Magnesium glycinate vs citrate for sleep and constipation

Which one should you take for sleep?

Glycinate. The plainest quote names it for sleep and sends citrate the other way in the same breath:

“my favorite basic one for everybody is magnesium glycinate it's broad spectrum it works across a lot of things that help with sleep with relaxation anxiety PMS cardiovascular health best taken at night uh magnesium citrate you can use if you have constipation so that actually helps you go to the bathroom”

A second episode names it again, as the form to start with:

“magnesium is my number one sleep supplement about two to 400 even 600 before bed usually start with magnesium glycinate that helps a lot”

Bisglycinate gets the same credit for sleep, set against threonate:

“there are other forms of magnesium: magnesium bisglycinate, which is a somewhat of an alternative to threonate, not known to have cognitive enhancing effects, but seems, at least on par with magnesium threonate in terms of promoting transition into and depth of sleep and so on”

Which one loosens your bowels?

Citrate. The most direct quote on it also rules citrate out for sleep:

“Actually, magnesium citrate is a fairly effective laxative, not known to promote sleep and things of that sort”

Here is the disagreement. This quote puts glycinate in the same group as citrate, where the first sleep quote above leaves it out:

“magnesium citrate, glycinate, and oxide are fantastic if you're looking for a little speed up of the bowel. If you aren't, you want magnesium carbonate. It's also worth noting magnesium carbonate more fully absorbed than mag oxide, citrate, or glycinate, which is actually why those three help with bowel regularity”

What about absorption?

Glycinate and citrate sit in one group, the organic salts:

“these include magnesium citrate magnesium glycinate magnesium tarate these indicate um magnesium malate is also in there these organic salt forms of magnesium are generally more bioavailable and effectively raise plasma magnesium levels compared to inorganic forms of magnesium like magnesium oxide magnesium chloride magnesium sulfate”

The bowel quote above rates a third form, carbonate, as more fully absorbed than either, and gives that as the reason glycinate and citrate loosen you.

How much magnesium a day?

One tape gives two figures. It calls 300 to 500 mg a day a minimum Attia 1:26:45, then puts the target at a gram:

“and magnesium 300 to 500 milligrams daily”

“I'm routinely hitting about a gram of magnesium supplemental… And by the way, I think that's a real minimum, right? I mean, I think a gram is really where you want to be”

What about threonate?

For getting into the brain, threonate is grouped with bisglycinate:

“Magnesium threonate, that's T-H-R-E-O-N-A-T-E, threonate, and magnesium bisglycinate have transporters that allow them to cross the blood-brain barrier more readily than other forms of magnesium”

For your daily total, which is a different job, threonate is ruled out:

“magnesium threonate is not the best option for meeting daily magnesium needs it shouldn't be included as contributing to your recommended daily allowance of magnesium”

Will a blood test tell you whether you are low?

The quotes on the record doubt the standard serum test. The first:

“so our body will just continually pull from our bones to prevent magnesium levels from going below 0.7 m per liter for this reason plasma magnesium is not a good indicator of magnesium status for most healthy adults”

The second puts an optimal line on serum magnesium, over 2, then prefers the red blood cell test in the same sentence:

“normal quote normal SE magnesium levels are about 1.8 to 2.3 but I think anything under two is linked to increased health risks and Optimum level should be over two so if you're getting a sear magnesium it should be over two but I I don't like that I like the red blood cell magnesium”

Both end up doubting the serum test. The line of 2 sits on the magnesium page, next to where your own result lands.

Who should be careful?

These three cautions are Decode's own, so none of them carries a name.

• High doses, roughly above 600 mg a day, can cause diarrhea and cramping. Start low.
• Magnesium binds some antibiotics and the osteoporosis pills like alendronate. Take them at least 2 hours apart.
• Kidney disease slows magnesium clearance. Ask your doctor first.

They sit below some of the numbers quoted above, and that is deliberate. One more is on tape:

“daily supplementing with a high dose of zinc because it it can inhibit magnesium absorption”