What’s Magnesium Citrate ?

Magnesium is naturally concentrated in foods such as seeds, beans, and vegetables and can also be taken as a dietary supplement. Some people require magnesium supplements to maintain optimal levels of this important nutrient. There are several forms of magnesium used in dietary supplements, including magnesium citrate, which is one of the most common types of magnesium found in multivitamins and magnesium-only products.

Magnesium citrate is an absorbable form of magnesium that’s been shown to benefit health in several ways, including improving certain aspects of heart health and promoting blood sugar regulation.

Magnesium citrate is composed of magnesium and citrate ions. This readily absorbed type of magnesium is effective for increasing magnesium levels and is one of the most popular forms of magnesium used in dietary supplements.

Here’s everything you need to know about magnesium citrate supplements, including their potential health benefits, side effects, and safety.

Magnesium citrate can help treat constipation. It is an osmotic laxative, which means it works by drawing water into the intestine to soften stool and make it easier to pass.

Before taking magnesium citrate, a person must understand how it works, its side effects, and how it interacts with other substances. Magnesium citrate can alleviate constipation, but it is not suitable for everyone to use.

There are times when magnesium citrate may not be the best option for treating constipation, and choosing other alternatives may help avoid any complications.

Causes of constipation

Constipation is when a person has fewer than threeTrusted Source bowel movements a week. Stools are usually hard, dry, or lumpy and may be difficult or painful to pass.

In many cases, addressing the underlying cause of constipation may reduce the need for medications, including magnesium citrate. These include a low fiber diet, immobility, dehydration, or medical conditions.

What is the best time to take Magnesium Citrate for constipation?

Always follow the individual product and healthcare professional dose directions when taking magnesium citrate for constipation. Magnesium citrate can be fast-acting, so the best time to take it will depend on a person’s schedule.

How does magnesium citrate work for constipation?

Compounds such as magnesium citrate work by pulling water into the intestines. This water combines with the dry stool, making it easier to pass. Medications that work in this way are called osmotic laxatives.

When used correctly, many people find that magnesium citrate is a simple solution to occasional constipation.

Learn more about the different laxatives for constipation here.

Is magnesium citrate safe to use?

Magnesium citrate is typically safe for adults to use as a laxative. However, it is important to check with a healthcare professional before taking it.

Magnesium is not a good choice for treating chronic constipation or constipation that requires ongoing treatment. Excessive magnesium intake can lead toTrusted Source dehydration, diarrhea, or electrolyte imbalances.

Doctors can use higher doses of magnesium citrate as colon cleansers before surgery. The compound can have a powerful effect if a person takes too much. It is essential to read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully whenever taking magnesium citrate.

Health Benefits of Magnesium Citrate

1.May Improve Heart Health

Magnesium is needed for blood pressure regulation, artery health, and muscle function, which is why maintaining optimal magnesium levels is so important for heart health.

Studies show that taking magnesium citrate supplements could help improve arterial stiffness. Arterial stiffness is linked to high blood pressure and can significantly increase the risk for heart disease and heart-related events, such as heart attacks.

A 2016 study that included 52 people considered overweight or with obesity found that those who were supplemented with 350 milligrams (mg) of magnesium citrate per day for 24 weeks had significantly reduced arterial stiffness compared to those who took a placebo treatment

2.Could Promote Healthy Blood Sugar Levels

Magnesium is needed for blood sugar regulation and having low or deficient magnesium levels can negatively impact blood sugar control.

Taking in extra magnesium from dietary supplements, like magnesium citrate supplements, could support healthy blood sugar control and may help improve blood sugar management in people with diabetes and prediabetes.

A 2022 review that included data from 24 studies found that people with diabetes who took magnesium supplements, including magnesium citrate supplements, had significant reductions in fasting blood sugar and the long-term blood sugar control marker HbA1c, compared to control treatments.

3.May Reduce Stress and Improve Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms

Magnesium can impact your stress levels and mental health. Magnesium helps your body handle and adapt to stress and is important for brain function. Numerous studies have linked low magnesium status to mood changes, increased stress levels, anxiety, and depression.

For example, in a 2020 review that included 18 articles investigating the effects of magnesium on depression, seven of the studies showed a significant correlation between low blood magnesium levels and depression severity. Taking magnesium citrate supplements can boost blood levels of magnesium, which may improve depressive symptoms.

4.May Improve Sleep

If you have a hard time falling or staying asleep, taking a magnesium citrate supplement may help improve your sleep quality.

Magnesium reduces the excitability of the nervous system and promotes muscle relaxation, helping you fall and stay asleep. Studies show that people with higher magnesium intake, including magnesium from foods and supplements, tend to get better quality sleep compared to people with lower magnesium intake.

Good Sources of Magnesium Citrate

Magnesium is naturally found in many foods, such as beans, nuts, seeds, dark chocolate, and leafy greens. This mineral is mostly concentrated in plant foods, but can also be found in a few animal-based proteins such as salmon and chicken breast.

Here are a few of the best sources of magnesium you can eat:

Spinach: 156 mg per cooked cup, or 37% of the Daily Value (DV)
Pumpkin seeds: 156 mg per ounce, or 37% of the DV
Dark chocolate (70-85% cacao solids): 129 mg per 2-ounce serving, or 31% of the DV
Chia seeds: 111 mg per ounce, or 29% of the DV
Edamame: 100 mg per cup or 24% of the DV
Black beans: 120 mg per cup, or 28% of the DV
Brown rice: 84 mg or 20% of the DV
Almonds: 80 mg per ounce, or 19% of the DV
Cashews: 74 mg or 18% of the DV
Yogurt, plain: 42 mg or 10% of the DV

Other sources of magnesium include milk, bananas, potatoes, whole wheat bread, halibut, kidney beans, peanut butter, and avocados.

How to Take Magnesium Citrate

Magnesium supplements, including magnesium citrate, can be taken at any time of day or night, with or without food. Because magnesium supplements may help improve sleep quality, some people prefer to take their magnesium supplements at night before bed.

Magnesium can be found in multinutrient supplements, like multivitamins, as well as magnesium-only supplements, so it’s important to follow product-specific dosing recommendations.

Depending on the dose, magnesium citrate supplements can be taken in a single dose or split into multiple doses throughout the day.

Magnesium citrate is available in several forms, such as capsules, gummies, liquids, and powders, so it’s easy to find a magnesium product that best suits your preferences and needs.

Dosage

The amount of magnesium found in magnesium citrate supplements varies, but most supplements provide between 100 mg to 200 mg of magnesium per dose. Generally speaking, magnesium-only supplements tend to provide more magnesium than multivitamin supplements, but it’s best to read dietary supplement labels to learn exactly how much magnesium is provided per dose.

Adults require between 310 mg and 420 mg of total magnesium per day, which includes magnesium found naturally in food and magnesium from dietary supplements. Taking a daily magnesium supplement can make it easier to hit these recommendations, especially if your current diet is low in magnesium-rich foods.

Keep in mind that magnesium supplements have a set Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL), which is the maximum daily intake of a nutrient unlikely to cause harm. The UL for magnesium supplements is currently set at 350 mg per day. Keep in mind that the UL only applies to supplemental magnesium, which is why it’s lower than the recommended magnesium intake for some age groups.

Potential Drug Interactions

Magnesium citrate supplements are generally considered safe but they may reduce the absorption of certain medications and increase the effects of others.

If you’re taking one or more of the following medications, you should consult your healthcare provider before taking magnesium supplements:

Blood pressure-lowering medications: Magnesium supplements may lower blood pressure and increase the effects of blood pressure-lowering medications. If you’re taking one or more blood pressure-lowering medications, you should check with your doctor before taking magnesium supplements like magnesium citrate, especially in high doses.
Antibiotics: Magnesium citrate supplements may decrease the absorption of certain antibiotics, such as the quinolone antibiotic ciprofloxacin and the tetracycline antibiotic doxycycline. Antibiotics should be taken two hours before or at least four hours after taking a magnesium citrate supplement.
Osteoporosis medications: Magnesium supplements like magnesium citrate may decrease the absorption of bisphosphonate medications, such as the osteoporosis medication Fosamax. Fosamax should be taken at least two hours before or after taking a magnesium supplement.

People taking certain medications, such as the diabetes medication metformin and acid-suppressing medications like Nexium, are at an increased risk of developing low magnesium levels. These medications may contribute to low magnesium levels by increasing magnesium loss through the urine and reducing the absorption of magnesium in the digestive tract.

If you’re taking these medications, your doctor may recommend a magnesium supplement to help you maintain healthy magnesium levels.

What to Look For Magnesium Citrate

Before shopping for a magnesium citrate supplement, there are a few things to consider.

First, it’s always best to choose a high-quality magnesium supplement from reputable companies. Whenever possible, it’s recommended to buy magnesium supplements that have undergone third-party testing from independent laboratories. Choosing a supplement certified by organizations like UL, USP, and NSF International ensures that the product has undergone testing to assess purity, potency, and overall safety.

You should also choose your magnesium supplement based on factors such as form, price, and dose. Some people may require larger doses of magnesium than others, so it’s important to read supplement labels until you find one that supplies a dose that is right for you. If you’re not sure how much magnesium you should be taking per day, ask a healthcare provider for advice.

Magnesium citrate supplements are available in different forms and at different price points, so you may need to shop around until you find a magnesium supplement that suits your preferences, health needs, and budget.

Side Effects of Magnesium Citrate

Magnesium salts, like magnesium citrate, are more likely to cause stomach issues than other forms of magnesium, like magnesium glycinate, especially when taken in high doses.

Some people may experience the following symptoms when taking magnesium citrate:

Diarrhea
Gas
Nausea
Mild abdominal pain

These symptoms are more likely to occur with higher doses of magnesium citrate.

Can You Take Too Much Magnesium?

When taken in appropriate doses, magnesium citrate is safe for most people. That said, taking excessively high doses of magnesium can lead to adverse side effects and can even cause life-threatening symptoms in rare cases.

Taking in excessively high doses of supplemental magnesium could increase blood levels of magnesium to dangerous or toxic levels, which can be fatal. Magnesium toxicity, which occurs when blood magnesium levels reach 1.74–2.61 millimoles per liter (mmol/L), can cause symptoms such as irregular heartbeat, breathing difficulties, and extremely low blood pressure, which can be fatal.

A Quick Review

Magnesium citrate is one of the most common forms of magnesium used in dietary supplements. It’s efficiently absorbed by your body and is effective for increasing magnesium levels.

In addition to helping you maintain healthy levels of magnesium, magnesium citrate supplements have been shown to reduce blood sugar and blood pressure levels and improve certain aspects of heart health. Taking magnesium citrate may also support restful sleep and benefit mental health by easing symptoms of anxiety and depression.