What Is Magnesium Bisglycinate And How Is It Different From Magnesium Glycinate?

The next time you're in the vitamin aisle, check out how many bottles contain some form of magnesium. Chances are strong that you'll be amazed at all the varieties that you see — and maybe just a little confused by which one to take.

Magnesium has gained huge popularity because it's a vital mineral that your body needs but can't make. And a good portion of people don't get enough magnesium, which puts them at risk of experiencing the warning signs of magnesium deficiency, like weakness and numbness.

Fortunately, magnesium deficiency is reversible by eating magnesium-rich foods and potentially adding a magnesium supplement to your daily routine. But figuring out which magnesium supplements to take can be challenging, especially if you're trying to decide between ones that sound similar, like magnesium bisglycinate and magnesium glycinate. But there's an easy solution in that specific case, because they're actually the same product. The term "bisglycinate" is merely more technical than "glycinate." Magnesium bisglycinate and magnesium glycinate are made from binding one magnesium molecule with two glycine molecules. (Glycine is a useful amino acid that can be purchased as a single product, by the way.)

Couldn't you just take magnesium and glycine separately? Sure, but it's become common to bind magnesium with other substances like glycine because on its own, magnesium has a bit of a bioavailability problem.

Your body just isn't good at making the most of the magnesium you take, whether it's in food or supplement form. According to a 2019 review in Nutrients, only about 30% of magnesium is absorbed after consumption. However, conjoining magnesium with a complementary agent like glycine enables magnesium to be absorbed more efficiently. That means you get more value out of every dose of magnesium.

Why choose glycine as one of magnesium's supplementary partners? Glycine's effects can be a nice addition to those of magnesium. For instance, magnesium is known to help some people reduce tension and muscle cramping. As a result, those with sleeping problems due to muscle stress and discomfort may be able to get better quality rest. As registered dietitian Joel Totoro told USA Today, "If you had to sum it up, magnesium does kind of just relax things." He added, "We tend to recommend people take their dose before bed just because it does relax the brain."

Glycine is thought to assist as a sleep aid as well. Plus, glycine may produce an anti-anxiety response by reducing mental excitability in stressful situations. Hence, taking a supplement that mixes magnesium and glycine may be practical for individuals who have trouble sleeping but who gravitate toward natural sleep aids (like lemon balm tea, an underrated kind of tea that can help prevent insomnia). Additionally, magnesium bisglycinate or glycinate may be useful for keeping anxiousness to a minimum without the use of prescription drugs.

Magnesium bisglycinate or glycinate may assist you in other functional ways. For example, remember the magnesium-muscle connection? Magnesium doesn't just reduce cramping. If you want to recover faster after tough workouts, taking magnesium could encourage speedier muscle tissue repair. A 2024 review in the Journal of Translational Medicine concluded that magnesium could lower post-workout muscle soreness and protect against muscle damage. And glycine may do likewise, according to a 2024 review in Sports. Therefore, you may find that regardless of whether you pick up magnesium bisglycinate or glycinate, you could experience more peaceful bedtimes and beneficial workouts.