Comparison
Magnesium L-Threonate vs Nicotinamide Riboside
Side-by-side of Magnesium L-Threonate and Nicotinamide Riboside. 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.
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.
Nicotinamide Riboside
Nicotinamide riboside (NR) is the most-studied NAD+ precursor in humans. Sold as Niagen by Chromadex; raises plasma NAD+ 30-60% at 250-1,000 mg/day.
Effects at a glance
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
Nicotinamide Riboside
- •Most-studied NAD+ precursor in human trials; the original Niagen formulation by Chromadex
- •Plasma NAD+ rises 30-60% at 250-1,000 mg/day across multiple human PK trials
- •Martens 2018 reported reduced BP and arterial stiffness at 500 mg/day for 6 weeks
- •Dollerup 2018 found no insulin sensitivity change despite plasma NAD+ rise
- •Tissue NAD+ rise inconsistent; hard clinical endpoints not yet measured
- •Larger human safety database than NMN; comparable mechanistic effects
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Magnesium L-Threonate | Nicotinamide Riboside |
|---|---|---|
| Category | supplement | supplement |
| Also known as | Mg-T, MgT, Magtein, magnesium threonate | NR, Niagen, nicotinamide riboside chloride |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 4 | 8 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 2000 | 500 |
| Dosing frequency | 1 to 3 times daily | daily, typically morning |
| Routes | oral | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | 4 |
| Molecular weight | 294.5 | 255.25 |
| Molecular formula | C8H14MgO10 | C11H15N2O5 |
| Mechanism | 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. | NAD+ precursor via salvage pathway. Phosphorylated to NMN by nicotinamide riboside kinase (NRK), then converted to NAD+. Substrate for sirtuins, PARPs, and CD38. |
| Legal status | OTC dietary supplement | OTC dietary supplement |
| WADA status | allowed | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement (not scheduled) | OTC supplement |
| Pregnancy | Standard magnesium safety; Mg-T-specific data limited | Insufficient data at supplement doses |
| CAS | 778571-57-6 | 1341-23-7 |
| PubChem CID | 10691810 | 439924 |
| Wikidata | Q27151568 | Q3343054 |
Safety profile
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)
Nicotinamide Riboside
Common side effects
- mild GI upset (rare)
- headache (rare)
Contraindications
- pregnancy / lactation (insufficient data)
- active cancer (theoretical, no contraindicating data)
Interactions
- pterostilbene: complementary sirtuin pathway (Basis combination)(minor)
- TMG (trimethylglycine): methylation support during high NAD+ precursor dosing(minor)
Which Should You Take?
Nicotinamide Riboside 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. Magnesium L-Threonate is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → 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.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick Nicotinamide Riboside.
- → If your priority is energy and stamina, pick Nicotinamide Riboside.
Default choice: Nicotinamide Riboside. Lower friction to source, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, 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 Magnesium L-Threonate and Nicotinamide Riboside?
Magnesium L-Threonate and Nicotinamide Riboside 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, Magnesium L-Threonate or Nicotinamide Riboside?
Magnesium L-Threonate half-life is 4 hours; Nicotinamide Riboside half-life is 8 hours.
Can you stack Magnesium L-Threonate with Nicotinamide Riboside?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper