Magnesium Threonate vs. Glycinate

Whether at the store, at a friend's house, or on social media, chances are you have seen or heard of the mighty mineral magnesium somewhere. It's found in foods, supplements and even sports drinks!

To say that the benefits magnesium offers are "impressive" is an understatement, considering it's involved in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body ranging from metabolism to bone and muscle health to cardiovascular health. You name it, and magnesium is probably involved.

But which magnesium supplements should you take? There are so many different forms, and the options can be overwhelming. If you walk down the aisle in your local supermarket, you'll see magnesium citrate, magnesium oxide, combination formulas and more.

Two of the most popular options are magnesium glycinate and magnesium L-threonate. These forms may both begin with the word "magnesium," but they are not one and the same. Here's everything you need to know about both of these forms, their benefits, plus how to figure out if you should take one of these—or both!

What is magnesium L-threonate?

Magnesium L-threonate, sometimes referred to as magnesium threonate, or by its proprietary name, Magtein®, has been studied for its beneficial effects on memory, recall speed and cognitive health. In a randomized placebo-controlled trial including 44 adults aged 50-70 years, those who received a daily dose of 1.5 to 2 grams of magnesium L-threonate daily showed significantly improved cognitive and executive function in just 12 weeks compared to placebo. Magnesium L-threonate is a nootropic, which is a substance that encourages mental stamina and performance. These are particularly interesting to nutritional neurohackers, or people who tailor their diet and supplements to optimize their brain function in everyday life. Who wouldn't want to do that?

Whether you are trying to ace exams, get a competitive edge in your career, or vying for bragging rights with your gaming friends, magnesium L-threonate makes for a great addition.

Fun fact: magnesium L-threonate is an organic form of magnesium that is complexed with L-threonate. Now, this is not "organic" in the same sense as our favorite fresh fruits and vegetables; rather, organic means magnesium is complexed with a carbon-containing molecule. (Inorganic forms are complexed with molecules that do not contain carbon. For example, magnesium oxide comes from magnesium and oxygen.)

What is magnesium glycinate?

Compared with magnesium L-threonate, which has studied benefits for your thinker, magnesium glycinate is more of a jack-of-all-trades form of this mineral. It's a popular and affordable form that offers an easy way to help supplement your dietary habits to ensure you've got adequate magnesium levels.

Magnesium glycinate makes a great option for people looking to increase their daily magnesium intake. Magnesium helps regulate calcium levels in the body, which is important for healthy bone density, and promotes nervous system function, muscle contractions and encourages cardiovascular health.

Like L-threonate, magnesium glycinate is also an organic form. However, magnesium glycinate is complexed with the amino acid glycine. You might see glycine or glycinate and think of different health benefits associated with this amino acid, such as sleep. However, that isn't the case here because the amount of glycine found in magnesium glycinate is far lower than the doses that have been studied for sleep.

How are L-threonate and glycinate different?

Although both effectively deliver elemental magnesium, the main difference between these two forms comes down to what they have been investigated for in clinical studies. Magnesium L-threonate has been studied for cognitive health whereas magnesium glycinate is frequently used as a traditional magnesium supplement to help support magnesium levels and whole-body health.

From a chemical perspective, what sets magnesium L-threonate apart from magnesium glycinate is the compound magnesium is bound to. Magnesium with glycine forms magnesium glycinate. On the other hand, when you compound magnesium with L-threonate, you get (ta-da!) magnesium L-threonate.

Imagine magnesium is your favorite pair of jeans. You can choose to pair them with a red shirt (threonate) or blue shirt (glycinate). Either way you get a great outfit, and you may choose a different outfit depending on the event you are attending.

Although these forms are different, they do share a few commonalities. They are both organic forms of magnesium supplements. For the science buffs out there: these forms are chelated which helps improve their absorption, bioavailability and stability. Talk about a win-win-win situation!

Should I take magnesium glycinate or magnesium L-threonate?

One key factor is to pick a form of magnesium that was studied for your desired benefit. Consider magnesium L-threonate, for example, which has been studied for its cognitive health benefits. If your goal is whole-body health and boosting your magnesium levels and intake with magnesium supplements, then your best bet is finding a form that sits well with you so that you can take it regularly. Still unsure? Let's dive in and break down the benefits magnesium has to offer.

Which form of magnesium is better absorbed?

Magnesium glycinate and magnesium L-threonate, being organic salts, are both highly bioavailable and well-absorbed due to their high solubility in water. Organic salts provide less elemental magnesium by mass than inorganic salts. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing. The lower amount of elemental magnesium can help alleviate potential side effects, such as digestive discomfort, and offers flexibility in the dosing.

At the end of the day, any difference in absorption is negligible and should not be a deciding factor when choosing which form of magnesium to take. Instead focus on things like health benefits, affordability and personal tolerance so that you can use magnesium as part of your daily routine.

Is magnesium L-threonate a superior form of magnesium?

Short answer: no. Long answer: nope! Although different forms of magnesium have been studied for different benefits, there is no particularly "superior" form.

People may cater their choice based on the clinical evidence for specific forms–such as cognitive health with L-threonate–but the bottom line is finding a form that works for you. You won't benefit from magnesium if you aren't taking it consistently, so finding which form is well-tolerated would be considered superior for that person.

Can you take magnesium L-threonate and glycinate together?

Yes, you can take both together. Many people looking to support their brain and memory function choose magnesium L-threonate, but magnesium glycinate can provide an additional source of dietary magnesium for overall health. In the grand scheme of things, the L-threonate or glycinate are acting as a carrier for magnesium. Taking these together is like taking any two forms of magnesium. We also get magnesium through the foods in our diet, and magnesium supplements act as an extra form to boost dietary intake. What is most important is to look at how much elemental magnesium you are taking daily.

Are L-threonate and glycinate okay to take daily?

Absolutely! In fact, these should be taken daily. Many adults consume low levels of magnesium and the easiest way to increase intake is through supplementation. When it comes to magnesium supplements (and supplements in general) the key is consistency. Taking these daily provides a standardized amount of magnesium to help boost your intake in the long term.

However, it's important to monitor your intake because higher doses of magnesium may cause gastrointestinal discomfort. The best way to alleviate this is to reduce intake and work back up to a dose that sits well with you–the happy medium, so to speak. It is important to always speak to your doctor or healthcare provider before adding new supplements to your routine.

What other health benefits does magnesium offer?

Magnesium is considered a core health supplement because it helps encourage healthy aging and overall well-being. But specifically, what does it do for your body? Well, along with brain health previously mentioned, magnesium is known to support:

• Bone health

  : We were all told to drink our milk to get all the calcium we need for strong bones, but what about magnesium? While calcium enjoys the spotlight, magnesium is behind the curtains making sure the show runs smoothly. Magnesium is involved in the formation of bones and maintaining healthy calcium metabolism, and many studies have found an association between increased magnesium intake and healthy bone mineral density.

• Heart health

  : Magnesium is involved in regulating electrical impulses to help maintain a regular heartbeat, but that's not where it ends. It also promotes healthy endothelial function, and scientific evidence suggests that higher intakes of magnesium help maintain already-healthy blood pressure. A healthy heart is a happy heart!

• Muscle health

  : Magnesium is essential for proper communication between muscles and nerve cells to help support healthy muscle contractions. Yet another point to add to magnesium's already impressive resume.

Pro tip: Stress can negatively affect your magnesium levels, so it's important to also manage your stress to get the most out of your magnesium. As they say: keep calm, and carry on! Although that's easier said than done, consider options such as yoga, meditation, and exercise that can help support healthy stress management.

How to choose a high-quality magnesium supplement

The best form is the one that sits well with your body (and wallet!). Whether this is magnesium glycinate, magnesium L-threonate, magnesium citrate, or magnesium oxide, the key is to be consistent. Taking your magnesium supplement around the same time every day can help ensure compliance, and some people take it together with their other supplements.

Whether you prefer morning, afternoon, or night, pick an ideal time and stick to it so you can reap the benefits of this marvelous mineral.

References

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• Fatima G, et al. "Magnesium Matters: A Comprehensive Review of Its Vital Role in Health and Diseases." Cureus. October 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39539878/
• Groenendijk L, et al. "Impact of magnesium on bone health in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis." Bone. January 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34666201/
• Han M, et al. "Associations between dietary magnesium intake and hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia." Hypertens Res. February 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37821564/
• Liu G, et al. "Efficacy and Safety of MMFS-01, a Synapse Density Enhancer, for Treating Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial." J Alzheimers Dis. 2016. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26519439/
• Workinger J, et al. "Challenges in the Diagnosis of Magnesium Status." Nutrients. September 2018. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30200431/
• Zhang X, et al. "Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Blood Pressure: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trials." Hypertension. August 2016. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27402922/
• "Magnesium." National Institute of Health. June 2022. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
• "Magnesium." Data on file.
• "Magnesium." The Nutrition Source. March 2023. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/magnesium/