Magnesium Glycinate
Mineral ·Exploratory record · not publication-reviewed ·Updated July 13, 2026
One of the most bioavailable and gentle forms of magnesium (Mg citrate is comparably bioavailable). Excellent for relaxation, sleep, and muscle recovery. Less likely to cause GI issues than other forms.
Exploratory record, not a reviewed medical publication.
See the editorial and medical-review policies for the publication gate.
This generated database record has not completed a claim-level review by a qualified human medical reviewer. Bibliography links and evidence labels are not approval. The page remains available for reference and is excluded from search indexing.
What the research says.
A quick, data-only summary. The full evidence, dosing, and sources are below.
Magnesium Glycinate is a mineral most often used for sleep quality, muscle relaxation, stress reduction. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as strong. A typical adult dose is 200–350 mg elemental magnesium daily (NIH supplemental UL is 350 mg), commonly taken as magnesium bisglycinate/glycinate. This profile indexes 16 sources.
The bottom line
Evidence rating strong. Most-documented uses: sleep quality, muscle relaxation, stress reduction. 16 sources indexed (2012–2025), with 0 interaction records on file.
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
Magnesium is a cofactor for 300+ enzymatic reactions including ATP synthesis, muscle contraction/relaxation, nerve transmission, and protein synthesis. Glycinate chelation enhances absorption and the glycine component promotes GABA receptor activation for calming effects.15,1
Dosing & protocol.
Best taken in the evening for sleep; well-tolerated on empty stomach1,2
What it actually costs.
Real-world pricing across three quality tiers. Assumes Glycinate / Bisglycinate.
Assumes about 300-400 mg elemental magnesium/day. This form costs more per capsule than oxide but usually delivers better tolerated and more efficient repletion. Updated 2026-04-02.
The same dose, as food.
How much you'd eat to match a supplemental dose.
Most people do not reach this amount consistently from food alone.
Useful as a realistic half-target from food.
Full safety detail.
Side effects
- Mild drowsiness
- Loose stools at very high doses
Contraindications
- Severe kidney disease
- Myasthenia gravis
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Meta-analyses & systematic reviews
9- 1Magnesium Supplementation and Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled TrialsPMIDArgeros Z, Xu X, Bhandari B et al. · Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979) · 2025
Argeros Z, Xu X, Bhandari B et al.. Magnesium Supplementation and Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979). 2025
- 2Magnesium supplementation beneficially affects depression in adults with depressive disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trialsPMIDMoabedi M, Aliakbari M, Erfanian S et al. · Frontiers in psychiatry · 2023
Moabedi M, Aliakbari M, Erfanian S et al.. Magnesium supplementation beneficially affects depression in adults with depressive disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Frontiers in psychiatry. 2023
- 3Effect of Magnesium Supplementation on Inflammatory Parameters: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.PMIDVeronese N, Pizzol D, Smith L et al. · Nutrients · 2022
Magnesium supplementation significantly reduced CRP and other inflammatory markers in a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
- 4Oral magnesium supplementation for insomnia in older adults: a Systematic Review & Meta-AnalysisPMIDMah J, Pitre T · BMC Complement Med Ther · 2021
Three RCTs in 151 older adults: sleep onset latency 17.36 minutes less with magnesium vs placebo; quality of evidence low to very low
- 5Oral Magnesium Supplementation for Treating Glucose Metabolism Parameters in People with or at Risk of Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trials.PMIDVeronese N, Dominguez LJ, Pizzol D et al. · Nutrients · 2021
Magnesium supplementation significantly reduced fasting plasma glucose and improved HbA1c in people with or at risk of diabetes.
- 6The effect of magnesium supplementation on sleep quality: a systematic review and meta-analysisSource linkedPMIDMah J, Pitre T · BMC Complement Med Ther · 2021
- 7Oral magnesium supplementation for treating glucose intolerance and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetesSource linkedPMIDVeronese N, Watutantrige-Fernando S, Luchini C et al. · Nutrients · 2016
- 8Effect of magnesium supplementation on blood pressure: a meta-analysisSource linkedPMIDZhang X, Li Y, Del Gobbo LC et al. · Hypertension · 2016
- 9Effects of magnesium supplementation on migraine frequency: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsChiu HY, Yeh TH, Huang YC et al. · Pain Physician · 2016
Randomized controlled trials
3- 10Magnesium Bisglycinate Supplementation in Healthy Adults Reporting Poor Sleep: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled TrialPMIDVarious · Nutrients · 2025
Magnesium bisglycinate group showed significantly greater reduction in Insomnia Severity Index scores compared to placebo from baseline to Week 4
- 11Magnesium supplementation for muscle cramps in pregnancy: a randomized controlled trialSupakatisant C, Phupong V · Matern Child Nutr · 2015
- 12The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trialPMIDAbbasi B et al. · J Res Med Sci · 2012
Magnesium supplementation significantly improved subjective measures of insomnia (ISI, sleep efficiency, sleep time, sleep onset latency) in elderly participants
Reviews & position papers
3- 13Examining the Effects of Supplemental Magnesium on Self-Reported Anxiety and Sleep Quality: A Systematic ReviewPMIDVarious · Nutrients · 2024
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
- 14The Role of Magnesium in Sleep Health: a Systematic Review of Available LiteraturePMIDArab A et al. · Biol Trace Elem Res · 2023
Observational studies show association between magnesium status and sleep quality; RCTs show uncertain association between magnesium supplementation and sleep disorders
- 15Magnesium in Prevention and TherapyPMIDGröber U et al. · Nutrients · 2015
Magnesium is a cofactor in more than 300 enzymatic reactions; essential for ATP metabolism, muscle contraction/relaxation, nerve transmission, and cardiac excitability
Observational studies
1- 16Magnesium intake and depression in adults: a cross-sectional analysisSource linkedPMIDTarleton EK, Littenberg B · J Am Board Fam Med · 2015
Common questions.
Quick answers about Magnesium Glycinate, drawn from the data on this page.
What is Magnesium Glycinate?
One of the most bioavailable and gentle forms of magnesium (Mg citrate is comparably bioavailable). Excellent for relaxation, sleep, and muscle recovery. Less likely to cause GI issues than other forms.
What is Magnesium Glycinate used for?
Commonly cited benefits of Magnesium Glycinate include: Sleep quality; Muscle relaxation; Stress reduction; Nerve function; Heart rhythm. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as strong.
What is a typical dose of Magnesium Glycinate?
A typical adult dose of Magnesium Glycinate is 200–350 mg elemental magnesium daily (NIH supplemental UL is 350 mg). The commonly recommended form is Magnesium bisglycinate/glycinate. These are general ranges, not personalized advice; confirm the right dose with a clinician.
What are the side effects of Magnesium Glycinate?
Reported side effects include mild drowsiness, loose stools at very high doses. This is educational information; check with a healthcare professional before use.
How strong is the evidence for Magnesium Glycinate?
NutriStack rates this as Strong, meaning multiple high-quality meta-analyses or systematic reviews converge on the same finding. Full tier criteria are at https://nutristackapp.com/methodology/evidence-tiers.
Deep dives & adjacent profiles.
This page is educational. Do not start, stop, or change a supplement or medication based on it without checking with a qualified healthcare professional.
Use this with your stack
Magnesium Glycinate in NutriStack.
Add it to your stack, see how it interacts with everything else you take, and get a Stack Score that updates the moment it does.