Which magnesium is right for you?
Magnesium is one of the first things I look at with new patients. But there are a lot of forms out there, and we carry four ourselves. Here's how I'd choose.
Read the video transcript
Which Select Balance magnesium is right for you? If you want magnesium, get magnesium glycinate. It's one form and it absorbs really well. Magnesium Complete has eight different forms in one capsule for broader support, sleep, muscle relaxation, energy, and your nervous system. Magnesium powder is the magnesium glycinate in powdered form, so you can mix it with other powders, use it at bedtime.
It's really easy and tasteless. And Move Eeez is a magnesium plus vitamin C and minerals made for occasional constipation and staying regular. Not sure which one? Ask the Select Balance assistant on our site, and it will walk you through it.
The short answer
If you just want magnesium, get magnesium glycinate. It's one form and it absorbs really well.
Your four options
Magnesium Glycinate (capsules). Magnesium glycinate has been my go-to for initial meetings with patients. What I hear back: better sleep, less cramps, less muscle pain, less anxiety, better bowel movements. I usually suggest 300 mg a day for one to three months, then notice what has changed. Ours is 300 mg of Albion TRAACS magnesium glycinate per serving.
Magnesium Complete. Eight different forms in one capsule for broader support: sleep, muscle relaxation, energy and your nervous system. 378 mg per 3 capsules. Most people take it in the evening, because the glycinate and taurate forms are the calming ones.
Magnesium Powder. The same magnesium glycinate in powdered form. It's really easy and tasteless, so you can mix it with your other powders or take it at bedtime.
Move Eeez. Magnesium plus vitamin C and minerals, made for occasional constipation and staying regular. It also comes as capsules.
Powder, capsules or tablets?
I look at it by absorption. Powder is the purest form. Capsules hold the same powder and dissolve in digestion, which is usually not a problem. Tablets are powder pressed together with a binding agent, and in my opinion they absorb less well. If your stomach is sensitive, choose capsules. If swallowing tablets is easier for you, that's a fine reason to pick them.
A few things to know
- Take magnesium at least 2 hours apart from thyroid medication, antibiotics, iron and zinc.
- If your stools get loose, cut back by one capsule until they're normal.
- If you have kidney disease, check with your provider before taking any magnesium.
Not sure which one? Ask the Select Balance Assistant on our site, and it will walk you through it. You can also browse our Sleep Support collection.
Stephanie Grutz, ARNP, FNP-C, is an integrative board-certified family nurse practitioner and the founder of Select Balance. This article is general education, not medical advice. Talk with your own provider about your situation.
