Discover the best magnesium supplement for your specific needs. Magnesium is a mineral that is essential for many bodily functions. It is vital in maintaining healthy muscles, nerves, bones, and blood sugar levels. It can be found in many foods, like soy products, legumes, nuts and peanut butter, whole grains, and fruits like bananas and dried apricots. 

Unfortunately, over 1/3 of the Canadian population is deficient in this important mineral. This may be due to a diet that's lacking in magnesium rich foods, or due to a depletion of soil nutrients, which leads to a lower concentration of nutrients in foods. This is why magnesium supplements may be an important part of good health. 

A magnesium deficiency can cause many symptoms, including anxiety and depressive conditions, restless legs, twitching eyelids, insomnia, muscle pain, migraines, and constipation. Magnesium supplementation may be the answer if you’re struggling with any of these symptoms or conditions. But you may be wondering, which form of magnesium supplement is best?

Discover The Best Magnesium Supplements & Their Health Benefits

It's important to note that magnesium isn’t found by itself in supplement form because it needs to be bound to another molecule to stabilize it and increase its absorption and bioavailability. This is also why supplements may be better absorbed than a diet rich in magnesium foods alone. 

All magnesium combinations you will find are made synthetically (i.e. lab-made), and each offers its distinct absorption, bioavailability and therapeutic applications. The ingredients that are combined with magnesium also add to the medicinal value of the formula. The most common forms and their uses are listed below. 

Magnesium Bisglycinate: The Best Magnesium Supplement For Mood Stability

Magnesium Bisglycinate is the best supplement choice for most practitioners today because it offers superior absorption. In this form, magnesium is bonded to two larger glycine molecules, so it takes up more space – this offers very distinct health benefits. 

Because glycine is a well-known relaxing neurotransmitter, a high concentration of glycine multiplies the natural relaxation properties of magnesium. This combination produces calming effects of glycine and magnesium, making Mag Bisglycinate the ideal form for chronic pain conditions and muscle hypertonicity. Magnesium bisglycinate is also well suited to support:

  • Lowers Anxiety & Boosts Mood - regulates neurotransmitters like serotonin.
  • Support Stress - by regulating feel-good neurotransmitters
  • Reduces Insomnia - calms the nervous system and promotes relaxation 
  • Supports bone health - promotes bone strength and is better absorbed 
  • Helps muscle relaxation - relaxes smooth and skeletal muscles, relieving tension and cramps.

Magnesium bisglycinate is also gentler on the stomach and has less of a laxative effect than other forms.

Magnesium Chelate: The Best Form For General Health

This form is typically referred to as a “protein chelate,” where the magnesium is bound to individual amino acids (the building blocks of protein). Because magnesium supplements are poorly absorbed into your bloodstream, you get more of the mineral when it's bound to a substance that is easily absorbed – in this case, protein. As with Mag Bisglycinate, there is less magnesium by weight in protein chelates. This form is the best, “all-purpose” magnesium supplement. Though it’s been more or less replaced by bisglyinates and citrates in recent years, it’s still appropriate for someone looking to take magnesium to help support overall health and wellness.

Magnesium Citrate: The Best Magnesium Supplement For Working Out

One of the most common forms of Magnesium is where the magnesium is bound to citric acid. Once inside your cells, the magnesium separates from the citrate, leaving elemental magnesium and citric acid. Because citric acid is required for the production of muscle energy, Mag Citrate can help boost physical energy and performance. It also has good bioavailability and is very rapidly absorbed in the digestive tract. While it remains a solid option for helping to boost energy production and top-up your magnesium intake, it does have a loosening effect on stools.

Magnesium L-Threonate: The Best Form For Cognitive Health

Magnesium Threonate is a blend of magnesium and threonic acid. This form has been shown to be very well absorbed; in fact, it's known as the most bioavailable form of magnesium supplements. It’s typically recommended to help:

  • Boost brain health and function by its direct effect on neurons and ability to cross the blood-brain barrier 
  • Enhance short-term and long-term memory.
  • Help stabilize blood sugar. 
  • Boost mood
  • Promotes quality sleep

Mag L-Threonate has been studied for its effects on memory enhancement and brain function. One study reported that Magnesium L-Threonate improved short-term and long-term memory by 15% and 54%, respectively. Mag L-Threonate also helps to reduce blood sugar and makes our cells more sensitive to insulin, so it's ideal for those dealing with metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, and hypoglycemia.

Magnesium Malate: The Best Magnesium Supplement For Inflammation & Joints

A blend of Mag blended with malic acid, a substance which occurs naturally in foods such as fruit and wine. Research suggests that Mag Malate is very absorbable. Because malic acid helps reduce/control symptoms of fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions, Mag Malate is an ideal choice for those living with pain and inflammation of the muscles and joints, as well as other inflammatory, autoimmune pain conditions, such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Magnesium Oxide: The Best Form For Digestive Health

The elemental mineral is bonded to oxygen. You might recognize it as the main active ingredient in Milk of Magnesia, as well as other brands of laxatives and antacids. Even though this combination contains a large proportion of magnesium compared to the oxide molecule, it has poor bioavailability. And while mag oxide in either powder or tablet forms can help with constipation and digestive upset, you’re better off with some of the other forms of magnesium listed above if you need to boost your intake, or for sleep support or stress reduction.

Other forms of Magnesium

  • Aspartate: has a better bioavailability than oxide and citrate. Can be useful to regulate stomach acid – has also been shown to have a positive effect on fatigue and muscle hyper-excitability. Has been studied in chronic fatigue syndrome.
  • Chloride: typically found in topical magnesium formulas, though it can also be used to treat low magnesium, GI issues, and constipation.
  • Fumarate: helps to increase body magnesium levels. Also beneficial to help boost energy production and muscle performance.
  • Lactate: typically used as a food additive to regulate acidity. In supplement form, it’s been shown to support the function of the heart, nervous system, and digestive system.
  • Orotate: is supportive of heart health in multiple ways: reduces blood pressure, stabilizes nerve cells, and improves heart muscle contraction. Has minimal laxative effect.
  • Sulphate: not typically used in oral formulations. Found as Epsom salt, which is typically reserved for topical use or in baths, to help soothe muscles and body aches.
  • Taurate: both magnesium and the amino acid taurine improve cardiovascular function, so the combination of the two multiplies the benefits. Magnesium Taurate can also help control blood sugar.

Shopping For The Best Magnesium Supplements In Canada

You can find all of these popular forms of magnesium at National Nutrition. We offer many trusted, high-quality brands of magnesium in many formats to suit your needs. Enjoy reward points when you shop online, along with fast, reliable shipping that's free on orders over $79 (CAD).