Which magnesium supplement is right for you depends on what you want it to do, not on which bottle costs most. Glycinate is the gentle all-rounder, citrate doubles as a mild laxative, oxide is the cheapest tablet, malate suits daytime use, and L-threonate is the expensive one bought for cognitive reasons. At Orpa these run from ৳1,950 to ৳6,500 a bottle.
This guide sets the common forms side by side, says who each one tends to suit, and prices what is actually in stock today. If you have already settled on glycinate, the magnesium glycinate price guide compares ten bottles on cost per capsule.
Which magnesium supplement suits which purpose
| Form | Usually taken for | Tolerance | In stock at Orpa | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glycinate | Sleep, cramps, daily top-up | Gentle on the stomach | Widely stocked | ৳2,040 |
| Citrate | Constipation, general use | Loosens stools at higher doses | Nature Made 250 mg, 120 softgels | ৳3,520 |
| Oxide | Cheapest elemental magnesium | Poorly absorbed, laxative effect | Puritan’s Pride 500 mg, 100 tablets | ৳1,950 |
| Malate | Daytime use, muscle aches | Generally well tolerated | NOW Foods, 180 veg capsules | ৳3,690 |
| L-threonate | Memory and focus claims | Well tolerated, costly | Five Magtein products | ৳4,150 |
| Blends | Covering several forms at once | Depends on the mix | Carlyle and NatureBell triples | ৳3,620 |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Prices are today’s selling prices on the pages linked below and change over time. Everything listed is imported and sold sealed.
1. Magnesium glycinate
Magnesium bound to the amino acid glycine. It is the form most people are pointed to first, because it is absorbed reasonably well and rarely upsets the stomach. That combination is why it is the one taken at night for sleep and for leg cramps.
Orpa stocks it more deeply than any other form, from roughly ৳2,040 to ৳5,650 a bottle. The catch is the label: a “1000 mg” glycinate capsule is 1,000 mg of the compound, not 1,000 mg of magnesium. The glycinate price guide works through what each bottle costs per capsule.
2. Magnesium citrate
Magnesium bound to citric acid, absorbed better than oxide and cheaper than glycinate per unit of magnesium. It draws water into the bowel, which is why it is sold both as a supplement and as an occasional constipation remedy.
That effect is the deciding factor. If your digestion is already loose, citrate is the wrong pick. In stock: Nature Made Magnesium Citrate 250 mg, 120 softgels at ৳3,520.
3. Magnesium oxide
The cheapest form per milligram, and the least absorbed. A large share of what your body does not take up stays in the gut, which is where the laxative reputation comes from. Most low-cost tablets labelled simply “Magnesium 500 mg” use it.
It still has a place: if you want the lowest price per bottle and mild constipation relief is welcome rather than unwelcome, it does the job. In stock: Puritan’s Pride Magnesium 500 mg, 100 tablets at ৳1,950.
4. Magnesium malate
Magnesium bound to malic acid, a compound involved in energy production in the cell. It is usually taken in the morning rather than at night, and it is a common pick for muscle aches and for people who find glycinate too sedating.
In stock: NOW Foods Magnesium Malate, 180 veg capsules at ৳3,690, which works out cheaper per capsule than most 90-count bottles.
5. Magnesium L-threonate
The newest and by far the most expensive form, sold under the patented Magtein name. It is bought for memory and focus rather than for cramps or sleep, on the basis of a small evidence base that is still thin compared with the older forms.
Orpa carries five: Piping Rock Magtein, 90 capsules at ৳4,150 is the cheapest entry point, and Life Extension Neuro-Mag at ৳5,790 the best known. Note the elemental dose: a 2,000 mg L-threonate serving carries roughly 144 mg of magnesium.
6. Blends and the forms nobody stocks
Blends cover several forms in one capsule. Carlyle Triple Magnesium Complex 400 mg at ৳3,620 combines malate, glycinate and citrate; NatureBell’s triple complex is ৳3,890 for 240 capsules. They suit people who do not want to choose.
Two forms come up in searches but are not on the shelf. Magnesium taurate, often discussed for heart health, returns no product at Orpa by that name today. Magnesium carbonate is mostly sold inside antacids rather than as a standalone supplement.
The label number is not the magnesium you get
Every bottle states the weight of the compound, and the elemental magnesium inside it is a fraction of that. Oxide carries the highest share by weight but delivers the least, because so little is absorbed. Glycinate carries a lower share and delivers more of it.
The figure worth comparing is the elemental magnesium per serving, printed on the supplement facts panel. Adults need roughly 310 to 420 mg a day from food and supplements combined, depending on age and sex, and food does much of that work: pumpkin seeds, spinach, almonds, black beans and dark chocolate are all dense sources.
How to pick one in a minute
- Sleep, cramps or a general daily top-up — glycinate.
- Constipation alongside the magnesium — citrate.
- Lowest price per bottle — oxide, accepting weaker absorption.
- Daytime use, sore muscles — malate.
- Memory and focus, budget no object — L-threonate.
- Cannot decide — a triple-magnesium blend.
Whichever you pick, start at the lower end of the label dose and take it with food. Everything discussed here sits in food supplements, and cash on delivery is available nationwide.
Dose, timing and what not to take it with
Label doses on the bottles here range from about 100 mg to 400 mg of elemental magnesium per serving. Starting at the lower end for a week is the sensible approach, because the first sign of too much is loose stools rather than anything dangerous. Splitting a larger dose across two servings usually settles that.
Timing matters less than people expect, with two exceptions. Magnesium taken at the same time as certain antibiotics, including tetracyclines and quinolones, binds them in the gut and cuts how much of the drug is absorbed; the usual advice is a gap of two to four hours. Zinc in large doses competes with magnesium for uptake, so separating them is worth doing if you take both. Taking magnesium with a meal reduces stomach upset for most people, and it is the simplest way to remember a daily supplement.
People with kidney disease, heart block, or myasthenia gravis should not start magnesium without medical advice, because they clear it differently or react to it differently. The same applies during pregnancy, where the dose question is worth asking your doctor rather than a product page.
Frequently asked questions
Which magnesium supplement is best for sleep?
Glycinate is the usual answer, because glycine itself is calming and the form rarely upsets the stomach at bedtime. Taken an hour before bed is the common pattern.
What is the cheapest magnesium supplement in Bangladesh?
At Orpa today it is Puritan’s Pride Magnesium 500 mg, 100 tablets at ৳1,950, an oxide tablet. Cheapest per bottle is not the same as cheapest per absorbed milligram.
Is magnesium glycinate better than citrate?
Better for different things. Glycinate is gentler and easier to take daily; citrate is cheaper per unit of magnesium and moves the bowels. If loose stools would be a problem for you, glycinate is the safer pick.
Can I take magnesium every day?
Most people do, within the dose on the label. Excess is usually passed rather than stored, but magnesium interacts with some medicines and is handled differently in kidney disease, so ask your doctor if you take prescription medication.
What time of day should I take magnesium?
Glycinate in the evening, malate in the morning, and citrate whenever suits, allowing for its effect on digestion. Consistency matters more than timing.
Does magnesium help with muscle cramps?
It is one of the most common reasons people start taking it, and low magnesium is associated with cramping. Whether a supplement helps depends on whether you were short of it to begin with.
Are these supplements original?
Yes. Orpa imports them in sealed manufacturer packaging with the original label and batch code intact.
This guide is general information about products Orpa sells, not medical advice. Magnesium interacts with several medicines, including some antibiotics and diuretics, and dosing differs in kidney disease and pregnancy. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist before starting a supplement. Prices and stock were correct on 18 September 2026 and change over time.
