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The Best Magnesium Glycinate Brands

Updated By the HealthWorld editorial teamHow we pick

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Top picks at a glance

  1. 1
    Doctor's Best High Absorption Magnesium

    Best tablet

    Doctor's Best High Absorption Magnesium

    Form Glycinate · Chelated 100%

  2. 2
    Thorne Magnesium Bisglycinate

    Best powder

    Thorne Magnesium Bisglycinate

    Form Bisglycinate · Format Powder

Magnesium glycinate is popular because it's well absorbed and gentle on the stomach compared with forms like oxide or citrate. Doctor's Best High Absorption is our top tablet pick, and Thorne Magnesium Bisglycinate is the pick if you'd rather drink it. On most labels, 'glycinate' and 'bisglycinate' describe essentially the same thing.

Our picks

  1. Doctor's Best High Absorption Magnesium

    #1Best tablet

    Doctor's Best High Absorption Magnesium

    100% chelated magnesium (glycinate lysinate), gentle on the stomach and one of the most popular glycinate products available.

    Form GlycinateChelated 100%Amazon Full facts →
  2. Thorne Magnesium Bisglycinate

    #2Best powder

    Thorne Magnesium Bisglycinate

    Magnesium bisglycinate powder that mixes into water, from one of the most trusted practitioner brands.

    Form BisglycinateFormat PowderAmazon Full facts →
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What to look for

100% chelated
Look for 'fully' or '100% chelated'. Some glycinate products are buffered with magnesium oxide, which raises the dose per tablet but is less gentle and less well absorbed.
Elemental dose per serving
Check how much elemental magnesium you get per serving and how many tablets that takes. Glycinate is a bulky compound, so a full serving is often split across two or more tablets.
Third-party testing
Marks such as USP Verified or NSF give independent assurance about what's in the bottle. If a certification matters to you, check the current label, since marks can differ by product and size.
Tablet or powder
Tablets are easy to take anywhere; powders let you adjust the dose and turn magnesium into part of an evening drink.

Frequently asked questions

Does magnesium glycinate make you poop?

Glycinate is one of the least laxative forms of magnesium, so most people don't notice a change. High doses of any magnesium can loosen stools. If that happens, lower the dose or split it across the day.

How much magnesium glycinate per day for a woman?

The recommended daily magnesium intake for adult women is 310–320 mg from all sources, including food, and the upper limit from supplements is 350 mg a day. Many women take 100–200 mg of elemental magnesium as a supplement. If you're pregnant or have kidney issues, ask your doctor first.

Can you take magnesium with vitamin D?

Yes. They're commonly taken together, and magnesium plays a role in how the body uses vitamin D. If you take other medications, check timing with your pharmacist.

Magnesium glycinate or citrate: which is better?

It depends on your goal. Glycinate is gentler on the stomach and a popular evening choice; citrate is also well absorbed but has a mild laxative effect. If constipation isn't a concern, glycinate is usually the easier everyday option.

Sources