Magnesium malate: benefits, side effects and dose
What magnesium malate is, what the research shows, how it compares with glycinate, and how much to take, with NHS guidance on safe amounts.
- Written by
- Amy D
- Reviewed by
- Nooroots team
- Last updated
- Reading time
- 6 min read
Overview
Magnesium malate is magnesium joined to malic acid, a natural acid found in fruit. It's a common way to top up magnesium, which contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to normal muscle function. Research on the malate form itself is limited. The NHS says 400 mg of magnesium a day or less from supplements is unlikely to cause harm.
Key points
- What it is: magnesium joined to malic acid, a natural acid in fruit.
- Evidence: little research on malate itself; its benefits are those of magnesium.
- Absorption: one small study found it similar to bisglycinate and better than oxide.
- Dose: go by the magnesium figure; the NHS guide is 400 mg or less from supplements.
- Side effects: high doses can cause diarrhoea.
What is magnesium malate?
Magnesium malate is magnesium joined to malic acid, a natural acid found in apples and many other fruits. It's one of the forms of magnesium allowed in food supplements, and Europe's food safety authority has found it of no safety concern as a source of magnesium [3].
Malate is also part of the citric acid cycle, the chain of steps your cells use to release energy from food. People absorb and use malic acid easily [3].
Is dimagnesium malate the same thing?
Very nearly. "Dimagnesium malate" is the name one ingredient maker gives its version. When the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reviewed it in 2018, it found no evidence that it differs from ordinary magnesium malate [3].
What does differ is how much magnesium you get. The dimagnesium version tested at about 22% magnesium by weight, so 500 mg of it gives about 110 mg of magnesium [3]. Plain magnesium malate gives less, so always check the magnesium figure on the label, not the weight of the compound.
What is magnesium malate good for?
Mainly for topping up your magnesium. Magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue, to normal energy-yielding metabolism, to normal muscle function and to normal psychological function. These are authorised health claims in the UK [2].
Research on the malate form itself is thin. No trial has tested magnesium malate for energy, sleep or muscle cramps in healthy people, so its benefits are those of magnesium in general.
| Study | Who | What they took | Result | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Absorption study, reported by EFSA 2018 [3] | 14 healthy adults | One 150 mg dose of magnesium in four forms | Malate raised blood magnesium more than oxide, in the same range as bisglycinate. Unpublished; run for an ingredient maker | Early |
| Uysal 2019 [5] | Rats | Five forms of magnesium, one dose | Malate gave the highest blood levels and they stayed high longest | Early |
| Russell 1995, in a Cochrane review [4] | 24 adults with fibromyalgia | Malic acid with magnesium, 6 tablets a day for 4 weeks | No difference from a placebo for pain or tenderness; very low-quality evidence | Early |
Animal results don't always hold in people, so the rat study is a pointer rather than proof.
Magnesium malate vs glycinate: which is better?
Neither has been shown to be better, because no published study has compared them properly. The one small absorption study found malate and bisglycinate in the same range [3].
| Form | Magnesium joined to | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Malate | Malic acid, found in fruit | Little research of its own |
| Glycinate (bisglycinate) | The amino acid glycine | Has the most sleep research |
| Citrate | Citric acid | Well absorbed; can loosen stools |
The research behind glycinate and citrate is in our guides to magnesium glycinate and magnesium citrate. Combining forms is common, and many supplements do.
How much magnesium malate should you take?
Go by the magnesium, not the malate. The NHS says adults aged 19 to 64 need 270 mg (women) or 300 mg (men) of magnesium a day, and that 400 mg or less a day from supplements is unlikely to cause harm [1].
A varied diet can give you all you need [1], so a supplement only has to cover the gap. Add up the magnesium from every product you take, including multivitamins.
Does magnesium malate have side effects?
At normal amounts, most people have none. Taking more than 400 mg of magnesium for a short time can cause diarrhoea [1].
When should you take magnesium malate?
Whenever suits you best, as no trial has tested timing for malate. Taking it with a meal can help if magnesium upsets your stomach. Our guide to when to take magnesium covers timing, medicines and how long it takes to work.
Where Nooroots fits
Nooroots Triple Magnesium contains 500 mg of magnesium malate with glycinate (1,150 mg) and citrate (500 mg), for 301 mg of magnesium in three capsules a day. That's 80% of the daily reference intake.
Triple Magnesium's magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue, to normal muscle function and to the normal functioning of the nervous system [2].
Coming soon. Triple Magnesium isn't on sale yet.
Frequently asked questions
Is magnesium malate good for energy?
Magnesium contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism and to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue [2]. No trial has tested whether the malate form adds anything to that.
Is magnesium malate good for sleep?
No trial has tested malate for sleep. Glycinate has more sleep research; see our guide to magnesium for sleep.
Is magnesium malate absorbed better than other forms?
In rats it gave the highest blood levels of five forms [5]. In people, one small study found it absorbed better than oxide and about as well as bisglycinate [3].
Can you take magnesium malate and glycinate together?
Yes. Many supplements combine them. Just keep the total magnesium from supplements at 400 mg a day or less [1].
Can you take magnesium malate every day?
Yes, for most adults, as long as the magnesium from all your supplements stays at 400 mg a day or less [1].
References
Every study here is listed so you can read it yourself. This guide is for general information and doesn't replace advice from your GP or pharmacist. We review it when new research is published.
- NHS. Vitamins and minerals: others (magnesium section). Accessed 17 October 2026. nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/others
- Department of Health and Social Care. Great Britain nutrition and health claims (NHC) register. Updated 19 May 2026. gov.uk/government/publications/great-britain-nutrition-and-health-claims-nhc-register
- EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (2018). Evaluation of di-magnesium malate, used as a novel food ingredient and as a source of magnesium in foods for the general population, food supplements, total diet replacement for weight control and food for special medical purposes. EFSA Journal 16(6): e05292. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5292
- Thorpe J et al. (2018). Combination pharmacotherapy for the treatment of fibromyalgia in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2: CD010585. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD010585.pub2
- Uysal N et al. (2019). Timeline (bioavailability) of magnesium compounds in hours: which magnesium compound works best? Biological Trace Element Research 187(1): 128–136. PMID 29679349
