What Type of Magnesium For Leg Cramps? [The Good & Bad]
Magnesium is known as one of the more popular ways to help stop and prevent leg cramps.
But what is perhaps less known is that there are many different types of magnesium available.
Not all types of magnesium are created equal, and some may improve leg cramps better than others.
To ensure you are using the best one for you, please read on.
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At A Glance
Why Are There Different Types Of Magnesium?
What Are The Different Types Of Magnesium?
– Magnesium Citrate
– Magnesium Malate
– Magnesium Threonate
– Magnesium Oxide & Hydroxide
– Magnesium Chloride
– Magnesium Orotate
– Magnesium Glycinate/Lysinate/Bisglycinate/Di-Glycinate
– Magnesium Sulfate
– Magnesium Taurinate/Ditaurate
What Type of Magnesium For Leg Cramps?
1/ Magnesium Glycinate
2/ Magnesium Chloride
3/ Magnesium Malate
4/ Magnesium Sulfate
5/ Magnesium Taurinate/Ditaurate
Conclusion
At A Glance…
| Type | Good For | Where To Buy? |
|---|---|---|
| Magnesium Glycinate | Sensitive Digestive Systems, Pain, Sleep, Cramp | Check Price On Amazon |
| Magnesium Chloride | Cramp, Sleep, Reducing Stress & Tension | Check Price On Amazon |
| Magnesium Malate | Pain, Cramp, Fatigue, Low Energy, Detox | Check Price On Amazon |
| Magnesium Sulfate | Pain, Cramp, Eliminating Toxins | Check Price On Amazon |
| Magnesium Taurinate/Ditaurate | Sensitive Stomachs & Food Intolerances, Cramp | Check Price On Amazon |
Why Are There Different Types Of Magnesium?
The reason for this is because magnesium in a pure form is not easily absorbed by the body, so is often bound (chelated) to a carrier substance.
Different carriers are used depending on the intended purpose and how bioavailable they are.
Bioavailability is the amount of magnesium that can be absorbed in your digestive system for your body to use.
What Are The Different Types Of Magnesium?
Here we will look at the different types of magnesium, and what type of magnesium for leg cramps is best.
Magnesium Citrate
This type of magnesium is bound to citric acid.
This form offers about 30% bioavailability, however it pulls water into the bowels giving it more of a laxative effect than many other types of Magnesium. Also the citric acid may cause bladder discomfort.
This is a good for the magnesium depleted who are also suffering with constipation.
Magnesium Malate
This type of magnesium is bound to malic acid.
Malic acid is found naturally in vegetables and fruits, and when bound to magnesium creates magnesium malate.
Malate is involved in your body’s Krebs Cycle (where energy is created for your cells). So if you are having issues with energy production, a magnesium malate supplement may be effective.
For this reason it is often recommended for helping with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue.
Pay attention to when you take this form of magnesium however as it may disrupt sleep due to it’s stimulating effect.
Also malic acid has been shown to be a great at removing heavy metals such as aluminium from the body.
It has also been proven to provide effective pain relief [1], so may provide an effective relief from leg cramps.
Magnesium Threonate
This magnesium is chelated to threonic acid.
This form of magnesium in comparison to others was created to cross the blood-brain barrier.
Animal tests using this form have shown an increase in brain magnesium, which in turn enhances how much time it takes for neurons to fire information. This may improve learning and memory functions.
This makes this form of magnesium a good choice for age-related cognitive decline.
The suggested dose is 2,000 mg of magnesium Threonate which delivers only 144 mg of magnesium, which is a small amount.
However studies showed when loading this type of magnesium on the brain, the best way is in fact with low dosing.
This would however not be the form to take if trying to replenish magnesium levels in the body, and prevent cramp.
Magnesium Oxide & Hydroxide
Magnesium oxide and magnesium hydroxide are very similar in structure and in function.
In fact, in the presence of water, magnesium oxide does actually turn into magnesium hydroxide.
Magnesium oxide contains a large amount of magnesium by weight yet only has a bioavailability of only 4%. In other words, a 100 mg tablet would only have 4 mg of magnesium.
The low absorption rate coupled with the high laxative effect makes this magnesium a poor choice.
Be aware, as this form is found in many magnesium supplements and multivitamins, and should be avoided.
It also happens to be the active ingredient in Milk of Magnesia.
You may ask why would companies use such a poor choice of magnesium? Well it’s the cost, as this form is dirt cheap.
The effects of this type of magnesium do not leave the gut, therefore making it a poor choice for a type magnesium for leg cramps.
Magnesium Chloride
This type of magnesium is generally used topically (absorbed through skin).
The skin is a great way to increase magnesium levels. This is especially beneficial for people with IBS (or leaky gut) who suffer from malabsorption of nutrients, and benefit from Magnesium which bypasses the gut.
Magnesium can be difficult to absorb in high levels no matter how much you consume, and what kind you use. A topical form can be a great way to add more magnesium to your body.
If you have difficulty consuming oral magnesium, or perhaps are concerned about the laxative effects, or perhaps are unable to absorb enough to make a difference to magnesium levels in your body, topical may be the answer.
Benefits to Magnesium Chloride include increased calmness, longer sleep, and reduced pain and cramp.
Magnesium Orotate
Magnesium orotate is the magnesium salt of orotic acid.
It is often claimed that this type of magnesium has increased absorption due to being bound to orotic acid, however there is no research backing this up.
There is also no proof this improves athletic performance, which is another popular opinion on this type of magnesium.
It is also one of the most costly forms of magnesium.
Research suggests it may protect against heart disease however and reduce heart failure symptoms.
Research when used with animals also suggests that taking over 100mg a day may even promote cancer growth. This is due to the orotic acid present.
Magnesium Glycinate/Lysinate/Bisglycinate/Di-Glycinate
This is a highly absorbable form of magnesium which is chelated to two molecules of the amino acid Glycine.
Glycine is an amino acid with the greatest absorption potential.
This is a very stable form of magnesium and is less likely to cause gastrointestinal symptoms and reduces any laxative effect.
This form of magnesium allows for larger amounts of magnesium to be absorbed more quickly and be better retained by the body.
Magnesium Glycinate generally delivers around 9 mg of magnesium per 100 mg of the product.
An array of benefits are associated with this type of magnesium, including reduction in pain and muscle contractions, it can help with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Syndrome, and has an overall calming affect on the body.
A downside to this type is it can be somewhat expensive, so if you find it cheap it may be an impure form of this Magnesium.
Magnesium Sulfate
Also known as Epsom Salt, this form of magnesium can be very laxative, but it is also great for soaking!
This magnesium usually comes in salt or flake form, but is also available in paste or cream form (the latter generally being used for skin conditions).
Magnesium sulfate is typically dissolved in bathwater, allowing your skin to absorb the substance. It can however be taken orally.
One of the main benefits which is backed by research is improved muscle recovery following physical activity.
This may lead you to believe that Magnesium sulfate is ideal for leg cramps.
However first consider that this type of magnesium has also been linked with side effects which include depressed/poor reflexes, drowsiness, depressed cardiac function, respiratory paralysis, breathing difficulties, weakness, muscle tightness or contraction.
All of the above can be signs of an allergic reaction, and thankfully reactions like the above tend to be rare.
If you are to use such magnesium ensure you start with a small amount first like 200mg and build it up from there.
Ensure you contact a Doctor immediately if you do encounter any of these side effects.
Magnesium Taurinate/Ditaurate
This is a magnesium salt of taurine.
It’s use has been associated with increased cardiovascular protection, reducing the chance of heart disease and failure.
Also relating to pregnancy it protects against pre-eclampsia, eclampsia and perinatal asphyxia.
It is also used in treating seizure disorders and twitches.
Finally it may help prevent migraines. However, evidence is somewhat sparse for all of the above, and further research would be beneficial.
Bioavailability of this type of magnesium has not clearly been established but as taurine is used by the body to transport magnesium ions into and out of cells through the cell membranes you can expect good absorption overall.
One interesting point however is that in rat studies it has been shown to effect nerve blood flow and how fast nerve conduction signals travel.
It is established that leg cramps can be caused by an underlying neurological condition. So it could be postulated that Magnesium taurinate could help prevent leg cramps. However further research is needed in this area.
What Type of Magnesium For Leg Cramps?
As you can see, based on the above information there are five types of magnesium which hold the best potential for reducing leg cramps.
Next we will look at five products on the market that contain such Magnesium.
1/ Magnesium Glycinate
For those with sensitive digestion systems who also want the benefits of both pain relief and better sleep, try Pregnamag Magnesium Glycinate.
As we mentioned earlier, there can be cheap, impure, and poorly sourced magnesium glycinate out there. But this definitely isn’t the case with this supplement from Pregnamag.
Pregnamag Magnesium Glycinate delivers 350 mg of pure elemental magnesium glycinate per serving.
And with only four ingredients used in this supplement, you can be sure of no nasty additives here.
This is great for those who want a pure Magnesium supplement, and nothing else.
This highly bioavailable (absorbable) form of magnesium is also vegetarian and vegan friendly.
2/ Magnesium Chloride
Although available in capsule, powder and flake form, I have experienced the best results in spray form for this form of magnesium.
The product I personally use is Ancient Minerals Magnesium Spray because of the high quality of the magnesium used.
Relaxing to both the body and the mind, I have used this spray successfully to reduce and prevent my own leg cramps.
It is easily absorbed, great value, and a little goes a long way.
3/ Magnesium Malate
For an effective magnesium supplement based on a natural fruit acid try Source Naturals Magnesium Malate.
You can expect not only a reduction in pain, cramp and fatigue but also an energizing boost.
This supplement also has the added bonus of detoxifying your body and brain also.
4/ Magnesium Sulfate
For a top quality all natural Magnesium Sulfate for use at home check out Sky Organics Epson Salts.
Great for use in the bath or shower, these salts reduce pain and cramp whilst also eliminating toxins.
Sky Organics are also so confident that you will love their product that they offer a full refund to anyone not happy with their product.
5/ Magnesium Taurinate/Ditaurate
Want one of the purest forms of Magnesium Taurate, which is completely free of additives and fillers? Then check out Green Organic’s Magnesium Taurate.
This comes in the form of a Vcap containing 350mg of magnesium taurate.
This supplement is gentle on the stomach and optimized for maximum absorption.
You will also experience the added benefits of Taurine, Choline Bitartrate, Organic Lecithin, Organic Coconut, and Apple Fiber. All in one capsule!
This is also a suitable choice from anyone with any food intolerances (corn, dairy, gluten, soy, egg, nut, shellfish, gelatin and rice free and is suitable for vegans and vegetarians).
Used primarily for cardiovascular disorders and seizures, but holds much promise for use with leg cramps.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many types of magnesium out there, and the majority hold some kind of benefit for the body.
However only certain types will benefit you in terms of leg cramps.
Stick to the five types we mentioned above and there is strong chance you will see an improvement in your cramps.
The advantage with a lot of the types we have mentioned is that they also generally come with secondary benefits also.
If you are going to do your own research and buying, beware of anything with chelate in the title which appears overly cheap. This can often be sign of manufactures mixing in more inferior types of magnesium.
Thanks for reading this article about what type of magnesium for leg cramps works best.
Please check out curemycramp.com for more articles like this.
