Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsNutritionUsesDosageSafetySimilar SupplementsFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Nutrition
Uses
Dosage
Safety
Similar Supplements
Frequently Asked Questions
Magnesium bisglycinate, a combination of magnesium and glycine, may be effective in treating pregnancy-induced leg cramps and promoting muscle recovery.More research is needed, however, to confirm those benefits.
Magnesiumis a mineral that’s involved in more than 300 body processes, such as muscle contraction,heart rhythm, and energy production.When bound toglycine(an amino acid), it’s more readily absorbed in the intestines than other forms of magnesium.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate supplements the way it regulates prescription drugs. That means some supplement products may not contain what the label says. Whenchoosing a supplement, look for independently tested products and consult a healthcare provider, registered dietitian nutritionist (RD or RDN), or pharmacist.
Getty Images / vm
While magnesium bisglycinate can’t be obtained through the diet, elemental magnesium can be. Foods rich in magnesium include the following:
Whole foodsare the best sources of magnesium. Processed foods are typically low in magnesium, and cooking or boiling produce also reduces amounts.
The Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) at the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies recommends adults get between 310 and 420 mg of magnesium daily, either through foods or dietary supplements. Here are the specific recommendations.
Recommended Dietary Allowances for MagnesiumFemales, including during breastfeeding:310–320 mgFemales during pregnancy:350–360 mgMales:400–420 mg
Recommended Dietary Allowances for Magnesium
Females, including during breastfeeding:310–320 mgFemales during pregnancy:350–360 mgMales:400–420 mg
6 Ways Magnesium Can Help You Reach Your Weight Loss Goals
In general, magnesium supplements have shown benefits for conditions such as:
Here’s what you need to know about the evidence supporting magnesium bisglycinate.
Pregnancy-Induced Leg Cramps
Magnesium bisglycinate has been studied in a clinical trial of 80 pregnant females with leg cramps at least twice a week.
Taking magnesium bisglycinate daily for four weeks reduced both the cramps' frequency and intensity versus theplacebo(an inactive substance given to control groups). 86% of those who took magnesium had at least a 50% decrease in cramp frequency. Almost 70% had a 50% reduction in cramp intensity.
Because this was a small study, more data is needed before magnesium bisglycinate can be routinely recommended for leg cramps.
Muscle Recovery
Magnesium is essential for muscles to contract and relax and can improve exercise performance.
Magnesium bisglycinate is a trendy workout supplement, but there’s very little evidence of benefit for this particular form of magnesium.
It’s been studied in skeletal muscle cells (in vitro) for muscle recovery.A few caveats: test tube trials don’t offer as much information as human studies. And magnesium bisglycinate was part of a combination that includedvitamin D,curcumin, and potassium citrate. That said, the combination helped the muscle cells during normal conditions and those that imitated strenuous exercise.
More robust human clinical trials are needed before magnesium bisglycinate can be recommended for athletic performance or to aid muscle recovery after a workout. Studies in humans and trials of magnesium alone rather than as part of a combination product are required to better determine its effect on the muscles.
Magnesium Bisglycinate Supplement FactsActive Ingredients:Magnesium, glycineAlternate names:Magnesium; 2-aminoacetateLegal status:Over-the-counter (OTC) supplement in the United StatesSuggested dose:300 milligrams (mg) daily for pregnancy-induced leg crampsSafety considerations:May cause drug interactions;caution advised in people with kidney failure
Magnesium Bisglycinate Supplement Facts
Active Ingredients:Magnesium, glycineAlternate names:Magnesium; 2-aminoacetateLegal status:Over-the-counter (OTC) supplement in the United StatesSuggested dose:300 milligrams (mg) daily for pregnancy-induced leg crampsSafety considerations:May cause drug interactions;caution advised in people with kidney failure
Magnesium bisglycinate was studied at 300 mg daily for four weeks for leg cramps during pregnancy.
To avoid or treat adverse events, take the following safety precautions:
Side Effects
Magnesium bisglycinate seems to be better absorbed in the intestines than other forms of magnesium, and it may cause fewer side effects.There isn’t much data on its side effect profile, however.
Elemental magnesium typically causes gastrointestinal side effects such as:
These side effects are due to magnesium’s relaxing effect on the muscles of the intestines.
In a clinical trial studying its effects on people assigned female at birth, magnesium bisglycinate caused nausea in 25% of those who took it and diarrhea in 14%.
Though rare, taking too much magnesium can cause side effects like the following:
Interactions
Many medications can cause low magnesium levels or make magnesium supplements less effective. Some common ones include:
Other medications used for mood regulation, likelithiumand antidepressants, can increase magnesium levels.
Precautions
Do keep the following precautions in mind when using magnesium bisglycinate:
Other supplements that have been studied for leg cramps include:
Some other supplements that may help muscle recovery after workouts are:
Summary
Magnesium bisglycinate is a dietary supplement made of magnesium and glycine. It is effective for pregnancy-induced leg cramps according to one clinical trial, but more research is needed before it can be routinely recommended.
Side effects, if any, occur most often in the gastrointestinal system. These may be less frequent with magnesium bisglycinate than other forms of magnesium. For guidance on choosing the right magnesium supplement for you, consult your healthcare provider, pharmacist, or registered dietitian.
Frequently Asked QuestionsYes, these are two names for the same chemical compound.So far it’s only been studied in clinical trials for leg cramps during pregnancy.In general, magnesium supplements may benefit conditions ranging from diabetes to depression.Magnesium bisglycinate has a higher absorption rate and enters the body twice as fast asmagnesium citratedoes.
Yes, these are two names for the same chemical compound.
So far it’s only been studied in clinical trials for leg cramps during pregnancy.In general, magnesium supplements may benefit conditions ranging from diabetes to depression.
So far it’s only been studied in clinical trials for leg cramps during pregnancy.
In general, magnesium supplements may benefit conditions ranging from diabetes to depression.
Magnesium bisglycinate has a higher absorption rate and enters the body twice as fast asmagnesium citratedoes.
22 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Supakatisant C, Phupong V.Oral magnesium for relief in pregnancy-induced leg cramps: A randomised controlled trial.Matern Child Nutr. 2015;11(2):139-145. doi:10.1111/j.1740-8709.2012.00440.xMolinari C, Ruga S, Farghali M, et al.Preventing c2c12 muscular cells damage combining magnesium and potassium with vitamin D3 and curcumin.J Tradit Complement Med. 2021;11(6):532-544. doi:10.1016/j.jtcme.2021.05.003Schwalfenberg GK, Genuis SJ.The importance of magnesium in clinical healthcare.Scientifica (Cairo). 2017;2017:4179326. doi:10.1155/2017/4179326Uberti F, Morsanuto V, Ruga S, et al.Study of magnesium formulations on intestinal cells to influence myometrium cell relaxation.Nutrients. 2020;12(2):573. Published 2020 Feb 22. doi:10.3390/nu12020573National Institutes of Health.Magnesium.Molinari C, Ruga S, Farghali M, et al.Preventing c2c12 muscular cells damage combining magnesium and potassium with vitamin D3 and curcumin.J Tradit Complement Med. 2021;11(6):532-544. doi:10.1016/j.jtcme.2021.05.003National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 75487596,Magnesium bisglycinate.Gröber U.Magnesium and drugs.Int J Mol Sci. 2019;20(9):2094. doi:10.3390/ijms20092094Gröber U, Schmidt J, Kisters K.Magnesium in prevention and therapy.Nutrients. 2015;7(9):8199-8226. doi:10.3390/nu7095388Aniebo Umoh E, Obembe AO, Ikpi DE, et al.Effect of chronic administration of magnesium supplement (magnesium glycinate) on male albino wistar rats' intestinal (Ileum) motility, body weight changes, food and water intake.Heliyon. 2023;9(8):e19042. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19042Dalton LM, Ní Fhloinn DM, Gaydadzhieva GT, et al.Magnesium in pregnancy.Nutr Rev. 2016;74(9):549-557. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuw018Allen MJ, Sharma S.Magnesium.[Updated 2023 Feb 20]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-.Shahbah D, Hassan T, Morsy S, et al.Oral magnesium supplementation improves glycemic control and lipid profile in children with type 1 diabetes and hypomagnesaemia.Medicine (Baltimore). 2017;96(11):e6352. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000006352Gontijo-Amaral C, Ribeiro MA, Gontijo LS, et al.Oral magnesium supplementation in asthmatic children: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial.Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007;61(1):54-60. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602475Hemamy M, Pahlavani N, Amanollahi A, et al.The effect of vitamin D and magnesium supplementation on the mental health status of attention-deficit hyperactive children: A randomized controlled trial [published correction appears in BMC Pediatr. 2021 May 12;21(1):230].BMC Pediatr. 2021;21(1):178. doi:10.1186/s12887-021-02631-1Barna O, Lohoida P, Holovchenko Y, et al.A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study assessing the efficacy of magnesium oxide monohydrate in the treatment of nocturnal leg cramps.Nutr J. 2021;20(1):90. doi:10.1186/s12937-021-00747-9Young G.Leg cramps.BMJ Clin Evid. 2015;2015:1113.Luo L, Zhou K, Zhang J, et al.Interventions for leg cramps in pregnancy.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;12(12):CD010655. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD010655.pub3Kugelmas M.Preliminary observation: oral zinc sulfate replacement is effective in treating muscle cramps in cirrhotic patients.J Am Coll Nutr. 2000;19(1):13-15. doi:10.1080/07315724.2000.10718908Caballero-García A, Córdova-Martínez A.Muscle recovery and nutrition.Nutrients. 2022;14(12):2416. doi:10.3390/nu14122416Rawson ES, Miles MP, Larson-Meyer DE.Dietary supplements for health, adaptation, and recovery in athletes.Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018;28(2):188-199. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2017-0340National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 84645,Magnesium glycinate.
22 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Supakatisant C, Phupong V.Oral magnesium for relief in pregnancy-induced leg cramps: A randomised controlled trial.Matern Child Nutr. 2015;11(2):139-145. doi:10.1111/j.1740-8709.2012.00440.xMolinari C, Ruga S, Farghali M, et al.Preventing c2c12 muscular cells damage combining magnesium and potassium with vitamin D3 and curcumin.J Tradit Complement Med. 2021;11(6):532-544. doi:10.1016/j.jtcme.2021.05.003Schwalfenberg GK, Genuis SJ.The importance of magnesium in clinical healthcare.Scientifica (Cairo). 2017;2017:4179326. doi:10.1155/2017/4179326Uberti F, Morsanuto V, Ruga S, et al.Study of magnesium formulations on intestinal cells to influence myometrium cell relaxation.Nutrients. 2020;12(2):573. Published 2020 Feb 22. doi:10.3390/nu12020573National Institutes of Health.Magnesium.Molinari C, Ruga S, Farghali M, et al.Preventing c2c12 muscular cells damage combining magnesium and potassium with vitamin D3 and curcumin.J Tradit Complement Med. 2021;11(6):532-544. doi:10.1016/j.jtcme.2021.05.003National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 75487596,Magnesium bisglycinate.Gröber U.Magnesium and drugs.Int J Mol Sci. 2019;20(9):2094. doi:10.3390/ijms20092094Gröber U, Schmidt J, Kisters K.Magnesium in prevention and therapy.Nutrients. 2015;7(9):8199-8226. doi:10.3390/nu7095388Aniebo Umoh E, Obembe AO, Ikpi DE, et al.Effect of chronic administration of magnesium supplement (magnesium glycinate) on male albino wistar rats' intestinal (Ileum) motility, body weight changes, food and water intake.Heliyon. 2023;9(8):e19042. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19042Dalton LM, Ní Fhloinn DM, Gaydadzhieva GT, et al.Magnesium in pregnancy.Nutr Rev. 2016;74(9):549-557. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuw018Allen MJ, Sharma S.Magnesium.[Updated 2023 Feb 20]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-.Shahbah D, Hassan T, Morsy S, et al.Oral magnesium supplementation improves glycemic control and lipid profile in children with type 1 diabetes and hypomagnesaemia.Medicine (Baltimore). 2017;96(11):e6352. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000006352Gontijo-Amaral C, Ribeiro MA, Gontijo LS, et al.Oral magnesium supplementation in asthmatic children: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial.Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007;61(1):54-60. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602475Hemamy M, Pahlavani N, Amanollahi A, et al.The effect of vitamin D and magnesium supplementation on the mental health status of attention-deficit hyperactive children: A randomized controlled trial [published correction appears in BMC Pediatr. 2021 May 12;21(1):230].BMC Pediatr. 2021;21(1):178. doi:10.1186/s12887-021-02631-1Barna O, Lohoida P, Holovchenko Y, et al.A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study assessing the efficacy of magnesium oxide monohydrate in the treatment of nocturnal leg cramps.Nutr J. 2021;20(1):90. doi:10.1186/s12937-021-00747-9Young G.Leg cramps.BMJ Clin Evid. 2015;2015:1113.Luo L, Zhou K, Zhang J, et al.Interventions for leg cramps in pregnancy.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;12(12):CD010655. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD010655.pub3Kugelmas M.Preliminary observation: oral zinc sulfate replacement is effective in treating muscle cramps in cirrhotic patients.J Am Coll Nutr. 2000;19(1):13-15. doi:10.1080/07315724.2000.10718908Caballero-García A, Córdova-Martínez A.Muscle recovery and nutrition.Nutrients. 2022;14(12):2416. doi:10.3390/nu14122416Rawson ES, Miles MP, Larson-Meyer DE.Dietary supplements for health, adaptation, and recovery in athletes.Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018;28(2):188-199. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2017-0340National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 84645,Magnesium glycinate.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Supakatisant C, Phupong V.Oral magnesium for relief in pregnancy-induced leg cramps: A randomised controlled trial.Matern Child Nutr. 2015;11(2):139-145. doi:10.1111/j.1740-8709.2012.00440.xMolinari C, Ruga S, Farghali M, et al.Preventing c2c12 muscular cells damage combining magnesium and potassium with vitamin D3 and curcumin.J Tradit Complement Med. 2021;11(6):532-544. doi:10.1016/j.jtcme.2021.05.003Schwalfenberg GK, Genuis SJ.The importance of magnesium in clinical healthcare.Scientifica (Cairo). 2017;2017:4179326. doi:10.1155/2017/4179326Uberti F, Morsanuto V, Ruga S, et al.Study of magnesium formulations on intestinal cells to influence myometrium cell relaxation.Nutrients. 2020;12(2):573. Published 2020 Feb 22. doi:10.3390/nu12020573National Institutes of Health.Magnesium.Molinari C, Ruga S, Farghali M, et al.Preventing c2c12 muscular cells damage combining magnesium and potassium with vitamin D3 and curcumin.J Tradit Complement Med. 2021;11(6):532-544. doi:10.1016/j.jtcme.2021.05.003National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 75487596,Magnesium bisglycinate.Gröber U.Magnesium and drugs.Int J Mol Sci. 2019;20(9):2094. doi:10.3390/ijms20092094Gröber U, Schmidt J, Kisters K.Magnesium in prevention and therapy.Nutrients. 2015;7(9):8199-8226. doi:10.3390/nu7095388Aniebo Umoh E, Obembe AO, Ikpi DE, et al.Effect of chronic administration of magnesium supplement (magnesium glycinate) on male albino wistar rats' intestinal (Ileum) motility, body weight changes, food and water intake.Heliyon. 2023;9(8):e19042. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19042Dalton LM, Ní Fhloinn DM, Gaydadzhieva GT, et al.Magnesium in pregnancy.Nutr Rev. 2016;74(9):549-557. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuw018Allen MJ, Sharma S.Magnesium.[Updated 2023 Feb 20]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-.Shahbah D, Hassan T, Morsy S, et al.Oral magnesium supplementation improves glycemic control and lipid profile in children with type 1 diabetes and hypomagnesaemia.Medicine (Baltimore). 2017;96(11):e6352. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000006352Gontijo-Amaral C, Ribeiro MA, Gontijo LS, et al.Oral magnesium supplementation in asthmatic children: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial.Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007;61(1):54-60. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602475Hemamy M, Pahlavani N, Amanollahi A, et al.The effect of vitamin D and magnesium supplementation on the mental health status of attention-deficit hyperactive children: A randomized controlled trial [published correction appears in BMC Pediatr. 2021 May 12;21(1):230].BMC Pediatr. 2021;21(1):178. doi:10.1186/s12887-021-02631-1Barna O, Lohoida P, Holovchenko Y, et al.A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study assessing the efficacy of magnesium oxide monohydrate in the treatment of nocturnal leg cramps.Nutr J. 2021;20(1):90. doi:10.1186/s12937-021-00747-9Young G.Leg cramps.BMJ Clin Evid. 2015;2015:1113.Luo L, Zhou K, Zhang J, et al.Interventions for leg cramps in pregnancy.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;12(12):CD010655. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD010655.pub3Kugelmas M.Preliminary observation: oral zinc sulfate replacement is effective in treating muscle cramps in cirrhotic patients.J Am Coll Nutr. 2000;19(1):13-15. doi:10.1080/07315724.2000.10718908Caballero-García A, Córdova-Martínez A.Muscle recovery and nutrition.Nutrients. 2022;14(12):2416. doi:10.3390/nu14122416Rawson ES, Miles MP, Larson-Meyer DE.Dietary supplements for health, adaptation, and recovery in athletes.Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018;28(2):188-199. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2017-0340National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 84645,Magnesium glycinate.
Supakatisant C, Phupong V.Oral magnesium for relief in pregnancy-induced leg cramps: A randomised controlled trial.Matern Child Nutr. 2015;11(2):139-145. doi:10.1111/j.1740-8709.2012.00440.x
Molinari C, Ruga S, Farghali M, et al.Preventing c2c12 muscular cells damage combining magnesium and potassium with vitamin D3 and curcumin.J Tradit Complement Med. 2021;11(6):532-544. doi:10.1016/j.jtcme.2021.05.003
Schwalfenberg GK, Genuis SJ.The importance of magnesium in clinical healthcare.Scientifica (Cairo). 2017;2017:4179326. doi:10.1155/2017/4179326
Uberti F, Morsanuto V, Ruga S, et al.Study of magnesium formulations on intestinal cells to influence myometrium cell relaxation.Nutrients. 2020;12(2):573. Published 2020 Feb 22. doi:10.3390/nu12020573
National Institutes of Health.Magnesium.
National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 75487596,Magnesium bisglycinate.
Gröber U.Magnesium and drugs.Int J Mol Sci. 2019;20(9):2094. doi:10.3390/ijms20092094
Gröber U, Schmidt J, Kisters K.Magnesium in prevention and therapy.Nutrients. 2015;7(9):8199-8226. doi:10.3390/nu7095388
Aniebo Umoh E, Obembe AO, Ikpi DE, et al.Effect of chronic administration of magnesium supplement (magnesium glycinate) on male albino wistar rats' intestinal (Ileum) motility, body weight changes, food and water intake.Heliyon. 2023;9(8):e19042. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19042
Dalton LM, Ní Fhloinn DM, Gaydadzhieva GT, et al.Magnesium in pregnancy.Nutr Rev. 2016;74(9):549-557. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuw018
Allen MJ, Sharma S.Magnesium.[Updated 2023 Feb 20]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-.
Shahbah D, Hassan T, Morsy S, et al.Oral magnesium supplementation improves glycemic control and lipid profile in children with type 1 diabetes and hypomagnesaemia.Medicine (Baltimore). 2017;96(11):e6352. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000006352
Gontijo-Amaral C, Ribeiro MA, Gontijo LS, et al.Oral magnesium supplementation in asthmatic children: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial.Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007;61(1):54-60. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602475
Hemamy M, Pahlavani N, Amanollahi A, et al.The effect of vitamin D and magnesium supplementation on the mental health status of attention-deficit hyperactive children: A randomized controlled trial [published correction appears in BMC Pediatr. 2021 May 12;21(1):230].BMC Pediatr. 2021;21(1):178. doi:10.1186/s12887-021-02631-1
Barna O, Lohoida P, Holovchenko Y, et al.A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study assessing the efficacy of magnesium oxide monohydrate in the treatment of nocturnal leg cramps.Nutr J. 2021;20(1):90. doi:10.1186/s12937-021-00747-9
Young G.Leg cramps.BMJ Clin Evid. 2015;2015:1113.
Luo L, Zhou K, Zhang J, et al.Interventions for leg cramps in pregnancy.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;12(12):CD010655. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD010655.pub3
Kugelmas M.Preliminary observation: oral zinc sulfate replacement is effective in treating muscle cramps in cirrhotic patients.J Am Coll Nutr. 2000;19(1):13-15. doi:10.1080/07315724.2000.10718908
Caballero-García A, Córdova-Martínez A.Muscle recovery and nutrition.Nutrients. 2022;14(12):2416. doi:10.3390/nu14122416
Rawson ES, Miles MP, Larson-Meyer DE.Dietary supplements for health, adaptation, and recovery in athletes.Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018;28(2):188-199. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2017-0340
National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 84645,Magnesium glycinate.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
