Magnesium is an essential mineral and electrolyte required for over 300 processes in your body, including energy production, bone formation, muscle function, and DNA/RNA synthesis.
The recommended daily magnesium intake is 400 milligrams for adult men and 300 milligrams for adult women.
While magnesium is readily found in foods common to our diet, including leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and legumes, significant portions of the population fail to meet the recommended daily intake.[2]
The good news is that magnesium supplements offer a convenient, affordable, and effective way to support your body’s needs.
Types of Magnesium Supplements
There are several different forms of magnesium offered in supplements. When deciding which to purchase, you need to consider a few things, including the specific form included, what benefit you’re looking to get from taking magnesium, and how much you want to spend.
Here are the most common types of magnesium you’ll encounter when making your decision:
- Magnesium oxide – commonly used in dietary supplements because of its low cost but unfortunately, it suffers from poor bioavailability.
- Magnesium bisglycinate glycinate – a chelated form of magnesium bound to the amino acid glycine, which enhances absorption, tends to be well-tolerated by the digestive system, and supports relaxation
- Magnesium malate - bioavailable form of magnesium combined with malic acid -- a natural compound found in certain foods, including apples.
- Magnesium citrate – magnesium combined with citric acid and has good bioavailability but could cause stomach aches if taken at high doses.
- Magnesium chloride – typically used in bath salts, gels and lotions.
Does Timing Matter?
Generally speaking, timing doesn’t matter a whole lot, with respect to magnesium supplements, if you’re primarily concerned with meeting the daily recommended intake. You can take it first thing in the morning, between meals, or before bed. The most important thing is to take it consistently.
However, if you are taking magnesium for a specific reason, such as increased relaxation or improved sleep quality, then you will want to be a bit more selective with your timing.
When To Take Magnesium in the Morning
For Anxiety
Taking magnesium shortly after waking, such as with breakfast, may help to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, allowing for a calm state of mind and healthy mood.
For Migraines
Magnesium has been investigated for its role in helping reduce frequency and severity of migraine headaches.[3] Consuming it early in the morning may help to support healthy magnesium levels and reduce the potential for a migraine to develop.
For Constipation
If you're treating constipation, taking magnesium during the day may be safest as taking it before bed may cause you to wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. Typically, a bowel movement occurs anywhere from 30 minutes to six hours after taking magnesium for constipation (depending on the form and dosage).
When To Take Magnesium at Night
Improved Relaxation & Sleep
Low magnesium levels are associated with poor sleep quality.[4]
If you’re taking magnesium for restless legs and/or to improve sleep quality, then you will want to take your magnesium supplement 30-60 minutes before bed. The calming effects of magnesium can help your mind and body to relax, enabling you to achieve deeper, more restorative sleep.
As an added bonus, magnesium is involved in the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates your sleep cycle. Studies have found that magnesium helps improve sleep quality and how long you stay asleep.[5,6]
Should You Take It With Food?
Magnesium can be taken with or without food.
Be aware that some studies note that foods high in fiber may interfere with magnesium absorption. To avoid this occurrence, you may want to separate your magnesium supplements from any fiber-rich foods or meals.
Common side effects of magnesium supplements include gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. This usually occurs when magnesium is taken in high amounts (>400mg in a single serving).
The Best Magnesium Supplement
There are hundreds (if not thousands) of magnesium supplements on the market; however, none can match the purity and potency of 1UP Super Magnesium.
1UP Super Magnesium is the best magnesium supplement on the market. We’ve included a novel dual-source, high bioavailability blend, including:
- Magnesium Bisglycinate Chelate
- Magnesium Malate
But, that’s not all.
We’ve included two essential vitamins in Vitamin C and D3 as well as the calming amino acid, L-Theanine.
Vitamin C plays a key role in immune and antioxidant status, aiding the body's natural defenses against pathogens and oxidative stress. Vitamin D is necessary for the proper absorption of magnesium in the body as well as countless other processes, including mood, immune function, hormone production, and bone health.
Every serving supplies 300mg elemental magnesium in an easy mixing and delicious blend to support your performance, recovery, and cardiometabolic health.
Click here to learn more about Super Magnesium and what makes it the best-tasting magnesium supplement!
References
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
- DiNicolantonio JJ, O'Keefe JH, Wilson W. Subclinical magnesium deficiency: a principal driver of cardiovascular disease and a public health crisis. Open Heart. 2018 Jan 13;5(1):e000668. doi: 10.1136/openhrt-2017-000668. Erratum in: Open Heart. 2018 Apr 5;5(1):e000668corr1. doi: 10.1136/openhrt-2017-000668corr1. PMID: 29387426; PMCID: PMC5786912.
- Yablon LA, Mauskop A. Magnesium in headache. In: Vink R, Nechifor M, editors. Magnesium in the Central Nervous System [Internet]. Adelaide (AU): University of Adelaide Press; 2011. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507271/
- Yijia Zhang, Cheng Chen, Liping Lu, Kristen L Knutson, Mercedes R Carnethon, Alyce D Fly, Juhua Luo, David M Haas, James M Shikany, Ka Kahe, Association of magnesium intake with sleep duration and sleep quality: findings from the CARDIA study, Sleep, Volume 45, Issue 4, April 2022, zsab276, https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsab276
- Cao Y, Zhen S, Taylor AW, Appleton S, Atlantis E, Shi Z. Magnesium Intake and Sleep Disorder Symptoms: Findings from the Jiangsu Nutrition Study of Chinese Adults at Five-Year Follow-Up. Nutrients. 2018 Sep 21;10(10):1354. doi: 10.3390/nu10101354. PMID: 30248967; PMCID: PMC6212970.
- Arab A, Rafie N, Amani R, Shirani F. The Role of Magnesium in Sleep Health: a Systematic Review of Available Literature. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2023 Jan;201(1):121-128. doi: 10.1007/s12011-022-03162-1. Epub 2022 Feb 19. PMID: 35184264.
