A comprehensive 2024 meta-analysis is challenging the supplement industry’s marketing narrative around premium magnesium formulations. Researchers led by Chen and colleagues found that the specific form of magnesium—whether citrate, L-threonate, or oxide—delivers comparable cognitive benefits when total intake remains consistent.
The study examined multiple magnesium salts across long-term research and found no meaningful advantage for any particular formulation. This finding suggests consumers may be overpaying for heavily marketed “superior” forms without evidence of enhanced brain health outcomes.
Supporting evidence from brain imaging data analyzed 2023 UK Biobank data, demonstrating that higher dietary magnesium intake correlates with healthier gray matter and hippocampal volumes—benefits linked to total consumption rather than salt type. The research indicates that consistent magnesium intake, regardless of form, should be the primary focus for cognitive health.
Read the full article on GMJ Newsroom.
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