Magnesium Chelate (Muscle Recovery)

Chelated forms of magnesium provide the best absorbency in comparison to non-chelated. Research published by the New York Headache Center³ suggests that 400 mg of chelated magnesium a day is especially helpful for pre-menstrual syndrome and foot and leg cramps. The researchers found that chelated magnesium also helped those who tend to have cold extremities (hands or feet) caused by environment or stress.

All types of magnesium supplements contain magnesium itself, which is referred to as “elemental” magnesium, plus another molecule that acts as a carrier for the mineral. The term “chelation” refers to the manner in which the elemental magnesium is chemically bound to the carrier. Chelated magnesium contains elemental magnesium as well as two or more other molecules that function as “carriers” for it. In this case, a blend of amino acids. Nonchelated magnesium, on the other hand, contains magnesium bound to a carrier by a single point of attachment.

Most health experts agree that the benefits of chelated magnesium supplements include increased stability and superior bioavailability.⁴ This allows for more of the mineral to be effectively utilized by the body for the wide range of health benefits that magnesium confers.

Magnesium Glycinate (Sleep, Anxiety & Brain Health)

One of the most popular forms of magnesium, magnesium glycinate (also known as magnesium diglycinate or magnesium bisglycinate) is a chelated form of magnesium that contains the amino acid glycine. Glycine is the smallest amino acid and is able to cross the blood-brain barrier. It’s best known for benefits relating to sleep and brain health.

If you’re looking for the best magnesium supplement for anxiety, magnesium glycinate has been shown to have a soothing effect on the brain⁵ and several studies have shown that magnesium glycinate may help to calm anxiety.

Magnesium glycinate can also help to soothe pain, including migraines and pain related to PMS.⁶ It can promote better sleep, and even assist in stabilizing blood sugar in those with diabetes.

Low magnesium levels often correspond with insulin resistance and chronic magnesium deficiency is common among people with type 2 diabetes. According to a National Institutes of Health investigation, when people with “poorly controlled” diabetes were given 1,000 mg of magnesium per day for 30 days, they experienced vast improvement in glycemic control.⁷

Magnesium Aspartate (Mood, Anxiety & Depression)

Magnesium aspartate is a form of magnesium that is bonded to aspartic acid, a non-essential amino acid found in protein-rich foods such as eggs and meat. Aspartic acid is often used by bodybuilders to enhance athletic performance, recovery, and muscle strength. Many users of magnesium aspartate report finding this form one of the best magnesium supplements for leg cramps and other muscle cramping.

Studies dating back to the 1960s found that a combination of magnesium and potassium aspartates had a positive effect on fatigue and reduced muscle hyper-excitability.⁸ A 2017 investigation at the University of Alberta⁹ found that supplementation with highly absorbable forms of magnesium like aspartate can help ease symptoms of acute asthma such as breathlessness.

Scientific research has also highlighted the benefits of therapeutic magnesium supplementation for neurological and psychiatric diseases, including depression and anxiety.¹⁰ Because of its bioavailability, magnesium aspartate is one of the types of magnesium frequently used in this research.

Magnesium Malate (Brain & Nervous system)

Getting enough magnesium through food and supplementation is key to many physiological functions, especially those that effect the brain. Because it’s able to work quickly and is more long-lasting, magnesium malate is considered one of the most beneficial forms for brain and nervous system health and one of the best magnesium supplements for headache – including migraines.

Magnesium malate is a combination of essential magnesium and malic acid, an organic substance made by all living things. Malic acid is what gives fruits such as green apples, cranberries, and citrus their tart taste. Magnesium malate is considered one of the most bioavailable forms of magnesium. According to a 2019 study, it’s able to remain active in blood serum longer than other forms of magnesium.¹¹

It supports and improves ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production at a cellular level, which improves energy and helps reduce pain. As such, magnesium malate is an excellent form of magnesium support for issues relating to depression, sleep, chronic pain, and fatigue, including fibromyalgia¹² and chronic fatigue system (CFS).

Magnesium Orotate (Heart & Exercise Performance)

Orotate is a type of magnesium salt that comes from orotic acid and is easily absorbed into the cells. According to some natural health experts, it represents the “absolute best” type of magnesium supplement for health. Some studies also indicate that magnesium orotate may be especially beneficial for the heart and exercise performance, making it a favorite magnesium supplement for athletes.

One report presented at the “Hamburg Symposium” in Germany on magnesium orotate found it can have a “beneficial effect on the myocardium under conditions of stress ranging from myocardial infarction to severe physical exercise.”¹³ Other symposium presenters noted that magnesium orotate may improve exercise tolerance. This was true not only for trained athletes but also for people with a diagnosis of coronary artery disease.

Another study published in the journal Cardiovascular Drugs Therapy¹⁴ reported that steady supplementation with magnesium orotate helped improve function in ventricular function as well as exercise tolerance, specifically in patients with coronary heart disease.

Magnesium Taurate (High Blood Pressure, Relaxation & “Calming the Nerves”)

Magnesium taurate is one of the best forms of magnesium for easy assimilation into the body. This is because taurine is used by the body naturally to transport magnesium ions in and out of cells. According to experts, it’s also the supplement that is easiest on the stomach and is also one of the best magnesium supplements for heart health.

Magnesium taurate is a magnesium salt bound to the amino acid taurine, which is produced naturally within the body and is mostly concentrated in the muscles, heart, brain, and eyes. Both taurine and magnesium stimulate and stabilize the nervous system, creating a state of relaxation and helping to “calm the nerves.”

A 2018 animal study analyzed the effects of magnesium taurate on high blood pressure and reported it had both antihypertensive and cardioprotective activity and “can be used as a nutrition supplement to improve the cardiovascular health.”¹⁵ Other studies have found that magnesium taurate can improve heart palpitations and lessen anxiety attacks. What’s more, it has the ability to stabilize cell membranes¹⁶ and can easily pass through the blood-brain barrier for enhancing brain health.

Magnesium Citrate (Cardiovascular & Intestinal Health)

Magnesium citrate is magnesium combined with citric acid. It’s one of the most popular types of magnesium, and according to the National Institutes for Health is also one of the most highly absorbable forms by the body.¹⁷ Like all forms of magnesium, it’s vital for a healthy heart, muscles, and bones. It’s also required for RNA and DNA synthesis and for the production of glutathione, the master antioxidant.

Consuming enough magnesium is necessary for the absorption and transport of other minerals, including calcium and potassium. It’s essential for maintaining healthy nerve impulses, a healthy heart rhythm, and muscle contraction. A 2016 study¹⁸ found that supplementing with 350 mg of magnesium citrate daily for 24 weeks reduced arterial stiffness in overweight and obese adults – a great benefit for cardiovascular health.

Magnesium citrate also plays an important role in intestinal health and is the best magnesium supplement for constipation, defined as having fewer than three bowel movements per week. Not only can constipation be extremely uncomfortable, but it can also lead to toxic build up which taxes the liver. According to many sources, magnesium citrate can provide relief from chronic constipation.¹⁹

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride) (Combined with Magnesium Improved Stress Reduction by 24%)

In research studies, the complementary effects of vitamin B6 and magnesium taken together has shown greater benefit than magnesium alone for treatment of severe stress and symptoms associated with PMS such as irritability, mood swings, and anxiety. For instance, one 2018 study²⁰ reported a 24% stronger stress reduction among participants with “severe/extremely severe stress” who took both magnesium and B6 compared with just magnesium.

Interestingly, the B6 and magnesium combination has been found in other studies to have a significant and positive behavioral benefit for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and ADHD.²¹

Pyridoxine is a form of vitamin B6 commonly found in food and used as a dietary supplement. Like magnesium, vitamin B6 is necessary for many physiological processes in the body, including over 100 enzyme reactions that are primarily concerned with protein metabolism. Vitamin B6 plays an important role as an “escort” for helping magnesium uptake into the cells, thereby enhancing its availability.

Vitamin B6 plays an important role as an “escort” for helping magnesium uptake into the cells, thereby enhancing its availability.

Manganese Citrate (Bone Strength)

Manganese is an essential trace mineral involved in dozens of functions and chemical processes in the body including bone formation, healthy blood sugar management, and metabolism. It’s also a major antioxidant. Manganese is necessary for the proper functioning of the nervous system, the brain, and many key enzymatic reactions in the body.

Manganese citrate is a form of manganese that’s easily absorbed in the body. As an antioxidant it helps to protect cells from the free radical damage that causes aging and diseases such as cancer. It also aids in blood sugar regulation though its role in the synthesis and secretion of insulin. Manganese plays an important role in energy production and metabolism and activates various enzymes for the proper digestion and utilization of food.

Manganese citrate can be especially beneficial for strengthening bones. A study of women with weak bones²² who took manganese in addition to other nutrients (including magnesium) for one year experienced significant improvements in bone mass.