Magnesium malate: is it worth taking?
Only if you want magnesium anyway. It’s not a proven upgrade on other forms. Its big claims rest on a rat study and two small pain trials. Only one used a dummy pill.
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What is magnesium malate good for?
Magnesium malate is magnesium joined to malic acid. It’s one of the forms allowed as a source of magnesium in supplements.
It’s often sold for energy, sore muscles and fibromyalgia, a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body. The proof for each is thin.
| Claim | What the studies found |
|---|---|
| Tops up your magnesium | Yes. It’s an approved source of magnesium, like other forms. |
| Eases fibromyalgia pain | Two small trials. The one with a dummy pill found no clear effect. |
| Better absorbed | Shown in rats after one dose. Not shown in people. |
| More energy | None of the studies we found tested this in people. |
Sources: EFSA; Russell 1995; Boulis 2021; Uysal 2019
So it suits you if you want a magnesium supplement and like this form. Don’t pay extra for promises the studies haven’t shown.
Not sure you need any? The NHS says a varied, balanced diet should give you all the magnesium you need. Spinach, nuts and wholemeal bread all have it.
Check the signs of low magnesium before you buy.
Does magnesium malate help fibromyalgia?
Maybe, but the proof is weak. The only trial with a dummy pill was in 1995.
It gave 24 people with fibromyalgia magnesium and malic acid tablets or a dummy pill, 4 weeks of each. At 300mg of magnesium a day, it found no clear effect.
Then everyone knew what they took, and doses rose to 600mg of magnesium a day, above the NHS’s 400mg line. Pain scores fell, but with no dummy pill, nobody can tell how much the tablets did.
A trial of 15 people, who also knew what they took, reported fewer tender points (spots that hurt when pressed) and less muscle pain. A 2021 review says any benefit of magnesium for fibromyalgia is not certain.
The 3 main NHS treatments for fibromyalgia
- 1
Exercise
Regular exercise has been shown to help ease pain.
- 2
Talking therapies
Such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
- 3
Medicines
Your GP can talk you through the options.
Source: NHS
If you try magnesium malate, keep your other treatment going and tell your GP.
Never stop or change a prescribed medicine without your prescriber. For the tests that rule out other causes, see fibromyalgia blood tests.
Is magnesium malate better absorbed?
Not proven in people. The claim comes from a 2019 study in rats given one dose of five forms of magnesium.
Malate gave the most magnesium in the blood over time, and levels stayed high for longer. Oxide and citrate came out lowest.
Rats aren’t people, and the authors say more research is needed. Treat it as a lead, not an answer.
To weigh it against glycinate, citrate and the rest, see which magnesium to take.
How much magnesium malate should I take?
Go by the magnesium on the label, not the weight of the powder. The NHS says 400mg or less a day of magnesium from supplements is unlikely to cause any harm.
- 400 mg a day or belowNHS: unlikely to cause any harm.
- Above 400 mg a dayHigh doses (more than 400mg) can cause diarrhoea.
Source: NHS
How much you need: the NHS says 300mg a day for men and 270mg for women, aged 19 to 64.
Source: EFSA
So a scoop that says 1,000mg of magnesium malate may give you only about 220mg of magnesium. Products differ, so read the magnesium line in the nutrition table.
Taking it with other magnesium products? Add them up, and see can you take too much magnesium.
Who should check before taking magnesium malate?
Before you take magnesium malate
- Read the magnesium line on the label, and keep supplements to 400mg or less a day.
- Have kidney problems? Ask your GP or kidney team first, because magnesium can build up in your blood.
- Take antibiotics such as tetracyclines or quinolones? Take them 2 to 3 hours apart from magnesium.
- Take alendronic acid for your bones? Tell your doctor you take magnesium.
- Take digoxin, a heart medicine, or an ACE inhibitor such as enalapril? Ask a pharmacist first.
- Get loose stools? Cut the dose. High doses (more than 400mg) can cause diarrhoea.
Sources: NHS; UK medicine sheet (SmPC); NHS: alendronic acid
The kidney and medicine warnings come from the UK medicine sheet for a magnesium medicine. It says magnesium can stop some medicines being taken in properly.
Never stop or change a prescribed medicine without your prescriber.
Want your level checked first? See the magnesium blood test guide. Blood levels may not reflect the magnesium in your whole body.
When to speak to a GP
Speak to a GP or pharmacist if:
- You think you have fibromyalgia. The NHS says to see a GP.
- You have kidney problems and want to take magnesium.
- You take antibiotics, alendronic acid, digoxin or an ACE inhibitor.
Call 111 if you have diarrhoea for more than 7 days, or bloody diarrhoea or bleeding from the bottom. Call too for signs of dehydration that rehydration sachets don’t fix.
Worried about your kidneys? See the kidney function test guide.