Is a Magnesium Supplement Right for You?

Often referred to as “the miracle mineral” because of its many roles in bodily health, magnesium is essential and necessary for the body to function normally. While food first and a well-balanced diet is always the preferred way to get your intake of vitamins and minerals, increasing depletion of magnesium in soil as a result of over-farming and poor soil management practices has led to less magnesium available in produce like green leafy vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and other sources. Over-processing of food and preparation methods can also reduce the magnesium content in food. In fact, studies suggest that stress can also lead to magnesium loss and cause deficiencies. As a result, many people worldwide do not meet the minimum daily requirement for magnesium and may benefit from supplementation.

"Magnesium is a mineral involved in more than 300 of the body's metabolic reactions," says registered dietitian and certified nutrition support clinician Eduardo Wrubel, MS, RD, CDN, CNSC. "Its role in human health spans an enormous spectrum, from the formation of DNA, RNA and insulin, to energy use and storage, protein building, muscle function, bone health and in the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Perhaps because such a broad spectrum of the body's functions depend on it, deficiency of magnesium is associated with chronic illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure, strokes, migraines and heart disease."

There are an overwhelming amount of magnesium supplements on the market, which come in many different forms. Supplements are not approved by the FDA, so they are not tested for purity and label accuracy, which makes it difficult to choose the right one for you. That's why our team of registered dietitians within the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab reviewed hundreds of magnesium supplements to find the best options. Here are some of our top magnesium supplement picks, according to experts.

Our top picks:

You can learn more about what magnesium is and how we evaluate magnesium and supplements — including tips for what to look for when choosing the best magnesium supplement for you — at the end of this guide. Please note that price per dosage is based on the price at the time of publication.