Comparison
Citicoline vs Magnesium L-Threonate
Side-by-side of Citicoline and Magnesium L-Threonate. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
Citicoline
Citicoline supplement profile: CDP-choline as a phosphatidylcholine precursor, Cognizin dosing 250-2000 mg, cognition trials, stroke recovery evidence.
Magnesium L-Threonate
Magnesium l-threonate (Magtein) crosses the blood-brain barrier. Typical dose 1,500-2,000 mg. Sleep and cognitive trial data, side effects.
Effects at a glance
Citicoline
- •Choline donor and phosphatidylcholine precursor; oral bioavailability roughly 99%
- •Standard prescription medication for stroke recovery and vascular cognitive impairment in much of the world
- •Healthy-adult cognitive trials (Cognizin) report small gains in attention and working memory at 250 to 500 mg/day
- •ICTUS trial (n=2,298) was negative on stroke recovery in the modern thrombolysis era
- •Lower per-gram choline content than alpha-GPC (~18% vs ~40%), meaning smaller TMAO load at equivalent dose
- •Long uridine half-life (~56 hours) supports once or twice daily dosing
Magnesium L-Threonate
- •Distinct magnesium salt designed for blood-brain barrier penetration; not a higher-quality systemic magnesium
- •Liu 2010 rodent study: elevated CSF magnesium ~15% and increased hippocampal synaptic density
- •Trial portfolio in humans is small and mostly Magtein-funded; cognitive effects are modest where reported
- •Typical dose 1500 to 2000 mg/day delivers only ~108 to 144 mg of elemental magnesium
- •GI tolerability comparable to other magnesium forms; loose stools in a minority at 2000 mg/day
- •Distinct from magnesium glycinate, which is the conventional sleep/anxiety/repletion form
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Citicoline | Magnesium L-Threonate |
|---|---|---|
| Category | supplement | supplement |
| Also known as | CDP-choline, cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine, Cognizin | Mg-T, MgT, Magtein, magnesium threonate |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 56 | 4 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 500 | 2000 |
| Dosing frequency | 1 to 2 times daily | 1 to 3 times daily |
| Routes | oral, intravenous | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | 2 |
| Molecular weight | 488.32 | 294.5 |
| Molecular formula | C14H26N4O11P2 | C8H14MgO10 |
| Mechanism | Hydrolyzed to cytidine and choline after absorption; both cross the blood-brain barrier and are recombined intracellularly to reform CDP-choline, supporting phosphatidylcholine synthesis and acetylcholine production. | Proposed to deliver magnesium across the blood-brain barrier more effectively than other oral salts via threonate-related transporters, raising CNS magnesium and modulating NMDA receptor function and synaptic plasticity. |
| Legal status | Dietary supplement (US, Cognizin GRAS); prescription medication in most of the world | OTC dietary supplement |
| WADA status | allowed | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement (US); Rx in most of the world | OTC supplement (not scheduled) |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data for routine use | Standard magnesium safety; Mg-T-specific data limited |
| CAS | 987-78-0 | 778571-57-6 |
| PubChem CID | 13804 | 10691810 |
| Wikidata | Q411470 | Q27151568 |
Safety profile
Citicoline
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
- headache
- restlessness
- occasional insomnia with evening dosing
Contraindications
- concurrent strong anticholinergic therapy
- established cardiovascular disease (TMAO concern, smaller than alpha-GPC)
Interactions
- anticholinergic medications: partial mutual antagonism(minor)
- cholinesterase inhibitors: additive cholinergic effect(minor)
- antimetabolite chemotherapy (5-FU): theoretical cytidine pathway interaction(minor)
Magnesium L-Threonate
Common side effects
- loose stools
- mild GI upset
- headache (rare)
- fatigue (rare)
Contraindications
- severe renal impairment (eGFR below 30)
- hypermagnesemia
- myasthenia gravis (high doses)
- concurrent IV magnesium therapy
Interactions
- tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones: magnesium chelation reduces antibiotic absorption; separate by 2 to 4 hours(moderate)
- bisphosphonates: reduced absorption; separate by 2 hours minimum(moderate)
- muscle relaxants and aminoglycosides: potentiated neuromuscular blockade at high doses(moderate)
- antihypertensives: additive blood pressure reduction at high doses(minor)
Which Should You Take?
Citicoline comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-B outcome catalogued. Magnesium L-Threonate is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is stroke recovery, pick Citicoline.
- → If your priority is choline supply, pick Citicoline.
- → If your priority is sleep onset or sleep quality, pick Magnesium L-Threonate.
Edge case: Half-lives differ materially (Citicoline ~56 hr vs Magnesium L-Threonate ~4 hr). Citicoline reaches steady state faster; Magnesium L-Threonate is easier to dial in if tolerability is uncertain.
Default choice: Citicoline. Lower friction to source, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Magnesium L-Threonate only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between Citicoline and Magnesium L-Threonate?
Citicoline and Magnesium L-Threonate differ in category (supplement vs supplement), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Citicoline or Magnesium L-Threonate?
Citicoline half-life is 56 hours; Magnesium L-Threonate half-life is 4 hours.
Can you stack Citicoline with Magnesium L-Threonate?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
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