The 9 Best Magnesium Supplements

Keep reading to see our picks of the 9 best magnesium supplements for every use.

These supplements may also improve sleep and help relieve anxiety, muscle cramps, and constipation ( 1 , 3 ).

As such, many people turn to a magnesium supplement.

Although it’s found in numerous foods — like vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and beans — observational studies show that most Americans don’t get adequate amounts from their diets ( 2 ).

Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in your body. It’s involved in many essential functions, including muscle contraction and regulation of blood pressure and blood sugar ( 1 ).

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Finally, consider avoiding products with any artificial ingredients, such as colors, flavors, and preservatives.

it’s also worth choosing products from brands that are current good manufacturing practices (CGMP) certified. This means that their facilities are compliant with current good manufacturing practice regulations established by the FDA.

Given that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t regulate supplements the same way as drugs, it’s important to look for brands that are certified by a third-party organization such as NSF International , Labdoor , UL Solutions , or USP . This will help ensure quality and accuracy.

To avoid potential side effects, such as diarrhea, nausea , and stomach cramps, try to keep your intake of magnesium from supplements under 350 mg per day, unless a healthcare professional has advised you otherwise ( 7 ).

Here are the current average daily recommended amounts of magnesium for teens and adults ( 7 ):

The recommended dose for magnesium supplements varies depending on the brand, the intended use, and how much of this mineral you’re already getting in your diet ( 1 ).

Additionally, certain types are more beneficial for treating symptoms such as constipation and headaches. That’s why it’s important to choose high quality supplements that come in the form that’s most likely to help with your specific needs ( 6 ).

These forms differ in terms of their absorbability and specific uses. For example, magnesium citrate and glycinate have been shown to be absorbed better than magnesium oxide and sulfate, though the research on the absorption is mixed ( 4 , 5 ).

Magnesium comes in the following forms:

First, you’ll want to choose the form of magnesium that’s most appropriate for your needs.

When shopping for a magnesium supplement, it’s important to consider the form of magnesium, dosage, and product quality.

Every brand and product on our list has been vetted to ensure that it aligns with Healthline’s brand integrity standards and approach to well-being. Each product in this article:

Healthline evaluated the best magnesium supplements based on the following criteria:

A note on price

General price ranges with dollar signs ($–$$$) are indicated below. One dollar sign means the product is rather affordable, whereas three dollar signs indicate a higher price.

Generally, prices range from $0.09 to $0.67 per serving, or $10.00 to $60.00 per container, though this may vary depending on where you shop.

Note that the serving recommendations range from 1 to 4 capsules daily.

Pricing guide

• $ = under $0.20 per serving
• $$ = $0.20–$0.50 per serving
• $$$ = over $0.50 per serving

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Best overall magnesium supplement

• Price: $
• Age range: adult
• Type: capsules
• Form of magnesium: oxide, citrate, succinate
• Dose: 1 capsule per day
• Magnesium per serving: 500 mg (119% of the Daily Value [DV])
• Who it’s best for: people who have inadequate magnesium intake and are looking for a magnesium supplement to support whole body health

Life Extension is a trusted company that has been making high quality supplements for more than 40 years.

The company prides itself on transparency and quality, and each of its products is manufactured in an NSF-registered CGMP facility and contains a certificate of analysis (COA) that allows you to confirm its quality and accuracy.

In addition to being rigorously tested for quality and accuracy, Life Extension’s Magnesium Caps are the most budget-friendly option on our list.

The capsules are non-GMO verified and combine magnesium oxide, citrate, succinate, and chelated glycinate.

Just keep in mind that these pills pack more than 100% of the DV for magnesium, so it’s best to check with a healthcare professional before taking this higher dose.

Pros

• affordable
• COA available to confirm quality and accuracy
• manufactured in NSF-registered CGMP facility

Cons

• may be too high of a dose for some

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Best magnesium powder

• Price: $$$
• Age range: adult
• Type: powder
• Form of magnesium: bisglycinate chelate
• Dose: 1 scoop (3.95 grams) per day
• Magnesium per serving: 200 mg (48% of the DV)
• Who it’s best for: competitive athletes or those who dislike swallowing pills

Thorne Research is known for creating high quality supplements that have been extensively researched.

Its products are made in a lab that meets quality and safety standards set by NSF International and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), a regulatory body in Australia responsible for assessing supplements.

Thorne Research supplements are also NSF Certified for Sport, which ensures that they’re free from more than 200 substances banned by many major sports organizations.

Thorne Magnesium Bisglycinate Powder is one of the best magnesium powders on the market because of its high quality and limited ingredient list.

Unlike other magnesium powders, it’s flavored only with monk fruit concentrate and is free from added sugars, thickeners, and artificial flavors and colors. Plus, it gets good reviews for its flavor and ease of use.

Pros

• NSF Certified for Sport
• manufactured in a facility that meets NSF and TGA standards
• good flavor, according to reviews
• highly absorbable form of magnesium
• no artificial ingredients

Cons

• expensive

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Best magnesium supplement for sleep

• Price: $$
• Age range: adult
• Type: capsules
• Form of magnesium: glycinate, oxide
• Dose: 2 capsules per day
• Magnesium per serving: 200 mg (48% of the DV)
• Who it’s best for: people with poor sleep quality or those who regularly experience nighttime leg cramps

Research shows that magnesium plays an important role in stimulating relaxation pathways, including production of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter responsible for quieting your nervous system and promoting sleep (1, 8, 9, 10).

Magnesium glycinate is bound to the amino acid glycine. Animal and test-tube studies suggest that glycine may have a calming effect on the brain, which is why it’s thought to be beneficial for sleep. However, there’s currently no research on the effect of magnesium glycinate specifically (11, 12).

Still, if you’re interested in trying it, one of the best options on the market is Nested Magnesium Glycinate capsules.

Made with chelated magnesium glycinate for better absorption, this product is manufactured in an NSF- and CGMP-certified facility, third-party tested for quality and accuracy, and certified gluten-free, vegan, and non-GMO.

Reviewers say this supplement is easy on the stomach, and it gets high marks for improving overall sleep quality as well as relieving restless leg syndrome and nighttime leg cramps.

Pros

• manufactured in an NSF- and CGMP-certified facility
• third-party tested
• certified gluten-free
• certified organic
• vegan-friendly
• non-GMO

Cons

• limited research on effectiveness for sleep

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Best magnesium supplement for anxiety

• Price: $
• Age range: adult
• Type: capsule
• Form of magnesium: bisglycinate chelate, oxide
• Dose: 1 capsule, 1–3 times per day
• Magnesium per serving: 100 mg (24% of the DV)
• Who it’s best for: people with anxiety

In addition to aiding sleep, magnesium’s calming effect on the nervous system may alleviate anxiety.

While more research is needed, a review of 18 human studies suggests that magnesium may reduce anxiety symptoms (13).

Klaire Labs Magnesium Glycinate Complex is one of the best options. It’s third-party tested, manufactured in a CGMP-certified facility, and free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.

Each capsule blends chelated magnesium glycinate with magnesium oxide.

While magnesium glycinate is commonly used to help with sleep and anxiety, magnesium oxide is one of the most common forms tested in studies examining anxiety (13).

For best results, it’s recommended to take a single capsule 1–3 times per day, or as directed by a healthcare professional.

Pros

• affordable
• third-party tested
• manufactured in a CGMP-certified facility
• no artificial ingredients or preservatives

Cons

• could become expensive if taking the maximum dose of 3 capsules per day

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Best magnesium supplement for leg cramps

• Price: $$
• Age range: adult
• Type: tablet
• Form of magnesium: fermented bisglycinate
• Dose: 1 tablet per day
• Magnesium per serving: 50 mg (12% of the DV)
• Who it’s best for: people with regular muscle cramps

Magnesium has been shown to act as a natural calcium blocker to help your muscles relax. That’s why insufficient magnesium intake is thought to cause some muscle cramps (14).

While the research is inconclusive, some individuals report muscle cramp relief from taking magnesium (15, 16).

If you’re curious whether magnesium can help relieve your nighttime leg cramps, you may want to check out MegaFood Magnesium.

MegaFood is a Certified B Corporation — a legal designation verified by B Lab, a nonprofit organization. The designation is given to companies that meet rigorous standards for accountability, transparency, and social and environmental performance.

MegaFood’s Magnesium supplement is tested for more than 125 pesticides and herbicides, as well as quality-verified and certified non-GMO, vegan, and gluten-free.

In addition to magnesium, each tablet contains 50 mg of organic spinach, which is a good source of magnesium (17).

MegaFood’s Magnesium is praised for its ability to reduce leg cramps. Unlike many other supplements, it can be taken on an empty stomach. As a result, you can easily take it just before bed to help keep nighttime cramps at bay.

Pro

• Certified B Corporation
• tested for pesticides and herbicides
• non-GMO
• vegan
• gluten-free

Cons

• not third-party tested for purity or accuracy

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Best magnesium supplement for migraine

• Price: $
• Age range: adult
• Type: capsules
• Form of magnesium: oxide
• Dose: 1 capsule per day
• Magnesium per serving: 300 mg (75% of the DV)
• Who it’s best for: people with recurring migraine headaches

Migraine attacks are debilitating headaches often associated with symptoms like nausea, weakness, and sensitivity to light and sound (18).

Human research indicates that magnesium supplements may help prevent and manage migraine attacks (19, 20).

Magnesium oxide is one form of magnesium that’s thought to be effective for migraine, though more research is needed.

Still, if you’re looking for a way to help manage recurring migraine headaches, it’s worth considering Douglas Laboratories Magnesium Oxide (20, 21).

Douglas Laboratories makes all its products in an NSF-registered GMP facility. Its supplements are also non-GMO verified.

It’s worth noting that some reviewers mention diarrhea as a side effect of the supplement.

Pros

• manufactured in an NSF-registered GMP facility
• third-party tested
• non-GMO
• affordable

Cons

• may have a laxative effect, according to some reviews

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Best for magnesium deficiencies

• Price: $$
• Age range: adult
• Type: liquid
• Form of magnesium: chloride
• Dose: 1–4 mL (1–4 droppers) per day
• Magnesium per serving: 400 mg (95% of the DV)
• Who it’s best for: people diagnosed with a magnesium deficiency

If you’ve been diagnosed with a magnesium deficiency, Trace Mineral Mega Mag is worth considering.

The liquid supplement provides 95% of the DV of magnesium in the form of magnesium chloride — a form that’s often used to address low blood levels of magnesium.

This supplement comes in a convenient liquid form and is free from artificial ingredients and added sugars. The only ingredients are magnesium, chloride, sodium, potassium, sulfate, and boron.

Trace Minerals supplements are third-party tested by Labdoor and manufactured in a CGMP-registered facility.

The taste of this product can be strong, so it’s recommended to mix the liquid with water, juice, or food.

Pros

• third-party tested
• produced in a CGMP-registered facility

Cons

• strong flavor

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Best magnesium supplements for constipation

Magnesium supplements are thought to be an effective treatment for occasional constipation (22, 23).

In particular, magnesium citrate, sulfite, hydroxide, and oxide all have an osmotic laxative effect (22, 23).

This means that these supplements help relax your bowels and draw water into your intestines to soften stool and make it easier to pass.

However, there’s limited research on the effectiveness of magnesium citrate, sulfite, and hydroxide in the management of chronic constipation (22).

When taking magnesium for constipation, you should consult a healthcare professional for individualized dosage recommendations.

• Price: $
• Age range: adult
• Type: capsules
• Form of magnesium: citrate
• Dose: 1 capsule, 1–4 times per day
• Magnesium per serving: 150 mg (36% of the DV)
• Who it’s best for: people with constipation

If you’re experiencing constipation, Pure Encapsulations Magnesium Citrate is a high quality option.

Made in a facility that’s NSF-registered and CGMP-certified, this supplement is also vegan, non-GMO verified, and certified gluten-free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization.

This middle-of-the-road dose of magnesium citrate can help move things along without causing an urgent trip to the bathroom.

For best results, take a single pill with a meal, 1–4 times a day, depending on recommendations from a healthcare professional.

Pros

• affordable
• NSF-registered and CGMP-certified
• certified gluten-free
• non-GMO
• vegan

Cons

• may cause cramping and diarrhea

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• Price: $$$
• Age range: adult
• Type: liquid
• Form of magnesium: citrate
• Dose: 1 teaspoon (5 mL)
• Total magnesium: 215 mg (51% of the DV)
• Who it’s best for: people with constipation who prefer a liquid supplement

For those who prefer a liquid supplement, Pure Encapsulations also offers liquid magnesium citrate.

Free from artificial sweeteners and colors, this product contains natural fruit flavors, apple juice concentrate, and stevia extract to make it more palatable.

Pure Encapsulations Magnesium Liquid is certified gluten-free and verified non-GMO.

For best results, it’s recommended to consume 1 teaspoon (5 mL) with a meal once per day, or as directed by a healthcare professional.

Keep in mind that this supplement also contains a high amount of vitamin B6. Therefore, it should not be taken along with a multivitamin or other supplement containing vitamin B6.

Pros

• NSF-registered and CGMP-certified
• certified gluten-free
• non-GMO
• vegetarian

Cons

• expensive
• may cause cramping and diarrhea
• should not be taken along with another vitamin B6-containing supplement

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