What magnesium malate is
Malic acid is an organic acid with four carbon atoms. Bound to magnesium it forms magnesium malate, a salt that is about 15% magnesium by weight when anhydrous and about 12% as a hydrate (calculated from the formula). That is close to magnesium citrate and a little above bisglycinate.
| Form | Magnesium share by weight (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Malate | about 12-16% |
| Citrate | about 11-16% |
| Bisglycinate | about 14% |
| L-threonate | about 7-8% |
| Taurate | about 9% |
Raw materials vary, so treat these shares as a guide and go by the label.
Reading the label
A malate label normally lists "magnesium" with a figure in milligrams and a % NRV. That figure is elemental magnesium. One of our powders, for example, gives 150 mg of magnesium in a 2 g serving, which is 40% of the NRV, plus 5 mg of vitamin B6. If a label lists only the weight of magnesium malate, the magnesium content is roughly a seventh of that weight.
Powder costs less per day than capsules at the same magnesium dose, but you need a scoop and a glass of water. We show the price per day on every product card.
How to choose magnesium malate: dose, powder or tablets
Start with the amount of elemental magnesium you want each day and find it on the label line that says magnesium. Then see how many grams of powder or how many tablets make up that amount. Powder is measured with a scoop and mixed with water, so a fairly large dose fits into one drink. Tablets need no mixing and are easier to take on the go, but a higher dose can mean several pieces a day.
Next, decide whether you want vitamin B6 in the same product. Our malate powder with B6 also appears on the magnesium with vitamin B6 page. If you want magnesium only, pick a product without B6 and confirm it on the label. Then compare the price per day, which we show on every product card.
The other forms have their own pages: bisglycinate, citrate, l-threonate and taurate. The Magnesium page compares them all.
What a magnesium supplement label must show
Directive 2002/46/EC requires every food supplement label in the EU to state the recommended daily dose, a warning not to exceed it, a statement that supplements should not replace a varied diet, and a reminder to store the product out of reach of young children. The label must also give the amount of magnesium per daily dose and its share of the reference value. Those are the lines we use to compare the products in this collection.
EU health claims for magnesium
Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 permits these statements for products that provide at least 15% of the NRV per daily dose:
- Magnesium contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
- Magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
The claims concern magnesium itself. None are authorised for malic acid.
Questions
Malate or citrate?
Both give a similar amount of magnesium per gram, and the EU claims apply to either. The choice comes down to format, flavour of the powder and price per day.
Why is vitamin B6 added?
Manufacturers often pair magnesium with B6. Vitamin B6 has its own NRV of 1.4 mg, and the label shows its % NRV on a separate line.
How do I take magnesium malate powder?
Mix the serving stated on the label with water and stick to the daily dose given by the manufacturer.
How much magnesium malate should I take a day?
Follow the daily dose on the label and do not exceed it. Pure magnesium malate is roughly 12-16% magnesium, so 2 g of the compound alone would give about 240-320 mg. A 2 g scoop of a finished powder usually gives less because it also holds other ingredients: our malate powder gives 150 mg of magnesium per 2 g serving. If you take another magnesium product as well, add up the magnesium from both labels.
When should I take magnesium malate?
No official guidance names a time of day. Many labels suggest taking it with a meal. If you split the daily serving into two portions, keep the total within the label dose.
Can I take magnesium malate with medicines?
Ask your pharmacist if you take any medicine regularly. The NIH notes that magnesium binds some antibiotics in the gut, so those should be taken at least 2 hours before or 4-6 hours after a magnesium supplement.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex XIII (reference intakes)
- Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 (permitted health claims)
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Magnesium fact sheet
- Directive 2002/46/EC on food supplements
- EFSA: Health claims
Content reviewed by Inese Kalniņa, dietitian.
2026-08-23