Magnesium Taurate: Benefits, Dosage and Taurate vs Glycinate

Last updated: October 2026

Magnesium taurate is magnesium bound to the amino acid taurine. It is generally considered gentle on the stomach. Its heart-health reputation rests mostly on animal studies and on research into magnesium and taurine separately, not on taurate itself. It isn’t a treatment for high blood pressure, palpitations or any heart condition.

Below: what magnesium taurate is, how much magnesium it actually contains, what the research says (and doesn’t), how it compares with glycinate, malate, citrate and oxide, how much to take, and who should check with a GP first.

Palpitations, chest pain or a heart condition? Please don’t self-treat with supplements. Palpitations that keep coming back or last more than a few minutes need checking by a GP. Call 999 if you have palpitations with chest pain, shortness of breath or fainting.

What is magnesium taurate?

Magnesium taurate (sometimes sold as magnesium taurinate) is one magnesium atom joined to two molecules of taurine, an amino acid found naturally in the body. Amino acid forms like this, and glycinate, tend to be easier on the stomach than cheap salts such as oxide.

How much magnesium is in it? Not much by weight. Based on its chemical formula (C4H12MgN2O6S2), magnesium makes up about 9% of magnesium taurate, and taurine the other 91%. So 500mg of magnesium taurate gives roughly 45mg of actual magnesium, and you need about 1,100mg of magnesium taurate to get 100mg of magnesium.

So check the label for elemental magnesium (or “of which magnesium”), not the compound weight. Magnesium acetyl taurate is a different compound, studied mostly in animals. For all 12 forms, see types of magnesium.

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Magnesium taurate vs glycinate, malate, citrate and oxide

The most common search is magnesium taurate vs glycinate. Both are bound to an amino acid and both are gentle, but glycinate is far better studied, easier to find in the UK and usually cheaper per milligram of magnesium.

Form	Bound to	Stomach	Typically chosen for	Human evidence for the form itself
Taurate	Taurine (amino acid)	Gentle	Marketed for the heart and calm	Very limited; mostly animal studies
Glycinate (bisglycinate)	Glycine (amino acid)	Gentlest	Evenings, stress, sensitive stomachs	Some small trials
Malate	Malic acid	Gentle	Daytime energy, muscles	Limited
Citrate	Citric acid	Can loosen stools at higher doses	Everyday top-up, constipation	Well studied for absorption
Oxide	Oxygen	Most likely to cause loose stools	Cheap tablets, constipation	Poorly absorbed

Which should you choose? For most people, glycinate or citrate does the job of topping up magnesium, with more research behind it and a lower cost. Taurate is a reasonable choice if you prefer it and it agrees with you, but there is no good human evidence that it does anything special compared with other well-absorbed forms. Compare the popular three in glycinate vs citrate vs threonate, or read the full guides to magnesium glycinate, magnesium malate, magnesium citrate and magnesium L-threonate.

You can take two forms together, as long as you add up the elemental magnesium from everything you take.

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Does Evopure make magnesium taurate?

No. Our Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex contains no taurate. It is a berry-flavoured drink powder made with magnesium bisglycinate and citrate (148mg of elemental magnesium per serving), plus glycine, L-theanine, chamomile, passionflower, hops and oat straw. Magnesium contributes to normal psychological function, to the normal functioning of the nervous system and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. It is for adults only.

We chose glycinate and citrate because they are well absorbed, gentle at sensible doses and easy to fit into an evening routine. See the best magnesium supplements in the UK for how we would compare products.

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What the research says about magnesium taurate

Most claims about magnesium taurate borrow from three separate kinds of research: magnesium in general, taurine on its own, and a few animal studies of taurate itself. Here is each rated honestly.

Claim	What the evidence actually is	Strength for magnesium taurate
Blood pressure	A 2016 meta-analysis of 34 placebo-controlled trials of magnesium in general (any form, 2,028 adults) found an average fall of about 2mmHg systolic and 1.8mmHg diastolic. Taurine on its own lowered blood pressure in a 2026 meta-analysis of randomised trials. A 2026 study of magnesium taurate with potassium citrate had no control group and included lifestyle advice. Taurate-only studies are in rats.	Weak (indirect)
Palpitations and heart rhythm	We found no clinical trials of magnesium taurate supplements for palpitations or heart rhythm. The idea comes largely from theory and animal work.	No human evidence
Anxiety	A 2017 systematic review of magnesium in general found a possible effect in people prone to anxiety, but rated the evidence quality as poor. A rat study of magnesium acetyl taurate linked it with fewer signs of anxiety.	Very weak (indirect, animal)
Sleep	A 2021 review of magnesium in general for older adults with insomnia found three small trials, rated low to very low quality. No sleep trials of taurate specifically.	Very weak (indirect)
Blood sugar	Taurine on its own modestly lowered fasting blood glucose in the 2026 meta-analysis. No human trials of magnesium taurate.	Very weak (indirect)

The taurate-specific studies. The study most often quoted gave magnesium taurate to rats whose blood pressure had been raised with cadmium chloride, and found their blood pressure and heart tissue markers improved (Shrivastava and colleagues, 2019). Rats poisoned with cadmium are a long way from people. The only human study we found (Dereli, 2026) followed 110 adults with mildly raised blood pressure taking magnesium taurate plus potassium citrate alongside lifestyle advice, with no placebo group; the author says randomised trials are needed.

The taurine maths. Because taurate is about 91% taurine, a dose giving 100mg of magnesium also gives around 1g of taurine. That is towards the lower end of the 1.5g to 3g a day that worked best in the taurine trials, so even the taurine part may be smaller than people assume.

For more on what magnesium research shows for mood and sleep, see magnesium for anxiety and magnesium for sleep.

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Magnesium taurate, the heart, blood pressure and palpitations

Many people find magnesium taurate on heart forums, often while living with atrial fibrillation, ectopic beats or raised blood pressure. The theory is appealing, but there is no good human evidence that magnesium taurate treats or manages any heart condition, and it should never replace medicine your doctor has prescribed.

Palpitations: the NHS says to see a GP if heart palpitations keep coming back, happen more often, last longer than a few minutes, or if you have a heart condition or a family history of heart problems. Our guide to heart palpitations at night explains common causes.
Call 999 or go to A&E if you have palpitations that don’t go away, or palpitations with chest pain, shortness of breath, or feeling faint or fainting. Don’t drive yourself.
Low magnesium can be checked. Low blood magnesium can itself cause an irregular heartbeat, and the NHS notes that taking some stomach acid medicines (such as lansoprazole) for more than three months can lower it. A simple blood test is a far better starting point than guessing. See signs of magnesium deficiency.
Blood pressure: magnesium can lower blood pressure slightly, so if you take blood pressure or heart medicines, ask your GP or pharmacist before adding any magnesium supplement.

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How much magnesium taurate should I take?

Think in elemental magnesium, not compound weight. The NHS says adults need 300mg of magnesium a day (men) or 270mg (women), and that you should be able to get this from a varied diet. If you take supplements, it says having 400mg or less a day of magnesium from supplements is unlikely to cause any harm.

Products vary a lot, so check the elemental magnesium per daily dose and keep your supplement total at 400mg or less.
Count everything: multivitamins, sleep blends and any other magnesium you take all add up.
Start at the lower end and increase over a week or two if it agrees with you.
Food first: nuts, seeds, spinach, beans and wholegrains are good sources. See foods high in magnesium.

There is no proven “heart dose” or “blood pressure dose” of magnesium taurate. Be wary of any site that gives one.

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Best time to take magnesium taurate

Any time you will remember. What builds your levels is taking it regularly, not the hour of the day. Many people take it in the evening as part of a wind-down routine, and taking it with food can help if your stomach is sensitive. Leave a gap between magnesium and certain medicines (below). More in the best time to take magnesium and how long magnesium stays in your body.

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Side effects and who should check first

Magnesium taurate is usually well tolerated. The NHS says taking more than 400mg of magnesium for a short time can cause diarrhoea; nausea and stomach cramps can also happen at high doses. Our guide to magnesium side effects covers this in detail.

Ask a GP or pharmacist before taking magnesium if you:

Have kidney disease. Your kidneys clear extra magnesium, and people with impaired kidney function are at higher risk of magnesium building up to harmful levels.
Take blood pressure or heart medicines, because magnesium can lower blood pressure slightly.
Take some antibiotics (tetracyclines such as doxycycline, and quinolones such as ciprofloxacin). Minerals and antacids can stop them being absorbed, so the timing matters.
Take osteoporosis medicines (bisphosphonates such as alendronic acid). The NHS lists magnesium-containing laxatives among the products to mention to your doctor.
Take stomach acid medicines (PPIs) such as lansoprazole or omeprazole long term, as these can lower magnesium levels and your doctor may want to test them.
Take thyroid medicine (levothyroxine), which needs to be taken apart from some minerals.
Are pregnant or breastfeeding. Check with your midwife or GP before taking any supplement. We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding. See magnesium in pregnancy.

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Buying magnesium taurate in the UK

In the UK, magnesium taurate is mostly sold online as capsules or tablets. Because so much of each capsule is taurine, it often costs more per milligram of magnesium than glycinate or citrate. When comparing products:

Check the elemental magnesium per daily dose, and the cost per 100mg of it.
Check whether it is magnesium taurate or magnesium acetyl taurate.
Avoid products that promise to fix blood pressure, palpitations or arrhythmia. Those claims are not allowed for food supplements in the UK.

Comparing with budget tablets? Read magnesium oxide: uses, absorption and side effects.

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FAQs

Is magnesium taurate good for heart palpitations?

There is no good human evidence that magnesium taurate helps palpitations. Palpitations that keep coming back or last more than a few minutes should be checked by a GP, who can also test your magnesium levels. Call 999 if you have palpitations with chest pain, shortness of breath or fainting.

Can magnesium taurate lower blood pressure?

Magnesium in general and taurine on its own have each lowered blood pressure slightly in trials, but magnesium taurate itself has mainly been studied in rats. It is not a treatment for high blood pressure, and you should never use it instead of prescribed medicine. Ask your GP or pharmacist first if you take blood pressure medicine.

Is magnesium taurate better than glycinate?

Not in any proven way. Both are gentle, amino acid forms. Glycinate is better studied, easier to find and usually cheaper per milligram of magnesium, so it is the more practical choice for most people.

What is the difference between magnesium taurate and taurine?

Taurine is an amino acid on its own. Magnesium taurate is magnesium bound to taurine, and is about 9% magnesium and 91% taurine by weight. A dose giving 100mg of magnesium also gives around 1g of taurine.

How much magnesium taurate should I take?

Go by the elemental magnesium on the label. The NHS says adults need 300mg (men) or 270mg (women) a day, mostly from food, and that 400mg or less a day of magnesium from supplements is unlikely to cause harm.

When is the best time to take magnesium taurate?

Whenever you will remember it each day. Many people take it in the evening, with food if their stomach is sensitive, and a few hours apart from medicines such as some antibiotics and thyroid tablets.

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