Taking Magnesium Glycinate and Magnesium Chloride Together
Taking Magnesium Glycinate and Magnesium Chloride Together
I have been taking magnesium glycinate for quite a long time now, for motor tics, but I would take it twice a day, once in the morning and once mid-afternoon. I want to start taking it for insomnia at night instead, alongside magnesium chloride, as I read that this is great for insomnia also. If I am taking magnesium glycinate together with magnesium chloride at night, what are safe dosages to take? I have a bottle of magnesium glycinate and two capsules equals 420 mg. The magnesium chloride I have has 143 mg of magnesium and 416 mg of chloride in two tablets. Is it okay to take 420 mg of magnesium glycinate along with 143 mg of magnesium, at the same time?
Hi Michelle V.,
When discussing magnesium, it is important to remember that it is the amount of actual magnesium that you are getting that is most important. In the case of magnesium glycinate many manufacturers will tell you that you are getting a very high dose of magnesium glycinate from just one or two capsules, but the actual amount of magnesium will be significantly lower. As an example, my bottle of magnesium glycinate says that just two capsules delivers 1330 mg of magnesium glycinate which sounds like a lot, but when you look closer at the label, it says that those same two capsules are delivering only 240 mg of actual magnesium! So that means that those two capsules are significantly less than the RDA for magnesium for women and even more so for the RDA for men.
So at first glance, my supplement makes it seem like just one capsule would be more than the RDA for men, but in reality, it would take almost 4 capsules to make it to the RDA for men.
Magnesium Glycinate is a form of magnesium that is less likely to cause diarrhea. The oral form of magnesium chloride is a form that is more likely to cause diarrhea, as discussed here :
Here is a relevant quote from the fact sheet :
' Forms of magnesium most commonly reported to cause diarrhea include magnesium carbonate, chloride, gluconate, and oxide [12]. The diarrhea and laxative effects of magnesium salts are due to the osmotic activity of unabsorbed salts in the intestine and colon and the stimulation of gastric motility [57].'
If you combine oral magnesium glycinate with oral magnesium chloride you will significantly increase your chances for diarrhea.
Most people use magnesium chloride in the spray form for topical application as it is less likely to cause diarrhea and can synergize with oral magnesium glycinate. This topical spray form of magnesium chloride which is typically referred to as mag oil is useful for quickly relieving muscle cramps and relieving various forms of pain in people. One study shows benefit for fibromyalgia pain.
While magnesium chloride spray is applied topically, it is absorbed through the skin to some extent, but generally not as much as oral magnesium glycinate.
The RDA of actual magnesium for adult women is 310 mg to 360mg/day. For men, the RDA is 410 mg to 420 mg/day. Keep in mind that most people will obtain some magnesium from their food. It may take slightly more magnesium when actually treating a disease such as diabetes.
Art
