Magnesium Citrate vs. Magnesium Amino Acid Chelate
Among 6,062 on-market magnesium products with an identifiable primary form, 25.3% use Magnesium Citrate (1,533 products) and 4.6% use Magnesium Amino Acid Chelate (279).
| Magnesium Citrate | Magnesium Amino Acid Chelate | |
|---|---|---|
| Quality tier | Tier 1 | Tier 2 |
| Magnesium by weight | 16.2% | — |
| Share of market | 25.3% | 4.6% |
| On-market products | 1,533 | 279 |
| Median declared dose | 75 elemental mg middle half: 24–150 | 83 elemental mg middle half: 25–175 |
| Most common brands | Pure Encapsulations, Ultima, Douglas Laboratories | NaturesPlus, Douglas Laboratories, MH Michael's Health Naturopathic Programs |
Doses are declared per serving in elemental mg. “By weight” is the share of the ingredient that is the nutrient itself (e.g. elemental magnesium in a magnesium salt).
Why Magnesium Citrate is tier 1
Far more soluble than oxide across physiological pH, with a higher urinary Mg rise after a 25 mmol oral load (Lindberg 1990); produced the greatest serum and salivary Mg response of the three forms tested in a 60-day human RCT (Walker 2003).
Source: Lindberg 1990, PMID 2407766; Walker AF et al. 2003, Magnesium Research 16(3):183-191, PMID 14596323
Why Magnesium Amino Acid Chelate is tier 2
Lower serum and salivary Mg response than citrate (but greater 24-h urinary Mg than oxide) in one 60-day RCT; "amino acid chelate" is not a single defined compound.
Source: Walker AF et al. 2003, Magnes Res 16(3):183-191, PMID 14596323
Other magnesium comparisons
- Magnesium Oxide vs. Magnesium Citrate
- Magnesium Oxide vs. Magnesium Glycinate
- Magnesium Oxide vs. Magnesium Aspartate
- Magnesium Oxide vs. Magnesium Amino Acid Chelate
- Magnesium Citrate vs. Magnesium Glycinate
- Magnesium Citrate vs. Magnesium Aspartate
- Magnesium Glycinate vs. Magnesium Aspartate
- Magnesium Glycinate vs. Magnesium Amino Acid Chelate
- Magnesium Aspartate vs. Magnesium Amino Acid Chelate