Your magnesium levels affect how every cell in your body works. You’ll feel it if you’re low in magnesium — you may experience decreased energy, sleep problems, muscle cramps, and more. 

Even if your diet is on point, you can come up short on micronutrients like magnesium. Modern farming practices deplete the soil, so fruits and vegetables don’t have the mineral content they did a few generations ago. Plus, many people have shifted to plant-based diets filled with anti-nutrients that prevent your body from absorbing minerals.  

Magnesium is crucial in over 300 enzymatic processes that go on in your body. You won’t perform at full power unless you’re getting enough. However, in the US most adults are deficient in magnesium. 

Keep reading to learn why magnesium is crucial to feel like yourself, and to find out which magnesium supplement might work best for you. 

THE FUNCTION OF MAGNESIUM IN YOUR BODY 

Your body depends on magnesium for a lot of processes, like: 

• Maintaining healthy DNA 

• Making proteins 

• Helping your muscles work more efficiently (and not cramp up) 

• Maintaining healthy blood pressure 

• Managing nerve cells 

• Maintaining healthy blood glucose levels 

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST MAGNESIUM SUPPLEMENT 

If you’re ready to add a magnesium supplement to your stack, know that there are many different forms with different properties. Some of them are good for multiple uses. You might have to do some trial and error to find which magnesium supplements vibe with your biology. Luckily, magnesium is usually pretty cheap. 

Pro tip: every time you try a new magnesium type, brand, or dose, plan to take your first few doses when you’ll be home for the next few hours. Especially when you’re figuring out your dose, you could have some digestive discomfort. 

These are some of the most common (but not all) forms of magnesium you’ll find in supplements, and what they do in your body:  

Magnesium threonate: cognition, memory, focus 

Magnesium threonate readily crosses the blood-brain barrier, which means it absorbs quickly and acts fast. 

Research shows that it helps with learning and memory, and may slow down age-related cognitive decline. In a rat study, magnesium threonate reversed Alzheimer’s disease. It can also help you feel calm and help you get better sleep.  

Magnesium chloride: topical use 

In stores, you’ll see magnesium chloride “oil” that comes in a spray bottle for your skin. Magnesium oil actually isn’t an oil at all – it feels oily because magnesium chloride is slightly more alkaline than water. You can absorb a lot of magnesium through your skin using magnesium oil sprays. 

Topical magnesium spray works well for aching and cramping muscles. 

If you’re low in magnesium, you may notice tingling or itching after you apply the spray. The hypothesis is that your skin and blood vessels are opening up to “grab” magnesium because your body really needs it. As your magnesium levels increase, you’ll no longer itch when you use topical magnesium oil. If the itching bothers you, you can rinse your skin as soon as it dries. Most of it will have been absorbed by then. 

Magnesium sulfate: detox, muscle pain 

Magnesium sulfate might be the easiest form of magnesium to find. You can pick up a bag of epsom salt, which is pure magnesium sulfate, in almost every grocery store or pharmacy. 

Soaking in a bath with epsom salt soothes sore muscles and pulls toxins out of your pores. You don’t absorb much magnesium, but you’ll get just enough to feel the calming effect. 

If you want to elevate your experience, try a sensory deprivation float tank. The water in float tanks is saturated with magnesium sulfate so that you are buoyant, and you get extra relaxation effects when you combine magnesium with sensory deprivation. 

Some people take magnesium sulfate internally, but it’s easy to take too much and end up in the bathroom for a while. 

Magnesium malate: energy, muscles 

If you’re looking to boost energy throughout the day, magnesium malate may help. The elemental magnesium is bound to malic acid, which helps your cells produce energy. 

It calms overactive nerve cells, which may help with pain by relaxing tense muscles. Some fibromyalgia patients experience relief when taking magnesium malate. 

Magnesium citrate: for overall magnesium levels 

Magnesium citrate is one of the most absorbable forms of magnesium. It is often used to treat low magnesium levels. Some studies show that magnesium citrate supplementation can alleviate metabolic syndrome by reducing hemoglobin A1C and blood pressure. 

Magnesium citrate is also used as a laxative so to avoid disaster pants, use a small dose at first, and work up until you find your ideal dose. 

Magnesium oxide: for constipation 

If you’re not pooping every day, taking small doses of magnesium oxide a few times a day can help keep things moving. On the flipside, if you’re making enough (or too many) bathroom trips, it’s probably a good idea to pick a different form of magnesium. 

One more time for emphasis: take small doses. This one is most likely to cause bathroom trouble, but for the same reasons, it’s super effective for constipation. Experiment at home. 

Even though you feel its effects, it isn’t a very bioavailable form because you end up flushing a lot of it — literally. So, it isn’t great for boosting overall magnesium levels.

Magnesium bisglycinate chelate: for sleep, calm, and more (without the potential gastrointestinal upset) 

Magnesium bisglycinate chelate is a highly absorbable form of magnesium and will raise your overall magnesium levels quickly. Its structure consists of magnesium bound to the amino acid glycine and has a calming effect that can significantly improve your sleep quality. Some studies show it can also help with depression. 

Because of its composition, it does not cause any of the unfavorable gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms that are sometimes associated with magnesium supplementation. 

Because of its high bioavailability, many benefits and low risk of side effects, it’s the form that most people do well with and prefer. You can find this form in Magnesium 101 from Suppgrade Labs. 

Bonus: If you want to know how you’re doing, you can check your magnesium status by asking your doctor for a red blood cell magnesium test.