The short answer
Magnesium glycinate and magnesium bisglycinate are the same compound, not two products. PubChem lists all of these names, including magnesium diglycinate, under one entry, CID 84645, with the molecular formula C4H8MgN2O4 [1]. The EU list of permitted mineral sources uses only the name magnesium bisglycinate [2]. The real differences between two bottles are the declared amount of elemental magnesium and which other magnesium forms share the ingredient list.
Are magnesium glycinate and magnesium bisglycinate the same compound?
Yes, they are chemically identical. PubChem CID 84645 resolves the names magnesium glycinate, magnesium bisglycinate, magnesium diglycinate, bis(glycinato)magnesium and magnesium bis(glycinate) to the same substance, with the molecular formula C4H8MgN2O4, a molecular weight of 172.42 g/mol and CAS number 14783-68-7 [1]. A bottle labelled glycinate and a bottle labelled bisglycinate can contain exactly the same molecule.
The prefix bis simply describes the structure: one magnesium ion bound to two glycine molecules, which is why the IUPAC name is magnesium bis(2-aminoacetate). Glycinate is the shorter everyday name for the same thing. Bisglycinate is not a stronger or purer version, and diglycinate is not a third compound either.
Why does one compound have so many names?
Because chemistry, regulation and marketing each use their own vocabulary. Chemistry gives the compound its IUPAC name, magnesium bis(2-aminoacetate). Shops and search engines shorten it to glycinate. EU food law lists permitted sources by a name of its own, bisglycinate. None of these names changes the molecule itself.
Chelated and buffered are not names of a compound. Neither word appears in the EU list of permitted mineral sources [2], so a label that leans on them still owes you the actual ingredient names.
Is every chelated magnesium a bisglycinate?
No. Chelated describes a kind of binding between a mineral and an organic molecule, and bisglycinate is one specific compound of that kind. The EU list also holds magnesium L-lysinate [2], for example. The word chelated alone does not tell you which compound is in the capsule or how much magnesium it supplies.
Which name does EU law use?
The EU positive list of mineral sources, Annex II of Directive 2002/46/EC as replaced by Regulation (EC) No 1170/2009, contains the name magnesium bisglycinate [2][3]. The words magnesium glycinate, chelated and buffered are not on that list. On an EU ingredient list, magnesium bisglycinate is the name to look for.
The same list also contains the other magnesium sources you may see on labels, for example magnesium oxide, magnesium malate, magnesium lactate, magnesium gluconate, magnesium L-ascorbate, magnesium salts of citric acid and magnesium salts of orthophosphoric acid. If a label shows several of these names, the product holds several magnesium compounds, not one. For a broader guide to which label terms carry a legal definition, see which supplement label words are legally defined.
How much magnesium is in 1 gram of bisglycinate?
As a calculation from the pure, water-free compound: magnesium bisglycinate is 14.1 percent magnesium by weight, based on its molecular weight of 172.42 g/mol. That means 1 gram of magnesium bisglycinate holds about 141 mg of elemental magnesium, and 500 mg holds about 70 mg.
The same arithmetic explains why labels matter so much. The EU Nutrient Reference Value for magnesium is 375 mg per day under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 [4], and reaching that from pure bisglycinate alone would take about 2.66 grams of the compound. Raw material that carries bound water, or that mixes in other magnesium sources, holds less magnesium per gram. That is why the figure to trust is the elemental magnesium on the label.
Is 500 mg of magnesium bisglycinate 500 mg of magnesium?
No. A label line that reads 500 mg magnesium bisglycinate describes the weight of the whole compound, and about 70 mg of that is elemental magnesium. A label line that reads 70 mg magnesium describes the mineral itself. These two label styles are not interchangeable, and comparing products without converting them is meaningless.
EU labels have to give that figure. Article 8(1) of Directive 2002/46/EC says the amount of the nutrients present in the product shall be declared on the labelling in numerical form [2], and the nutrient here is magnesium. A front label can still show the bigger compound weight, so look for the milligrams of magnesium in the nutrition table.
What does buffered magnesium glycinate mean?
Buffered is not on the EU list of permitted sources [2], and we found no legal definition of it. As label logic: if a product calls itself buffered, or if its ingredient list also names another magnesium source such as magnesium oxide, the product holds more than one magnesium compound. The word buffered is a signal to read the full ingredient list, not a quality grade.
A buffered product is therefore not the same thing as a pure bisglycinate product, even when the front of the bottle says glycinate in large letters. The ingredient list tells you what is actually inside.
Does the name change how well it is absorbed?
No. Glycinate and bisglycinate are one compound, so swapping the name cannot change absorption. The two studies below did not compare the names: one tested bisglycinate against other sources, the other tested two bisglycinate products.
In a double-blind, randomised cross-over study with 40 healthy adults on a low-magnesium diet, magnesium bisglycinate showed no significant rise in blood plasma magnesium at 1, 4 or 6 hours [7]. That study was built to test a branded microencapsulated ingredient, plasma is only one measure, and the result does not show that nothing was absorbed.
The second study is closer to the point of this article. In a laboratory simulation of the upper gut under fasted conditions, two magnesium bisglycinate capsule products with similar magnesium content did not behave alike: one gave 17 percent higher overall magnesium availability, and dialyzable magnesium at the end was 53 mg versus 39 mg (p = 0.0009) [8]. Same name, different finished product, in a model and not in people. The authors say studies in people still have to confirm it. For the broader question of which forms absorb best, read which form of magnesium is best absorbed.
How do you compare two magnesium labels?
Compare milligrams of elemental magnesium per daily serving. If a front label gives only a bisglycinate weight and bisglycinate is the only source, multiply that weight by 0.141 for a rough figure. With several sources this shortcut fails, so use the magnesium figure in the nutrition table.
A worked example, as a calculation. Bottle A says 1,000 mg of magnesium bisglycinate on the front: about 141 mg of magnesium, or 38 percent of the 375 mg NRV. Bottle B says 150 mg of magnesium on the front: 40 percent of the NRV. Bottle A shows the bigger number and delivers slightly less magnesium.
Then check what the figure refers to. An amount per capsule and an amount per daily serving are different numbers, so divide or multiply until both labels describe the same daily serving.
What should you check on the label?
Check the elemental magnesium figure first, then the full ingredient list. The table below shows which label lines carry real information and which do not.
| Label line | What it tells you | What it does not |
|---|---|---|
| Magnesium bisglycinate | The name this source has on the EU list | How much magnesium you get |
| Magnesium glycinate | The same compound under its everyday name | How much magnesium you get |
| X mg magnesium | Elemental magnesium, if the serving is stated | Which source it comes from |
| X mg magnesium bisglycinate | Weight of the compound, about 14.1 percent of it is magnesium | Elemental magnesium unless converted |
| Buffered | A signal to read the ingredient list | Any legally defined property |
| Several magnesium sources listed | A multi-form product | Per-form amounts, unless declared |
How does our own product hold up to this test?
Our Magnesium 7 in 1 is a seven-form complex, not a pure bisglycinate. Each daily serving of 2 capsules delivers 251 mg of elemental magnesium, which is 67 percent of the 375 mg NRV, plus 28.1 mg of vitamin C at 35 percent NRV.
The seven magnesium forms are malate, phosphate, citrate, bisglycinate, gluconate, lactate and ascorbate. Each of them has a place on the EU list [2]. So the same test applies to us: if you are looking for a bisglycinate-only product, this is not it. If you want several sources in one serving, it is. The reasoning behind combining forms is explained in the 7 forms of magnesium and why taking just one is not enough.
What may a magnesium label claim?
Only authorised EU wording, and it is the same for every form of magnesium. Under Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 and the EU Register [5][6], the wording includes: Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function. Magnesium contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system. Magnesium contributes to electrolyte balance. Magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
There is no authorised magnesium claim for sleep, and no claim is specific to bisglycinate. A label cannot promise more because the compound has a longer name.
Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle, and the recommended daily dose should not be exceeded.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is magnesium bisglycinate better than magnesium glycinate?
No, because they are the same compound under different names. PubChem resolves both names to one entry, CID 84645, with one molecular formula [1]. A difference between two bottles comes from formulation and the declared elemental magnesium, not from which of the two names is printed.
What is magnesium diglycinate?
A third name for the same compound. Magnesium diglycinate also resolves to PubChem CID 84645, alongside glycinate and bisglycinate [1]. You may meet it in scientific papers.
How many milligrams of magnesium are in 1 gram of magnesium bisglycinate?
About 141 mg. This is a calculation: pure, water-free magnesium bisglycinate is 14.1 percent magnesium by weight, based on a molecular weight of 172.42 g/mol. Material with bound water or mixed sources holds less, so read the elemental figure on the label.
Why do some labels say bisglycinate and others say glycinate?
Because both names are in use, in shops and in science. The EU list of mineral sources names only magnesium bisglycinate [2], while glycinate is the word most people search for, so you will see both on the same page. Read either one as the same compound.
Does a buffered label mean the product is better?
No. Buffered is not on the EU list of permitted sources [2] and it is no quality grade. Treat it as a reason to read the ingredient list, because it can mean that more than one magnesium compound is present.
The Bottom Line
Magnesium glycinate and magnesium bisglycinate are one compound with several names, and bisglycinate is the name on the EU list. The numbers tell two bottles apart: the milligrams of elemental magnesium per daily serving, and the sources listed behind them. Our own Magnesium 7 in 1 is a seven-form complex with 251 mg of elemental magnesium per daily serving, so it is not a bisglycinate-only product.
Sources
- Magnesium glycinate, compound summary, CID 84645. PubChem, National Library of Medicine.
- Directive 2002/46/EC on food supplements, consolidated text with Annex II. European Parliament and Council, consolidated 2017.
- Regulation (EC) No 1170/2009 amending Annexes I and II of Directive 2002/46/EC. European Commission, 2009.
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers. European Parliament and Council, 2011.
- Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods. European Commission, 2012.
- EU Register of nutrition and health claims made on foods. European Commission.
- Comparative Clinical Study on Magnesium Absorption and Side Effects After Oral Intake of Microencapsulated Magnesium (MAGSHAPETM Microcapsules) Versus Other Magnesium Sources. Nutrients, 2024.
- Comparison of the Bioaccessibility of Two Formulations of Magnesium Bisglycinate Using an In Vitro Simulation of the Upper Gastrointestinal Tract. Journal of Dietary Supplements, 2026.
