{"id":885210,"date":"2026-09-09T03:38:19","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T03:38:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/885210\/"},"modified":"2026-09-09T03:38:19","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T03:38:19","slug":"magnesium-glycinate-vs-citrate-a-registered-dietitian-explains-the-difference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/885210\/","title":{"rendered":"Magnesium Glycinate vs. Citrate: A Registered Dietitian Explains the Difference"},"content":{"rendered":"

Magnesium is essential for healthy muscles, nerves, bones, and blood sugar regulation, helping support more than 300 chemical reactions in the body. Yet, an estimated 45 percent<\/a> of Americans may have inadequate magnesium intake, making supplementation a serious consideration for many people. If you\u2019ve ever shopped for a magnesium supplement, you\u2019ve likely noticed several different forms, raising an important question: what\u2019s the difference between magnesium glycinate and magnesium citrate? To break it down, we spoke with Morgan Walker, MS, RD, LDN, Sports Nutrition and Wellness Manager and Adjunct Professor at Lebanon Valley College<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Magnesium glycinate and magnesium citrate have different effects on the body, particularly when it comes to the gastrointestinal tract. Magnesium citrate has an osmotic effect, meaning it draws water into the bowel, stimulating bowel movements. Magnesium glycinate, on the other hand, is generally considered well tolerated and may be a better option for people who experience gastrointestinal side effects from forms like citrate.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, taking either magnesium glycinate or citrate comes down to your individual needs, including how your body responds to each form. As always, talk with your doctor or a registered dietitian before adding a new supplement to your routine.<\/p>\n

Related: Magnesium vs. Melatonin: Which Supplement is Better for Improving Sleep Quality?<\/a><\/p>\n

Should You Take Magnesium Glycinate or Citrate?<\/p>\n

Magnesium glycinate may be a good option for anyone looking to supplement magnesium without a laxative effect, particularly if they\u2019ve experienced gastrointestinal discomfort or loose stools with other forms of magnesium. It may also have a place in a broader sleep-support strategy. In a 2025 randomized, placebo-controlled trial<\/a> of 155 adults with self-reported poor sleep, 250 mg of elemental magnesium from magnesium bisglycinate modestly improved insomnia severity after four weeks.<\/p>\n

\u201cMagnesium citrate could make more sense when constipation relief is also a goal since it can also promote bowel movements, which is why magnesium-containing products are sometimes used as laxatives. But still, individual tolerance varies,\u201d Walker explains.<\/p>\n

Related: Doctors Say These Are the 2 Most Underrated Supplements for Healthy Aging<\/a><\/p>\n

Experts<\/p>\n

Morgan Walker, MS, RD, LDN, Sports Nutrition and Wellness Manager and Adjunct Professor at Lebanon Valley College<\/a><\/p>\n

Sources<\/p>\n

Challenges in the Diagnosis of Magnesium Status. Nutrients<\/a>, 2018<\/p>\n

Magnesium Bisglycinate Supplementation in Healthy Adults Reporting Poor Sleep: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Nature and Science of Sleep<\/a>, 2025<\/p>\n

This story was originally published by Men’s Journal<\/a> on Sep 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the Health<\/a> section. Add Men’s Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Magnesium is essential for healthy muscles, nerves, bones, and blood sugar regulation, helping support more than 300 chemical…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":885211,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[64,63,137,532],"class_list":["post-885210","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nutrition","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-health","tag-nutrition"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/885210","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=885210"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/885210\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/885211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=885210"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=885210"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=885210"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}