Magnesium Citrate

What is it?

Magnesium citrate is a magnesium preparation in salt form with citric acid. It is commonly used as a dietary supplement and over-the-counter medication. This form of magnesium is known for its high bioavailability, making it easier for the body to absorb compared to other forms.

How does it work for medicinal purposes?

Magnesium citrate works by providing the body with magnesium, a crucial mineral involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions. It helps regulate muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure. As a laxative, magnesium citrate works by attracting water into the intestines, which helps to induce bowel movements.

What are the active ingredients that are important for its medicinal properties?

The primary active ingredients in magnesium citrate include:

• Magnesium: Essential for numerous bodily functions, including muscle and nerve function, bone health, and cardiovascular health.
• Citric Acid: Enhances the absorption of magnesium and provides a mild laxative effect.

What forms does it come in?

• Oral solution: Typically used for bowel cleansing before procedures like colonoscopy.
• Tablets or capsules: Commonly used as a dietary supplement.
• Powder: Dissolved in water to create an oral solution.

What if I have an imbalance or deficiency?

Magnesium citrate can help correct magnesium deficiency, which can lead to symptoms like muscle cramps, fatigue, irregular heartbeats, and mental health issues. Supplementing with magnesium citrate can restore normal magnesium levels and alleviate these symptoms.

When was it first used for medicinal purposes?

Magnesium citrate has been used for medicinal purposes since the early 19th century, primarily for its laxative effects and later as a dietary supplement.

What does Magnesium Citrate help with?

Magnesium citrate is the mineral magnesium bound to citric acid. Your body needs magnesium for muscles, nerves and bone. This form dissolves well, so the gut takes up a fair share of it.

The overall grade on file for this remedy is B. That means at least one good human trial stands behind some uses. Other uses rest on lab work, diet surveys, or what people report.

• Trouble going to the bathroom (constipation)
  Strong evidence — long, consistent use in people as an osmotic laxative; the library holds no trial sizes. It is well established that magnesium citrate pulls water into the colon. That softens stool and brings on the urge to go, often within a few hours of a larger dose. Lower daily doses have been used to keep things moving with less rush.
  Evidence grade A · Traditional tier T0
• Migraines and tension headaches
  Good evidence — human supplement studies of migraine frequency; sizes and doses are not on file. People who get migraines are often found to be low in magnesium. In human studies, taking magnesium each day was linked to fewer attacks. The library does not hold the size or dose of those studies.
  Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T0
• PMS symptoms before a period
  Good evidence — human studies; magnesium is one of the better-studied options here, but sizes are not on file. Studies in people reported less bloating, breast tenderness, cramping and mood swing. Researchers think magnesium eases muscle tension and swelling, but that idea is not settled. No trial sizes or doses are on file here.
  Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T0
• Blood sugar in type 2 diabetes
  Good evidence — human supplement studies in people with type 2 diabetes; sizes and doses are not on file. People with type 2 diabetes tend to have lower magnesium levels. In supplement studies, fasting blood sugar improved and the body used insulin better. The library holds no trial sizes or doses for this use.
  Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T0
• Getting to sleep and staying asleep
  Early evidence — small or mixed human studies, plus lab work on brain chemistry. In lab studies, magnesium supported GABA, a brain chemical that helps the nerves settle. Low magnesium levels track with poor sleep and more waking at night. In human studies, people taking magnesium fell asleep faster and slept more deeply, though sizes and doses are not on file.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T0
• High blood pressure
  Early evidence — mostly diet surveys, not trials of this supplement. In diet surveys, people who took in more magnesium had lower blood pressure. The link was strongest in people who were already low. Lab work shows magnesium relaxes the muscle in blood vessel walls.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T0
• Muscle cramps and tight muscles
  Evidence doesn't support this — body science on how muscles relax; no human trial on file. Muscles are known to need magnesium to relax after they tighten. That is general nutrition science, not a trial of this remedy. Low levels from sweat, diet or stress may make cramps more likely, but the library holds no human trial showing supplements ease them.
  Evidence grade D · Traditional tier T0
• Anxiety and day-to-day stress
  Evidence doesn't support this — user reports only; no human trial on file. Magnesium is known to help run the body's stress response, which is general nutrition science. Many people report feeling more at ease after a few weeks of taking it. Reports like that are not the same as trial results.
  Evidence grade D · Traditional tier T0
• Restless legs at night
  Evidence doesn't support this — a link seen in some people, plus user reports; no human trial on file. Low magnesium has been linked to restless legs in some people. Users often report less of that urge to move at night. The library holds no human trial for this use.
  Evidence grade D · Traditional tier T0

What Magnesium Citrate has not been shown to do

• It has not been shown to build bone or stop fractures; the link between low magnesium and thin bone comes from watching groups of people, not from trials of this supplement.
• It has not been shown to stop a migraine once the attack has started; the studies looked at how often attacks came.
• It has not been shown to replace blood pressure medicine, and the blood pressure evidence is mostly from diet surveys.
• It has not been shown to replace diabetes medicine or to work in place of diet and exercise.
• It has not been shown in any trial on file to treat an anxiety disorder.

How to read this:

A means steady results from human trials. B means at least one good human trial. C means small or mixed human studies. D means the human evidence is weak, and 'insufficient' means lab, animal or custom only. Each grade above rests on the studies for that one use, so they differ. This page lists options and what studies found. It is not medical advice, and it does not say this remedy treats anything. Talk with your own clinician before you start, and check the safety page for who should avoid it.

What can Magnesium Citrate help prevent?

• Migraine frequency reduction with regular preventive use
• Progression of insulin resistance in people with low magnesium
• Bone density loss associated with magnesium deficiency
• Cardiovascular risk linked to chronic magnesium deficiency

Which foods are rich in it?

Magnesium citrate itself is not found in foods, but foods rich in magnesium include:

• Dark leafy greens (e.g., spinach, kale)
• Nuts and seeds (e.g., almonds, pumpkin seeds)
• Legumes (e.g., black beans, lentils)
• Whole grains (e.g., brown rice, quinoa)
• Fish (e.g., mackerel, salmon)
• Dark chocolate

What are possible side effects?

Magnesium citrate is generally safe for most people when used appropriately, but possible side effects include:

• Common (10-30%): Diarrhea or loose stools; Stomach cramps
• Less Common (1-10%): Nausea; Bloating
• Rare (<1%): Electrolyte imbalance (with excessive use); Allergic reactions (e.g., rash, itching)

What’s the recommended daily dose?

The recommended daily dose of magnesium citrate varies depending on the intended use and individual health needs, but common dosages are:

• For constipation: 240-480 ml of oral solution (magnesium citrate) taken once as needed.
• For supplementation: 200-400 mg of elemental magnesium per day, which corresponds to roughly 1,000-2,000 mg of magnesium citrate.

How many days does it take to work?

Some benefits of magnesium citrate, such as relief from constipation, can be noticeable within a few hours to a day. For magnesium deficiency and its related symptoms, improvements can be seen within a few days to weeks of regular use.

What time of day is best to take it?

Magnesium citrate can be taken at any time of day. For constipation relief, it is often taken in the morning or evening. For supplementation, it can be taken with meals to improve absorption and reduce the risk of gastrointestinal discomfort.

Is it best to take it with or without food?

Magnesium citrate is best taken with food to enhance absorption and minimize the risk of gastrointestinal side effects.