Magnesium citrate powder – 300 mg magnesium per portion, 150 g

The EU has authorised ten health claims for magnesium. They apply when a daily portion provides at least 15 % of the reference value; one portion of this powder provides 80 %.

• Magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
• Magnesium contributes to electrolyte balance.
• Magnesium contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
• Magnesium contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system.
• Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function.
• Magnesium contributes to normal protein synthesis.
• Magnesium contributes to normal psychological function.
• Magnesium contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.
• Magnesium contributes to the maintenance of normal teeth.
• Magnesium has a role in the process of cell division.

Other statements, for example about cramps, sleep or headaches, are not authorised for foods. What research says about them is further down.

In supplements, magnesium always comes as a compound. Magnesium citrate is the magnesium salt of citric acid, an organic acid, and dissolves well in water. Magnesium oxide is an inorganic compound with a high magnesium content that dissolves poorly. Magnesium bisglycinate is bound to the amino acid glycine.

In two small studies, magnesium from citrate was absorbed better than from oxide, measured by urinary excretion (PubMed 14596323) (PubMed 32162607). There are fewer direct comparisons for bisglycinate. How much the body absorbs also depends on the amount, the meal and your own status.

The German Nutrition Society (DGE) gives an estimated adequate intake for adults of 300 mg magnesium per day for women and 350 mg for men, and 300 mg during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This refers to total intake from foods, drinks and supplements.

Good sources are wholegrain products, pulses, nuts, seeds and green vegetables; mineral water can also contribute noticeably.

There is no time of day at which magnesium has been shown to work better. The amount matters more: the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) recommends splitting magnesium from supplements into two or more portions a day. You can, for example, stir in half the scoop in the morning and half in the evening.

The powder is dissolved in plenty of water or another drink. Many people find it easier on the stomach with a meal.

Yes, that is possible. Readily soluble magnesium salts draw water into the gut; in larger amounts they soften the stool or cause diarrhoea. For this reason, EFSA has set a tolerable upper intake level of 250 mg per day for magnesium from supplements, and the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) proposes 250 mg per day as the maximum amount.

One portion of this product contains 300 mg and is therefore above this value. If you take the powder, you can split the portion or choose a smaller amount. Whether magnesium makes sense for you, and how much, is best discussed with the ORY expert team or with your doctor or naturopath.

If kidney function is impaired, the body excretes magnesium less well; that is why this product says: do not take if you have kidney insufficiency.

Magnesium can reduce the absorption of some medicines, for example certain antibiotics, osteoporosis medicines (bisphosphonates) or thyroid hormones. A gap of a few hours is then usual. If you take medicines, are pregnant or breastfeeding, talk with the ORY expert team or with your doctor or naturopath beforehand; you can also ask your pharmacy about the right gap.

No claim about cramps is authorised for foods, and the evidence is sobering. A Cochrane review of eleven trials concluded that magnesium is unlikely to provide a clinically meaningful preventive benefit for older adults with recurring muscle cramps. Results for cramps in pregnancy are conflicting, and there are no trials for exercise-associated cramps (PubMed 32956536).

Frequent or severe cramps, cramps with weakness, numbness or swelling of the leg, and cramps after starting new medicines should be assessed by a doctor.

No claim about sleep is authorised for foods either. A review found only three small trials with a total of 151 older people and rated the evidence as insufficient for medical recommendations (PubMed 33865376).

Persistent trouble falling or staying asleep has many possible causes. If it bothers you for weeks, your GP practice is a good first place to go.

Only to a limited extent. Less than one per cent of the body's magnesium is in blood serum; most of it is in bone, muscle and cells. A normal serum value therefore does not reliably rule out low status, and there is no generally accepted gold standard (PubMed 33808247).

A whole-blood measurement also captures the magnesium inside blood cells. At ORY, magnesium is part of the whole-blood mineral analysis. What a value means for you is something you discuss with the ORY expert team or with your doctor or naturopath.

The tub contains 150 g of pure magnesium citrate without fillers, flow agents or anti-caking agents. One scoop equals 2 g of powder and provides 300 mg of magnesium, which is 80 % of the reference intake. The tub lasts for 75 portions; the unit price is €15.00 per 100 g.

The label recommends one scoop daily. The product is not intended for children.

At ORY, measuring comes before supplementing: a lab report shows your current status, and a second measurement after a few months shows whether anything has changed. Magnesium is part of the whole-blood mineral analysis and of Prevent 360.

A lab report on its own is not a recommendation. Whether you supplement, and how much, is something you decide with the ORY expert team or with your doctor or naturopath.