NutriStack
Magnesium improves sleep quality, the receipts.
Probably effective for sleep onset and quality, with the strongest signal in older adults and those with low baseline intake.
Moderate evidence, per the methodology. Strongest 6 studies linked to PubMed.
Recommendation, contrary evidence, and dose are all on this page.
The studies
Strongest evidence, sourced.
Sorted by study tier (meta-analyses first, then RCTs, then reviews) and recency. Every entry links to PubMed by PMID.
At a glance
- Substances
- Magnesium Glycinate, Magnesium L-Threonate, Magnesium Citrate, Magnesium Taurate, Magnesium Malate
- Evidence tier
- Moderate evidence
- Strongest studies surfaced
- 6 of 8 matching
- One-line verdict
- A clinically credible signal, especially when daily intake from food is low.
- Last verified
- May 30, 2026
Top 6 studies
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Meta-analysis
The effect of magnesium supplementation on sleep quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis PMID 33864795
Magnesium supplementation may improve subjective measures of insomnia
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RCT
Magnesium Bisglycinate Supplementation in Healthy Adults Reporting Poor Sleep: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial PMID 40918053
Magnesium bisglycinate group showed significantly greater reduction in Insomnia Severity Index scores compared to placebo from baseline to Week 4
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RCT
Magtein associated with greater improvements in NIH Total Cognition Composite, working and episodic memory, 7.5-year reduction in estimated brain cognitive age, and improved reaction time
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RCT
Magnesium L-threonate significantly improved sleep quality and daytime functioning compared to placebo in adults with self-reported sleep problems
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RCT
The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial PMID 23853635
Magnesium supplementation significantly improved subjective measures of insomnia (ISI, sleep efficiency, sleep time, sleep onset latency) in elderly participants
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Review
Examining the Effects of Supplemental Magnesium on Self-Reported Anxiety and Sleep Quality: A Systematic Review PMID 38817505
5/8 sleep studies and 5/7 anxiety studies showed improvements; supplemental magnesium likely useful for mild anxiety and insomnia, particularly with low baseline magnesium
Contrary evidence
What pushes back.
Caveats, null findings, and methodological limits that hold the tier where it is.
What argues against the claim
- Trials are mostly small (n under 100) and short (4 to 8 weeks).
- Effect size is modest in adults with normal magnesium status.
- Subjective sleep measures outperform polysomnography in most studies.
Recommendation
What the evidence supports.
What we recommend, with caveats
200 to 400 mg elemental magnesium taken 30 to 60 minutes before bed. Glycinate or L-threonate are best tolerated and most studied for sleep. Avoid magnesium oxide for this purpose (low bioavailability, laxative effect).
Tier criteria are documented at /methodology/evidence-tiers. Sourcing standards at /methodology/interactions.
Stack interaction risks
Where these substances clash.
Documented pairings involving the substances behind this claim. Cautions and conflicts come first.
Pairs in the database
- Amlodipine + Magnesium Citrate · Caution
- Amlodipine + Magnesium Glycinate · Caution
- Bisacodyl + Magnesium Citrate · Caution
- Digoxin + Magnesium Glycinate · Caution
- Diltiazem + Magnesium Citrate · Caution
- Esomeprazole + Magnesium Glycinate · Caution
Open the free interaction checker at /interactions to scan a full routine.
Goal hubs
Where this claim feeds in.
Goal-based hubs that index this claim alongside related supplements and protocols.
Related goal hubs
Before you go
One claim, opened up. NutriStack does this for every claim in the database.
The full library lives at /research. Every entry follows the same shape: the verdict, the studies, the contrary evidence, the recommendation, and the primary literature.