Magnesium vs Magnesium L-Threonate for sleep
Short answer: For sleep, users rate them about the same: 87% report improvement with Magnesium (331 reports) and 84% with Magnesium L-Threonate (140 reports).
Magnesium has 82 meta-analyses and 210 randomized trials on PubMed; Magnesium L-Threonate has 0 and 3.
Based on 1,893 reports about Magnesium and 602 about Magnesium L-Threonate. Not medical advice.
| Magnesium Supplement | Magnesium L-Threonate Supplement | |
|---|---|---|
| User score | 51 | 56 |
| Verdict | Mostly positive | Mostly positive |
| Positive of reports that state an outcome | 72% | 73% |
| Reports | 1,893 | 602 |
| Research | AResearch: Strong | CResearch: Limited |
| Meta-analyses / RCTs | 82 / 210 | 0 / 3 |
| Mainly used for | ||
| Appetite % reporting improvement | 100% (2) | — |
| Focus % reporting improvement | 77% (39) | 99% (73) |
| Energy % reporting improvement | 75% (73) | 86% (14) |
| Sleep % reporting improvement | 87% (331) | 84% (140) |
| Anxiety % reporting improvement | 89% (226) | 94% (66) |
| Mood % reporting improvement | 80% (99) | 89% (35) |
| Memory % reporting improvement | 100% (7) | 90% (29) |
| Performance % reporting improvement | 87% (15) | 100% (2) |
| Recovery % reporting improvement | 96% (24) | 100% (2) |
| Pain & inflammation % reporting improvement | 91% (33) | 75% (4) |
| Digestion % reporting improvement | 83% (29) | 33% (3) |
| Libido % reporting improvement | 62% (13) | — |
| Hormones % reporting improvement | 91% (22) | — |
| Blood sugar % reporting improvement | 100% (3) | — |
| Heart & lipids % reporting improvement | 95% (22) | — |
| Skin & hair % reporting improvement | 100% (2) | — |
| Immunity % reporting improvement | 86% (7) | — |
| Longevity % reporting improvement | 100% (3) | — |
| Common side effects | diarrhea, drowsiness, stomach issues, vivid dreams | vivid dreams, insomnia, headache, anxiety |
| Typical dose reported | daily | 6 caps / daily |
This review confirms that the quality of literature is substandard for physicians to make well-informed recommendations on usage of oral magnesium for older adults with insomnia. However, given that oral magnesium is very cheap and widely available, RCT evidence may support oral magnesium supplements (less than 1 g quantities given up to three times a day) for insomnia symptoms.
BMC Complement Med Ther, 2021 ↗“after supplementing with 400mg of Magnesium daily. Winter blues hit me hard and my multivitamin wasn't doing any justice, but once I began supplementing Magnesium, everything changed.”
“I just tried magnesium theronate the other day and I feel like a new person... My memory recall is better too. Emotions and anxiety have levelled DRASTICALLY.”
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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