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← Back to blogMagnesium | The right form, the right effect
Magnesium deficiency may affect approximately half of adults, but which form does what?
Magnesium is a mineral involved in more than 300 enzymatic reactions in the body. In the brain, it acts as a gatekeeper for the NMDA receptor (the excitatory glutamate system), supports GABA transmission, and plays a role in regulating the stress axis (HPA). US data indicate that ~48% of adults consume less than the estimated daily requirement. Because most of the body's magnesium is inside cells and in bone, a “normal” blood level may mask a subclinical deficiency.
The choice of form matters: organic salts (citrate, glycinate, malate) are generally better absorbed than magnesium oxide — in one study, oxide absorption was only ~4%. In practice, glycinate stands out for calmness/sleep, L-threonate for cognition, as it has been shown to enter the brain, and citrate for general use and migraine. An important note: clinical evidence directly comparing these forms is limited; better absorption does not mean proven superior clinical efficacy.
In psychiatry, an honest assessment is as follows: in one RCT, magnesium significantly reduced mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms (−6.0 on the PHQ-9); however, this study was open-label, and meta-analyses show a small effect (SMD≈0.16). Findings for anxiety/stress are promising, but the quality of evidence is limited. The strongest evidence is for migraine: magnesium citrate carries a Level A recommendation in the Canadian Headache Society guideline. In type 2 diabetes, it improves insulin resistance.
A practical approach: (1) prioritize dietary sources (leafy greens, nuts, legumes, whole grains); (2) choose the form according to your goal; (3) divide the dose, with typical supplementation providing ~200-400 mg of elemental magnesium; (4) it interacts with certain medications, and you should consult your physician if you have kidney disease; (5) depression, chronic migraine, and sleep disorders cannot be resolved with supplements alone. Supplementation is not a substitute for treatment of a diagnosed disorder.