Magnesium Glycinate vs Citrate: Which Should I Take?

Key takeaways:

• Magnesium glycinate and magnesium citrate supplements have different effects on the body.
• Both forms are highly bioavailable, but glycinate is less likely to cause digestive upset, whereas citrate can have a mild laxative effect.
• Choosing between magnesium glycinate and citrate depends on your wellness goals, or you can combine them strategically – glycinate at night for relaxation and citrate during the day for digestive support.

When it comes to magnesium supplements, the sheer number of options can feel overwhelming. Magnesium plays a vital role in hundreds of processes throughout the body – from supporting nerve and muscle function, to regulating blood pressure and helping regulate mood, sleep and energy production. But not all forms of magnesium work in the same way. Different compounds are absorbed differently and may offer distinct benefits, which is why understanding the differences matters when choosing the right supplement.

Two of the most commonly compared forms are magnesium glycinate vs citrate. While both provide essential magnesium, they are used for slightly different purposes and can affect the body in different ways. Magnesium glycinate is often chosen for its gentle, highly absorbable form that may support relaxation and sleep, while magnesium citrate is commonly known for its digestive benefits and its ability to help maintain healthy bowel movements.

If you’re trying to decide between magnesium glycinate or magnesium citrate, understanding how each works, and who each type is best suited for, can help you make a more informed choice for your own needs. In this guide, our in-house practitioner, Josephine Smith, breaks down the key differences between magnesium glycinate and magnesium citrate, including their benefits, absorption, potential side effects and which option may be better for your specific health goals.

What is Magnesium Glycinate?

Magnesium glycinate is a gentle form of magnesium that’s bound to the amino acid, glycine. This helps improve magnesium absorption and makes it one of the gentlest forms of magnesium on the digestive system. Because glycine also plays a role in calming the nervous system, magnesium glycinate is often associated with relaxation and sleep support. You can read more about if magnesium actually works for sleep here.

Compared with other forms, magnesium glycinate is less likely to cause digestive upset, which is why it’s commonly recommended for people who want to increase their magnesium levels, without fear of it having a laxative effect or causing stomach upset.

People often use magnesium glycinate for:

• Supporting better sleep quality

• Promoting relaxation and reducing stress

• Helping maintain healthy daily magnesium levels  without digestive side effects

• Supporting muscle recovery and reducing cramps pre and post-workout

What is Magnesium Citrate?

Magnesium citrate is another form of magnesium, which has been made by combining magnesium with citric acid. Magnesium citrate is one of the most commonly recommended and used magnesium supplements due to its bioavailability (high bioavailability ensures maximum effectiveness, as more of the nutrient reaches cells) and fast absorption in the body. However, it is known for sometimes having a mild osmotic effect in the digestive tract, which means it can pull water into the intestines and can make bowel movements slightly looser for some people.

Due to this impact on bowel movement, magnesium citrate is often associated with digestive support and is more commonly used when people want the benefits of magnesium and help with bowel regularity.

People often use magnesium citrate for:

• Supporting healthy digestion

• Relieving occasional constipation and encouraging regular bowel movements

• Increasing overall daily  magnesium intake

• Supporting muscle and nerve function

So, what is the difference between these two forms of magnesium?

Comparing Magnesium Glycinate vs. Citrate

Magnesium glycinate and citrate share many benefits. However, they also have differences to be aware of in order to choose the right supplement for you. The table below will help you discover the differences between magnesium glycine and citrate, as well as the common uses, who each form is best for and side effects to be aware of.

The Science Behind Absorption and Effectiveness

Magnesium glycinate is widely known for being easily absorbed and gentle on the digestive system. Because the magnesium is bound to the amino acid glycine, it may be transported more efficiently across the intestinal wall. This form is also less likely to cause digestive issues such as diarrhea or stomach upset, which are sometimes associated with other magnesium forms like magnesium oxide or magnesium citrate. According to research, amino acid-chelated forms like magnesium glycinate show greater bioavailability and tolerability when compared to inorganic salts such as magnesium oxide.

Magnesium citrate is also known for being easily absorbed by the body, particularly when taken with food or in liquid form. However, it may have a mild osmotic effect in the digestive tract, meaning it can draw water into the intestines and help stimulate bowel movements.

The Difference Between Magnesium Citrate and Glycinate

Magnesium glycinate is commonly used for sleep, relaxation and stress support, while magnesium citrate is often chosen for digestive support and constipation relief, though both forms are well absorbed magnesium supplements that help support muscle and nerve function, and aid magnesium deficiencies.

Magnesium Citrate vs Glycinate – Which Should I Take?

Whether you take magnesium citrate or magnesium glycinate depends on your individual wellness goals and body’s tolerance. Supplement Hub’s in-house practitioner, Josephine Smith, suggests:

• Choose glycinate for sleep, stress relief, muscle recovery and gentle absorption.

• Choose citrate for bowel regularity, digestive support or electrolyte replenishment.

Some people even wonder if you can take both magnesium citrate and glycinate together, and the answer is yes, you can combine the two strategically; ideally glycinate at night to relax and citrate earlier in the day to support digestion and hydration. Understanding the benefits of each allows you to tailor your magnesium supplementation more intentionally. We recommend speaking to a healthcare expert to help fine-tune the best routine for your needs.

Magnesium Citrate Vs Glycinate FAQs

Which is better: magnesium glycinate or magnesium citrate?

Neither magnesium glycinate or citrate is considered ‘better’. The best option for you, of the two, depends on your individual wellness goals. If you’re looking for improved sleep, for instance, magnesium glycinate would be the better option of the two, whereas if you want digestive support or relief from occasional constipation, magnesium citrate may be more suitable.

Can you take magnesium glycinate and citrate together?

Yes, you can safely take magnesium glycinate and magnesium citrate together. Many people opt for this to target their different needs – including relaxation, sleep and bowel regularity – simultaneously. If you do opt to take them both together, it’s best to stagger your doses. Citrate is best taken in the morning, and glycate at night.

How much magnesium glycinate do I need compared to citrate? 

The recommended amount of magnesium can vary depending on your age, sex and individual health needs, but generally, magnesium glycinate and citrate provide similar amounts of elemental magnesium per dose. Because citrate can have a mild laxative effect at higher doses, people often take slightly lower amounts to avoid digestive upset, while glycinate is usually tolerated well at higher doses for sleep, relaxation, or daily supplementation. 

Many Supplement Hub magnesium glycinate products provide about 240mg of elemental magnesium per two capsule serving. A typical daily suggested use is 1-4 capsules, meaning roughly 120-480mg elemental magnesium per day. Whereas many of our magnesium citrate products provide about 300mg of elemental magnesium per two capsule serving. A common suggested dose is 1-4 capsules daily, which would equate to roughly 150-600mg elemental magnesium per day depending on how many capsules you take.

Supplement Hub’s in-house Practitioner recommends 200-400mg of magnesium glycinate daily, however if constipated and for bowel regulation, up the dose to 300-600mg daily.

Do magnesium glycinate and citrate do the same thing?

Yes, both magnesium glycinate and magnesium citrate provide the body with magnesium, supporting muscle and nerve function and helping correct magnesium deficiencies. However, they differ in their effects on the digestive system. While glycinate is gentle and calming, citrate can act as a mild laxative. They also differ in their ability to impact sleep quality, with magnesium glycinate the favoured option for those needing sleep support.