Magnesium Glycinate and medications.
Magnesium Glycinate is classified as a foundation supplement in the Distil database, evidence Grade A. The page below lists every medication we have explicitly assessed it against.
Magnesium sits behind more than 300 enzyme reactions, and the glycinate form pairs it with glycine, which crosses into the brain and tends to favour sleep and calm over the laxative effect you get from cheaper forms. Evidence suggests it may support sleep quality, muscle recovery, blood pressure, and the body's handling of stress; an RCT in older adults with insomnia is among the better trials, though magnesium research is broad rather than deep. On absorption, glycinate and malate beat citrate, and oxide is barely absorbed at all. The glycinate form also delivers a useful 1.5 to 2.4g of glycine alongside the mineral, so if you take standalone glycine too the totals add up, which is fine within safe ranges. Separate it by two hours from antibiotics and bisphosphonates, since magnesium binds them and reduces their uptake. It pairs naturally with vitamin D3. Anyone with kidney disease should only take it under GP supervision.
Below are the 7 documented pairs we have explicitly assessed for Magnesium Glycinate: 7 amber. The pairs cluster around 2 mechanisms: Absorption interference and Mineral chelation (absorption). Every call is cited to either a clinical reference (PMID) or the British National Formulary. Anything not listed here is either still to be assessed or beyond our database scope. The checker beneath surfaces assessments by medication, and the missing-item form at the bottom of the page routes any uncatalogued medication into our next curation pass.
Documented interactions
Absorption interference
Long-term lansoprazole use is associated with low blood magnesium in about 1 in 5 chronic users. Supplementing magnesium is generally helpful, but if you have heart, kidney, or muscle symptoms on long-term lansoprazole, ask your GP for a magnesium blood test.
Long-term omeprazole use is associated with low blood magnesium in about 1 in 5 chronic users. Supplementing magnesium is generally helpful, but if you have heart, kidney, or muscle symptoms on long-term omeprazole, ask your GP for a magnesium blood test.
Mineral chelation (absorption)
Magnesium binds to alendronic acid in the gut and blocks absorption in the same way calcium does. Take alendronic acid first thing on an empty stomach with plain water, stay upright for 30 minutes, then wait at least two hours before any magnesium supplement.
Magnesium can bind to ciprofloxacin in the gut and sharply reduce how much antibiotic you absorb, which may let an infection persist. Take ciprofloxacin at least two hours before, or six hours after, any magnesium supplement.
Magnesium can bind to doxycycline in the gut and reduce how much antibiotic you absorb, which may let an infection persist. Take doxycycline at least two hours before, or six hours after, any magnesium supplement.
Reviewer-flagged: awaiting clinical-reviewer sign-off.
Magnesium can bind levothyroxine in the gut and reduce how much you absorb, in the same way that calcium and iron do. Take levothyroxine first thing on an empty stomach and any magnesium supplement at least four hours later (or at bedtime).
Magnesium binds to risedronate in the gut and blocks absorption. Take risedronate first thing on an empty stomach with plain water, stay upright for 30 minutes, then wait at least two hours before any magnesium supplement.
What this list does not say. Pairs not flagged here are not implicitly safe. They are either not yet in our database, or fall outside our inclusion scope. Use the checker below to surface any medication, and submit a missing item if you take something we have not catalogued.
For adults over 18.
This tool gives evidence-graded information, not medical advice. Always discuss changes with your GP, pharmacist, or specialist before making them, especially if you take any medication, are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a serious health condition.
How we grade severity, choose what's in scope, and what we exclude.
Every call on this page is reasoned. We publish the full rubric for severity tiers, the medication inclusion logic, the evidence grades we accept, and what we deliberately leave out. About three thousand words. Worth reading once if you use this tool more than occasionally.
Read the full methodologySomething missing?
If a supplement or medication you take isn't in our autocomplete, tell us. We go through what people flag every week and add what's missing.