WHEN’S THE BEST TIME TO TAKE MAGNESIUM?

The internet is buzzing about magnesium supplements: the benefits of taking magnesium, the different types of magnesium that are available, and how to time your supplementation to max out the benefits. But before we get into the latter, it’s important to recognize that while there is a time for magnesium, there is also a place. And that place is not always in your supplement routine.

“Influencers and health coaches have exaggerated the need for supplementation,” says Maddie Pasquariello, MS, RD. “Most people can get enough magnesium through food without making drastic or expensive changes to their diet, and we should be encouraging this before telling everyone to supplement.” Indeed, there are many common magnesium-rich foods that can easily cover the 400–420 milligrams that the National Institutes of Health recommend for men over 19 years old.

Of course, if for whatever reason you aren’t able to get enough magnesium through your regular diet, supplements can help. And, in that case, you’ll want to make sure you’re aware of the best times to take magnesium, whether you should be taking it with or without food, and any other considerations that might help you get more bang for your buck. So here’s everything you need to know.

Your body doesn’t care what time you take your magnesium

According to Pasquariello, it’s much more important that you’re getting enough magnesium than exactly what time of day you’re taking it. “We just don’t have an abundance of evidence to suggest that timing your magnesium to a specific moment in your day makes a huge difference for most people,” she says.

That said, it makes sense that a more readily absorbed form of magnesium would take effect more quickly—something worth considering if you’re taking magnesium specifically to address your sleep. “For easily absorbed forms of magnesium that exert a bit of a relaxing effect, like magnesium glycinate, taking it before you go to sleep might be most effective,” Pasquariello says.

Similarly, the specific type of magnesium you’re taking might come with side effects that could influence when you take it. “Many people prefer to take magnesium with their morning meal, especially because some forms—especially those that are mild laxatives—can cause a bit of immediate digestive change that you don’t want right before you go to bed,” Pasquariello says. “On the other hand, some people find that the effects on reducing constipation are best felt after a night of sleep. So it might just require a bit of trial and error to figure out what works best for you.”

If you are low on magnesium, consistency is more important than timing

Diagnosing a magnesium deficiency can be tricky, as much of your body’s magnesium is not found in the blood. While urine tests and other diagnostic pathways can help you and your doctor get a handle on your magnesium levels, Pasquariello recommends that those concerned about their magnesium intake start with a simple dietary audit.

“If you’re not getting enough magnesium as evidenced by an audit of your diet or testing, your practitioner would probably recommend a daily supplement, but it’s important to only supplement if you know that you need to,” she says.

If you do, in fact, need to supplement with magnesium, consistency should be your main priority. Whereas a handful of specific supplements, like high-dose vitamin D or iron, can be taken once or twice a week, magnesium supplements should be taken daily. “Like most supplements, it’s not one-and-done with magnesium,” Pasquariello says. “If you’re not getting enough through your diet and can’t manage to do so by making dietary tweaks, taking a magnesium supplement just once a week or whenever you remember to is likely not going to be enough.”

Ultimately, when it comes to raising your overall magnesium levels and optimizing the myriad bodily processes that magnesium is involved in, don’t worry about timing right away and focus instead on what will allow you to be most consistent. “This is best achieved by taking it at the same time every day,” Pasquariello says. “From there, you can test out various timings and see how your body responds.”

Timing your magnesium supplements could help you manage their side effects

If you find that, regardless of time of day, your magnesium supplement consistently triggers unwanted side effects, like an upset stomach or diarrhea, splitting your dose into two or more servings may help mitigate the unwanted effects.

“It will depend slightly on the total dose you are taking, but for some people, larger doses may be more easily tolerated when spread out throughout the day,” Pasquariello says. “For most people, though, taking it daily in one go is just as effective as taking it both morning and night, so for convenience and efficiency—and ensuring you actually remember to take it—one shot is what I’d recommend here.”

Alternatively, you may find that your magnesium supplement is better tolerated when taken together with a meal. Technically speaking, as a mineral, magnesium itself is neither fat-soluble nor water-soluble, meaning its absorption won’t be influenced by the foods you consume it with. Regardless, “some people report fewer negative side effects when taking magnesium with food, most likely due to the laxative effects that certain forms can have,” Pasquariello says. “So if you cannot get enough magnesium through your diet and it’s recommended that you supplement, I would start by taking it with food and seeing how you feel.”