Magnesium Glycinate vs Citrate for Perimenopause: Which Form Is Better?
Magnesium glycinate vs citrate for perimenopause compared. Covers bioavailability, sleep, anxiety, digestion, dosing, timing, and how to pick the right form.
Why Magnesium Matters During Perimenopause
Magnesium is involved in hundreds of enzymatic processes in the body, including those that regulate sleep, nervous system function, muscle relaxation, and bone mineral density. During perimenopause, falling estrogen levels affect how efficiently the body retains magnesium, which means many women become subtly deficient even with a reasonable diet. Symptoms of low magnesium overlap significantly with perimenopause symptoms: poor sleep, anxiety, muscle cramps, headaches, and low mood. This overlap makes magnesium one of the most commonly recommended supplements for perimenopausal women. But not all forms are equal, and the difference between magnesium glycinate and magnesium citrate is meaningful.
Bioavailability: How Much Actually Gets Absorbed
Bioavailability refers to how much of a supplement reaches your cells in a usable form. Both glycinate and citrate are significantly better absorbed than magnesium oxide, which is commonly found in cheap supplements but has poor bioavailability and a strong laxative effect. Magnesium glycinate is chelated, meaning the magnesium is bound to glycine, an amino acid. This form is highly bioavailable and gentle on the digestive system. Magnesium citrate, bound to citric acid, is also well absorbed and is one of the most studied forms. In direct comparisons, glycinate tends to cause fewer gastrointestinal side effects at equivalent doses, making it easier to take in higher amounts without digestive discomfort.
Magnesium Glycinate for Sleep and Anxiety
The glycine component in magnesium glycinate is not just a carrier molecule. Glycine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that has independent calming effects on the nervous system and may support deeper sleep. For perimenopausal women dealing with night-time waking, racing thoughts, or anxiety, this dual action makes glycinate a well-suited choice. Studies on glycine supplementation separately support its role in improving sleep quality and reducing core body temperature at night, which is relevant for women dealing with night sweats. If sleep disruption or anxiety is your primary concern, magnesium glycinate is generally the form specialists point to first.
Magnesium Citrate for Digestion and Constipation
Magnesium citrate has a mild osmotic laxative effect, drawing water into the gut and softening stools. For perimenopausal women who experience constipation, bloating, or sluggish digestion, this is a useful side effect rather than a problem. Hormonal changes affect gut motility, and many women notice that their digestive patterns shift during perimenopause. Magnesium citrate addresses both the magnesium shortfall and the gut slowdown in one supplement. However, if you already have loose stools or sensitive digestion, citrate may be too much, and glycinate would be the more comfortable option.
Dosing and Timing
Typical supplemental doses of magnesium for adults range from 200mg to 400mg elemental magnesium per day. Read labels carefully because products list different weights depending on whether they are giving you the weight of the whole compound or just the elemental magnesium within it. For sleep support, taking magnesium glycinate 30 to 60 minutes before bed makes practical sense given its calming properties. Magnesium citrate can be taken in the morning or early evening if you are using it for digestive support, or at night if sleep is the goal. Both forms are best taken with food if you are sensitive to supplements on an empty stomach.
Combining Both Forms
There is no rule against using both forms, and some women find a split approach useful: glycinate at night for sleep, and a smaller dose of citrate in the morning for digestive regularity. The key is staying within a total daily magnesium intake that your body can tolerate. Signs of too much magnesium include loose stools, nausea, and a feeling of heaviness. Most healthy adults tolerate 350 to 400mg elemental magnesium from supplements without issue, though individual tolerance varies. If you take any medications, including blood pressure drugs, antibiotics, or diuretics, check with your pharmacist or GP before adding magnesium, as interactions exist.
Choosing Quality Products
Quality varies significantly across magnesium supplements. Look for products that list elemental magnesium content clearly, use third-party testing, and do not include excessive fillers or artificial additives. Reputable brands will state the form of magnesium clearly on the label (not just 'magnesium'). Avoid any product that uses magnesium oxide as the primary form, as you are largely paying for something your gut will expel rather than absorb. For tracking whether magnesium is making a difference to your sleep or anxiety, logging symptoms consistently over several weeks gives you a more honest read than going by memory. PeriPlan lets you log symptoms and track patterns, which helps you assess whether a supplement change is having a real effect.
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