Magnesium Bisglycinate Use Surges, with Albion® Leading the Magnesium Boom

“Magnesium bisglycinate“ on the label doesn’t guarantee quality. Albion® Minerals‘ TRAACS® chelate is the only form backed by clinical trials showing 3–6x better absorption than oxide — with zero GI distress.

Magnesium use has exploded. The data speak for itself:

• Over one billion views on the #magnesium TikTok hashtag.
• A 34% compound annual growth rate for magnesium bisglycinate supplement launches compared to just 5% for general magnesium products.[1]
• Retail sales surpassed the $1.1 billion mark in a single year, making magnesium the top-selling mineral supplement.
• One influencer’s video on chelated magnesium even garnered over 16.9 million views.

This momentum isn’t random. Magnesium is known to support brain health, energy production, sleep and relaxation, and normal muscle and nerve function,[2-5] and consumers are specifically gravitating toward magnesium bisglycinate because it is gentler on the stomach.[6] Brain-mood health now drives 70% of magnesium bisglycinate supplement positionings, with claims of supporting normal blood pressure, growing at 140% compound annual growth rate.[1]

The #magnesium hashtag resonates with a stressed generation seeking inner balance. Consumers see social media testimonials about sleep and mood support, then search for what makes bisglycinate different from the oxide tablets their parents took.

Not All Magnesium Ingredients Are The Same… And Neither are the Chelated Ones

Yet a critical question goes unanswered for most consumers and many formulators: does “magnesium bisglycinate” on the label guarantee quality absorption? The answer is no. Manufacturing quality and the chelation process matters, and so does the research backing it all.

The opportunity is clear, however: consumers want magnesium bisglycinate and will pay premium prices for it. But they also increasingly demand scientific validation.

Innova Market Insights data shows magnesium bisglycinate launches growing at a 34% CAGR from 2019–2024, far outpacing the 5% CAGR for general magnesium products — a clear signal of where consumer demand is heading.

This guide examines why magnesium bisglycinate outperforms other forms, what true chelation requires, and how Albion® Minerals has built the most clinically researched magnesium bisglycinate chelate in the market. It’s brought to you by Balchem Human Nutrition & Health, so before we dive deeper, be sure to sign up for PricePlow’s Albion® Minerals and Balchem news alerts:

Subscribe to PricePlow’s Newsletter and Alerts on These Topics

Why Magnesium Form Matters: The Bioavailability Challenge

Magnesium supplementation sounds simple. Take a pill, absorb the mineral, experience benefits. Not so fast — in reality, measuring magnesium status is uniquely difficult. No single “gold standard” biomarker exists the way ferritin measures iron status or bone density reflects calcium. Serum magnesium levels tell us almost nothing about intracellular status, where the mineral actually performs its 300+ enzymatic roles.[7,8]

Magnesium activates over 300 enzymes by binding to molecules and stabilizing their charge — most critically, it keeps ATP functional as the body’s primary energy currency.

This measurement challenge explains why magnesium bioavailability research requires multiple lines of evidence: cell models, isotope-labeled human trials, and clinical outcomes. Any single methodology has limitations. Convergent findings across approaches build confidence.

The Solubility Misconception

Many assume higher solubility means better absorption. For instance, magnesium citrate dissolves roughly 30,000 times more readily than magnesium oxide in water. Yet citrate absorption isn’t 30,000 times better. Although necessary, solubility alone is insufficient for actual bioavailability.

True absorption depends on additional factors: the mineral’s interaction with antinutrients (phytates, polyphenols, oxalates), GI tract pH effects, where absorption occurs in the intestines, and how readily the mineral passes through intestinal cell membranes.

Antinutrients: The Hidden Barrier

When inorganic mineral salts dissociate in the digestive tract, the free mineral ions become vulnerable. Phytates (found in grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds) and polyphenols (found in tea, coffee, and many plant foods) bind these ions,[9,10] forming insoluble complexes that pass through the digestive tract unabsorbed.

Free magnesium ions from inorganic salts like magnesium oxide face two fates in the gut: absorption through the conventional pathway, or capture by antinutrients like phytate that carry them out of the body unused.

Most people consuming a healthy, plant-rich diet are eating significant amounts of these antinutrients with every meal. For vegetarians and vegans, the challenge is amplified. The mineral content of their food may be adequate, but the actual absorbed amount falls short.

Common Forms Compared

• Magnesium oxide contains approximately 60% elemental magnesium by weight, making it attractive for formulators seeking label claims. However, absorption rates typically fall between 7-15% according to Balchem’s internal data. The well-known laxative effect is pronounced, and its alkalinizing nature can disrupt GI function at therapeutic doses. Many consumers who try oxide at recommended doses experience diarrhea and discontinue use.
• Magnesium citrate provides about 16% elemental magnesium with moderate absorption. The osmotic laxative effect remains significant, drawing water into the intestines and causing loose stools at higher doses. Citrate finds clinical use specifically for bowel preparation before procedures, which tells you something about its GI effects.
• Magnesium bisglycinate chelate yields roughly 10% elemental magnesium but demonstrates 44-48% absorption in Balchem’s internal cell models. The chelated structure protects against antinutrient binding and dramatically improves tolerability. Users can take therapeutic doses without GI distress.

Other forms (malate, threonate, taurate) occupy niche positions. Threonate has gained attention for brain-specific applications, for instance. However, less comprehensive research backs the bioavailability claims compared to bisglycinate.

Chelation Chemistry: What Makes Bisglycinate Different

The word “chelate” derives from the Greek chele, meaning claw. A true chelate grabs the mineral like a lobster claw, surrounding it with ligand molecules that occupy its reactive binding sites. This protection prevents the mineral from interacting with substances that would block absorption.

Two glycine molecules lock around a single magnesium ion, forming ring structures that shield the mineral from antinutrient binding and improve solubility across the gut’s variable pH environment.

The concept mirrors what happens in nature. Hemoglobin and plant chlorophyll are natural chelate compounds. Chelation is how nature delivers essential minerals for biological function. Mineral amino acid chelates emulate this natural delivery mechanism.

Hemoglobin and plant chlorophyll are naturally occurring chelate compounds — Albion Minerals’ amino acid chelate technology replicates this delivery mechanism to optimize absorption and reduce unwanted mineral reactions.

Four Chemical Requirements for True Chelation

True chelation requires four conditions:[11]

1. Two functional groups capable of electron donation. Glycine’s carboxyl group provides an electron for a covalent bond with magnesium, while its amino group donates an electron pair for a coordinate bond.
2. Ring structure formation with the metal as a closing member. Two glycine molecules form two ring structures around a single magnesium cation. The mineral becomes the closing member of these rings, locked into the chelate complex.
3. Steric possibility. The ligands cannot spatially interfere with each other during binding. The molecular geometry must allow both ligands to occupy their positions simultaneously.
4. Energetic favorability with balanced charges. The chelated complex must achieve stoichiometrically correct charge distribution for stable bond formation.

Complete chelation occupies the mineral’s electrochemical coordination sites, reducing reactivity with other substances. A partially chelated mineral still reacts with phytates and other antinutrients. This is why the degree of chelation matters so much: partial chelation loses the bioavailability advantage.

The Magnesium Bisglycinate Structure

Magnesium bisglycinate consists of one magnesium ion bound to two glycine molecules. The resulting complex carries a neutral charge, minimizing interactions with dietary antinutrients. Molecular stability persists through the variable pH environments of the GI tract, from the highly acidic stomach through the more alkaline small intestine.

The stability constant for magnesium glycinate (3.45) allows the chelate to maintain integrity through digestion while still releasing magnesium under physiologic conditions. This balance distinguishes nutritional chelates from medical chelating agents like EDTA (stability constant 8.69) or desferroxamine (stability constant 32.5), which bind metals so strongly they remove them from biological tissue.

Phytic acid — found in pumpkin seeds, tofu, almonds, and other everyday plant foods — binds to minerals like magnesium in the gut, forming insoluble complexes that pass through the digestive tract without being absorbed.

Seven Mechanisms of Superior Absorption

Chelated minerals bring multiple absorption advantages:

1. Reduced antinutrient complexation. Chelation occupies the mineral’s reactive sites, reducing its ability to potentially bind with phytates and polyphenols that would otherwise prevent absorption.
2. Reduced molecular hydration. Occupation of coordination sites may reduce molecular hydration, minimizing the frequently encountered laxative effect seen with typical mineral salts.
3. Improved solubility. Amino acid binding enhances overall compound solubility, facilitating both intestinal absorption and mixability in beverages.
4. Dipeptide transport pathway. Evidence suggests a portion of chelated minerals may be absorbed via amino acid active transport pathways in the upper small intestine, distinct from conventional mineral absorption routes.
5. Enhanced active transport. The buffering impact of amino acids may enhance absorption through saturable active transcellular transport by improving local solubility.
6. Claudin transporter function. Maintaining optimal luminal pH (5.5-6.5) supports claudin transporter function at paracellular tight junctions, facilitating passive absorption. This means that glycine maintains the optimal pH to keep specialized protein “gates” (claudins) functioning between intestinal cells, potentially allowing minerals to passively slip through without requiring active cellular transport.
7. Extended buffering capacity. The glycine combination extends the range of buffering capacity, enhancing Mg²⁺ absorption via the passive, non-saturable pathway. More simply, glycine stabilizes pH over a wider range, allowing continuous absorption through the passive pathway without hitting the saturation limits that restrict active transport mechanisms.

Two Fates During Digestion

Mineral chelates can follow two pathways after ingestion. They may dissociate and release free mineral ions for conventional absorption. Alternatively, they may remain partially chelated long enough to resist antinutrient binding before dissociating and entering the bloodstream. Both pathways contribute to overall bioavailability. The chelate structure provides protection during the critical transit through the upper GI tract where antinutrients are most concentrated.

Unlike free mineral ions that antinutrients easily trap, chelated minerals can either dissociate for conventional absorption or remain partially chelated long enough to bypass antinutrient binding before entering the bloodstream.

The Bioavailability Evidence: Multiple Lines Converge

Understanding magnesium bioavailability requires examining evidence from cell models, isotope-labeled human trials, and clinical outcome studies. No single methodology provides complete answers, but consistent findings across multiple approaches build confidence:

Five well-designed human trials — spanning malabsorption patients, healthy adults, bariatric surgery patients, and pregnant women — consistently show magnesium bisglycinate chelate outperforms oxide on both absorption and GI tolerability.

• Cell Model Data: Controlled Comparison

  Caco-2 intestinal cell studies provide a standardized platform for comparing absorption of different magnesium forms. This immortalized colon adenocarcinoma cell line possesses the proteins, enzymes, and transport apparatus of small intestine cells (enterocytes), making it an accepted tool for exploring mineral absorption across a monolayer of cultured cells.

  In a Caco-2 in-vitro monolayer transport assay, magnesium bisglycinate chelate transported significantly more magnesium than dimagnesium malate, magnesium citrate, and magnesium oxide — with the buffered form also outperforming standard salts.

  The Caco-2 model removes variables imposed by normal physiologic mixing of magnesium pools that make distinguishing administered magnesium from the body’s own mobilization, excretion, and secretion difficult. No stable isotope labeling is required, and no multi-day specimen collection is needed.

  Two separate Caco-2 experiments performed by Balchem produced consistent results:

  Magnesium Form
  Bioavailability

  Magnesium bisglycinate
  48%

  Magnesium bisglycinate buffered
  44%

  Dimagnesium malate
  36%

  Magnesium citrate
  16%

  Magnesium oxide
  7-15%

  In a randomized crossover trial with 14 healthy adults, both magnesium bisglycinate chelate and its buffered version produced significantly greater serum magnesium levels over 24 hours compared to magnesium oxide (p<0.05).

  Magnesium bisglycinate demonstrated 3-6x greater absorption than oxide in these controlled conditions. Both experiments used magnesium oxide and magnesium bisglycinate buffered, providing a bridge connecting the two studies and confirming reproducibility.

• Human Clinical Trial: Schuette et al., 1994

  The most rigorous magnesium bioavailability study was conducted at the University of Chicago using isotope-labeled compounds, the gold standard methodology.[12]

  Study Design

  • 12 patients with ileal resections (severe malabsorption model)
  • Randomized, double-blind, crossover design
  • ²⁶Mg isotope labeling of both magnesium forms
  • 100mg dose with 120-hour fecal, urinary, and plasma collection

  Why This Population

  Patients with ileal resection experience massive magnesium deficiency and severe intolerance to oral magnesium supplements, often manifesting as uncontrollable diarrhea. Approximately 80% of patients with Crohn’s disease eventually undergo at least one small-bowel resection, with ileal resection most prevalent. The prevalence of overt magnesium deficiency in inflammatory bowel disease patients ranges from 9% to 86% depending on the population studied.

  Magnesium is the #1 mineral on Amazon USA, up 26% in retail volume, with chelated bisglycinate growing 154% faster than any other form.

  This population creates a structural barrier to absorption, providing the ultimate test of bioavailability. If a magnesium form can work here, it can work anywhere.

  The researchers specifically chose magnesium bisglycinate chelate because their literature review suggested its proximal absorption and reduced GI side effect profile would benefit this cohort.

  Results

  For the patient group overall, ²⁶Mg absorption was similar. However, in the four patients with greatest absorption impairment, the chelate performed significantly better:[12]

  • Chelate absorption: 23.5%
  • Oxide absorption: 11.8%
  • Difference: p < 0.05

  Peak isotope enrichment occurred 3.2 ± 1.3 hours earlier with the chelate (p < 0.05), confirming more proximal absorption. The area under the plasma enrichment curve was significantly greater after chelate ingestion (p < 0.05).

  Tolerability was markedly superior: 2.4 ± 0.4 stools versus 3.7 ± 0.6 stools in the 24 hours following dosing. The 100mg dose of magnesium caused severe diarrhea in only one subject, and only after the oxide dose was consumed.

  Clinical Implication

  The chelate performed best in the most challenging absorption scenarios. Data from this study support the suggestion that some portion of magnesium bisglycinate is absorbed intact, probably via a dipeptide transport pathway. Previous investigators showed that a sizable portion of diglycine peptide is absorbed intact when the human small intestine is perfused with glycylglycine solution.

• Human Clinical Trial: Supakatisant & Phupong, 2012

  This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial examined a clear functional outcome: pregnancy-induced leg cramps.[13]

  Study Design

  • 86 healthy pregnant women, 14-34 weeks gestation
  • History of leg cramps at least twice weekly
  • 300mg magnesium bisglycinate chelate daily versus placebo
  • 4-week duration, intent-to-treat analysis

  Why This Matters

  Pregnancy creates a physiologic state of magnesium deficiency. Leg cramps are a classic manifestation, affecting 30-45% of pregnant women, typically occurring during the second half of pregnancy and mostly at night. Sleep disruption from nocturnal leg cramps can introduce additional complications; less sleep during pregnancy (less than 6 hours per night) is associated with longer labor and increased operative delivery rates.

  Albion Minerals offers five magnesium bisglycinate chelate forms — from 8% taste-free to 18% buffered granular — each carrying TRAACS validation, EFSA positive opinion, and Non-GMO Project Verified status for formulators who need documented quality.

  Previous studies using magnesium lactate and citrate showed mixed results. Dahle et al. (1995) found oral magnesium decreased leg cramp distress,[14] but Nygaard et al. (2008) found no significant effect.[15] The Thai investigators hypothesized that the chelated form’s superior absorption would produce clearer results.

  Results

  • 50% reduction in cramp frequency: 86.0% vs. 60.5% (p = 0.007)
  • 50% reduction in cramp intensity: 69.8% vs. 48.8% (p = 0.048)
  • Total cases without leg cramps: 48.8% vs. 27.9% (p = 0.04)
  • Mean percentage change in cramp frequency: 79% improvement in treatment group vs. 32.4% in placebo
  • No increase in diarrhea versus placebo
  • No adverse events
  • Number needed to treat: 3.9 for 50% frequency reduction, 4.7 for 50% intensity reduction

  Clinical Significance

  Clear functional improvement with excellent tolerability. The study authors attributed the superior efficacy (compared to previous lactate/citrate trials) to the 2.2-fold better absorption rate of the chelated form and the longer treatment duration (4 weeks versus 2-3 weeks in prior studies).

• Human Clinical Trial: Ashmead et al., 2015

  This tolerability study examined GI effects across multiple dose levels.[6]

  Study Design

  • 66 healthy adults (ages 18-50), N=22 per cohort
  • Three cohorts testing 300, 450, and 600mg daily
  • Double-blind, controlled crossover design
  • 4-day test periods with at least 3-day washout
  • Comparing magnesium bisglycinate, dimagnesium malate, and magnesium citrate versus placebo

  Results

  No adverse events occurred across all magnesium forms at all doses. The number of bowel movements was not significantly different between treatments. Fecal consistency actually improved with magnesium bisglycinate:

  • Placebo: 3.89 ± 0.26
  • 600mg magnesium bisglycinate: 4.52 ± 0.24 (p < 0.05)

  Similar improvements occurred with dimagnesium malate at 450mg (3.74 ± 0.24, p < 0.05) and 600mg (3.94 ± 0.25, p < 0.01). No significant differences in bowel habits occurred for magnesium citrate. GI symptoms, when noted, were generally mild with no significant differences across test products and placebo. Flatulence was the most prevalent symptom during both placebo and active product consumption.

  Practical Implication

  High doses of chelated magnesium are well tolerated. Rather than causing diarrhea, they supported bowel function. This finding has significant implications for compliance: consumers can take therapeutic doses without fear of GI distress.

• Supporting Research

  Additional studies reinforce these findings:

  • DiSilvestro et al., 2019: Bariatric surgery patients receiving mineral chelates (including magnesium bisglycinate) in meal replacement drinks showed improved RBC magnesium concentrations in subgroup analysis compared to standard mineral salt forms.[16]
  • Reno et al., 2022: Exercise performance and muscle soreness reduction with magnesium supplementation.[7]
  • Coudray et al., 2005: Rat study providing context for organic versus inorganic salt bioavailability across ten magnesium compounds.[17]

Clinical Applications: How Magnesium Supports Health

Magnesium serves as a cofactor for over 300 enzymes,[7,8] participating in both structural roles (enzyme configuration) and functional roles (balancing negative charges, ATP stabilization). Its primary cellular function involves acting as a calcium channel blocker, preventing excessive calcium influx and allowing cellular relaxation.

Calcium enters cells to enable cellular functions like nerve conduction and muscle contraction. Magnesium acts as the “off signal”, preventing additional calcium from entering and allowing the cell to relax. When magnesium is deficient, intracellular calcium builds up. Clinical manifestations include muscle cramps, hypertension, mood changes, and altered brain function.

When calcium floods a cell to trigger nerve conduction or muscle contraction, magnesium serves as the “off switch” — blocking further calcium entry and allowing the cell to return to a relaxed state.

• Brain-Mood Health

  Brain-mood health drives 70% of magnesium bisglycinate supplement positionings. The combination of magnesium plus glycine supports GABA receptor function, supporting nervous system function. Glycine itself acts as an inhibitory neurotransmitter, modulating NMDA receptors.

  Seven in ten magnesium bisglycinate products are positioned for brain and mood support, per Innova Market Insights — with blood pressure claims growing at an explosive 140% CAGR.

  This positioning resonates with consumers facing stress, anxiety, and mood challenges. The mechanism is straightforward: cellular relaxation in the nervous system supports a healthy mood.

• Sleep and Recovery

  The muscle relaxation pathway makes bisglycinate ideal for evening supplementation.

• Blood Pressure Support

  Blood pressure support claims are growing fastest among magnesium bisglycinate products. The mechanism involves vascular smooth muscle relaxation. When magnesium is adequate, blood vessel walls relax; when deficient, they constrict. Magnesium supplementation may support normal blood pressure in individuals within healthy ranges.

• Additional Applications

  • Bone health: Magnesium works synergistically with calcium and vitamin D for bone mineralization
  • Heart rhythm support: Normal cardiac function requires adequate magnesium for proper electrical conduction
  • Energy production: ATP exists in cells primarily as a magnesium-ATP complex; energy metabolism is magnesium-dependent
  • Exercise recovery: Muscle relaxation, healthy recovery between training sessions
  • Protein synthesis: Magnesium is required for ribosomal function and protein assembly

From normal heart rhythm and blood pressure to sleep, energy, and psychological function, magnesium’s reach across human physiology is broad — and deficiency shows up in all of these areas.

Albion® Minerals: The TRAACS® Difference

The supplement market is now flooded with “magnesium bisglycinate” ingredients, but many are unknown imports without validation. “Bisglycinate” on a label doesn’t guarantee quality.

The Generic Bisglycinate Problem

Not all magnesium bisglycinate is fully chelated. Some suppliers offer dry glycine-based blends that haven’t actually reacted to form chelate bonds. Partially chelated products may still react with antinutrients, losing the bioavailability advantage.

For instance, in 2022, NOW Foods tested numerous supplements purchased on Amazon that were marketed as “magnesium bisglycinate”. It turned out that none of the ones outside of their own were fully chelated magnesium bisglycinate![18] Most were inferior forms such as magnesium oxide. Additionally, 25% of the supplements didn’t even have enough of those forms of magnesium.

Without analytical validation, consumers and formulators cannot know what they’re actually getting. A quantitative assay measuring magnesium and glycine content cannot distinguish a dry, unreacted blend from a fully reacted chelate. Both would report the correct amounts of each component. Only spectroscopic analysis can confirm whether the binding sites have actually reacted.

What is TRAACS®?

TRAACS® (The Real Amino Acid Chelate System) is the industry’s first comprehensive chelate validation system. Developed by Albion®, it uses Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) to confirm that the carboxyl and nitrogen groups of the amino acid ligands have fully reacted with the mineral. As the pioneering technology, TRAACS® became the gold standard to validate chelation.

Albion’s TRAACS® (The Real Amino Acid Chelate System) uses FT-IR spectroscopy to confirm complete chelation in every batch. Consumer data backs the value: 63% are willing to pay more for branded ingredients, and 70% feel more confident using them.

The FT-IR analysis reveals disappearance of the carboxylic acid and nitrogen peaks that would be present in unreacted components. When these binding sites are incorporated into the chelate complex, their spectroscopic signature changes. This sensitive technique can determine the degree of chelation and identify whether significant portions remain unreacted.

Every batch is tested. Full chelation is confirmed before release.

The Pioneer Advantage

Albion’s history in mineral chelation spans nearly seven decades:

• 1956: Dr. Harvey Ashmead begins operations in Ogden, Utah
• 1965: First patent granted for mineral chelation applications
• 1966: Discovery that metals pre-chelated with amino acids absorb more efficiently
• 1970: Human Nutrition Division established based on efficacy data
• 1999: Ferrochel® (iron bisglycinate) achieves GRAS status
• 2006: WHO publishes fortification guidelines recognizing superior absorption of iron bisglycinate; EU adopts scientific opinion from EFSA on Ferrochel®
• 2016: Balchem acquires Albion Minerals, continuing research and development

From Dr. Harvey Ashmead’s discovery in 1966 that amino acid-chelated metals absorb more efficiently, to WHO and EFSA recognition of iron bisglycinate’s superior absorption, Albion’s research track record spans nearly seven decades.

Albion® invented mineral amino acid chelation, and they developed the analytical methods to validate it. The company manufactures in Ogden, Utah and Canada with complete control over production and supply chain. Having total control over production ensures supply reliability that traders and resellers cannot match.

The United Nations FAO even recognized in 1977 that “humanity will profit everywhere from the research by Albion® Laboratories.”[19]

Research Commitment

Albion® offers the most researched magnesium bisglycinate in the market.

This commitment to research distinguishes Albion from suppliers offering marketing claims without validation. Peer-reviewed publications, clinical trials, and multiple evidence types provide the foundation for confident formulation decisions.

Over 160 indexed publications covering preclinical evaluations, animal science, food science, and randomized controlled trials back Albion’s chelated mineral portfolio — with the research output still accelerating.

Formulation Considerations and Dosing

Available Forms

Product
Elemental Magnesium
Notes

Magnesium Bisglycinate Chelate
10%
Pure chelate, maximum bioavailability

Magnesium Bisglycinate Buffered
18%
Combines chelate + oxide for higher potency

Dimagnesium Malate
20%
Organic acid salt, well-tolerated

The buffered version combines chelate with oxide for higher potency while maintaining improved tolerability versus pure oxide. Formulators can choose based on label claim requirements and positioning.

Typical Dosing

Clinical studies used 300-600mg elemental magnesium. Most commercial products provide 200-400mg per serving. The chelate form can be dosed once daily or split, with or without food (stable through GI pH changes). No loading phase is required.

The RDA for magnesium is 400-420mg for adult men and 310-320mg for adult women, with increases during pregnancy. Many consumers fall short of these targets through diet alone.

Formulation Compatibility

Magnesium bisglycinate chelate works across multiple formats: tablets, capsules, powders, gummies, beverages, bars, and protein powders. The chelated form provides minimal taste impact and good stability in most formulation matrices. Solubility makes it well-suited for beverage applications where other forms might create taste or texture challenges.

Albion Minerals’ magnesium bisglycinate chelate is compatible with tablets, capsules, gummies, bars, sachets, powders, and beverages — with softgels being the one format where it’s not recommended.

What Formulators Should Know

Higher elemental magnesium content requires more raw material (10% versus 60% for oxide). However, 4-6x better absorption compensates, and superior tolerability improves consumer compliance. The premium price point is justified by verified quality and research backing.

Thanks to ongoing educational efforts and social media outreach throughout this decade, consumer demand specifically targets bisglycinate. Products positioned for mood, sleep, and relaxation command premium prices. The science backing from Albion® provides differentiation in an increasingly crowded category.

The #magnesium hashtag has crossed 1 billion TikTok views, with influencer content on chelated magnesium driving massive organic reach — and a stressed, sleep-deprived generation actively seeking the benefits.

Stacking Considerations

Magnesium bisglycinate pairs well with vitamin D3 and K2 for bone health, B-complex vitamins for energy, and other minerals without interaction concerns. Chelation may reduce mineral competition at absorption sites, making magnesium bisglycinate an ideal foundation for multi-mineral formulas.

Educating Your Customers: Resources Available

The Brand Opportunity

Consumers actively search for “best magnesium form”. Brands that educate build loyalty. Bisglycinate commands premium positioning, and the price requires justification. Thankfully, the science exists to support that premium — brands just need to communicate it more loudly and effectively.

Survey data shows 57% of consumers believe supplements with branded ingredients work better than those with generic ingredients. 63% are willing to pay higher prices for branded ingredients. 70% feel more confident using supplements made with branded ingredients.

Doctor’s Best leverages Albion Minerals’ TRAACS® co-branding seal on its High Absorption Magnesium label — signaling 100% chelation, science-backed claims, and the research depth that no generic magnesium supplier can match.

Balchem Provides

• White papers on bioavailability science
• Clinical study summaries
• Webinar recordings (including “Navigating the Jungle of Magnesium Bioavailability”)
• TRAACS® validation for marketing materials
• Co-branding assets including medallion logos
• Consumer-facing education materials
• Potential partnerships with third-party platforms like PricePlow

Innova Health & Nutrition Survey data shows nearly 4 in 10 U.S. consumers only trust a functional food when it’s independently certified or scientifically proven — a clear signal that research-backed positioning isn’t optional anymore.

Key Education Points for Brands

1. Why form matters: Different forms have dramatically different absorption rates (3-6x difference between chelate and oxide)
2. Why chelation matters: Protection from antinutrients, improved tolerability, higher compliance
3. Why TRAACS® matters: Validated quality versus unverified generics
4. Why research matters: Clinical outcomes, not just marketing claims

Ultimately, not all magnesium supplements absorb equally. Consumers have learned what to look for on the label, and the number that understand the science behind chelated minerals is only growing. With Albion®/TRAACS®, they’re finally getting the magnesium that their bodies can actually use.

Albion® Magnesium Bisglycinate: The Standard-Bearer in Mg Supplementation

The magnesium bisglycinate trend is backed by substance. Consumer demand reflects real benefits: mood and sleep support, muscle relaxation, and tolerability. The science supports what users report experiencing.

Meanwhile, multiple lines of evidence converge on positive conclusions, thanks to cell models, isotope-labeled human studies, clinical outcome trials, and tolerability studies.

The Albion® Difference

Since 1956, Albion has led mineral chelation science. TRAACS® validation guarantees every batch meets quality specifications. Primary manufacturing in the United States and Canada ensures supply chain transparency. 160+ studies back their mineral portfolio.

When WHO recognized superior absorption of iron bisglycinate, Albion’s Ferrochel® was the product used in the referenced studies. When EFSA issued a positive scientific opinion on iron bisglycinate, Albion set the standard.

From sleep and relaxation stacks to women’s healthy aging and cardiovascular support sachets, Albion Minerals’ magnesium bisglycinate chelate provides a research-backed foundation brands can build differentiated products around.

Meeting consumer demand means choosing quality ingredients. Science-backed positioning supports premium pricing. Albion provides the research foundation, analytical validation, and marketing support to differentiate products in a crowded category.

The Bottom Line

Magnesium is too important to mess up. Inferior ingredients desired outcomes and may increase side effects. The magnesium boom rewards brands that understand the science and choose quality ingredients. Consumers are educated, demanding, and willing to pay for products that work. Albion® Magnesium Bisglycinate sets the standard that the best brands can follow.