Comparison
EGCG vs Magnesium Glycinate
Side-by-side of EGCG and Magnesium Glycinate. 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.
EGCG
EGCG supplement guide: 300-600 mg/day green tea catechin for fat loss and cardiovascular markers. Hepatotoxicity risk above 800 mg/day fasted.
Magnesium Glycinate
Magnesium glycinate supplement guide: chelated bisglycinate form, 200 to 400 mg dosage, sleep architecture benefits, low GI side effects, glycine co-effect.
Effects at a glance
EGCG
- •Modest fat loss (~1.3 kg over 12 weeks) when combined with caffeine and caloric deficit
- •Small reductions in LDL cholesterol (3-6 mg/dL) and systolic blood pressure (2-3 mmHg)
- •EFSA flags hepatotoxicity risk above 800 mg/day, particularly when taken fasted
- •Bioavailability is 0.1-1.0%; gut microbiome variation drives population-variable response
- •Green tea extract typically combines EGCG with caffeine and L-theanine for additive effects
- •Reduces non-heme iron absorption when co-administered with meals
Magnesium Glycinate
- •Shortens sleep onset latency in older adults and in deficient populations supplementing 200 to 400 mg elemental Mg
- •Improves subjective sleep quality scores (PSQI, ISI) modestly versus placebo over 4 to 8 weeks
- •Reduces nocturnal leg cramps and exercise-induced muscle cramping in some controlled trials
- •Lowers self-reported anxiety in mild-to-moderate cases, with smaller effect than first-line pharmacotherapy
- •Glycinate form delivers fewer GI side effects than oxide or citrate at equivalent elemental doses
- •Insufficient as a stand-alone hypertension treatment; small adjunctive blood-pressure reductions only
Side-by-side
| Attribute | EGCG | Magnesium Glycinate |
|---|---|---|
| Category | natural | supplement |
| Also known as | epigallocatechin gallate, green tea extract | magnesium bisglycinate |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 3 | 5 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 400 | 300 |
| Dosing frequency | 1 to 2 times daily with food | daily (often evening) |
| Routes | oral | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 1.5 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | - |
| Molecular weight | 458.37 | - |
| Molecular formula | C22H18O11 | - |
| Mechanism | Inhibits catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) to prolong norepinephrine signaling; activates AMPK; scavenges reactive oxygen species via gallate ester; modulates gut microbiome and pancreatic lipase activity. | Magnesium acts as a cofactor for 300+ enzymes and as a voltage-dependent antagonist at NMDA receptors; glycine serves as an inhibitory neurotransmitter and co-agonist at glycine receptors. |
| Legal status | Dietary supplement; warning labels required above 800 mg/day in some EU jurisdictions | Dietary supplement |
| WADA status | allowed | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not scheduled | OTC supplement |
| Pregnancy | Avoid high-dose extracts; moderate green tea consumption appears acceptable | Generally considered acceptable at RDA doses; consult clinician |
| CAS | 989-51-5 | 14783-68-7 |
| PubChem CID | 65064 | 84645 |
| Wikidata | Q307091 | - |
Safety profile
EGCG
Common side effects
- nausea
- abdominal discomfort
- diarrhea
- jitteriness (with caffeine)
- sleep disruption (with caffeine)
Contraindications
- pregnancy at high-dose extracts
- active liver disease
- iron deficiency anemia (separate dosing)
Interactions
- iron supplements: reduces non-heme iron absorption; separate by 2 to 3 hours(moderate)
- anticoagulants: additive effects at high catechin doses(minor)
- beta-blockers (nadolol): reduced absorption when taken simultaneously(moderate)
- hepatotoxic supplements (high-dose niacin, kava): theoretical additive hepatotoxicity at high EGCG doses(moderate)
- stimulants and caffeine: additive thermogenic and cardiovascular effects(minor)
Magnesium Glycinate
Common side effects
- mild GI upset at high doses
- loose stools (dose-dependent, less than with oxide/citrate forms)
Contraindications
- severe renal impairment
- myasthenia gravis
- heart block
Interactions
- tetracycline and fluoroquinolone antibiotics: magnesium chelates antibiotic, reducing absorption; separate by 2+ hours(moderate)
- bisphosphonates: reduced absorption of bisphosphonate(moderate)
- potassium-sparing diuretics: possible hypermagnesemia in renal impairment(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
Magnesium Glycinate comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. EGCG is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is metabolic health and glucose control, pick EGCG.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick EGCG.
- → If your priority is sleep onset or sleep quality, pick Magnesium Glycinate.
- → If your priority is post-training recovery, pick Magnesium Glycinate.
Default choice: Magnesium Glycinate. Lower friction to source, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for EGCG 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 EGCG and Magnesium Glycinate?
EGCG and Magnesium Glycinate differ in category (natural vs supplement), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, EGCG or Magnesium Glycinate?
EGCG half-life is 3 hours; Magnesium Glycinate half-life is 5 hours.
Can you stack EGCG with Magnesium Glycinate?
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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