Magnesium N-Acetyltaurine for Raising Blood Magnesium
Magnesium N-acetyltaurine (MgNAT) is effective at raising blood magnesium levels and demonstrates superior brain tissue penetration compared to commonly prescribed magnesium supplements like magnesium oxide and magnesium citrate.
Evidence for Blood Magnesium Elevation
MgNAT has been directly studied for its ability to raise magnesium levels in multiple tissues:
Serum magnesium increases: A single 400 mg/70 kg dose of magnesium acetyl taurate raised serum magnesium levels, with the second highest area under the curve (AUC) calculation among five tested compounds 1
Rapid absorption profile: MgNAT was rapidly absorbed following oral administration, demonstrating quick bioavailability 1
Dose-dependent tissue penetration: Brain magnesium levels increased across all doses tested (45,135, and 405 mg/70 kg elemental magnesium) in subjects receiving magnesium acetyl taurate 2
Comparative Effectiveness
When compared head-to-head with other magnesium formulations:
Superior to common supplements: Magnesium acetyl taurate had significantly higher bioavailability than magnesium oxide and magnesium citrate, which are commonly prescribed but had the lowest bioavailability among tested compounds 1
Brain penetration advantage: MgNAT was able to pass through to the brain easily and achieved the highest tissue concentration levels in brain tissue compared to other formulations 1
Endothelial function restoration: Two weeks of MgNAT supplementation was significantly more effective in restoring eNOS levels compared to all other studied compounds except magnesium oxybutyrate, and equally effective at reversing endothelial dysfunction markers caused by magnesium deficiency 3
Functional Outcomes Beyond Blood Levels
The effectiveness of MgNAT extends to clinically meaningful outcomes:
Synaptic plasticity improvement: Oral administration at 50 mg/kg/day (comparable to human dosing) significantly improved long-term potentiation in hippocampal slices of magnesium-deficient rats 4
NMDA receptor upregulation: Treatment increased expression of NR2B subunit of NMDA receptors in the hippocampus, demonstrating central nervous system bioavailability 4
Behavioral effects: MgNAT was associated with decreased anxiety indicators, suggesting functional brain tissue penetration 1
Clinical Context and Practical Considerations
Important caveat: While organic magnesium salts generally have better bioavailability than inorganic compounds 2, the specific advantage of MgNAT lies in its brain penetration rather than just serum elevation 1.
Dosing strategy: Dividing high daily doses (405 mg/70 kg split into two 202.5 mg doses every 12 hours) did not sufficiently increase tissue magnesium levels compared to single dosing 2, suggesting once-daily administration may be preferable
Comparison with magnesium malate: Magnesium malate had the highest overall AUC and remained elevated longer in serum 1, making it potentially superior for sustained serum elevation if brain penetration is not the primary goal
Organic vs inorganic salts: For general magnesium supplementation, organic salts (aspartate, citrate, lactate, acetyl taurate) have higher bioavailability than magnesium oxide or hydroxide 5
Mechanism of Vascular Protection
The taurine component provides complementary benefits:
- Synergistic calcium regulation: Both magnesium and taurine work through mechanisms that reduce cytoplasmic free calcium levels, providing parallel vascular-protective effects including antihypertensive, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-arrhythmic, and antithrombotic actions 6
Bottom line: MgNAT effectively raises blood magnesium levels with superior bioavailability compared to commonly prescribed formulations, while offering the unique advantage of enhanced brain tissue penetration and functional neurological benefits 1, 4.