Magnesium glycinate, citrate, oxide: what changes, and what does elemental mean?
Do different forms do different jobs, and what dose is actually on the label?
On this page
Magnesium is an essential mineral used in enzyme reactions, energy metabolism and normal cellular function. Much of the body’s magnesium is in bone and cells. Nutritional adequacy, a low blood concentration and a medical use of magnesium are related but different questions. A supplement’s absorption or name does not establish that it improves a particular symptom.[1]
What does this actually mean?
The mineral and its carrier
Magnesium is the mineral; citrate, oxide and glycinate describe compounds carrying it. Elemental magnesium means the magnesium portion alone, rather than the weight of magnesium plus its attached partners. A large compound-weight number on the front of a bottle can therefore describe less magnesium than you expect. Compare products using the magnesium amount per stated serving, then check how many tablets make that serving.[9]
Different forms, different questions
Citrate contains citrate; glycinate or bisglycinate binds magnesium to the amino acid glycine; oxide is an inorganic compound. These names describe chemistry, not a standardized sleep, stress or muscle treatment. A review comparing formulations found differences in absorption, with dose and preparation also affecting results. Categories are useful starting points, but do not rank every commercial product or establish a winning form for every purpose.[10]
Absorption is not a sleep outcome
A product can change magnesium exposure without demonstrating better sleep. A 2026 review of randomized trials found inconsistent sleep findings and important differences between studies. It found no eligible trial directly comparing magnesium forms. Differences between separate trials could reflect participants, elemental amount, duration or the outcome measured, rather than the superiority of one compound.[12]
Why confident sleep claims exceed the evidence
NCCIH’s January 2024 assessment described small, inconsistent and often low-quality sleep studies. The newer 2026 review adds context without establishing a winning formulation. A mineral’s biological role in the nervous system does not show that extra magnesium will solve an unexplained sleep problem. Persistent sleep symptoms can have several causes.[11][12]
Deficiency and supplementation are different decisions
Low dietary intake, a low blood concentration and a reason to treat a diagnosed deficiency are different findings. European Adequate Intakes are population references, not diagnostic thresholds. Kidney impairment can allow magnesium accumulation; a gentler-sounding compound does not remove that concern.[2][3]
What to check on the bottle
Look for elemental magnesium per serving, the named compound, serving size and the intended reason for use. Count magnesium from other supplements and medicines before comparing totals. A claim such as “high absorption” needs a relevant human comparison, while “better sleep” needs sleep outcomes. Separate those two requests for evidence when comparing otherwise similar bottles.[10][11]
Distinguish intake, concentration, preparation and purpose
| Category | Meaning | Interpretation boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Food magnesium | Mineral naturally present in foods, including leafy vegetables, whole grains and nuts | Adequacy involves the diet over time[1] |
| Adequate Intake | A population reference used when an average requirement cannot be derived | Not a blood-test cutoff or personal supplement dose[2] |
| Hypomagnesaemia | Low serum magnesium, with causes including losses, medicines and low intake | Symptoms and other electrolytes affect clinical assessment[3] |
| Magnesium salt or formulation | A compound such as citrate or oxide delivering magnesium | Absorption measurements are not symptom outcomes[5] |
| Supplemental excess | Adverse effects from magnesium added outside ordinary food intake | The US upper-limit assessment concerns nonfood magnesium[1] |
Food sources and supplemental limits have different denominators
The US dietary-reference report identifies leafy vegetables, unrefined grains and nuts as magnesium-rich foods. Magnesium in water varies with its mineral content. Its upper-limit assessment addresses nonfood magnesium because reported adverse effects involved supplemental or pharmacological sources, chiefly diarrhoea. This does not mean that a large supplement is equivalent to magnesium-rich food or that an upper-limit value is a target to reach.[1]
Dietary reference values depend on the framework and population
EFSA’s 2015 assessment could not derive an average requirement or population reference intake for magnesium, so it set Adequate Intakes using observed intakes in healthy European populations. Values differ by age and sex. The panel did not find evidence requiring a higher magnesium intake in pregnancy or lactation within that framework. An intake below an Adequate Intake does not, by itself, diagnose deficiency. Reference values inform dietary assessment; they cannot select a personal product, dose or laboratory threshold.[2]
Low magnesium requires assessment of causes and severity
NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service guidance describes intestinal and renal losses, reduced intake, medicines and movement of magnesium between body compartments as potential causes of hypomagnesaemia. Mild symptoms may be nonspecific; severe deficiency can involve seizures or dangerous heart rhythms. Such symptoms need urgent medical assessment. Treatment depends on symptoms, measured levels and other electrolyte disturbances. Oral replacement differs from hospital intravenous treatment. Kidney impairment increases concern about magnesium accumulation, and some renal conditions require specialist advice. Do not change prescribed medicines or attempt replacement from this guide.[3]
Serum magnesium measures a small compartment
Gloucestershire Hospitals’ laboratory guidance notes that less than half a percent of body magnesium is in serum. The blood test remains widely used, but a serum measurement is not a direct inventory of magnesium in every tissue. Clinicians interpret it alongside intestinal absorption, kidney handling, other electrolytes and the clinical situation. Urine testing may help investigate renal handling. A nonspecific symptom, a dietary estimate and a serum concentration answer different questions; none alone identifies which supplement would help. Local laboratory ranges should be used for actual results.[4]
A medicine can change the magnesium question
Proton pump inhibitors, or PPIs, reduce stomach-acid production. A UK regulator’s April 2012 warning describes infrequent reports of severe low magnesium with prolonged use; the incidence was unknown. An available omeprazole product label retains the warning. This is a medicine-related assessment question, rather than evidence that a different supplement form treats unexplained symptoms.[13][14]
Monitoring depends on the treatment context
Both sources advise clinicians to consider magnesium measurement before prolonged PPI treatment and periodically during it, especially with digoxin or medicines that can lower magnesium, such as diuretics. Tell the team about nonprescription acid reducers too. This does not set a personal test interval or justify independently stopping a prescribed PPI.[13][14]
Evidence & uncertainty
The 2020 Cochrane review found magnesium unlikely to meaningfully reduce ordinary cramps in older adults. Pregnancy-associated cramps remained uncertain. A physiological role in muscle function does not establish benefit from extra magnesium for every cramp.[6]
Selected-source overview · Independent review pendingPublished questions
Does a supplemental upper limit apply to magnesium naturally present in food?
Selected-source overview · Independent review pending. Read the evidence context.
The US report’s upper-limit assessment concerns nonfood magnesium, chiefly because excessive supplemental intake can cause diarrhoea. It is not a target for supplementation.[1]
Evidence behind this answer
- Dietary Reference Intakes: Chapter 6, Magnesium
reference intake report · 1997
Selected original official guidance or reference-report passages inspected on 2026-10-14 UTC; no independent clinical appraisal · 1997; Original chapter 6: functions, foods and nonfood upper-limit basis
This answer summarizes selected sources. An independent appraisal of the complete evidence has not been completed.
Does intake below an Adequate Intake prove deficiency?
Selected-source overview · Independent review pending. Read the evidence context.
No. EFSA used Adequate Intakes because requirements could not be derived reliably. An individual’s status needs assessment beyond comparison with that value.[2]
Evidence behind this answer
- Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for magnesium
reference intake report · 2015
Original abstract and bibliographic record inspected on 2026-10-14 UTC; full text not independently appraised · 2015-07-27; Original abstract: AI basis and population distinctions
This answer summarizes selected sources. An independent appraisal of the complete evidence has not been completed.
Can severe low magnesium require urgent care?
Selected-source overview · Independent review pending. Read the evidence context.
Yes. Severe hypomagnesaemia can involve seizures and dangerous heart rhythms. Symptoms, kidney function, causes and other electrolytes guide professional assessment and treatment.[3]
Evidence behind this answer
- Treating acute hypomagnesaemia in adults
clinical guidance · 2024
Selected original official guidance or reference-report passages inspected on 2026-10-14 UTC; no independent clinical appraisal · 2024-12-19; Causes, signs, clinical severity, renal precautions and route distinction
This answer summarizes selected sources. An independent appraisal of the complete evidence has not been completed.
Does a serum magnesium result measure all body stores?
Selected-source overview · Independent review pending. Read the evidence context.
No. Serum contains only a small share of body magnesium. The result is interpreted with clinical context, kidney handling and other relevant findings.[4]
Evidence behind this answer
- Magnesium (Mg): Chemical Pathology
agency condition or prevention explanation · Date not stated
Selected original official guidance or reference-report passages inspected on 2026-10-14 UTC; no independent clinical appraisal · Undated; Serum compartment, renal handling, urine testing and local ranges
This answer summarizes selected sources. An independent appraisal of the complete evidence has not been completed.
Does the citrate–oxide study prove citrate treats symptoms better?
Selected-source overview · Independent review pending. Read the evidence context.
No. It studied absorption-related measurements after single administrations in 20 healthy men, rather than symptom relief or long-term clinical outcomes.[5]
Evidence behind this answer
- Higher bioavailability of magnesium citrate as compared to magnesium oxide in a randomized cross-over study
randomized controlled trial · 2017
Selected original full-text methods, results and limitations inspected on 2026-10-14 UTC; no independent systematic appraisal · 2017-01-11; Original abstract, selected methods/results and funding; 20 healthy men
This answer summarizes selected sources. An independent appraisal of the complete evidence has not been completed.
Has magnesium reliably prevented ordinary cramps in older adults?
Selected-source overview · Independent review pending. Read the evidence context.
The Cochrane review found clinically meaningful benefit unlikely. Pregnancy findings were uncertain, and the review found no eligible exercise-cramp trials.[6]
Evidence behind this answer
- Magnesium for skeletal muscle cramps
systematic review · 2020
Original abstract and bibliographic record inspected on 2026-10-14 UTC; full text not independently appraised · 2020-09-21; Original review summary/abstract; 11 trials and population-specific uncertainty
This answer summarizes selected sources. An independent appraisal of the complete evidence has not been completed.
Does the blood-pressure review justify replacing prescribed treatment?
Selected-source overview · Independent review pending. Read the evidence context.
No. It found modest average changes, substantial variation and no demonstrated dose-response relationship. It does not establish a personal treatment regimen.[7]
Evidence behind this answer
- Magnesium Supplementation and Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
systematic review · 2025
Selected original full-text methods, results and limitations inspected on 2026-10-14 UTC; no independent systematic appraisal · 2025-09-26; Original abstract and selected methods; 38 RCTs, 2,709 adults, heterogeneity
This answer summarizes selected sources. An independent appraisal of the complete evidence has not been completed.
Did the migraine trial improve every headache outcome?
Selected-source overview · Independent review pending. Read the evidence context.
No. Attack frequency improved, but duration and intensity did not differ significantly. One preparation in a small trial does not represent all products.[8]
Evidence behind this answer
- Prophylaxis of migraine with oral magnesium: randomized multicentre placebo-controlled study
randomized controlled trial · 1996
Original abstract and bibliographic record inspected on 2026-10-14 UTC; full text not independently appraised · 1996-06; Original publisher abstract; 81 adults, twelve weeks, selected benefits and adverse effects
This answer summarizes selected sources. An independent appraisal of the complete evidence has not been completed.
Do different forms do different jobs, and what dose is actually on the label?
Selected-source overview · Independent review pending. Read the evidence context.
Forms differ in chemistry, absorption and tolerability, but better absorption does not prove better sleep. Compare elemental magnesium per serving, not the larger compound weight. A form name alone cannot select a personal dose or establish that it treats a symptom.[9][10]
Evidence behind this answer
- FDA Letter in Response to Petition for a Qualified Health Claim for Magnesium and Reduced Risk of High Blood Pressure
official regulatory assessment · 2022
Official indexed letter passage inspected · Supplement safety discussion: elemental magnesium declaration - Bioavailability of magnesium food supplements: A systematic review
systematic review · 2021
Original indexed abstract inspected; full text not retrieved · Abstract Methods and Results; formulation and dose-dependent absorption
This answer summarizes selected sources. An independent appraisal of the complete evidence has not been completed.
Has glycinate been shown to beat every other magnesium form for sleep?
Selected-source overview · Independent review pending. Read the evidence context.
No. The 2026 randomized-trial review found no eligible head-to-head comparison of magnesium forms for sleep. Differences between separate studies cannot establish a winner because populations, amounts, duration, outcomes and study quality also differed.[12]
Evidence behind this answer
- Magnesium Supplementation for Sleep in Adults: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
systematic review · 2026
Selected original publisher indexed full-text passages inspected; PubMed and direct publisher opening were unavailable · Original indexed Methods and Conclusions: no eligible head-to-head forms trial and heterogeneous sleep outcomes
This answer summarizes selected sources. An independent appraisal of the complete evidence has not been completed.
Why might a clinician check magnesium during long-term treatment for stomach acid?
Selected-source overview · Independent review pending. Read the evidence context.
Prolonged proton pump inhibitor use can be associated with low magnesium. Monitoring is considered in context, particularly with certain other medicines; it is different from assuming that a symptom diagnoses deficiency or selecting a supplement yourself.[13][14]
Evidence behind this answer
- Proton pump inhibitors in long-term use: reports of hypomagnesaemia
official medicine safety update · 2012
Complete substantive original page read. Article date April 2012; web publication 11 December 2014. Adopted prolonged-use concern and conditional clinician monitoring, not dated OTC-duration limits, an annual schedule or a personal stop plan. · Complete substantive warning: case reports, clinician monitoring advice, OTC context and patient advice; article-date/publication distinction - Omeprazole 4 mg/ml, Powder for Oral Suspension: Summary of Product Characteristics
manufacturer prescribing information · 2023
Selected original manufacturer label warnings and date fields read. Text revised 30 March 2023; emc listing updated 15 August 2024. November 2025 service certification is not a content-revision date. No dose, formulation substitution, TIN action or unrelated label instructions adopted. · Section 4.4 low-magnesium warning and monitoring; section 10 text revision; emc update metadata
This answer summarizes selected sources. An independent appraisal of the complete evidence has not been completed.
A small citrate–oxide study measured absorption-related outcomes
Kappeler and colleagues’ 2017 randomized, open crossover study included 20 healthy adult men. After prior magnesium supplementation, each received single administrations of citrate and oxide. Urinary magnesium excretion and some serum measurements were higher after citrate, while intracellular measurements did not differ significantly. The study measured absorption-related endpoints, rather than sleep, pain or disease prevention. Its selected population, single-dose design and manufacturer funding limit product-wide conclusions. It does not establish one best preparation for all people or all conditions.[5]
Cramp populations should not be pooled into one promise
The Cochrane review included 11 trials: five in older adults, five in pregnancy and one small study in liver cirrhosis. Older-adult findings were sufficiently consistent to make clinically meaningful prevention unlikely. Pregnancy trials had important design and reporting problems and inconsistent results. No eligible exercise-cramp trials were found. These findings concern the evidence searched for that review, not proof that every later product or every cause of cramp has been tested. Diarrhoea and other gastrointestinal effects also matter when assessing benefit.[6]
A newer review found modest average blood-pressure changes
Argeros and colleagues’ 2025 meta-analysis included 38 randomized trials with 2,709 adults and interventions lasting at least four weeks. Average reductions were about 2.8 mmHg systolic and 2.1 mmHg diastolic compared with placebo. Effects varied substantially, and statistical significance was not reached in normotensive subgroups. No dose-response relationship was identified. The findings do not supply a personal regimen or show that magnesium replaces hypertension treatment. Blood-pressure changes are not themselves evidence of fewer heart attacks, strokes or deaths; baseline magnesium status and clinical context may modify results.[7]
An older migraine trial tested one preparation and selected outcomes
Peikert and colleagues’ 1996 placebo-controlled trial included 81 adults with migraine and studied trimagnesium dicitrate for twelve weeks. Attack frequency fell more in the magnesium group during weeks nine to twelve. Attack duration and intensity did not differ significantly, and diarrhoea and gastric irritation were reported. This supports a preparation-specific research finding, not a conclusion that every magnesium product prevents every headache. The small, older trial cannot set an individual treatment plan or replace assessment of a new or changing headache.[8]
Replacement and the underlying cause are different issues
A 2010 case series described ten selected patients with severe low magnesium during PPI use; eight also used diuretics. Replacement alone was often ineffective while the PPI continued, with improvement after clinician-managed withdrawal and recurrence after restarting in reported cases. A case series cannot estimate population risk or determine another person’s medicine changes. Its proposed annual-testing schedule is not adopted here.[15]
Evidence for one endpoint cannot be transferred to another
Higher urinary magnesium after a preparation does not demonstrate better sleep, less anxiety or improved long-term health. The citrate–oxide trial did not test these outcomes. The separate magnesium-and-sleep guide addresses sleep claims. Here, food adequacy, clinically assessed deficiency, preparation comparisons and disease-specific trials remain separate, because the participants, comparators and outcomes differ.[5]
References
- Dietary Reference Intakes: Chapter 6, Magnesium
Reference intake report
Institute of Medicine / National Academies · Content/publication date: 1997
Accessed: 2026-10-14 UTC · Selected original official guidance or reference-report passages inspected on 2026-10-14 UTC; no independent clinical appraisal
Cited sections: 1997; Original chapter 6: functions, foods and nonfood upper-limit basisURL chapter number 8 corresponds to printed chapter 6. Selected passages and upper-limit section inspected in turn2043view5. No mirror or alternate chapter added to extend a budget.
- Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for magnesium
Reference intake report
EFSA NDA Panel · Content/publication date: 2015
Accessed: 2026-10-14 UTC · Original abstract and bibliographic record inspected on 2026-10-14 UTC; full text not independently appraised
Cited sections: 2015-07-27; Original abstract: AI basis and population distinctions - Treating acute hypomagnesaemia in adults
Clinical guidance
NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service · Content/publication date: 2024
Accessed: 2026-10-14 UTC · Selected original official guidance or reference-report passages inspected on 2026-10-14 UTC; no independent clinical appraisal
Cited sections: 2024-12-19; Causes, signs, clinical severity, renal precautions and route distinctionSelected passages inspected in turn2043view1/2/3. Doses, administration rates and medicine substitutions deliberately omitted. Licensed clinical salt guidance is not treated as a universal ranking of consumer products.
- Magnesium (Mg): Chemical Pathology
Agency condition or prevention explanation
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · Content/publication date: not stated
Accessed: 2026-10-14 UTC · Selected original official guidance or reference-report passages inspected on 2026-10-14 UTC; no independent clinical appraisal
Cited sections: Undated; Serum compartment, renal handling, urine testing and local rangesNo visible publication/review date; access date is recorded without inventing one.
- Higher bioavailability of magnesium citrate as compared to magnesium oxide in a randomized cross-over study
Randomized controlled trial
Kappeler and colleagues · Content/publication date: 2017
Accessed: 2026-10-14 UTC · Selected original full-text methods, results and limitations inspected on 2026-10-14 UTC; no independent systematic appraisal
Cited sections: 2017-01-11; Original abstract, selected methods/results and funding; 20 healthy menFunding and sponsor role inspected in turn2048view2. Absorption endpoints not represented as clinical efficacy.
- Magnesium for skeletal muscle cramps
Systematic review
Garrison and colleagues / Cochrane · Content/publication date: 2020
Accessed: 2026-10-14 UTC · Original abstract and bibliographic record inspected on 2026-10-14 UTC; full text not independently appraised
Cited sections: 2020-09-21; Original review summary/abstract; 11 trials and population-specific uncertainty - Magnesium Supplementation and Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Systematic review
Argeros and colleagues · Content/publication date: 2025
Accessed: 2026-10-14 UTC · Selected original full-text methods, results and limitations inspected on 2026-10-14 UTC; no independent systematic appraisal
Cited sections: 2025-09-26; Original abstract and selected methods; 38 RCTs, 2,709 adults, heterogeneityNovember 2025 issue. Search ended May 19, 2024. Publisher direct opening was forbidden; original deposited full-text sections were actually inspected, not merely metadata.
- Prophylaxis of migraine with oral magnesium: randomized multicentre placebo-controlled study
Randomized controlled trial
Peikert, Wilimzig and Köhne-Volland · Content/publication date: 1996
Accessed: 2026-10-14 UTC · Original abstract and bibliographic record inspected on 2026-10-14 UTC; full text not independently appraised
Cited sections: 1996-06; Original publisher abstract; 81 adults, twelve weeks, selected benefits and adverse effectsRestricted full text; no independent full-text appraisal. Trial dose is deliberately omitted from reader content.
- FDA Letter in Response to Petition for a Qualified Health Claim for Magnesium and Reduced Risk of High Blood Pressure
Official regulatory assessment
US Food and Drug Administration · Content/publication date: 2022
Accessed: 2026-10-15 UTC · Official indexed letter passage inspected
Cited sections: Supplement safety discussion: elemental magnesium declarationSelected evidence; outcome and population boundaries apply.
- Bioavailability of magnesium food supplements: A systematic review
Systematic review
Original publication authors · Content/publication date: 2021
Accessed: 2026-10-15 UTC · Original indexed abstract inspected; full text not retrieved
Cited sections: Abstract Methods and Results; formulation and dose-dependent absorptionSelected evidence; outcome and population boundaries apply.
- In the News: Magnesium Supplements for Sleep Disorders
Official guidance
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health · Content/publication date: 2024
Accessed: 2026-10-15 UTC · Selected full-text guidance inspected
Cited sections: Sleep evidence paragraphs and supplemental safety paragraphSelected evidence; outcome and population boundaries apply.
- Magnesium Supplementation for Sleep in Adults: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
Systematic review
Adrian Lopresti and colleagues · Content/publication date: 2026
Accessed: 2026-10-15 UTC · Selected original publisher indexed full-text passages inspected; PubMed and direct publisher opening were unavailable
Cited sections: Original indexed Methods and Conclusions: no eligible head-to-head forms trial and heterogeneous sleep outcomesSelected evidence; outcome and population boundaries apply.
- Proton pump inhibitors in long-term use: reports of hypomagnesaemia
Official medicine safety update
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency · Content/publication date: 2012
Accessed: 2026-10-20 UTC · Complete substantive original page read. Article date April 2012; web publication 11 December 2014. Adopted prolonged-use concern and conditional clinician monitoring, not dated OTC-duration limits, an annual schedule or a personal stop plan.
Cited sections: Complete substantive warning: case reports, clinician monitoring advice, OTC context and patient advice; article-date/publication distinctionApril 2012 warning, republished December 2014; checked October 2026.
- Omeprazole 4 mg/ml, Powder for Oral Suspension: Summary of Product Characteristics
Manufacturer prescribing information
Rosemont Pharmaceuticals Limited; marketing authorisation holder Xeolas Pharmaceuticals Limited · Content/publication date: 2023
Accessed: 2026-10-20 UTC · Selected original manufacturer label warnings and date fields read. Text revised 30 March 2023; emc listing updated 15 August 2024. November 2025 service certification is not a content-revision date. No dose, formulation substitution, TIN action or unrelated label instructions adopted.
Cited sections: Section 4.4 low-magnesium warning and monitoring; section 10 text revision; emc update metadataText revised March 2023; listing updated August 2024.
- Hypomagnesaemia due to proton-pump inhibitor therapy: a clinical case series
Original clinical case series
Mackay JD and Bladon PT · Content/publication date: 2010
Accessed: 2026-10-20 UTC · Original PDF route redirected to publisher article-minimal page with the complete abstract. Full paper remained purchase-gated; no full-text methods, funding or harms appraisal claimed. Selected ten-case clinical course, co-medication and withdrawal/rechallenge observations used, not the authors’ annual-monitoring or product-switch suggestion.
Cited sections: Complete original publisher abstract: Aims, Methods, Results and ConclusionsOriginal abstract only; selected cases do not establish incidence.
Scope & review
- Population
- General adult nutrition; selected healthy men, adults with migraine or hypertension, older cramp populations and pregnancy studies are separated
- Exposure or intervention
- Food magnesium, oral preparations and supervised replacement are distinguished
- Comparison
- Preparation-specific placebo comparisons and source-specific clinical contexts
- Outcomes
- Adequacy, serum status, absorption, cramps, blood pressure, migraine and adverse effects
- Timeframe
- Dated reference reports, short trials and a 2025 review; no individual dosing timeframe
- Jurisdiction
- US/Canadian dietary-reference framework, EU EFSA assessment and UK clinical guidance; trials are population-specific
Selected-source educational explanation. Official guidance, original study findings and editorial interpretation are distinguished. No exhaustive search, independent systematic synthesis or qualified medical review has been completed.
Sources checked on their individual access dates. Selected sources were checked; ongoing surveillance and qualified review have separate statuses on the coverage page.
Revision history
- 2026-10-14 UTC: Added cited nutrient functions, categories, outcome-specific evidence and uncertainty; qualified expert review remains pending.
- 2026-10-15 UTC: Added the plain-English series explanation with definitions, distinctions, practical questions and selected primary sources; qualified review remains pending.
- 2026-10-20 UTC: Added bounded, source-supported explanations after fresh full-record and canonical-neighbor reads. Original content preserved; assumptions, access, selected populations and remaining scope explicit. Qualified review pending.
What this article still leaves open
- Which preparations improve patient-important outcomes in deficient versus magnesium-replete populations?
- How should differing laboratory compartments and uncertain markers guide individualized assessment?
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