Is Magnesium glycinate worth it?

May help sleep and relaxation if your magnesium intake is low. Glycinate is well-absorbed and gentle on the gut where cheap oxide mostly passes through. Not a sleeping pill.

The call

Form matters — oxide is poorly absorbed (largely a laxative); glycinate is well-absorbed and better tolerated. The sleep evidence is low-quality and small-trial-heavy, mostly older adults and people with low baseline intake, and not clearly glycinate-specific. A cautious "may help if intake is low," not a strong claim.

Safety

Stay at or under the 350 mg/day supplemental upper limit unless a clinician directs more. Loose stools at higher doses. Prominent caution in kidney impairment (magnesium clears renally). Separate dosing from some antibiotics and bisphosphonates. PPIs and diuretics affect magnesium status.

Dose that matters: 200–350 mg elemental · 1–2 h pre-bed

Sources

Tier 2 · evidence synthesis · Reviewed by the Stack-kit desk

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