Magnesium Citrate Benefits & How It Compares To Other Types Of Magnesium

Magnesium is a serious multitasker. The mineral plays a central role in almost every aspect of health, from keeping blood sugar levels steady to maintaining muscle function.

Magnesium citrate is one of the most popular types of magnesium you'll spot on shelves, known for its low price tag and high absorption rate.

"Magnesium is such a crucial mineral for so many mechanisms in our body," Bindiya Gandhi, M.D., a functional and integrative doctor, tells mindbodygreen. "It is involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body including1 nerve function, DNA synthesis, bone health, and more." Not only that, but magnesium is also used to help stabilize blood sugar levels, regulate muscle contractions, and even keep your heart healthy.

Depending on your age, daily magnesium needs2 range from 400 to 420 milligrams for adult men and 310 to 320 milligrams for adult women (with even more needed during pregnancy, up to 360 milligrams).

Even though magnesium is found naturally in a variety of food sources, it's estimated that around 43% of Americans don't get enough of it3 through diet alone.

Enter magnesium supplements: a simple, safe, and effective way to bump up your magnesium intake and ensure you're getting enough of this essential nutrient daily.

Magnesium on its own has very low bioavailability, so it needs to be paired with another organic compound to make it easier for your body to absorb. There are several different forms of magnesium supplements1 to choose from, including magnesium oxide, magnesium chloride, magnesium glycinate, and magnesium citrate. All of these can be used to help bring your magnesium levels up.

If you're not getting enough magnesium in your daily diet, supplementing with magnesium citrate might be worth considering. In many cases, supplementation is often considered a first line of defense against magnesium deficiency, which can cause a slew of serious symptoms4, ranging from nausea, loss of appetite, fatigue and weakness.

Taking oral magnesium (in any form, including magnesium citrate) has been shown to increase blood levels of magnesium5 safely, without affecting levels of other nutrients like calcium.

Magnesium can help promote chemical reactions in the body that make you feel sleepy, according to Poonam Desai, D.O., an emergency and lifestyle medicine physician.

"Magnesium supplementation may help some fall asleep faster6, stay asleep longer, reduce the amount of nighttime awakenings, and increase levels of circulating melatonin," she explains. In fact, one study even found that greater magnesium intake (in all forms) was tied to better sleep quality7 and increased sleep duration in young adults.

Magnesium citrate can ease constipation and help keep you regular. "It works by increasing the amount of water our intestines absorb, which helps soften the stool and relieves constipation," Desai tells mindbodygreen.

According to Gandhi, magnesium citrate can also relax the digestive tract, making it a particularly good option to treat constipation.

Interestingly, some research suggests that increasing your overall intake of magnesium in general might also help keep things moving.

One study published in Food Science & Nutrition looked at the diet and bathroom habits of over 9,500 people and found that those with the lowest dietary intakes of magnesium were more likely to have chronic constipation or decreased stool frequency8 than those with the highest intake levels.

Magnesium plays a key role in muscle contractions and is often touted as a natural remedy for muscle cramps. This is because cramps are sometimes caused by electrolyte imbalances11, including low magnesium levels. Magnesium oxide supplements have been shown to reduce the frequency and duration of nighttime leg cramps12 while also improving sleep quality. However, research on magnesium citrate, in particular, is limited here.

If you're in the market for a magnesium supplement, magnesium citrate is a widely available and affordable option. Not only that, but magnesium citrate might even be more well absorbed than some other forms commonly used for constipation.

For instance, one older study compared the absorption rates14 of several forms of magnesium, such as magnesium oxide, and found that magnesium citrate came out on top. Another study had similar findings, reporting that magnesium citrate may be better absorbed15 by the body than magnesium oxide.

Even though magnesium citrate can be helpful for increasing your intake of magnesium, it might not be a good idea to rely on it long term. Instead, it should be used to treat occasional constipation on a short-term basis.

If you have a deficiency, making changes to your diet or addressing health issues that may be affecting magnesium absorption is a much better option in the long run, especially if you have any conditions that might also be impacting levels of other nutrients or causing adverse effects on your health.

While magnesium citrate is generally considered pretty safe, it could cause unpleasant side effects in some people, including loose, watery, or more frequent stools.

Magnesium deficiencies, which can manifest as fatigue, disrupted sleep, and other common symptoms, are increasingly common. Getting all the magnesium you need from food can be difficult (an adult man would have to eat upward of seven avocados a day to reach the required 420 milligrams, for example), which is where supplementation can come in.

"I do not think it's widely appreciated how high magnesium daily needs truly are (for women and men, young and older) and how intentional we need to be to achieve those needs," says mindbodygreen's vice president of scientific affairs Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN.

Magnesium citrate supplements are an affordable and bioavailable pick for addressing low magnesium levels. There's also compelling research to show that they can help prevent constipation. However, the other benefits of magnesium citrate are not as science-backed. Other forms of magnesium supplements have been more thoroughly researched for promoting sleep and relaxation, for example. (Hence, why we prefer magnesium glycinate, not citrate, in sleep supplements.)

Magnesium is essential for many aspects of health, and magnesium citrate supplements can be an easy and affordable option to help boost your intake. Although one of the most common uses for magnesium citrate is as a natural laxative, it might offer many other benefits as well. Still, some other types of magnesium supplements have been studied more extensively and may have an edge when it comes to certain perks like promoting sleep or preventing muscle cramps.