Taking magnesium malate regularly can have several benefits for your overall health. It can help boost magnesium levels in your body.

1. May Offer Pain Relief

Magnesium malate may have pain-relieving properties for those with pain disorders like fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes widespread pain and tenderness as well as fatigue, memory issues, and trouble sleeping.1

Some evidence suggests that low magnesium levels may contribute to fibromyalgia and its symptoms, such as pain, sleep issues, and anxiety.

Low magnesium is linked to higher levels of substance P, a neurotransmitter involved in pain perception. As a result, low magnesium levels could worsen pain in people with fibromyalgia.1

However, in many studies, magnesium was administered alongside supplements like B vitamins and vitamin C, so more research is needed to understand how magnesium affects people with fibromyalgia, especially when taken on its own.1

2. May Decrease Your Blood Pressure

Magnesium helps support healthy blood pressure, or hypertension, by promoting the release of a signaling molecule called nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels and keeps blood pressure at healthy levels.2

Increasing your intake of magnesium-rich foods and taking supplemental magnesium could help you reach and maintain healthy blood pressure levels, lowering your risk of heart disease.3

Speak with a doctor if you are interested in taking a magnesium supplement for high blood pressure.

3. May Help Control Your Blood Sugar

Magnesium supplements have been shown to be effective in lowering high blood sugar levels in people with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Magnesium is essential for blood sugar regulation because it's involved in carbohydrate metabolism and insulin secretion. Insulin is a hormone that moves blood sugar into cells where it can be used for energy.4

People with high blood sugar are at higher risk of low magnesium levels because high blood sugar increases urinary magnesium loss. Studies show that certain medications used to control blood sugar in people with diabetes are associated with low magnesium levels.5

A 2023 review found that magnesium supplements that provided 279-429 milligrams of magnesium decreased fasting blood sugar and the long-term blood sugar control marker hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in people with diabetes.6

Magnesium supplements are effective for lowering blood sugar in people with prediabetes.7 Low magnesium status is associated with poor blood sugar control in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.89

How Can You Get Magnesium in Your Diet?

Magnesium is concentrated in plant foods, such as leafy greens, beans, and seeds.

Here are some of the best sources of magnesium you can eat:4

• Spinach: 156 milligrams (mg) per cooked cup, or 37% of the Daily Value (DV)
• Pumpkin seeds: 156 mg per ounce (oz), or 37% of the DV
• Dark chocolate (70-85% cacao solids): 129 mg per 2-oz serving, or 31% of the DV 
• Chia seeds: 111 mg per oz, or 29% of the DV
• Edamame: 100 mg per cup or 24% of the DV
• Black beans: 120 mg per cup, or 28% of the DV
• Brown rice: 84 mg or 20% of the DV
• Almonds: 80 mg per oz, or 19% of the DV
• Roasted peanuts: 63 mg per 1/4 cup or 15% of the DV

Yogurt, bananas, soy milk, and peanut butter are also good sources of magnesium.

Although plant foods contain the most magnesium, some animal foods, such as salmon, chicken, and beef, also provide a decent amount of this mineral.

How Should You Take Magnesium Malate?

Magnesium supplements, like magnesium malate, come in a number of forms, including capsules, powders, and liquids.

You may want to choose a liquid or chewable form of magnesium if you cannot tolerate swallowing pills.

You can take magnesium at any time of day, with or without food. Magnesium malate can be taken in a single dose or split into multiple doses throughout the day.

How Much Do You Need?

Magnesium dosing varies, and some people need higher doses than others. For example, people taking magnesium malate for high blood pressure may require much higher doses of magnesium than those taking magnesium to support optimal magnesium status.

Adults over the age of 19 need to take 310-420 milligrams of total magnesium per day, depending on sex and age. Keep in mind that these recommendations include magnesium from foods like beans and vegetables as well as from dietary supplements.4

Supplements contain varying doses of magnesium. Generally speaking, magnesium-only supplements usually provide more magnesium than multivitamins and multi-nutrient supplements. Most magnesium-only supplements provide between 100-200 milligrams of magnesium per serving.

Magnesium has a set Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL), which is the maximum daily intake of a nutrient unlikely to cause harm. The UL for magnesium is currently set at 350 milligrams per day. The UL only applies to the magnesium found in dietary supplements.4

The UL is set at 350 milligrams per day. However, studies show that supplements providing magnesium in doses much higher than the UL are safe for most people and are not associated with side effects.

However, it's recommended to stick to magnesium doses below the current UL unless a doctor specifically recommends a higher dose to treat a medical condition, like high blood pressure.

Medically reviewed by Mary Choy, MD

Is Magnesium Malate Safe for Everyone?

Magnesium supplements, including magnesium malate, are generally safe for most people and do not cause side effects when taken at appropriate doses.

Magnesium malate supplements can be safely used during pregnancy and breastfeeding and are also safe for children.

That said, taking in excessive amounts of any type of magnesium from dietary supplements can harm your health and lead to dangerous side effects such as irregular heartbeat and dangerously low blood pressure.

These side effects are usually related to accidental overdose of magnesium-containing medications, like laxatives. It's still important to stick to recommended doses when using magnesium supplements like magnesium malate.4

When buying a supplement, make sure the product is independently tested. Unlike medications, supplements are not regulated by the FDA. This means their quality and safety can vary. Independent testing confirms that the supplement contains the ingredients listed on the label and is free from harmful contaminants. Check for seals from reputable organizations such as NSF International, USP (United States Pharmacopeia), or ConsumerLab.

Are There Potential Drug Interactions?

Magnesium supplements, like magnesium malate, may affect the absorption of medications like:

• Antibiotics: Magnesium supplements may decrease the absorption of certain antibiotics, such as ciprofloxacin and doxycycline. To ensure your antibiotic is properly absorbed, take your medication either 2 hours before or at least 4 hours after taking a magnesium supplement.
• Blood pressure-lowering medications: Because it has blood pressure-lowering properties, magnesium malate may increase the risk of low blood pressure when taken with blood pressure medications.4
• Osteoporosis medications: Magnesium malate supplements may interfere with the body's ability to absorb bisphosphonates, such as Fosamax. Bisphosphonate medications need to be taken at least two hours before or after taking a magnesium supplement.

It's important to note that certain medications, such as the diabetes medication metformin, diuretics, and acid-suppressing medications, can cause you to develop low magnesium levels.4

A doctor may recommend taking a magnesium supplement to help you maintain healthy magnesium levels and prevent deficiency.

What Should You Look For?

It’s also important to choose a magnesium malate supplement that's appropriate for your specific health needs and fits your budget. Magnesium malate supplements are available in various forms and price points, so you may need to shop around to find the best product for you.

Ask a doctor for advice if you have any questions about magnesium malate supplements, such as dosing and available forms.

Can You Take Too Much?

Magnesium malate supplements are considered safe for most people at the recommended dose. However, it's possible to take in too much magnesium from dietary supplements, which can result in uncomfortable and even dangerous side effects.

Though magnesium malate is less likely to cause gastrointestinal side effects than other forms of magnesium, like magnesium oxide, taking in excessively high doses of any form of magnesium from supplements can lead to adverse side effects like diarrhea and abdominal cramping.4

Magnesium can also reach toxic levels in the body. Although rare and mostly related to intentional or accidental ingestion of very high doses of magnesium-containing products like antacids or laxatives, taking in extremely large doses of magnesium supplements could lead to magnesium toxicity, which can be fatal.4

People with kidney disease, as well as older adults and young children, are more susceptible to developing magnesium toxicity and need to be especially careful when taking supplemental magnesium.4

Are There Side Effects You Should Watch For?

Some forms of magnesium, such as magnesium oxide, are more likely to cause gastrointestinal side effects than others, like magnesium malate and magnesium glycinate.4

That said, taking very high doses of magnesium malate may lead to the following side effects in some people:

• Nausea
• Abdominal pain (stomach cramps)
• Diarrhea

A doctor may recommend decreasing the dose or switching to another magnesium product if you have side effects.