Magnesium Glycinate vs Magnesium Malate: How Do They Compare?

Reviewed by Gariq Johnson, MSc Human Nutrition. Last reviewed: 2 October 2026.

Magnesium glycinate and magnesium malate are both commonly used in food supplements, and both are often marketed as premium alternatives to simpler inorganic salts. The most important point is that the name of the magnesium form does not tell you the full dose: you need to find the amount of elemental magnesium delivered per serving.

What is magnesium glycinate?

Magnesium glycinate (often labelled bisglycinate) is magnesium bound to glycine. It is an organic magnesium form commonly used in supplements. Its popularity is partly practical: manufacturers often select it for formulations where solubility and gastrointestinal tolerance are considerations.

What is magnesium malate?

Magnesium malate is magnesium associated with malic acid. It is also an organic magnesium form and is used in both single-ingredient and combined mineral products.

Is one definitely more bioavailable?

The evidence does not support a simple claim that glycinate is always superior to malate or that malate is always superior to glycinate. A systematic review of magnesium supplements found that organic formulations generally appeared more bioavailable than inorganic formulations, while also noting substantial variation between studies and the importance of dose.

Research directly comparing individual forms is limited. Animal studies have explored glycinate and malate, but those results should not be treated as definitive human head-to-head evidence.

Elemental magnesium is the number that matters

A label may list hundreds of milligrams of magnesium compound while delivering a much smaller amount of elemental magnesium. For comparison purposes, find the line that states the actual elemental magnesium per serving.

What else should you compare?

  • The total elemental magnesium per daily serving.
  • Whether the amount is split across more than one magnesium form.
  • How the product fits alongside dietary magnesium and other supplements.
  • Whether other minerals in the formula create unnecessary duplication.
  • Practical factors such as serving size and tolerance.

Why CoreFoundation® uses both forms

CoreFoundation® provides 375 mg elemental magnesium per serving: 200 mg from magnesium glycinate and 175 mg from magnesium malate. The aim is not to claim that combining the two makes the formula automatically superior; it is to provide a substantial declared elemental magnesium amount using two organic forms.

Read the full CoreFoundation® Formula & Quality page or explore the product.

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Important: This article is for general educational purposes and is not medical advice. Food supplements should not replace a varied, balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. If you have a medical condition, take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have been advised to monitor a nutrient, seek appropriate professional advice.

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