What is Magnesium glycerophosphate?

Magnesium Glycerophosphate is on the list of British Pharmacopoeia (BP), European Pharmacopoeia (EP), and Korean pharmacopeia (KP). Nowadays it is becoming increasingly popular used in dietary supplements.

According to the definition of these pharmacopeias, Magnesium Glycerophosphate is described as a mixture, in variable proportions, of magnesium salts of (RS)-2,3-dihydroxy propyl phosphate and 2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl) ethyl phosphate, which may be hydrated, and its Mg content is from 11.0% to 12.5% (dried substance).

Magnesium Glycerophosphate appears as a white crystalline powder, water-soluble and highly hygroscopic. Its unique CAS number is 927-20-8.

Magnesium glycerophosphate absorption and bioavailability

Bioavailability and elemental magnesium amount are the two crucial factors for you to decide what the best magnesium supplements are.

However, even one magnesium salt or chelation has very high elemental magnesium in quantity, if you can’t absorb it, it’s useless. Therefore, the MG amount factor is somewhat insignificant compared with magnesium bioavailability.

So, you have realized the importance of bioavailability now, right?

Bioavailability, according to the universal definition of many dictionaries, means the proportion of magnesium glycerophosphate which enters the circulation when introduced into the body and so is able to have an active effect.

According to Wikipedia:

bioavailability is a subcategory of absorption and is the fraction of an administered dose of unchanged drug that reaches the systemic circulation, one of the principal pharmacokinetic properties of drugs.

In other words, it means how much magnesium your body can absorb and use.

In general, magnesium glycerophosphate is a highly bioavailable magnesium salt with very good absorption. It has a high magnesium content and is easily digestible.

One bioavailability study of magnesium glycerophosphate shows that the absolute bioavailability of Neomag (a branded magnesium glycerophosphate) was estimated to be 23.8% to 40%.

Have no ideas of the 23.8% to 40?

Let’s compare with other magnesium salts:

The bioavailability of Magnesium oxide/oxalate is around 4%;

The bioavailability of Magnesium Citrate is around 25%;

Clinical studies indicate that Magnesium glycerophosphate is more readily assimilated and digested by the body than other magnesium salts (gluconate, aspartate, citrate).

Think about that: magnesium glycerophosphate not only supplies high bioavailable magnesium but also offers elements of glycerol and phosphorus at the same time.

Safety of Magnesium glycerophosphate

As mentioned in the very beginning of this article, magnesium glycerophosphate is listed in the Pharmacopoeias of UK, Korea, and the European Union. It is safe to use it as a pharmaceutical-grade ingredient in medicine, drugs.

Magnesium glycerophosphate is the subject of a European Pharmacopoeia monograph. Magnesium glycerophosphate is archived in the British National Formulary for Children as an option for hypomagnesemia. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) summarized the published evidence for the use of magnesium glycerophosphate to prevent recurrence of symptomatic hypomagnesemia in people who have already been treated for this condition, generally by intravenous infusion.

Currently, oral magnesium glycerophosphate is available on the General Sales List (List B) as a magnesium supplement.

More and more supplement brands are using Magnesium glycerophosphate in their dietary nutritional products. Magnesium glycerophosphate is listed as one of the Specific Prior-Sanctioned Food Ingredients one the FDA website, according to the Code of Federal Regulations Title 21.

According to the Select Committee on GRAS Substances (SCOGS) Opinion on Glycerophosphates:

The glycerophosphate salts that are considered to be GRAS could provide absorbable sources of glycerol, phosphate, and their respective cations. However, glycerophosphates are not now widely used in foods. The Select Committee believes that the level of consumer exposure is very low and that use under limitations as a nutrient or dietary supplement will nor present a hazard to the public. In previous evaluations of glycerol and certain phosphates, no evidence was found of a hazard to the public from the hydrolysis products of the glycerophosphates.

In light of the information reviewed and reported herein, the Select Committee concludes that:

There is no evidence in the available information on calcium glycerophosphate, potassium glycerophosphate and manganese glycerophosphate that demonstrates or suggests reasonable grounds to suspect a hazard to the public when they are used as nutrient supplements or as they might reasonably be expected to be so used in the future.

There is no evidence in the available information on calcium glycerophosphate and magnesium glycerophosphate that demonstrates or suggests reasonable grounds to suspect a hazard to the public when they are used in food packaging materials as now practiced or as they might be expected to be used for such purposes in the future.

All in all, magnesium glycerophosphate is safe both as medicines and dietary supplements. Although it is new to the consumers and markets, there is nothing to worry about its safety.

Supplements containing Magnesium glycerophosphate

Mineral2O™ powder from Pure Encapsulations, LLC.

They use branded Magnesium glycerophosphate GIVOMAG as a magnesium source.
The dosage of Magnesium glycerophosphate in this formula is 150mg.

Acti-Mag Plus™

Acti-Mag Plus™ is a magnesium formulation in powder form specifically designed to support the body’s natural relaxation response and optimize energy levels. 400mg Magnesium (from Magnesium glycerophosphate) are contained in the daily dosage.

In this formula, magnesium amount is 400mg, then the amount of magnesium glycerophosphate should be 3198mg(magnesium is only 1/8 of magnesium glycerophosphate by weight).

Take 1scoop powder (5g) and mix it with 6 ounces of water. As you may see, other ingredients are also included, such as Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxal-5-phosphate), Folate (as (6S)-5-methyl-tetrahydro folic acid, glucosamine salt), Pantothenic acid (as D-calcium pantothenate), Organic beet juice (Beta vulgaris)(whole), Bamboo (shoot)(extract), Taurine.

Acid-A-Med by Terry Naturally

The magnesium glycerophosphate is also used as a supplement of magnesium, at the dose of 50mg per day (25 mg per capsule, and take 2 capsules a day).

P5P (pyridoxal-5-phosphate, active ingredient of B6), and betaine Hcl can be found in this formula.

Webber Naturals® Magnesium, Enhanced Absorption, 500 mg

This supplement is in tablet form, and elemental magnesium is the key ingredient.
The magnesium sources are from magnesium oxide, magnesium malate, and magnesium glycerophosphate.
One tablet contains 500 mg magnesium, but you are not able to decide the amount of magnesium glycerophosphate in it.

Benefits of Magnesium glycerophosphate

what is magnesium glycerophosphate used for?
The answer is simple, to supply more elemental magnesium for those who are magnesium deficient.

Magnesium glycerophosphate is available as a tablet, capsule, liquid solution or liquid suspension for oral use.

Since magnesium glycerophosphate is a magnesium salt, it has all the benefits that magnesium ingredient has, such as for bone health (osteoporosis), heart health, Migraine headaches, etc.

Magnesium glycerophosphate for BONE & JOINT HEALTH

Normal magnesium body content is around 25g and 60–65% of it is located in the bone.

Magnesium contributes to the structural development of bone and is necessary for the synthesis of DNA, RNA, and glutathione.

Magnesium and glycerophosphate help build strong bones.

Many sports nutrition supplements are using magnesium glycerophosphate to support bone and joint health.

Magnesium glycerophosphate for muscle performance

Magnesium is an important building element of the organism and is required for the synthesis of nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and the antioxidant glutathione.

The energy source of our cells, ATP (adenosine triphosphate), is dependent on magnesium to function.  More than 300 metabolic reactions and metabolism of carbohydrates and fats for producing ATP could not be done without magnesium. Magnesium also helps in muscle recovery, being involved in the muscle repair and synthesis that occurs after performing physical activity.

Magnesium for CARDIOVASCULAR support

Magnesium is an electrolyte that regulates nerve signals and muscle performances of a normal heartbeat. Magnesium plays a critical role in modulating vascular smooth muscle tone, endothelial cell function, and myocardial excitability and is thus central to the pathogenesis of several cardiovascular disorders such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and cardiac arrhythmias.

Other studies show that magnesium Glycerophosphate, as a natural relaxant, can calm the CNS system, relax muscles, and may be helpful in aiding restful sleep, assisting with fatigue conditions, etc.

Magnesium glycerophosphate side effects

No serious adverse effects have been reported yet.

It’s said that the amount of daily dosage has a close relationship with the undesirable effects.

If overdosed, diarrhea is most likely to be reported.

Magnesium glycerophosphate dosage

There is no unified recommended dosage information for magnesium glycerophosphate, but we are able to calculate its dosage upon magnesium dosing info.

According to The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for elemental Magnesium for adults is 420mg in men and 320 mg/day in women.

Then, according to the molecular weight proportion of magnesium to magnesium glycerophosphate (24.31 to 194.36), we can calculate the theoretical dosage of Magnesium Glycerophosphate is more than 3000mg for men and 2500mg for women.

In reality, 500mg to 100mg is adopted by most supplement brands.