Many of us have been recommended to take magnesium if we’re struggling to sleep. But it’s important to make sure you’re buying the right magnesium for your concerns before you add to cart.

If you’ve had sore muscles, tension, trouble sleeping or anxiety recently, someone somewhere has probably encouraged you to take magnesium.

The mineral plays a vital role in nerve, muscle, bone and heart function, and while you can enough of it through your diet by eating foods such as leafy greens, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains, many people opt to try supplements.

According to Body+Soul's Health of the Nation report, 21 per cent of Australians take a magnesium supplement daily. Of course, you should talk to your doctor or dietician if you think a supplement could help your health concerns.

But supplementing isn’t as easy as just buying the first bottle of capsules you see. There are several different types of magnesium, each with very different uses and reported effects. So if you don’t want to buy a variant that helps with constipation when you’re looking for a sleep aid, you should probably read this.

The different types of magnesium

Magnesium L-Threonate

Boosting the concentration of magnesium in the brain, magnesium l-threonate is often used for its potential benefits, including boosting memory and focus.

Magnesium Citrate

Easily absorbed by the body, magnesium citrate is mainly used as a laxative or to treat magnesium deficiency. 

While it has a more gentle laxative effect than magnesium oxide, it may cause some stomach upset.

Magnesium Glycinate

Research has shown magnesium glycinate could reduce the symptoms of stress and promote calm. It is also regularly recommended for people struggling with insomnia.

Gastroenterologist, Saurabh Sethi told Health “magnesium glycinate is often better tolerated,” Sethi explained. “The magnesium is combined with the amino acid glycine, making it more gentle on the gastrointestinal tract and more easily absorbed into the body… A lot of people find magnesium glycinate to be gentler on the digestive system.”

Magnesium oxide

Magnesium oxide is used to relieve heartburn, indigestion or constipation, and some research suggests it could be helpful to prevent migraines. 

However this type of magnesium isn’t as well absorbed by the body, so it’s not the best option for treating magnesium deficiency.

Magnesium sulfate

If you’ve ever had sore muscles after playing sport or training, you’ve probably used magnesium sulfate. Also known as Epsom salts, people wanting to relieve stress, inflammation and muscle pain often add this variant of the mineral to a bath to soak in.

Magnesium hydroxide

Another type of magnesium with a strong laxative effect, magnesium hydroxide draws water to the intestines to help with constipation. Some people also use it to treat heartburn and indigestion.

While magnesium clearly has plenty of benefits, gastroenterologist Ayanna Lewis said it’s important to make sure you don’t take too much of it. Regardless of the type of magnesium you’re taking, “if you take enough, it will have a laxative effect”, she added.