Magnesium for Menopause and Perimenopause: Best Type, How Much and What It Can Do (UK)

Is magnesium good for menopause?

Magnesium is a useful everyday nutrient at this stage of life, as long as you know what to expect. It is not a menopause treatment. It does not raise oestrogen, and a large trial found it did no better than a dummy pill for hot flushes.

What you can say, using the wording authorised in Great Britain, is that magnesium contributes to:

• a reduction of tiredness and fatigue
• normal psychological function and the normal functioning of the nervous system
• normal muscle function
• the maintenance of normal bones

Do you need more magnesium during menopause?

Not on paper. The NHS says women aged 19 to 64 need 270mg of magnesium a day, and there is no separate, higher figure for menopause. Men need 300mg.

Researchers do think the drop in oestrogen matters, though. A 2025 review of men and women found that changing oestrogen levels affect how the body absorbs, stores and holds on to magnesium, at puberty, in pregnancy and at menopause. It is an area of active research rather than a reason to take large doses.

In practice, the bigger question is whether your diet covers the 270mg. You are more likely to fall short if you:

• eat few nuts, seeds, beans, leafy greens or wholegrains
• have cut down on food to manage midlife weight
• drink alcohol regularly
• have a long-term bowel condition, or take regular medicines (ask your pharmacist whether any of yours affect magnesium)

iOur guides to signs of magnesium deficiency and foods high in magnesium go further. Low magnesium is hard to spot from symptoms alone, so if you feel unwell, see your GP rather than guessing.

Magnesium in perimenopause

Perimenopause is the run-up to your last period. It often starts in your early to mid 40s, and the NHS says menopause itself usually happens between 45 and 55. Periods become irregular, and many women notice broken sleep, tiredness, low mood and brain fog, sometimes years before periods stop. Our full list of perimenopause symptoms covers the rest.

This is when many women first try magnesium. It is inexpensive, easy to take and safe for most people within the NHS limits, which makes it a reasonable thing to add while you talk to your GP about your symptoms.

Which magnesium is best for perimenopause?

The same as for menopause: glycinate or bisglycinate for most women, because it is gentle on the stomach. If your periods are still heavy or painful, our guide to magnesium for PMS covers what the period studies looked at. If sleep is the main problem, read perimenopause and sleep, which explains why CBT for insomnia has the strongest evidence.

Magnesium after menopause: your 50s, 60s and beyond

Once your periods have stopped for a year, you are postmenopausal. Your magnesium needs stay the same, but a few things become more important.

Bones

The NHS explains that the hormone changes at menopause directly affect bone density, and that falling oestrogen can lead to a rapid loss of bone. Magnesium contributes to the maintenance of normal bones, alongside calcium and vitamin D. Weight-bearing and strength exercise matter too. If you are worried about osteoporosis, talk to your GP, who can assess your risk; see the NHS guide to osteoporosis.

For the bigger picture, read magnesium and bone health, magnesium and calcium and magnesium and vitamin D. The NHS advises adults to consider 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day in autumn and winter; see vitamin D in winter.

Muscles and staying active

The NHS menopause advice includes regular weight-bearing exercise to build strength. Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function. It is not a substitute for the exercise itself. Our guide to creatine for women covers another supplement often discussed for women over 50.

Tablets that are hard to swallow

Large magnesium tablets can be a struggle. Powders that dissolve in a drink, capsules you can open, or a smaller dose taken twice a day are all fine. See magnesium powder vs tablets.

Menopause changes and magnesium: what the evidence says

Here is an honest summary, change by change. Magnesium is not a treatment for any of these.

Magnesium for menopause sleep

This is the most searched question. In the 2025 trial, 155 adults aged 18 to 65 who slept poorly took 250mg of magnesium as bisglycinate or a placebo. At four weeks, the magnesium group’s insomnia scores had improved a little more, and the researchers called the effect modest. The trial was not in menopausal women, and the evidence is still limited.

Night sweats, needing the loo and worry are common reasons for waking in midlife, and they need their own fixes. See night sweats, waking up to pee at night, the best bedroom temperature, sleep as you get older and our full guide to magnesium for sleep.

Hot flushes

The best-known trial gave 289 postmenopausal women with a history of breast cancer magnesium oxide (800mg or 1,200mg a day) or a placebo. Hot flushes were no different between the groups, and the magnesium groups had more diarrhoea. Oxide is a poorly absorbed form, but we found no trial showing any other form works for hot flushes. Our guide to hot flushes covers what does.

Joints, weight and brain fog

Aching joints are common in menopause; read joint pain and supplements for joint pain. For weight, see menopause weight gain and what the magnesium weight loss trials show. For foggy thinking, see menopause brain fog.

Best magnesium for menopause

Magnesium always comes bound to another substance, and that partner affects how well it is absorbed and how kind it is to your stomach.

Is magnesium glycinate good for menopause?

For most women, magnesium glycinate taken daily is the best place to start. Glycinate and bisglycinate are the same thing for buying purposes; see glycinate vs bisglycinate and our magnesium glycinate guide. To compare every form, read types of magnesium or glycinate vs citrate vs threonate.

Menopause magnesium sprays and bath flakes

Several brands sell sprays and bath flakes labelled for menopause. A warm bath can be a pleasant part of an evening, but there is little evidence that much magnesium gets through the skin. See magnesium spray, magnesium flakes and BetterYou magnesium.

What we make

Our Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex is a berry-flavoured drink powder. Each serving gives 290mg of magnesium from bisglycinate and citrate, with glycine and L-theanine, plus oat straw, hops, chamomile and passionflower extracts. It is vegan and made in the UK. You stir it into water, a hot drink or a smoothie, which suits anyone who finds tablets hard to swallow. For other brands and formats, our guide to the best magnesium supplement in the UK compares them by need.

How much magnesium for menopause?

Your target is the same as before menopause: 270mg a day for women, mostly from food. The NHS says spinach, nuts and wholemeal bread are good sources, and that 400mg or less a day from supplements is unlikely to cause harm. Doses above 400mg taken for a short time can cause diarrhoea.

How much magnesium glycinate for menopause?

Look for the amount of magnesium per serving on the label, sometimes called elemental magnesium, not the weight of the whole compound. A capsule that says “magnesium bisglycinate 1,000mg” contains much less magnesium than 1,000mg. Most women who top up take 100mg to 300mg of magnesium a day on top of a decent diet. Our guide to how much magnesium per day has amounts by age, and magnesium for women covers every life stage.

When to take it, and a simple evening routine

There is no wrong time. The best time is the one you will stick to, every day. Taking it with food can help if your stomach is sensitive, and many women like an evening drink as a cue to wind down. Give it a few weeks of daily use before deciding whether it suits you. See the best time to take magnesium and how long magnesium takes to work.

The NHS menopause advice is mostly about habits: regular exercise with a focus on weight-bearing activity, regular sleep routines, staying within alcohol limits and avoiding triggers such as caffeine and spicy food. A day built around that might look like this:

1. Morning: daylight and a walk, and a breakfast with protein.
2. Two or three times a week: strength or weight-bearing exercise.
3. After lunch: no more caffeine.
4. Evening: go easy on alcohol, keep the bedroom cool, and have layers you can throw off for night sweats.
5. Before bed: a magnesium drink 30 to 60 minutes before, if it fits your routine.
6. Autumn and winter: 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day, as the NHS advises.

Many women pair a magnesium drink with a herbal tea; see what’s in Twinings menopause tea and our menopause supplements ranked by evidence.

Side effects and who should check first

At normal doses, magnesium is well tolerated. The usual side effects are loose stools, diarrhoea or an upset stomach, most often with oxide or citrate, or at high doses. Lower the dose or switch to glycinate if this happens. More detail is in magnesium side effects.

• Kidney problems: talk to your GP before taking any magnesium supplement.
• Regular medicines: magnesium can affect how some medicines work, and some medicines affect magnesium. Ask your pharmacist before starting.
• If you take HRT: HRT is a prescribed medicine that replaces oestrogen and progesterone (see the NHS guide to HRT), so ask your GP or pharmacist before adding any supplement.
• Herbal products: the NHS advises talking to a doctor before taking herbal supplements or complementary medicines for menopause.
• Pregnancy: pregnancy is still possible in perimenopause. We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Our products are for adults (18+) only.

When to see your GP

Related guides

• How long menopause lasts, stage by stage.
• Feeling more on edge than usual? See can menopause cause anxiety?
• Mushrooms for menopause: what the evidence says.
• If you’re weighing up a herb as well, see ashwagandha vs magnesium.
• Supplements for women over 40: what’s worth taking.
• Magnesium for bloating and magnesium for constipation.
• Magnesium for cramps and restless legs at night.
• Partners can find practical ideas in perimenopause for partners.
• To compare magnesium with other natural sleep aids in the UK, see our evidence-ranked guide.

• In your 60s and beyond, our guide to magnesium for older adults covers how much you need, kidneys and medicines.