavor profile, better flowability, and bioavailability.

“The best magnesium depends on the field of use,” Cohen added. “Gadot Biochemical has more than 20 solutions for adding magnesium to customer formulations.”

AIDP offers a patented form of magnesium, branded as Magtein, which is chelated with a metabolite of vitamin C called L-threonate and formulated to cross the blood-brain barrier. “As the brain is the epicenter for many health conditions, Magtein has clinical data for memory, executive function, quickness of recall, mood, and sleep,” said Laurentia Guesman, business manager at AIDP.

A host of studies on this form of magnesium have demonstrated positive findings regarding its impact on global cognitive function in the elderly, while in vitro research has confirmed the bioavailability of L-threonate as a transporter for magnesium into brain cells.^7,8

Authenticity and Quality

Properly labeling forms of magnesium is important for transparency, particularly as consumers become more discerning about products they buy.

In recent news, supplement company NOW conducted the latest in a series of quality tests on magnesium products purchased on Amazon. The company concluded that many competing products, when tested, had inaccurate or misleading labels, while other products failed to contain the correct amount or specific form of magnesium claimed.

One major issue found across many of the products was that magnesium wasn’t chelated, and non-soluble forms were used in place of the more expensive form of magnesium. Other products contained glycine, but it was either partially bound or not bound at all to the magnesium in the product. NOW reported that blending glycine with magnesium oxide or carbonate is a known form of economically-motivated adulteration.

Scientific Developments

Opportunities exist to include magnesium, especially in proprietary or novel forms, for condition-specific products. 

According to Cohen, there are more than 200 approved health claims worldwide for dietary magnesium. “Many brands are incorporating magnesium into their formulations because of the value added to its health claims in the U.S. and Europe.”

Last October, the U.S. FDA announced a qualified health claim for magnesium related to a reduced risk of high blood pressure.

“Qualified health claims are a rare and special occurrence in foods and dietary supplements,” said Eric Ciappio, strategic development manager of nutrition science at Balchem.

“Without question, this qualified health claim is the result of a large body of research,” he added. “The FDA’s response to the petition for the magnesium/hypertension qualified health claim acknowledged that 164 publications were cited as evidence to support the proposed claim, with a handful of additional references being cited during the public comment period. It’s our hope that future studies will encourage the FDA to revisit this topic and potentially consider stronger language, or potentially an authorized health claim on this relationship in the future.”

Cohen noted a rise in magnesium’s popularity for formulas targeting sleep and mood, as well as muscle recovery, which is beneficial both for athletes and elderly consumers.

“Magnesium aids in the contraction/relaxation function of both smooth and skeletal muscle, helping the body to relax. Magnesium also plays a role in maintaining mood, with a consequence of magnesium deficiency being ‘personality changes,’” said Ciappio.⁹ “Magnesium is thought to aid in the regulation of the body’s circadian rhythm, and as a result, intervention trials show that supplementation can significantly reduce sleep onset latency, as seen in a recent meta-analysis.”¹⁰

Evidence continues to demonstrate the importance of sufficient magnesium intake in improving the status of other nutrients. “Recently-published data showed that supplementation with both magnesium bisglycinate and vitamin D increased vitamin D status better than supplementing with vitamin D alone,” said Ciappio.¹¹

“The potential impact of this synergy could help consumers to better support their health, especially considering the high prevalence of inadequate vitamin D intake among Americans.”

Guesman noted research investigating magnesium’s impact on energy and metabolism is an area of great potential.

“Magnesium is needed to activate ATP, and is critical in the body’s energy pathways. Magnesium can increase antioxidant defenses and supports cellular health,” she said, noting new research is ongoing to build on data for Magtein’s relationship with mood, stress, and sleep.

References

1. Uwitonze, A. et al. (2018). Role of Magnesium in Vitamin D Activation and Function. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 118(3):181-189. doi:10.7556/jaoa.2018.037
2. Cazzola, R. et al. (2020). Going to the roots of reduced magnesium dietary intake: A tradeoff between climate changes and sources. Heliyon. 6(11):e05390. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05390
3. Lingberg, J. et al. (1990). Magnesium bioavailability from magnesium citrate and magnesium oxide. J Am Coll Nutr; 9(1):48-55. doi:10.1080/07315724.1990.10720349
4. Heaney, R. et al. (1990). Absorbability of calcium sources: the limited role of solubility. Calcif Tissue Int. 46(5)300-4 doi: 10.1007/BF02563819
5. Schuette, S. et al. (1994). Bioavailability of Magnesium Diglycinate vs. Magnesium Oxide in Patients with Ileal Resection. Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. doi: 10.1177/0148607194018005430
6. Coplin, M. et al. (1991). Tolerability of iron: a comparison of bis-glycino iron II and ferrous sulfate. Clin Ther. 13(5):606-12
7. Liu, G. et al. (2016). Efficacy and Safety of MMFS-01, a Synapse Density Enhancer for Treating Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. J Alzheimers Dis. 49(4)971-90 doi: 10.3233/JAD-150538
8. Sun, Q. et al. (2016). Regulation of structural and functional synapse density by L-threonate through modulation of intraneuronal magnesium concentration. Neuropharmacology. 108:426-39. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.05.006
9. Institute of Medicine (US) Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes. (1997). Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Vitamin D, and Fluoride. National Academies Press. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK109816/
10. Mah, J. et al. (2021). Oral magnesium supplementation for insomnia in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. 21(1):125. doi: 10.1186/s12906-021-03297-z
11. May, M. et al. (2022). The effect of combined magnesium and vitamin D supplementation on vitamin D status, systemic inflammation, and blood pressure: A randomized double-blinded controlled trial. Nutrition. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2022.111674