Magnesium taurate is a form of magnesium that works well for athletes and those pursuing a healthy lifestyle alike.

It aids relaxation—which makes it a go-to mineral when fatigue kicks in and stress takes over. It’s also great at rebooting energy levels and giving you a better night's sleep.

Magnesium contributes to over 300 biochemical processes in the body. That said, making sure you get the most from food sources is a must.

You can satisfy your need for magnesium and other minerals by making healthy foods a habit. Magnesium occurs naturally in leafy green veggies, nuts, legumes, and seeds.

But there’s one problem—it's next to impossible to meet your magnesium needs with diet alone. That is if you fall into two-thirds of people in the Western world who can’t replenish their magnesium solely from nutrition. [1]

How to know if you’re at risk? You may have low levels of magnesium if:

• Your diet is based on processed foods and refined carbohydrates. You may need additional supplementation even if you’re on a healthy diet. Not even veggies are what they used to be—due to soil degradation vegetables are not as nutritious as they once were. [2]

• You’re following a restrictive diet. Vegans and vegetarians may not source enough magnesium from food, resulting in deficiencies. Phytates from some vegetables can reduce magnesium intake too.

And there’s another problem. Magnesium is known for being notoriously hard to absorb. If you’re an optimist, you can hope for a 24% absorption rate and if a pessimist, 80% is all you can hope for. 

When taking stock of what magnesium type is best for you, look for the one that will give you decent absorption. That's the one that will also give you maximum health benefits.

What is Magnesium Taurate?

Magnesium taurate has taurine as its “carrier” molecule. Taurine is an amino acid that stabilizes magnesium in supplement formulas but comes with a whole slew of standalone benefits.

Amino acid taurine is used by the body for cell development while helping magnesium travel in and out of cells.

It's also used to create bile, which acts as a potent detoxifier. Bile helps detoxify the liver, lower cholesterol, and support the digestion of fats.

Other than that, taurine is involved in the metabolism of calcium and keeps brain cells in working order. It regulates the function of brain excitability in the thalamus by activating the GABA neurotransmitter. [3]

Magnesium Taurate vs. Magnesium Oxide

There are no hard and fast rules when deciding which magnesium form is right for you. You'll find magnesium oxide on most supplement labels but it doesn’t mean your search ends there.

Each magnesium form contains a different combination of molecules and differs in terms of:

• Absorption
• Bioavailability, and
• Therapeutic value

Want to get the best medicinal value out of your magnesium? Cross-check the absorption rates.

Checking only elemental magnesium can be misleading. This is a cause of confusion as checking the amount of actual magnesium sounds like a logical thing to do. Yet, it doesn’t say much about how much mineral your body will actually absorb.

The table below will help you figure things out at a glance.

To sum it up, it’s not only how much elemental magnesium you get from your supplement. Remember—the better bioavailability, the more magnesium ends up being used by your body. [6]

Magnesium Taurate vs. Glycinate

When faced with the magnesium taurate vs. glycinate dilemma, compare their bioavailability. The different compounds magnesium salts are bound to also have different therapeutic effects.

Magnesium glycinate is magnesium bound to an amino acid glycine. It is glycine that improves solubility and thus bioavailability of this compound. 

Both magnesium taurate (8.9% ) and magnesium glycinate (14.1%) are low in elemental magnesium. Yet, they have fairly high absorbability.  

Magnesium glycinate is suitable for people suffering from magnesium deficiency as it’s highly absorbable and digestible. It also improves sleep quality and is used in the treatment of metabolic disorders. [7]

Importantly, research data suggests that magnesium taurate improves magnesium profile in cells critical to bone formation and well as in organs and muscles. [8]

Benefits of Magnesium Taurate

Alleviates Hypertension and Promotes Cardiovascular Health

Magnesium contributes to the healthy functioning of the heart by promoting heart muscle relaxation. It also helps blood vessels open and deliver more blood to the heart.

Pairing it with taurine, this effect gets magnified as both magnesium and taurine help with blood pressure and irregular heart rhythm. With that in mind, this magnesium chelate is suitable for those who seek improvement of cardiovascular health.

A growing body of research shows magnesium taurate as an essential nutrient responsible for boosting cardioprotective activity.

A 2019 research explored its potent antioxidant activity. Results showed significantly improved blood pressure in subjects who have been taking magnesium taurate supplements. [9]

Another research suggests that a 300mg dosage of magnesium taurate can help reduce hypertension symptoms in obese women. [10]

Regulates Blood Sugar

Magnesium is essential for energy production and the metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids and fats.

It’s shown to improve insulin resistance, curb systemic inflammation, and oxidative stress in people with type 2 diabetes. [11]

Present research suggests that magnesium taurate can be a significant agent influencing the progression of the disease. [12]

People with diabetes are more prone to magnesium deficiency, to begin with, so oral supplementation can help. Yet, further evidence is needed to establish a causal relationship between magnesium taurate and disease complications development.

Helps Treat Insomnia and Anxiety

Guilty for taking non-natural sleep aids? Magnesium taurate can put an end to that. It’s one of the quintessential minerals you can use to improve sleep. 

How does it work? Magnesium plays an important role in stimulating relaxation pathways in the brain which help us transition into deep restorative sleep.

It does it by producing gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)—a neurotransmitter that has a calming effect on the nervous system.  

GABA receptors are also involved in melatonin production, a compound responsible for getting your body ready for sleep.

There is evidence that magnesium taurate can improve the condition of elderly people suffering from insomnia. [13] Also, there is some emerging data linking it to anxiety relief. [14]

May Improve Exercise Performance

Magnesium supplementation can return great results for sports performance.

The addition of protein-building amino acid taurine makes it ideal for people who want to recover from training fast. This essential mineral plays a role in normal muscle function, helping your body recover from exertion.

It detoxifies your body from waste products created during exercise. As a result, you may experience increased endurance and better performance while mitigating muscle soreness. 

A recent study has shown promising results in terms of muscle recovery following eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage in healthy male individuals. [15]

Further research is needed to confirm the effectiveness.

Is Magnesium Taurate the Best?

So by now, you're probably thinking: Is magnesium taurate the right magnesium form for me?

Here’s what to note when reviewing your options. Magnesium taurate is the best choice of supplement for people battling cardiovascular issues, tiredness, stress, and those looking for something to help with muscle repair.

It’s also the best option for people who want to control blood sugar and high blood pressure.

It’s easily absorbed, helping you meet your magnesium needs without the inconvenient laxative effect other supplements may have. 

Tom Oliver Nutrition Magnesium supplement will help you get your minerals in premium form and packaging.

Suitable for vegans and vegetarians, our pesticide, GMO, and allergen-free premium supplements will help you get the most out of your magnesium intake. 

Get the Most Elemental Magnesium From Your Supplement

Magnesium taurate is one of the most important minerals vital for energy production, the normal nervous system, and muscle function. It can provide you with the energy to get through the day. It also promotes a feeling of relaxation, giving you a much-needed rest. 

If you want to keep your magnesium levels in check, choose food and supplement sources that are highly bioavailable. These are most likely to provide you with sufficient levels of elemental magnesium.

Most importantly, choose a supplement that ticks all the boxes for you.

Not sure if magnesium taurate is suitable for you? Book a free 10-minute consultation with Tom Oliver himself by clicking on this link.

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Resources

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29093983

[2] https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/soil-degradation.html

[3] https://www.jneurosci.org/content/28/1/106

[4] https://www.aafp.org/afp/2009/0715/p157.html

[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium_taurate

[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC6683096

[7] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28337245/

[8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4468246/

[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC6435948/

[10] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC4468246/

[11] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC4549665/

[12] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30862074/

[13] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC3703169/

[14] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC6024559/

[15] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC5745489/