Same elemental magnesium · two salts · snapshot 2026-08-10
Magnesium malate vs sulfate: 1,287–1,584 vs 991–2,028 mg of compound for 200 mg of magnesium
Magnesium malate is 12.6–15.5% elemental magnesium and magnesium sulfate is 9.9–20.2%, so 200 mg of magnesium needs 1,287–1,584 mg of malate against 991–2,028 mg of sulfate: 2–3 vs 2–3 size 00 capsules at powder density 0.8 g/mL, the top of the usual 0.6–0.8 range. 0 of 9 capsule labels naming malate alone are above the assumed size 000 capacity at powder density 0.8 g/mL, against none for sulfate (no capsule label names it alone). Prices within each salt: malate from $0.0460 per 100 mg (median $0.1052, 4 ranked offers); no ranked sulfate price; observed 2026-10-26 to 2026-11-02.
computed from chemical formulas
Chart data
| Displayed chart text |
|---|
| 100 mg magnesium |
| sulfate 495–1,014 · malate 644–792 |
| 200 mg magnesium |
| sulfate 991–2,028 · malate 1,287–1,584 |
| 400 mg magnesium |
| sulfate 1,981–4,057 · malate 2,574–3,167 |
Data release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · registry snapshot 2026-08-10 · latest price observation 2026-11-02 · chemistry 2026-10-17
How much malate or sulfate carries the same elemental magnesium?
At the same elemental amount, sulfate (9.9–20.2% magnesium) always needs less compound than malate (12.6–15.5%): for 400 mg of magnesium, 1,981–4,057 mg against 2,574–3,167 mg. That is the mass of powder per dose; how much of it is absorbed is what the studies below measured.
computed| Elemental magnesium | malate compound | malate size 00 | sulfate compound | sulfate size 00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 mg | 644–792 mg | 1–2 | 495–1,014 mg | 1–2 |
| 200 mg | 1,287–1,584 mg | 2–3 | 991–2,028 mg | 2–3 |
| 400 mg | 2,574–3,167 mg | 4–5 | 1,981–4,057 mg | 3–6 |
malate: anhydrous 15.54% or dihydrate 12.63% (192.41 g/mol); sulfate: anhydrous 20.2%, heptahydrate 9.9%; 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
0 of 9 capsule labels naming malate alone are above the assumed size 000 capacity at powder density 0.8 g/mL, against none for sulfate (no capsule label names it alone). 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| Salt | Audited capsule labels | Fits 0 or 00 | Needs 000 | Exceeds 000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| malate | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| sulfate | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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: malate from $0.0460 per 100 mg (median $0.1052, 4 ranked offers); no ranked sulfate price. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| malate | 4 | $0.0460 | $0.1052 | 2026-11-02 |
| sulfate | 0 | none | none | 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 malate and sulfate side by side?
One study in the PubMed-checked registry measured both salts in the same design; 3 involve malate and 2 involve sulfate in total. They measured outcomes of the salts, not of any label.
measured| Year | Study | Salts measured | PubMed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Timeline (Bioavailability) of Magnesium Compounds in Hours: Which Magnesium Compound Works Best? | sulfate, oxide, taurate, citrate, malate | 29679349 |
| 2020 | Dose-Dependent Absorption Profile of Different Magnesium Compounds | oxide, citrate, glycinate, malate | 30761462 |
| 2018 | Scottsdale Magnesium Study: Absorption, Cellular Uptake, and Clinical Effectiveness of a Timed-Release Magnesium Supplement in a Standard Adult Clinical Population. | malate | 29425476 |
| 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 |
Source · PubMed-checked study registry · registry checked 2026-08-10 · release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · CSV · method
How many labels name both malate and sulfate?
No label names both malate and sulfate as of 2026-08-10, against 73 labels naming malate and 4 naming sulfate.
measured| Label | Declared elemental per serving | NIH DSLD |
|---|---|---|
| No label as of 2026-08-10 |
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 | malate compound | malate size 00 | sulfate compound | sulfate size 00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 mg | 161–198 mg | 1 | 124–254 mg | 1 |
| 50 mg | 322–396 mg | 1 | 248–507 mg | 1 |
| 75 mg | 483–594 mg | 1 | 371–761 mg | 1–2 |
| 100 mg | 644–792 mg | 1–2 | 495–1,014 mg | 1–2 |
| 125 mg | 804–990 mg | 2 | 619–1,268 mg | 1–2 |
| 150 mg | 965–1,188 mg | 2 | 743–1,521 mg | 2–3 |
| 175 mg | 1,126–1,386 mg | 2 | 867–1,775 mg | 2–3 |
| 200 mg | 1,287–1,584 mg | 2–3 | 991–2,028 mg | 2–3 |
32 additional rows
| Elemental magnesium | malate compound | malate size 00 | sulfate compound | sulfate size 00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 225 mg | 1,448–1,781 mg | 2–3 | 1,114–2,282 mg | 2–4 |
| 250 mg | 1,609–1,979 mg | 3 | 1,238–2,535 mg | 2–4 |
| 275 mg | 1,770–2,177 mg | 3 | 1,362–2,789 mg | 2–4 |
| 300 mg | 1,931–2,375 mg | 3–4 | 1,486–3,043 mg | 3–5 |
| 325 mg | 2,091–2,573 mg | 3–4 | 1,610–3,296 mg | 3–5 |
| 350 mg | 2,252–2,771 mg | 4 | 1,734–3,550 mg | 3–5 |
| 375 mg | 2,413–2,969 mg | 4–5 | 1,857–3,803 mg | 3–6 |
| 400 mg | 2,574–3,167 mg | 4–5 | 1,981–4,057 mg | 3–6 |
| 425 mg | 2,735–3,365 mg | 4–5 | 2,105–4,310 mg | 3–6 |
| 450 mg | 2,896–3,563 mg | 4–5 | 2,229–4,564 mg | 4–7 |
| 475 mg | 3,057–3,761 mg | 5–6 | 2,353–4,817 mg | 4–7 |
| 500 mg | 3,218–3,959 mg | 5–6 | 2,476–5,071 mg | 4–7 |
| 525 mg | 3,378–4,157 mg | 5–6 | 2,600–5,325 mg | 4–8 |
| 550 mg | 3,539–4,355 mg | 5–6 | 2,724–5,578 mg | 4–8 |
| 575 mg | 3,700–4,553 mg | 6–7 | 2,848–5,832 mg | 4–8 |
| 600 mg | 3,861–4,751 mg | 6–7 | 2,972–6,085 mg | 5–9 |
| 625 mg | 4,022–4,949 mg | 6–7 | 3,096–6,339 mg | 5–9 |
| 650 mg | 4,183–5,146 mg | 6–8 | 3,219–6,592 mg | 5–10 |
| 675 mg | 4,344–5,344 mg | 6–8 | 3,343–6,846 mg | 5–10 |
| 700 mg | 4,505–5,542 mg | 7–8 | 3,467–7,099 mg | 5–10 |
| 725 mg | 4,665–5,740 mg | 7–8 | 3,591–7,353 mg | 5–11 |
| 750 mg | 4,826–5,938 mg | 7–9 | 3,715–7,606 mg | 6–11 |
| 775 mg | 4,987–6,136 mg | 7–9 | 3,839–7,860 mg | 6–11 |
| 800 mg | 5,148–6,334 mg | 8–9 | 3,962–8,114 mg | 6–12 |
| 825 mg | 5,309–6,532 mg | 8–9 | 4,086–8,367 mg | 6–12 |
| 850 mg | 5,470–6,730 mg | 8–10 | 4,210–8,621 mg | 6–12 |
| 875 mg | 5,631–6,928 mg | 8–10 | 4,334–8,874 mg | 6–13 |
| 900 mg | 5,792–7,126 mg | 8–10 | 4,458–9,128 mg | 7–13 |
| 925 mg | 5,952–7,324 mg | 9–11 | 4,581–9,381 mg | 7–13 |
| 950 mg | 6,113–7,522 mg | 9–11 | 4,705–9,635 mg | 7–14 |
| 975 mg | 6,274–7,720 mg | 9–11 | 4,829–9,888 mg | 7–14 |
| 1,000 mg | 6,435–7,918 mg | 9–11 | 4,953–10,142 mg | 7–14 |
Source · Chemical formulas and NIH DSLD labels · snapshot 2026-08-10 · release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · CSV · method