What it is & primary uses
A chelated magnesium form studied in one recent randomized trial for self-reported poor sleep.
Main benefits
- Provides elemental magnesium
- A single trial found a small improvement in insomnia severity
Studied protocols
Research doses are grouped by outcome. They describe study designs—not a personal prescription.
250 mg/day elemental magnesium as bisglycinate
- Study duration
- 4 weeks; taken 30–60 minutes before bed
- Interpretation
- The between-group effect was small (Cohen's d = 0.2), relied on self-report and came from one form-specific trial.
Count elemental magnesium from every product
- Study duration
- Daily
- Interpretation
- Compound weight is not elemental magnesium. The adult UL of 350 mg/day applies to supplemental magnesium, not food magnesium, unless a clinician directs otherwise.
04Food sources & equivalents＋
Can food provide a studied amount?
Foods provide magnesium, but not a standardized magnesium-bisglycinate chelate or its accompanying glycine exposure.
Dietary magnesium without reproducing the bisglycinate formulation
- How this was estimated
- Compare total dietary magnesium with the elemental magnesium on the label; do not compare food weight with magnesium-bisglycinate compound weight.
- Important limitation
- A magnesium-rich diet may meet nutritional needs, but it cannot reproduce or test whether the chelated form has a distinct sleep effect.
Food equivalents compare ingredient mass using published composition values. They do not prove equal absorption, formulation, physiological effect, safety or personal need.
Source: NIH ODS magnesium fact sheet and food table ↗05How to take it for absorption & tolerance＋
With or without food
The form-specific trial used two capsules 30–60 minutes before bed and did not test fed versus fasted absorption.
- Practical approach
- Count elemental magnesium across every product. Take with food if an empty stomach causes nausea or loose stool.
- Watch for
- Separate magnesium from tetracycline or quinolone antibiotics and oral bisphosphonates; kidney impairment raises toxicity risk.
Meal guidance reflects human pharmacokinetic, clinical, official-label or evidence-review sources where available. A food pairing can change absorption or tolerability, but does not make a supplement necessary, effective or safe for every person.
Source: Magnesium bisglycinate sleep trial ↗06Supplement interaction check＋
An unlisted pair means no established pair-specific interaction was identified in this review—not proof that every dose, product or person is safe.
The magnesium in bisglycinate still contributes to total elemental magnesium. NIH notes that 142 mg/day of supplemental zinc interfered with magnesium absorption in one study—far above Dose Radar's usual zinc range.
Routine researched amounts do not create an automatic separation rule. Total magnesium from all forms and unusually high or long-term zinc intake should be reviewed.
07Research notes＋
Limited for sleep. One four-week randomized trial found a statistically significant but small improvement in self-reported insomnia severity; it did not establish superiority over other magnesium forms.
The trial product delivered 250 mg elemental magnesium plus about 1.5 g glycine. The small benefit cannot establish that bisglycinate is superior to other magnesium forms.
08Scientific references＋
Peer-reviewed human research and formal evidence reviews. Open each source to inspect the complete paper record.
Magnesium bisglycinate in adults reporting poor sleep
Dose context: 250 mg/day elemental magnesium for 4 weeks
Insomnia Severity Index improved modestly versus placebo (effect size d = 0.2); other psychological outcomes did not differ, and objective sleep was not measured.
NIH ODS magnesium fact sheet
Dose context: All supplemental magnesium sources
Lists a 350 mg/day adult UL for supplemental magnesium, gastrointestinal adverse effects, higher toxicity risk with kidney impairment and medicine-separation rules.
09Expert & media references＋
Podcast and practitioner statements are clearly separated from research. They may explain practice or emerging ideas, but do not prove efficacy.