Magnesium pills: Are you taking the right ones for sleep?

When one of his patients ended up having bad stomach cramps, diarrhoea and dehydration, Dr Balakrishna G K, HOD & Sr Consultant Internal Medicine, Gleneagles BGS Hospital, Bengaluru, was stumped.

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Till he found that he had taken magnesium citrate — commonly used in hospitals to flush out the bowels before procedures. “He had taken it thinking it would help him sleep since he had read that magnesium supplements helped people sleep better. Each supplement has a different compound for a specific purpose,” he says.

Magnesium is suddenly everywhere — promoted as a fix for sleep troubles, stress, brain fog, and muscle cramps. “But what many people don't realise is that magnesium isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. There are different forms of it, each with distinct purposes, and using the wrong one can create more problems than it solves,” says Dr Balakrishna.

Which magnesium supplement is good for sleep?