PlainPill

Magnesium Citrate vs Magnesium Oxide for digestion

Short answer: For digestion, more users report improvement with Magnesium Citrate — 68% of 40 reports, versus 58% of 19 for Magnesium Oxide.

Magnesium Citrate has 14 meta-analyses and 135 randomized trials on PubMed; Magnesium Oxide has 24 and 81.

Based on 354 reports about Magnesium Citrate and 147 about Magnesium Oxide. Not medical advice.

Magnesium Citrate
Supplement
Magnesium Oxide
Supplement
User score6042
Verdict
Mostly positive
Mostly negative
Positive
of reports that state an outcome
65%14%
Reports354147
ResearchAResearch: StrongAResearch: Strong
Meta-analyses / RCTs14 / 13524 / 81
Mainly used for
Focus
% reporting improvement
56% (9)0% (3)
Energy
% reporting improvement
67% (12)75% (4)
Sleep
% reporting improvement
86% (73)29% (17)
Anxiety
% reporting improvement
88% (49)67% (3)
Mood
% reporting improvement
71% (24)67% (3)
Memory
% reporting improvement
33% (3)—
Recovery
% reporting improvement
100% (2)—
Pain & inflammation
% reporting improvement
100% (5)50% (2)
Digestion
% reporting improvement
68% (40)58% (19)
Heart & lipids
% reporting improvement
80% (5)—
Common side effectsdiarrhea, stomach issues, drowsiness, fatiguediarrhea, stomach issues, laxative effect, insomnia
Typical dose reported400 mg / every night375 mg
Magnesium Citrate
Latest review conclusion

This systematic review provides Grade C (possibly effective) evidence for prevention of migraine with magnesium. Prophylactic treatment of migraine by means of high levels of magnesium dicitrate (600 mg) seems to be a safe and cost efficient strategy in clinical use.

Headache, 2018 ↗
What a user said
“I'm on a carnivore diet and I have 400mg Magnesium Citrate every night and I sleep like a baby.”
Full Magnesium Citrate profile →
Magnesium Oxide
Latest review conclusion

Limitations include small sample sizes in some studies, heterogeneity of conditions being treated, and a range of reference treatments.Despite some methodological limitations, the results from randomised, controlled trials to date suggest benefits for Vitex extracts in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome, premenstrual dysphoric disorder and latent hyperprolactinaemia. Further research is recommended, and greater transparency in reporting for future trials.

Planta Med, 2013 ↗
What a user said
“get magnesium citrate or even better, magnesium glycinate, not the oxide though”
Full Magnesium Oxide profile →

Related comparisons

Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate