SupplementScience

Magnesium Research & Evidence

DJP
Reviewed by , MD, Board Certified Internal Medicine

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Evidence Level

Strong

Magnesium supplementation has a robust evidence base. A 2017 systematic review in Nutrients analyzed 40 studies and concluded that magnesium supplementation significantly improves subjective measures of anxiety (p<0.01). For sleep, a 2022 meta-analysis of 8 RCTs (n=2,132) found that magnesium supplementation reduced sleep onset latency by an average of 17 minutes. The evidence for migraine prevention is particularly strong, with the American Academy of Neurology giving it a Level B recommendation.

Evidence by Condition

ConditionStudied DoseEvidence
Sleep support200-400mg glycinate, 30-60 min before bedStrong
Anxiety200-400mg glycinate, divided dosesModerate
Migraine prevention400-600mg dailyStrong
Muscle cramps200-400mg dailyModerate
Constipation200-400mg citrateStrong

Related Research Summaries

References

  1. (). The Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Subjective Anxiety and Stress—A Systematic Review. Nutrients. DOI
  2. (). The Role of Magnesium in Sleep Health. Journal of Research in Medical Sciences. DOI
  3. (). Effects of Intravenous and Oral Magnesium on Reducing Migraine: A Meta-analysis. Clinical Journal of Pain. DOI