Comparison
Clomiphene vs Magnesium L-Threonate
Side-by-side of Clomiphene 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.
Clomiphene
Clomiphene citrate raises LH/FSH and endogenous testosterone in men. SERM TRT alternative, 25 to 50 mg, fertility preserved, visual side effects flagged.
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
Clomiphene
- •SERM that blocks estrogen-receptor negative feedback at the hypothalamus, raising LH and FSH
- •FDA approved 1967 for ovulation induction in anovulatory women at 50 to 100 mg cycle days 5 to 9
- •Off-label in men at 12.5 to 25 mg daily raises endogenous testosterone while preserving fertility
- •Enclomiphene (trans-isomer) is preferred for male use; cleaner PK and less estrogenic side effect burden
- •Visual disturbances occur in ~1 to 2% of users; persistent symptoms warrant immediate cessation
- •Letrozole has displaced clomiphene as first-line ovulation induction in PCOS (Legro 2014)
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 | Clomiphene | Magnesium L-Threonate |
|---|---|---|
| Category | pharmaceutical | supplement |
| Also known as | Clomid, clomiphene citrate, Serophene, enclomiphene | Mg-T, MgT, Magtein, magnesium threonate |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 168 | 4 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 25 | 2000 |
| Dosing frequency | 5-day pulse cycle days 5 to 9 (women); daily or every other day (men, off-label) | 1 to 3 times daily |
| Routes | oral | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 6 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 7 | 2 |
| Molecular weight | 405.96 | 294.5 |
| Molecular formula | C26H28ClNO | C8H14MgO10 |
| Mechanism | Selective estrogen receptor modulator that antagonizes estrogen at the hypothalamus and pituitary, increasing GnRH and gonadotropin output, which drives gonadal steroidogenesis. | 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 | Prescription only (FDA approved for ovulation induction; off-label in men) | OTC dietary supplement |
| WADA status | banned | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Rx only (not a controlled substance) | OTC supplement (not scheduled) |
| Pregnancy | Category X; contraindicated in pregnancy | Standard magnesium safety; Mg-T-specific data limited |
| CAS | 911-45-5 | 778571-57-6 |
| PubChem CID | 1548953 | 10691810 |
| Wikidata | Q416785 | Q27151568 |
Safety profile
Clomiphene
Common side effects
- hot flushes
- mood changes
- abdominal discomfort
- breast tenderness
- visual disturbances (rare)
- headache
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- active liver disease
- ovarian cysts (not PCOS-related)
- uncontrolled thyroid or adrenal disorder
- abnormal uterine bleeding of undetermined origin
- hormone-sensitive cancer
Interactions
- tamoxifen: competing SERM activity; not used together(moderate)
- ospemifene: competing SERM activity(moderate)
- anastrozole: additive estrogen reduction; sometimes combined in male protocols(minor)
- TRT (exogenous testosterone): TRT suppresses HPT axis that clomiphene targets; do not combine(moderate)
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?
Magnesium L-Threonate comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 2 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-B outcome catalogued. Clomiphene is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is hormonal optimization, pick Clomiphene.
- → If your priority is fertility, pick Clomiphene.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Magnesium L-Threonate.
- → If your priority is sleep onset or sleep quality, pick Magnesium L-Threonate.
Edge case: If you want to avoid prescription-only, Magnesium L-Threonate is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Magnesium L-Threonate. Lower friction to source, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Clomiphene 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 Clomiphene and Magnesium L-Threonate?
Clomiphene and Magnesium L-Threonate differ in category (pharmaceutical vs supplement), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Clomiphene or Magnesium L-Threonate?
Clomiphene half-life is 168 hours; Magnesium L-Threonate half-life is 4 hours.
Can you stack Clomiphene 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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