Understanding the magnesium market

Magnesium remains a popular ingredient due to its various health benefits. Recent studies have shown that magnesium is beneficial for brain health, cardiovascular health, bone health, and even sleep. But not all magnesium is created equal, and certain forms of magnesium may or may not deliver certain benefits. Furthermore, formulating with magnesium can be challenging, especially when unique dosage formats are involved. Magnesium also pairs well with certain ingredients but not others, making formulating blends difficult unless one knows which pairings work best. Here’s what formulators should know about magnesium: Its benefits, emerging innovations in magnesium ingredients, and how to best formulate with it.

Magnesium Comes in a Range of Forms

Magnesium is available in a wide variety of forms, says Isabel Gómez, global marketing manager for Lubrizol (Wickliffe, OH). These forms include magnesium oxide, magnesium citrate, magnesium glycinate, and magnesium chloride. Each form of magnesium, says Gómez, has its own unique properties.

“Magnesium citrate is widely recognized for its bioavailability, while magnesium oxide offers a higher elemental magnesium content,” Gómez notes. For example, Lubrizol Nutraceuticals has developed a microencapsulated form of magnesium oxide, called Magshape. “This innovation enhances absorption and masks the metallic taste, making it ideal for modern supplement formats like chewables and powders,” explains Gómez. “A recent clinical study published in Nutrients¹demonstrated that Magshape significantly improves magnesium bioavailability compared to other forms, including citrate and bisglycinate.”

Oliver Riemann, senior manager, marketing and business development for Albion Minerals, a division of Balchem (Montvale, NJ), says magnesium’s forms include both organic and inorganic options. While magnesium oxide is the most cost effective source of magnesium and contains the highest percentage of elemental magnesium, he says, magnesium oxide shows the poorest absorption rate in clinical trials. In contrast, Riemann says, magnesium glycinate is getting a great deal of attention due to its bioavailability, tolerability, and efficacy.

“This chelate is shielded by the amino acid glycine, which helps protect it from the environment in the body, supporting enhanced absorption,” Riemann says. “Lab testing shows up to three times greater absorption of Albion Minerals’ magnesium bisglycinate—Balchem’s brand of chelated minerals—compared to magnesium oxide or magnesium citrate, meaning it delivers its unique benefits more effectively than inorganic magnesium forms.”

Formulating with Magnesium Can Be Challenging

While magnesium is an important mineral with key benefits for consumers, it can be difficult to incorporate into formulations. Jennifer Toomey, head of new product development, North America, for TopGum Industries (Israel), says that minerals, in general, are unconcentrated. Some sources of magnesium may only be 6% elemental magnesium, for instance. As a result, formulators need to add a significant amount of raw material—roughly 1.7 grams—to deliver a 100 mg dose of magnesium.

“Delivering such a high dose of raw material may exclude certain delivery formats that are not designed to support such a high dosage,” Toomey explains. “Additionally, magnesium can have a metallic taste and a gritty mouth feel. Also, magnesium is a basic mineral, so getting the right pH balance in the product can be a challenge.”

Toomey says that the right contract development and manufacturing organization can deliver a magnesium supplement with a palatable flavor profile and an enjoyable consumer experience. TopGum, for instance, has created a magnesium gummy using its proprietary TopCaps technology to overcome taste and dosage barriers.

Consumers Seek Magnesium for Sleep, Stress Relief

Sleep support and stress relief are the two most significant applications for which consumers seek out magnesium supplements, Gómez says. She notes that consumer interest is also growing for magnesium applications in areas like emotional wellness, active aging, and personalized health routines.

Riemann says that magnesium ingredients support the normal function of the stress hormone cortisol, thereby contributing to mood regulation by modulating glutamine uptake. Toomey, meanwhile, points to magnesium’s contributions to energy production and bone health as key applications that consumers want.

To further explore consumer preference trends concerning magnesium products, Lubrizol conducted a consumer behavior study via the Zinklar platform, with 2,255 respondents in the United States. Among these consumers, Lubrizol reports that 17.7% regularly use magnesium supplements, primarily for sleep, stress, and muscle health. Gómez says that capsules and chewables are the preferred formats for magnesium ingredients, although powders are gaining popularity due to their convenience and versatility.

Complementary Ingredients Create Synergistic Blends

Magnesium pairs well with a variety of different ingredients, including other minerals, vitamins, and even herbals. Riemann notes that magnesium bisglycinate, for instance, combines well with vitamins and minerals like vitamin K₂ and zinc, enabling formulators to address multiple health needs in one supplement. Balchem recently launched its Vital Trio concept, a 3-in-1 formula combining magnesium, vitamin K₂, and vitamin D in microencapsulated double-coated beadlets to support immune, cardiovascular, and bone health.

Toomey says that magnesium’s mood benefits make it a great ingredient to pair with other mood boosters like vitamin B₁₂, saffron, ashwagandha, and vitamin D. As a key ingredient in muscle recovery support, formulators can also combine magnesium with zinc and electrolytes for an exercise recovery supplement.

Gómez says that magnesium works well with ingredients that support relaxation and recovery, such as sustained-release melatonin to support better sleep. She notes that magnesium can also be combined with botanicals like lemon balm or passionflower to promote calmness and nervous system balance.

Magnesium Products Set to Grow

Magnesium has a variety of different applications depending on the specific form of magnesium in question. From brain health, to sleep wellness, to cardiovascular health, to bone support and more, this versatile mineral can be incorporated into a variety of formulations for a diverse range of applications. Formulators can maximize the benefits of magnesium in their products by understanding the various forms of magnesium and their bioavailability, concentrating more raw material into a single supplement, and leveraging natural nutraceutical flavor blockers to overcome magnesium’s metallic taste. By leveraging synergistic blends tailored to specific applications, formulators can create products that will stand out in a store aisle and deliver tailored benefits for specific consumer segments. With a tailored approach to magnesium products, formulators will be more likely to create offerings that sell.

Reference

1. Pajuelo, D.; Meissner, J.M.; Negra, T.; Connolly, A.; Mullor, J.L. Comparative Clinical Study on Magnesium Absorption and Side Effects After Oral Intake of Microencapsulated Magnesium (MAGSHAPETM Microcapsules) Versus Other Magnesium Sources. Nutrients. 2024, 16 (24), 4367. DOI: 10.3390/nu16244367

Mike Straus is a freelance writer living in Kelowna, Canada. He writes for trade publications like Hoist, Canadian Chiropractor, Grow Opportunity, and Massage Therapy Canada.