Form comparison

Magnesium forms compared

Factual, non-medical comparison of common magnesium supplement forms. Each form has a different elemental magnesium fraction: the percentage of actual magnesium your body can absorb from the compound. Prices below are ranked by EUR per 100mg elemental, which accounts for these differences automatically.

What you should know about magnesium forms

Magnesium is always sold as a compound (bound to another molecule), never as pure elemental metal. The fraction of elemental magnesium in each compound varies:

Form	Compound	Elemental Mg fraction	Typical use
Oxide	MgO	~60%	Highest weight fraction; often cheapest per gram of elemental but may have lower bioavailability.
Citrate	Mg(C₆H₆O₇)	~16%	Common, decent solubility. Mid-range price per effective dose.
Bisglycinate	Mg(C₂H₄NO₂)₂	~18%	Amino acid chelate. Often positioned as a premium form.
Glycinate	Mg(C₂H₄NO₂)₂	~14%	Similar to bisglycinate. Lower elemental fraction.
Malate	Mg(C₄H₄O₅)	~15%	Malic acid salt. Mid-range fraction.

DosePrice does not provide medical advice. The rankings reflect price per effective dose only. Which form is right for you depends on your individual needs and should be discussed with a healthcare professional.