Same elemental magnesium · two salts · snapshot 2026-08-10
Magnesium malate vs l-threonate: 1,287–1,584 vs 2,424 mg of compound for 200 mg of magnesium
Magnesium malate is 12.6–15.5% elemental magnesium and magnesium l-threonate is 8.3%, so 200 mg of magnesium needs 1,287–1,584 mg of malate against 2,424 mg of l-threonate: 2–3 vs 4 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 0 of 6 for l-threonate. Prices within each salt: malate from $0.0460 per 100 mg (median $0.1052, 4 ranked offers); l-threonate $1.1572 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 |
| malate 644–792 · l-threonate 1,212 |
| 200 mg magnesium |
| malate 1,287–1,584 · l-threonate 2,424 |
| 400 mg magnesium |
| malate 2,574–3,167 · l-threonate 4,848 |
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 l-threonate carries the same elemental magnesium?
At the same elemental amount, malate (12.6–15.5% magnesium) always needs less compound than l-threonate (8.3%): for 400 mg of magnesium, 2,574–3,167 mg against 4,848 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 | L-threonate compound | L-threonate size 00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 mg | 644–792 mg | 1–2 | 1,212 mg | 2 |
| 200 mg | 1,287–1,584 mg | 2–3 | 2,424 mg | 4 |
| 400 mg | 2,574–3,167 mg | 4–5 | 4,848 mg | 7 |
malate: anhydrous 15.54% or dihydrate 12.63% (192.41 g/mol); 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 0 of 6 for l-threonate. 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 |
|---|
| malate |
| fits 7 of 9 |
| needs 000 2 of 9 |
| exceeds 0 of 9 |
| l-threonate |
| fits 6 of 6 |
| needs 000 0 of 6 |
| exceeds 0 of 6 |
| Salt | Audited capsule labels | Fits 0 or 00 | Needs 000 | Exceeds 000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| malate | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| L-threonate | 6 | 6 | 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); l-threonate $1.1572 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| malate | 4 | $0.0460 | $0.1052 | 2026-11-02 |
| L-threonate | 1 | $1.1572 | $1.1572 | 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 l-threonate side by side?
No study in the PubMed-checked registry measured malate and l-threonate side by side as of 2026-08-10; 3 involve malate and 0 involve l-threonate separately.
measured| Year | Study | Salts measured | PubMed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Dose-Dependent Absorption Profile of Different Magnesium Compounds | oxide, citrate, glycinate, malate | 30761462 |
| 2019 | Timeline (Bioavailability) of Magnesium Compounds in Hours: Which Magnesium Compound Works Best? | sulfate, oxide, taurate, citrate, malate | 29679349 |
| 2018 | Scottsdale Magnesium Study: Absorption, Cellular Uptake, and Clinical Effectiveness of a Timed-Release Magnesium Supplement in a Standard Adult Clinical Population. | malate | 29425476 |
Source · PubMed-checked study registry · registry checked 2026-08-10 · release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · CSV · method
How many labels name both malate and l-threonate?
No label names both malate and l-threonate as of 2026-08-10, against 73 labels naming malate and 9 naming l-threonate.
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 | L-threonate compound | L-threonate size 00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 mg | 161–198 mg | 1 | 303 mg | 1 |
| 50 mg | 322–396 mg | 1 | 606 mg | 1 |
| 75 mg | 483–594 mg | 1 | 909 mg | 2 |
| 100 mg | 644–792 mg | 1–2 | 1,212 mg | 2 |
| 125 mg | 804–990 mg | 2 | 1,515 mg | 3 |
| 150 mg | 965–1,188 mg | 2 | 1,818 mg | 3 |
| 175 mg | 1,126–1,386 mg | 2 | 2,121 mg | 3 |
| 200 mg | 1,287–1,584 mg | 2–3 | 2,424 mg | 4 |
32 additional rows
| Elemental magnesium | malate compound | malate size 00 | L-threonate compound | L-threonate size 00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 225 mg | 1,448–1,781 mg | 2–3 | 2,727 mg | 4 |
| 250 mg | 1,609–1,979 mg | 3 | 3,030 mg | 5 |
| 275 mg | 1,770–2,177 mg | 3 | 3,333 mg | 5 |
| 300 mg | 1,931–2,375 mg | 3–4 | 3,636 mg | 5 |
| 325 mg | 2,091–2,573 mg | 3–4 | 3,939 mg | 6 |
| 350 mg | 2,252–2,771 mg | 4 | 4,242 mg | 6 |
| 375 mg | 2,413–2,969 mg | 4–5 | 4,545 mg | 7 |
| 400 mg | 2,574–3,167 mg | 4–5 | 4,848 mg | 7 |
| 425 mg | 2,735–3,365 mg | 4–5 | 5,152 mg | 8 |
| 450 mg | 2,896–3,563 mg | 4–5 | 5,455 mg | 8 |
| 475 mg | 3,057–3,761 mg | 5–6 | 5,758 mg | 8 |
| 500 mg | 3,218–3,959 mg | 5–6 | 6,061 mg | 9 |
| 525 mg | 3,378–4,157 mg | 5–6 | 6,364 mg | 9 |
| 550 mg | 3,539–4,355 mg | 5–6 | 6,667 mg | 10 |
| 575 mg | 3,700–4,553 mg | 6–7 | 6,970 mg | 10 |
| 600 mg | 3,861–4,751 mg | 6–7 | 7,273 mg | 10 |
| 625 mg | 4,022–4,949 mg | 6–7 | 7,576 mg | 11 |
| 650 mg | 4,183–5,146 mg | 6–8 | 7,879 mg | 11 |
| 675 mg | 4,344–5,344 mg | 6–8 | 8,182 mg | 12 |
| 700 mg | 4,505–5,542 mg | 7–8 | 8,485 mg | 12 |
| 725 mg | 4,665–5,740 mg | 7–8 | 8,788 mg | 13 |
| 750 mg | 4,826–5,938 mg | 7–9 | 9,091 mg | 13 |
| 775 mg | 4,987–6,136 mg | 7–9 | 9,394 mg | 13 |
| 800 mg | 5,148–6,334 mg | 8–9 | 9,697 mg | 14 |
| 825 mg | 5,309–6,532 mg | 8–9 | 10,000 mg | 14 |
| 850 mg | 5,470–6,730 mg | 8–10 | 10,303 mg | 15 |
| 875 mg | 5,631–6,928 mg | 8–10 | 10,606 mg | 15 |
| 900 mg | 5,792–7,126 mg | 8–10 | 10,909 mg | 15 |
| 925 mg | 5,952–7,324 mg | 9–11 | 11,212 mg | 16 |
| 950 mg | 6,113–7,522 mg | 9–11 | 11,515 mg | 16 |
| 975 mg | 6,274–7,720 mg | 9–11 | 11,818 mg | 17 |
| 1,000 mg | 6,435–7,918 mg | 9–11 | 12,121 mg | 17 |
Source · Chemical formulas and NIH DSLD labels · snapshot 2026-08-10 · release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · CSV · method