Sleep is one of the most powerful tools we have for health, yet many people struggle to get enough quality rest. While melatonin often gets the spotlight, a new clinical trial tested a different supplement that may help. Involving 155 adults with poor sleep, the study found a meaningful improvement in insomnia scores compared to placebo. In this article, we’ll unpack the results, explore how big of an impact this supplement really makes, and consider whether it might be worth adding to your sleep toolkit.
Table of Contents
- What’s the supplement?
- How big of an impact on sleep did it make?
- Should I consider taking this supplement?
- The new study
- The broader context
- Observational research
- Clinical trials
- Mechanisms of action
- Safety and deficiency
- Practical Strategies
- Final Thoughts
- References
What’s the Supplement?
It’s Magnesium Bisglycinate, and a brand new study showed a significantly greater reduction in insomnia scores compared to the placebo group [1].
This is a particularly important result when we consider that even with a great diet, our magnesium intake is likely low due to declining essential minerals in fruits and vegetables. More on that later in the article [2].
How Big of an Impact on Sleep Did It Make?
ConsumerLab.com, a leading company that reviews supplements, found the study underwhelming. But if we dig deeper, there are some exciting details relevant to anyone seeking higher-quality rest—details that ConsumerLab.com appears to have missed.
Should I Consider Taking This Supplement?
Let’s look at the data before making any conclusions.
The New Study
ConsumerLab.com reported that magnesium bisglycinate “reduced insomnia severity by only 1.6 points compared to placebo on a self-reported 0 to 28-point scale.” They also stated, “There were no significant effects on sleep quality, physical or cognitive fatigue, daytime sleepiness, or perceived effects on stress, mood, depression or anxiety” [3].
This sounds underwhelming on the surface, but looking closer at the study tells a more complete story.
It was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 155 adults who reported poor sleep quality. One group took 250 mg of elemental magnesium daily in the form of magnesium bisglycinate, while the other group took placebo capsules. The primary outcome was the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) score [1].
If you're unfamiliar, “elemental magnesium” refers to the actual amount of magnesium in the supplement. Since magnesium must be bound to another substance in supplements (like citrate or glycinate), the total pill weight isn't all magnesium.
The study lasted four weeks, with ISI scores measured at the start and end. Here's what they found:
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Placebo group: ISI scores dropped by 2.3 points
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Magnesium group: ISI scores dropped by 3.9 points
That’s a 1.6-point greater drop in the magnesium group, a statistically significant result (p = 0.049) [1].
While 1.6 points seems small, let’s provide some context. The ISI scale ranges from 0 to 28. A reduction of 6 points is generally considered clinically meaningful [1].
So yes, 1.6 is small, but not necessarily insignificant. Consider prescription sleep medications. For instance, eszopiclone (Lunesta) showed a 3.8-point greater reduction in ISI score than placebo in a separate trial [4]. That’s more than magnesium, but still under the 6-point threshold.
The takeaway? Even powerful prescription drugs often don’t cross the 6-point line. There’s no magic pill—improving sleep quality usually involves multiple factors working together.
Now, here’s where the magnesium study gets more interesting.
More Insights from the Study
Researchers also looked at how effects varied based on dietary magnesium intake. Those with lower dietary intake experienced a much stronger effect from supplementation. The placebo group didn’t show this trend [1].
This suggests that magnesium supplements could be especially helpful if your dietary intake is low. And based on recent data, many of us fall into that category:
- 60% of adults don’t reach the average dietary intake
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45% of Americans are magnesium deficient [5]
Even if you're eating a nutritious diet, mineral levels have dropped in food. For example, UK research shows that the magnesium content of fruits and vegetables fell by 10% between 1940 and 2019 [2].
The researchers also performed a per-protocol analysis, including only those who followed the supplementation schedule properly. In this group:
- Magnesium group: ISI scores dropped by 5 points
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Placebo group: ISI scores dropped by 3.1 points
That’s a 1.9-point difference, and 5 points is close to being clinically meaningful [1].
Finally, they found that 26 participants in the magnesium group exceeded the 6-point clinical improvement threshold—compared to 15 in the placebo group [1].
Three Key Takeaways:
1. Some people respond more strongly to magnesium than others.
2. The 1.6-point drop, though modest, is in line with some prescription medications.
3. The more consistently someone took the supplement, the greater the benefit.
The Broader Context
Despite ConsumerLab.com’s view, this study aligns with a larger body of evidence suggesting magnesium’s role in improving sleep.
Let’s explore.
Observational Research
Several large studies show links between low magnesium intake and poor sleep:
- One study with 20,585 participants found a dose-response relationship between magnesium deficiency scores and sleep trouble [6].
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Another study, conducted over 20 years, found higher magnesium intake was associated with better sleep quality and less short sleep (<7 hours) [7].
These studies show associations—not causation—but they still add to the overall picture.
Clinical Trials
Now let’s look at intervention studies.
1. Elderly Insomnia Trial (46 participants)
Participants took 500 mg of magnesium daily for 8 weeks. Results showed:
- Increased sleep time
- Improved sleep efficiency
- Decreased ISI scores
- Reduced sleep onset latency (time to fall asleep)
- Increased melatonin
- Decreased cortisol [8]
2. Meta-Analysis: Sleep Onset Time
A 2021 review found magnesium supplementation reduced sleep onset latency by 17 minutes in older adults with insomnia [9].
3. Recent Systematic Review
A 2024 review of 8 randomized trials found that 5 reported improvements in sleep parameters with magnesium supplementation [10].
4. Diabetes and Insomnia Trial (320 participants)
Participants took magnesium, potassium, both, or placebo for two months. The magnesium-only group (T2) saw:
- A drop from 20% to 0% in severe insomnia
- An increase from 1% to 31% in those with no clinically significant insomnia [11]
Mechanisms of Action
What explains magnesium’s sleep benefits?
Magnesium is involved in:
- Regulating melatonin and cortisol, two hormones critical to the sleep-wake cycle [8]
- Activating GABAA receptors in the brain, which quiet neural activity and promote relaxation [1]
- Synergizing with glycine, which lowers core body temperature and improves sleep depth [1]
Safety and Deficiency
We get magnesium naturally from foods, and in healthy individuals, there’s no danger from dietary magnesium. The kidneys excrete any excess [12].
However, extremely high supplemental doses (e.g., 5,000 mg/day) can cause toxicity, usually from laxatives or antacids—not typical magnesium supplements [12].
For most people, the bigger issue is not getting enough.
But detecting deficiency is tricky. Only 1% of magnesium is found in the blood. Most of it is in bones and soft tissue. So blood tests are often poor predictors of total magnesium status [13].
In fact, many people with normal blood levels may still be deficient overall [13].
Practical Strategies
How Much Do We Need?
- Men: 420 mg/day
-
Women: 320 mg/day
Processed foods are stripped of magnesium, so we often fall short.
Food Sources
- Green leafy vegetables (like spinach)
- Legumes
- Nuts and seeds
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Whole grains
Meat contains magnesium, but far less than plant-based sources.
Why Supplement?
Even with a healthy diet, modern food may not supply enough due to mineral depletion in crops [2]. That’s where low-dose supplementation can help.
For example, I include 126 mg of magnesium in my own Sleep supplement—just 30% of the RDA. This is intended to supplement a healthy diet, not replace it.
And I use magnesium glycinate, because glycine itself supports sleep via its thermoregulatory and calming effects [1].
Final Thoughts
As we’ve seen, magnesium bisglycinate won’t work miracles. But it can be a valuable tool in a broader strategy for better sleep.
If you’re struggling with sleep, magnesium might be worth considering—especially if your diet is low in magnesium-rich foods or you're experiencing signs of deficiency.
There’s still no single solution for great sleep. Diet, exercise, light exposure, and mental well-being all matter. But magnesium? It’s a smart place to start.
References
1. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.2147/NSS.S524348
2. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09637486.2021.1981831
3. https://www.consumerlab.com/reviews/magnesium-supplement-review/magnesium
4. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0920996414005416
5. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6163803/
6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165032724007183
7. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8996025/
8. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3703169/
9. https://bmccomplementmedtherapies.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12906-021-03297-z
10. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38817505/
11. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11554482/
12. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional
13. https://academic.oup.com/ckj/article/5/Suppl_1/i3/447534
