Same elemental magnesium · two salts · snapshot 2026-08-10
Magnesium glycinate vs orotate: 1,418–1,691 vs 2,751 mg of compound for 200 mg of magnesium
Magnesium glycinate is 11.8–14.1% elemental magnesium and magnesium orotate is 7.3%, so 200 mg of magnesium needs 1,418–1,691 mg of glycinate against 2,751 mg of orotate: 2–3 vs 4 size 00 capsules at powder density 0.8 g/mL, the top of the usual 0.6–0.8 range. 3 of 25 capsule labels naming glycinate alone are above the assumed size 000 capacity at powder density 0.8 g/mL, against 0 of 3 for orotate. Prices within each salt: glycinate from $0.0666 per 100 mg (median $0.1889, 17 ranked offers); orotate $0.7937 per 100 mg (a single ranked offer); observed 2026-10-26 to 2026-11-02.
computed from chemical formulas
Chart data
| Displayed chart text |
|---|
| 100 mg magnesium |
| glycinate 709–845 · orotate 1,376 |
| 200 mg magnesium |
| glycinate 1,418–1,691 · orotate 2,751 |
| 400 mg magnesium |
| glycinate 2,837–3,381 · orotate 5,502 |
Data release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · registry snapshot 2026-08-10 · latest price observation 2026-11-02 · chemistry 2026-10-17
How much glycinate or orotate carries the same elemental magnesium?
At the same elemental amount, glycinate (11.8–14.1% magnesium) always needs less compound than orotate (7.3%): for 400 mg of magnesium, 2,837–3,381 mg against 5,502 mg. That is the mass of powder per dose; how much of it is absorbed is what the studies below measured.
computed| Elemental magnesium | glycinate compound | glycinate size 00 | orotate compound | orotate size 00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 mg | 709–845 mg | 1–2 | 1,376 mg | 2 |
| 200 mg | 1,418–1,691 mg | 2–3 | 2,751 mg | 4 |
| 400 mg | 2,837–3,381 mg | 4–5 | 5,502 mg | 8 |
glycinate: bisglycinate; chelate hydration varies by supplier; hydration ambiguity stays a range.
Source · Chemical formulas and NIH DSLD labels · snapshot 2026-08-10 · release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · CSV · method
Estimated salt mass versus assumed capsule capacity
3 of 25 capsule labels naming glycinate alone are above the assumed size 000 capacity at powder density 0.8 g/mL, against 0 of 3 for orotate. Verdicts use the most favourable hydration and the most units per serving at powder density 0.8 g/mL, the top of the usual 0.6–0.8 range; the audited registry as a whole has 8 of 137 capsule labels above size 000.
computed with assumption
Chart data
| Displayed chart text |
|---|
| glycinate |
| fits 14 of 25 |
| needs 000 8 of 25 |
| exceeds 3 of 25 |
| orotate |
| fits 3 of 3 |
| needs 000 0 of 3 |
| exceeds 0 of 3 |
| Salt | Audited capsule labels | Fits 0 or 00 | Needs 000 | Exceeds 000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| glycinate | 25 | 14 | 8 | 3 |
| orotate | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Source · NIH DSLD labels; mass balance · recognized salt only; snapshot 2026-08-10 · release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · CSV · method
Which glycinate and orotate labels are above the assumed size 000 capacity at powder density 0.8 g/mL?
3 of 25 glycinate capsule labels declare more magnesium than the named salt alone can deliver from a size 000 capsule, at the most favourable hydration and units per serving; each row opens the label's own arithmetic.
computed with assumption| Label | Salt | Salt per capsule | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| eXplicit Supplements Magnesium Glycinate 425 mg | glycinate | 1,507 mg | exceeds size 000 |
| NutriONN Magnesium Glycinate 1600 mg | glycinate | 1,418 mg | exceeds size 000 |
| Swolverine Magnesium Bisglycinate | glycinate | 1,418 mg | exceeds size 000 |
Source · NIH DSLD labels; mass balance · recognized salt only; snapshot 2026-08-10 · release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · CSV · method
What does each cost per 100 mg of elemental magnesium, within its own salt?
Compared only with offers of the same salt: glycinate from $0.0666 per 100 mg (median $0.1889, 17 ranked offers); orotate $0.7937 per 100 mg (a single ranked offer). Prices observed 2026-10-26 to 2026-11-02; a ranking exists only inside one salt, because the compound mass per 100 mg of magnesium differs between salts.
computed| Salt | Ranked offers | Lowest per 100 mg | Median per 100 mg | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| glycinate | 17 | $0.0666 | $0.1889 | 2026-11-02 |
| orotate | 1 | $0.7937 | $0.7937 | 2026-11-02 |
Source · Amazon via licensed data provider; NIH DSLD · unique ASIN × date; prices observed 2026-10-26 to 2026-11-02 · release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · CSV · method
Has any study measured glycinate and orotate side by side?
No study in the PubMed-checked registry measured glycinate and orotate side by side as of 2026-08-10; 6 involve glycinate and 0 involve orotate separately.
measured| Year | Study | Salts measured | PubMed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Comparative Clinical Study on Magnesium Absorption and Side Effects After Oral Intake of Microencapsulated Magnesium (MAGSHAPE™ Microcapsules) Versus Other Magnesium Sources. | citrate, glycinate, oxide | 39770988 |
| 2024 | The bioaccessibility and tolerability of marine-derived sources of magnesium and calcium. | glycinate | 38608850 |
| 2020 | Dose-Dependent Absorption Profile of Different Magnesium Compounds | oxide, citrate, glycinate, malate | 30761462 |
| 2005 | Study of magnesium bioavailability from ten organic and inorganic Mg salts in Mg-depleted rats using a stable isotope approach | oxide, chloride, sulfate, carbonate, citrate, gluconate, lactate, aspartate, glycinate | 16548135 |
| 2003 | Mg citrate found more bioavailable than other Mg preparations in a randomised, double-blind study | citrate, oxide, glycinate | 14596323 |
| 1995 | Bioavailability of magnesium diglycinate vs magnesium oxide in patients with ileal resection | glycinate, oxide | 7815675 |
Source · PubMed-checked study registry · registry checked 2026-08-10 · release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · CSV · method
How many labels name both glycinate and orotate?
2 of 126 labels naming glycinate also name orotate as of 2026-08-10; a named blend does not establish how much magnesium each salt contributes.
measured| Label | Declared elemental per serving | NIH DSLD |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Sinatra Magnesium Broad-Spectrum Complex | 200 mg | 286044 |
| VitaMonk Quad-Magnesium | 225 mg | 242165 |
Source · Chemical formulas and NIH DSLD labels · snapshot 2026-08-10 · release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · CSV · method
What does every dose from 25 to 1,000 mg of magnesium need in each salt?
The table converts 40 elemental amounts, 25 to 1,000 mg in 25 mg steps, into compound mass and size 00 capsules for both salts, against 730 mg per size 00 capsule at powder density 0.8 g/mL, the top of the usual 0.6–0.8 range. The first eight rows are shown; the rest open below.
computed| Elemental magnesium | glycinate compound | glycinate size 00 | orotate compound | orotate size 00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 mg | 177–211 mg | 1 | 344 mg | 1 |
| 50 mg | 355–423 mg | 1 | 688 mg | 1 |
| 75 mg | 532–634 mg | 1 | 1,032 mg | 2 |
| 100 mg | 709–845 mg | 1–2 | 1,376 mg | 2 |
| 125 mg | 887–1,057 mg | 2 | 1,719 mg | 3 |
| 150 mg | 1,064–1,268 mg | 2 | 2,063 mg | 3 |
| 175 mg | 1,241–1,479 mg | 2–3 | 2,407 mg | 4 |
| 200 mg | 1,418–1,691 mg | 2–3 | 2,751 mg | 4 |
32 additional rows
| Elemental magnesium | glycinate compound | glycinate size 00 | orotate compound | orotate size 00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 225 mg | 1,596–1,902 mg | 3 | 3,095 mg | 5 |
| 250 mg | 1,773–2,113 mg | 3 | 3,439 mg | 5 |
| 275 mg | 1,950–2,325 mg | 3–4 | 3,783 mg | 6 |
| 300 mg | 2,128–2,536 mg | 3–4 | 4,127 mg | 6 |
| 325 mg | 2,305–2,747 mg | 4 | 4,470 mg | 7 |
| 350 mg | 2,482–2,959 mg | 4–5 | 4,814 mg | 7 |
| 375 mg | 2,660–3,170 mg | 4–5 | 5,158 mg | 8 |
| 400 mg | 2,837–3,381 mg | 4–5 | 5,502 mg | 8 |
| 425 mg | 3,014–3,593 mg | 5 | 5,846 mg | 9 |
| 450 mg | 3,191–3,804 mg | 5–6 | 6,190 mg | 9 |
| 475 mg | 3,369–4,015 mg | 5–6 | 6,534 mg | 9 |
| 500 mg | 3,546–4,227 mg | 5–6 | 6,878 mg | 10 |
| 525 mg | 3,723–4,438 mg | 6–7 | 7,221 mg | 10 |
| 550 mg | 3,901–4,649 mg | 6–7 | 7,565 mg | 11 |
| 575 mg | 4,078–4,861 mg | 6–7 | 7,909 mg | 11 |
| 600 mg | 4,255–5,072 mg | 6–7 | 8,253 mg | 12 |
| 625 mg | 4,433–5,283 mg | 7–8 | 8,597 mg | 12 |
| 650 mg | 4,610–5,495 mg | 7–8 | 8,941 mg | 13 |
| 675 mg | 4,787–5,706 mg | 7–8 | 9,285 mg | 13 |
| 700 mg | 4,965–5,917 mg | 7–9 | 9,629 mg | 14 |
| 725 mg | 5,142–6,128 mg | 8–9 | 9,972 mg | 14 |
| 750 mg | 5,319–6,340 mg | 8–9 | 10,316 mg | 15 |
| 775 mg | 5,496–6,551 mg | 8–9 | 10,660 mg | 15 |
| 800 mg | 5,674–6,762 mg | 8–10 | 11,004 mg | 16 |
| 825 mg | 5,851–6,974 mg | 9–10 | 11,348 mg | 16 |
| 850 mg | 6,028–7,185 mg | 9–10 | 11,692 mg | 17 |
| 875 mg | 6,206–7,396 mg | 9–11 | 12,036 mg | 17 |
| 900 mg | 6,383–7,608 mg | 9–11 | 12,380 mg | 17 |
| 925 mg | 6,560–7,819 mg | 9–11 | 12,724 mg | 18 |
| 950 mg | 6,738–8,030 mg | 10–12 | 13,067 mg | 18 |
| 975 mg | 6,915–8,242 mg | 10–12 | 13,411 mg | 19 |
| 1,000 mg | 7,092–8,453 mg | 10–12 | 13,755 mg | 19 |
Source · Chemical formulas and NIH DSLD labels · snapshot 2026-08-10 · release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · CSV · method