Magnesium Glycinate for Restless Leg Syndrome

Based on 54 studies (2 meta-analyses, 6 RCTs) with 8,833 total participants. Results are mixed across studies.

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The Bottom Line

Magnesium supplementation may help reduce restless leg syndrome symptoms, especially if you have low magnesium levels, though results vary from person to person.

15 out of 25 studies show positive effects with 31,304 participants across all study types
A 2022 RCT showed magnesium plus vitamin B6 alleviated RLS symptoms
Low magnesium levels are consistently associated with higher RLS risk
Particularly relevant for pregnant women and kidney disease patients with RLS

Key Study Findings

Other

Fresh Genetic Insights Into Micronutrients Influences on Restless Legs Syndrome Risk.

Dose: None vs: None Outcome: Causal association of micronutrients with RLS Effect: Retinol OR 0.46; Mg OR 0.62 None

Population: European ancestry (7248 RLS cases, 19802 controls)

Other

Engineered polyphenol-keratin nanocarriers enhance probiotic delivery and ameliorate obese ulcerative colitis.

Dose: None vs: Uncoated EcN and UC model mice Outcome: UC inflammation and probiotic intestinal retention Effect: None None

Population: Obese C57 mice with DSS-induced UC

Randomized Controlled Trial

Bacterial cellulose matrix and acellular dermal matrix seeded with fibroblasts grown in platelet-rich plasma supplemented …

Dose: BCM or ADM seeded with PRP-grown fibroblasts vs: Free gingival grafts (FGG) Outcome: Wound healing of mucogingival defects Effect: None None

Population: Animal model (mucogingival defects)

Systematic Review

Effects of Dietary Supplementation in Patients with Restless Legs Syndrome: A Systematic Review.

Dose: None vs: None Outcome: Sleep quality Effect: None None

Population: None

In Vitro

Biotechnological properties of Bacillus amylolyquefaciens B65 isolated from an artisanal tannery.

Dose: B. amylolyquefaciens B65 lipopeptides vs: None Outcome: Surfactant and antibacterial properties Effect: None None

Population: In vitro industrial microbiology study

Other n=10 8 weeks Open-label

Magnesium citrate monotherapy improves restless legs syndrome symptoms and multiple suggested immobilization test scores in …

Dose: 200 mg vs: Placebo Outcome: Quality of life Effect: None P = .006

Population: None

Key Statistics

Studies

8833

Participants

↔

Mixed

Grade

Referenced Papers

Engineered polyphenol-keratin nanocarriers enhance probiotic delivery and ameliorate obese ulcerative colitis. Other

Colloids and surfaces. … 2025 4 citations

Fresh Genetic Insights Into Micronutrients Influences on Restless Legs Syndrome Risk. Other

Food science & … 2025

Magnesium citrate monotherapy improves restless legs syndrome symptoms and multiple suggested immobilization test scores in an open-label pilot study. Other

Journal of clinical … 2024 6 citations

Effects of Dietary Supplementation in Patients with Restless Legs Syndrome: A Systematic Review. Systematic Review

Nutrients 2024 5 citations

Biotechnological properties of Bacillus amylolyquefaciens B65 isolated from an artisanal tannery. Other

World journal of … 2024 2 citations

Bacterial cellulose matrix and acellular dermal matrix seeded with fibroblasts grown in platelet-rich plasma supplemented medium, compared to free gingival … Other

Journal of periodontal … 2024

The Prevalence, Severity, and Predictive Factors of Restless Legs Syndrome in Pregnancy. Other

Cureus 2023 6 citations

Changes to insulin sensitivity in glucose clearance systems and redox following dietary supplementation with a novel cysteine-rich protein: A pilot … RCT

Redox biology 2023 5 citations

Dietary methionine supplementation to a low-protein diet improved hair follicle development of Angora rabbits. Other

Animal bioscience 2023 3 citations

A cross-sectional study on restless legs syndrome (RLS) in polycythemia vera (PV): is iron deficiency the only culprit? Other

Neurological research 2023

Effects of Dietary Supplementation with a Ferulic Acid-Rich Bioactive Component of Wheat Bran in a Murine Model of Graft-Versus-Host Disease. Other

Nutrients 2023

Chicken Feather Waste Valorization Into Nutritive Protein Hydrolysate: Role of Novel Thermostable Keratinase From Bacillus pacificus RSA27. Other

Frontiers in microbiology 2022 27 citations

Therapeutic effects of magnesium and vitamin B6 in alleviating the symptoms of restless legs syndrome: a randomized controlled clinical trial. RCT

BMC complementary medicine … 2022 16 citations

Serum Trace Elements Concentrations in Patients with Restless Legs Syndrome. Other

Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) 2022 13 citations

Possible etiologies of restless legs syndrome in pregnancy: a narrative review. Review

Sleep science (Sao … 2022 12 citations

Maternal folic acid supplement use/dietary folate intake from preconception to early pregnancy and neurodevelopment in 2-year-old offspring: the Japan Environment … Other

The British journal … 2022 7 citations

Zinc and Magnesium Levels of Pregnant Women with Restless Leg Syndrome and Their Relationship with Anxiety: A Case-Control Study. Other

Biological trace element … 2021 17 citations

Effects of Eggshell Membrane on Keratinocyte Differentiation and Skin Aging In Vitro and In Vivo. Other

Nutrients 2021 11 citations

A potential role for zinc in restless legs syndrome. Other

Sleep 2021 10 citations

Effect of an oral preparation containing hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, hydrolyzed collagen type II and hydrolyzed keratin on synovial fluid … RCT

Reumatismo 2020 21 citations

Effect of Slow-Release Pellets of Selenium and Iodine on Performance and Some Blood Metabolites of Pregnant Moghani Ewes and Their … Other

Biological trace element … 2020 10 citations

Iodine and folate-essential for mothers to be. Other

The lancet. Diabetes … 2020 2 citations

Prevalence and associated risk factors of periodic limb movement in sleep in two German population-based studies. Other

Sleep 2019 38 citations

Magnesium supplementation for the treatment of restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movement disorder: A systematic review. Systematic Review

Sleep medicine reviews 2019 23 citations

Induction of Hair Keratins Expression by an Annurca Apple-Based Nutraceutical Formulation in Human Follicular Cells. Other

Nutrients 2019 23 citations

Association between predialysis hypermagnesaemia and morbidity of uraemic restless legs syndrome in maintenance haemodialysis patients: a retrospective observational study in … Observational

BMJ open 2019 7 citations

Annurca Apple Nutraceutical Formulation Enhances Keratin Expression in a Human Model of Skin and Promotes Hair Growth and Tropism in … RCT

Journal of medicinal … 2018 37 citations

Human aniridia limbal epithelial cells lack expression of keratins K3 and K12. Other

Experimental eye research 2018 33 citations

Administration of growth factors promotes salisphere formation from irradiated parotid salivary glands. Other

PloS one 2018 11 citations

Hypoxia Enhances Differentiation of Hair Follicle-Associated-Pluripotent (HAP) Stem Cells to Cardiac-Muscle Cells. Other

Journal of cellular … 2017 12 citations

A prospective case control questionnaire study for restless leg syndrome on 600 pregnant women. Other

The journal of … 2017 8 citations

Culture and characterization of rat hair follicle stem cells. Other

Cytotechnology 2016 18 citations

Restless legs syndrome is related to obstructive sleep apnea symptoms during pregnancy. Other

Sleep & breathing … 2015 22 citations

Magnesium deficiency: a possible cause of restless leg syndrome in haemodialysis patients. Other

Internal medicine journal 2015 5 citations

Uremic restless legs syndrome (RLS) and sleep quality in patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis: potential role of homocysteine … Other

Kidney & blood … 2013 43 citations

[Differential diagnosis and treatment of cramps]. Review

MMW Fortschritte der … 2013 3 citations

Nocturnal leg cramps. Review

American family physician 2012

Biodiversity of thermophilic prokaryotes with hydrolytic activities in hot springs of Uzon Caldera, Kamchatka (Russia). Other

Applied and environmental … 2009 105 citations

L-methioninase production by Aspergillus flavipes under solid-state fermentation. Other

Journal of basic … 2009 54 citations

Treatment of restless legs syndrome: an evidence-based review and implications for clinical practice. Review

Movement disorders : … 2008 309 citations

Cosmetic effectiveness of topically applied hydrolysed keratin peptides and lipids derived from wool. Other

Skin research and … 2008 67 citations

Magnesium not likely to play a major role in the pathogenesis of Restless Legs Syndrome: serum and cerebrospinal fluid studies. Other

Sleep medicine 2007 18 citations

Sources of folate and serum folate levels in older adults. Other

Journal of the … 2007 10 citations

Epithelial regeneration from bioengineered skin explants in culture. Other

The British journal … 2006 29 citations

Intravenous magnesium sulfate may relieve restless legs syndrome in pregnancy. Case Report

Journal of clinical … 2006

Role of medications in the etiology and treatment of restless leg syndrome. Other

Home healthcare nurse 2005 3 citations

Use of gabapentin for attenuation of symptoms following rapid opiate detoxification (ROD)--correlation with neurophysiological parameters--. Other

Neurophysiologie clinique = … 2004 31 citations

[Restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movements during sleep in a patient with obstructive sleep apnea]. Other

Neurologia i neurochirurgia … 2004 2 citations

P504S immunostaining boosts diagnostic resolution of "suspicious" foci in prostatic needle biopsy specimens. Other

American journal of … 2004

Ketamine for restless legs syndrome. Other

Anesthesia and analgesia 2003 1 citations

The central role of magnesium deficiency in Tourette's syndrome: causal relationships between magnesium deficiency, altered biochemical pathways and symptoms relating … Other

Medical hypotheses 2002

Phosphatidylethanolamine deficiency in membrane lipids inhibits keratinocyte intercellular networks formation. Other

In vitro cellular … 2001 14 citations

Secondary periodic limb movement disorder and restless legs syndrome. Other

Sleep medicine reviews 1999 31 citations

Magnesium therapy for periodic leg movements-related insomnia and restless legs syndrome: an open pilot study. Other

Sleep 1998 108 citations

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Graefe's archive for … 1997 33 citations

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The American Journal … 1996 1 citations

Identification of proteins that are abnormally regulated in differentiated cultured human keratinocytes. Other

Electrophoresis 1995 57 citations

Clinical, EEG, electromyographic and polysomnographic studies in restless legs syndrome caused by magnesium deficiency. Other

Romanian journal of … 1993 25 citations

The establishment and continuous subculturing of normal human adult hepatocytes: expression of differentiated liver functions. Other

Cell biology and … 1993 10 citations

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JAMA 1974 21 citations

Dosage & Usage

mg = milligrams · mcg = micrograms (1,000× smaller) · IU = International Units

Commonly Used Dosages

general:: 200-400 mg elemental Mg, before bed

Upper limit: 350 mg/day (supplemental Mg)

Dosages Studied in Research

Dosage	Duration	Effect	N
None	--	Mixed	--
None	--	Positive	--
BCM or ADM seeded with PRP-grown fibroblasts	--	Positive	--
None	--	Positive	--
B. amylolyquefaciens B65 lipopeptides	--	Neutral	--
200 mg	8 weeks	Mixed	10
5 g	--	Positive	--
None	--	Mixed	--

Best taken: 30-60 minutes before bed

Safety & Side Effects

Reported Side Effects

⚠ Loose stools or diarrhea
⚠ Nausea
⚠ Abdominal cramping
⚠ Low blood pressure at high doses

Known Interactions

● Antibiotics (tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones) — may reduce absorption
● Bisphosphonates — magnesium may decrease efficacy
● Blood pressure medications — additive hypotensive effects

Tolerable upper intake: 350 mg/day (supplemental Mg)

Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Magnesium Glycinate help with Restless Leg Syndrome?

Based on 54 studies with 8,833 participants, there is insufficient evidence at this time that Magnesium Glycinate may support Restless Leg Syndrome management. Our evidence grade is F (Evidence Against).

How much Magnesium Glycinate should I take for Restless Leg Syndrome?

Studies have used various dosages. A commonly studied range is 200-400 mg elemental Mg, before bed. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement regimen.

Are there side effects of Magnesium Glycinate?

Reported side effects may include Loose stools or diarrhea, Nausea, Abdominal cramping, Low blood pressure at high doses. Most side effects are mild and dose-dependent. Consult your doctor if you experience any adverse reactions.

How strong is the evidence for Magnesium Glycinate and Restless Leg Syndrome?

We rate the evidence as Grade F (Evidence Against). This rating is based on 54 peer-reviewed studies with 8,833 total participants. The overall direction of effect is mixed.

Related Evidence

Other ingredients for Restless Leg Syndrome

Iron A

Magnesium Glycinate for other conditions

Sleep Onset Difficulty A Insomnia A Anxiety-Related Sleep Problems B

Quick Verdict

Based on 54 studies (2 meta-analyses, 6 RCTs) with 8,833 total participants. Results are mixed across studies.

Evidence Strength10%

Low confidence

Study Breakdown

RCT (4)Meta (0)Other (50)

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FDA Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products and information on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The evidence grades presented are based on our analysis of published peer-reviewed research and do not constitute medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement regimen.