For bones and joints, highly absorbable forms like Magnesium Glycinate, Citrate, and Malate are excellent choices, supporting bone density, reducing inflammation, easing muscle soreness, and improving flexibility, while Magnesium Oxide also helps bone health but is less absorbed; getting magnesium from foods like leafy greens, nuts, and seeds is always the best first step.
Magnesium Glycinate, a combination of magnesium and glycine, is a particularly effective supplement for supporting joint health. Magnesium glycinate is a pairing of magnesium and glycine that offers notable bioavailability. This means your body can absorb and use it more effectively than other magnesium forms.
Best form of magnesium for bone health
There are multiple forms of magnesium, but research often focuses on magnesium citrate, carbonate, and oxide—and all appear to support bone mineral density and reduce fracture risk (Rondanelli, 2021).
Choose based on:
Which magnesium should I take to avoid diarrhea? Choose those that are highly absorbable, such as bisglycinate , malate , or taurinate . These organic complexes are gentle on the digestive system.
1. Magnesium glycinate: Best absorbed form, bonded to glycine amino acids, gentle on the stomach, ideal for muscle cramps and sleep support, and considered the safest form with the least side effects.
Magnesium deficiency symptoms start mild with fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and headaches, but progress to more severe issues like muscle cramps/spasms, numbness, tingling, anxiety, insomnia, abnormal heart rhythms, and even seizures, affecting nerve, muscle, and brain function crucial for overall health.
However, if you ingest high doses of any magnesium supplement, you might experience side effects, such as diarrhea, gastrointestinal irritation, nausea, vomiting and worse. If too much magnesium builds up in your body, as can happen if you have kidney disease, you can have serious side effects.
Magnesium citrate is highly bioavailable, meaning the body absorbs it effectively. It is often used to support digestion and relieve occasional constipation. For those who experience digestive discomfort, magnesium citrate can be a gentle and effective option.
Ultimately, it depends on your individual needs and tolerance. Both magnesium citrate and magnesium glycinate may support muscle health and cramping when dietary intake of magnesium is inadequate. However, some people prefer magnesium glycinate due to its gentler effects on digestion and calming properties4.
The Role of Vitamin D
Furthermore, some research suggests that vitamin D deficiency may be linked to an increased risk and severity of osteoarthritis, a common cause of joint pain. Ensuring adequate vitamin D levels through sunlight exposure, diet, or supplementation can be a crucial step in managing joint discomfort.
When taken in doses greater than 350 mg daily, magnesium is possibly unsafe. Large doses might cause too much magnesium to build up in the body, causing serious side effects including an irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, confusion, slowed breathing, coma, and death.
“Elevated total magnesium intake from both food sources and supplements was found to be associated with a decreased risk of recurrent falls and frailty in individuals diagnosed with osteoarthritis or those at risk of developing the condition.
Older adults and magnesium
Roughly 70 to 80 percent of those older than 70 fail to meet their daily magnesium needs, according to Consumer Reports. Older adults have an increased risk for magnesium deficiency because they tend to consume fewer magnesium-rich foods than younger people.
The claimed benefits of magnesium supplementation range from boosts in everyday wellness — better sleep, increased energy levels and improved mood — to specific health benefits, such as lower blood pressure, reduced risk of heart disease and improvement in migraines.
The "best" magnesium in Australia depends on your goal (sleep, muscle cramps, energy), but top brands include Ethical Nutrients (Meta Mag®), Swisse, Blackmores, Fusion Health, and Herbs of Gold, with easily absorbed forms like magnesium glycinate/bisglycinate often recommended for relaxation and general use, while citrate can help with constipation. Look for products with easily absorbed forms like magnesium bisglycinate or chelated forms for better absorption than magnesium oxide.
Heart and bone health: Magnesium glycinate helps your heart beat as it should and works with calcium and vitamin D to help your bones stay strong. Getting enough magnesium may also help keep blood pressure in a healthy range.
Foods high in magnesium are leafy greens, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains. A doctor can check your magnesium levels by a blood or urine (pee) test. If you have low magnesium levels, your doctor may recommend taking a supplement.
For drinks high in magnesium, opt for mineral waters, fruit juices (especially orange, cherry, watermelon), plant-based milks (soy, almond), and homemade concoctions using raw cacao, coconut milk, or magnesium powders mixed with water or smoothies, with hot chocolate (made with raw cacao) and herbal teas (like nettle) also being good choices.
Magnesium deficiency
Bananas are the richest fruit in magnesium. If eaten dried, its magnesium content is higher. More generally, dried fruits such as figs, dates and apricots are an important source of magnesium. Recipe idea: Try a banana-spinach smoothie.
Too little potassium, calcium or magnesium in the diet can cause leg cramps. Medicines often prescribed for high blood pressure can cause increased urination, which may drain the body of these minerals.
Key Takeaways. Potassium supports nerve function and helps muscles contract, which may prevent leg cramps. Magnesium plays a vital role in muscle contraction, but studies show little benefit for leg cramps.
Both low vitamin D and calcium lead to increased muscle cramps. Vitamin B1 is also called thiamine. Your body uses it to produce energy. Low vitamin B1 can lead to a condition called beriberi, which causes leg pain and cramps.