Which Magnesium Is Best for Constipation?
Magnesium oxide outperformed placebo by a striking margin in controlled trials: 68% of people responded to it compared to just 19% on placebo, gaining roughly 3.7 more complete bowel movements per week with softer stools. That's from a 2023 meta-analysis, and it makes magnesium oxide the only form with strong, direct clinical evidence for chronic constipation. The other forms you'll see recommended online, magnesium citrate, hydroxide, sulfate, aren't necessarily bad options. They just don't have the same quality of data behind them. This distinction matters because "magnesium for constipation" gets treated as one category when it really isn't. The forms differ in strength, evidence level, and best use case.