Thought bisglycinate was the best option? Here's what science just revealed
If you're interested in magnesium supplementation, you've probably heard of bisglycinate as THE champion of assimilation. This is legitimate: this chelated form is indeed well absorbed. But a new study has challenged this certainty, and it concerns 100% natural marine magnesium, sourced from the salt marshes of Guérande.
Spoiler: AlgoSource liquid marine magnesium offers bioavailability equivalent to bisglycinate, with additional benefits that many are unaware of.
Why magnesium? The basics
Magnesium is involved in over 300 essential metabolic processes: energy production, nerve transmission, muscle contraction, and stress regulation. In France, as in most Western countries, intake is insufficient: approximately 30 to 40% of the population does not meet their daily needs.
More and more consumers are turning to food supplements to compensate. But with the various forms available (oxide, bisglycinate, malate, marine...), the choice becomes confusing. What is really the best option?
The scientific test: four magnesiums face to face
Algosource commissioned a rigorous comparative study to answer this question. Four products were tested under the same conditions:
- Algosource low-salt liquid marine magnesium (ampoules)
- Magnesium oxide (capsules)
- Magnesium bisglycinate (powder)
- Magnesium malate (capsules)
The researchers measured four essential criteria:
- Solubility (can it dissolve in water?)
- Safety for intestinal cells (cytotoxicity)
- Intestinal barrier integrity (TEER)
- Bioavailability (actual absorption efficiency)
The results? Surprising in more ways than one.
The secret of solubility: the advantage of liquid
First observation: to be absorbed, magnesium must be dissolved.
This is a simple but decisive principle. Only dissolved magnesium can cross the intestinal wall. The other forms? They must first dissolve in your stomach, which depends on your gastric acidity, your general condition, what you have eaten...
Here are the results:
| Formula | Solubility |
|---|---|
| AlgoSource Marine Magnesium | 100% ✓ |
| Magnesium bisglycinate | 83% |
| Magnesium malate | 79% |
| Magnesium oxide | 0% |
AlgoSource marine magnesium achieves 100% solubility. This is no small difference: it means that every microgram ingested is available for absorption. With bisglycinate, 17% of the dose remains unusable.
Bioassimilation: AlgoSource marine magnesium rivals the champion
Now, the decisive question: is liquid marine magnesium as well assimilated as bisglycinate?
The study precisely measured the amount of magnesium crossing the intestinal barrier (Caco-2 barrier, the reference model).
The figures speak for themselves:
- AlgoSource marine magnesium: 22.1% to 30.7% efficacy depending on the dose
- Magnesium bisglycinate: 25.8% to 27.6% efficacy
- Magnesium malate: 29.7% to 31.2% efficacy
- Magnesium oxide: 0% (no absorption)
Verdict: AlgoSource marine magnesium shows bioassimilation equivalent to bisglycinate, one of the most recognized forms for its assimilation. This is scientific equality.
But wait, there's more.
The unexpected advantage: intestinal barrier protection
This is where AlgoSource marine magnesium truly stands out.
Intestinal health is not just about magnesium absorption. The integrity of the intestinal barrier itself is crucial for overall health. Scientists measure this via TEER (transepithelial electrical resistance), a gold standard marker for the strength of the "tight junctions" that seal your intestine.
Surprising result: AlgoSource marine magnesium is the only formulation to increase TEER in a dose-dependent manner. The others (including bisglycinate) produced no effect.
What does this mean in practice?
- Reduced intestinal permeability (fewer "leaks")
- Enhanced epithelial resilience (better defense)
- Modulation of inflammatory responses (inflammation regulation)
This unique ability to strengthen the intestinal barrier is highlighted by several studies: Turner (2009) and Galipeau & Verdu (2016) show that mineral ions like Mg²⁺ influence tight junction proteins (claudins and occludins).
Translation: AlgoSource marine magnesium doesn't just get absorbed. It actively improves your intestinal health.
Assimilation stability: the advantage of liquid
One last technical detail, but crucial.
With bisglycinate and malate, assimilation efficiency decreases at higher doses. The more you take, the less well it's absorbed. This is a classic phenomenon called "absorption saturation."
AlgoSource marine magnesium? Stable assimilation regardless of concentrations. No loss of efficacy.
Why? Because being already 100% dissolved in liquid ionic form, there is no dissolution step to cross. This is a significant practical advantage if you plan regular supplementation.
The unique argument: Guérande naturalness
Until now, we've talked about science. Now, let's talk about origin and authenticity.
AlgoSource marine magnesium comes from the salt marshes of Guérande, in Loire-Atlantique. These are not synthetic basins: it is a living geography, cultivated for centuries, with a reputation that is well established.
Three concrete advantages:
-
Natural "mother waters": at the end of the salt harvesting season, what the salt workers call "mother waters" remain in the basins because they are a very rich matrix of trace elements. This is no longer seawater but an exceptional raw material that AlgoSource values.
-
Proprietary sodium reduction process: AlgoSource implements an exclusive process that significantly reduces the sodium content of its marine magnesium (thus eliminating all the assimilation complaints or intestinal discomfort often attributed to marine magnesium) while maintaining the highly assimilable ionic form. This is a major innovation.
-
Traceability and authenticity: no imports, no intermediaries. Guérande is nearby. It's French, it's made in France.
For consumers concerned with authenticity and provenance, this is an incomparable asset.
Safety: the best tolerated magnesium
The study also evaluated safety on intestinal cells (cytotoxicity test, NOAEL).
AlgoSource marine magnesium showed the best tolerance (NOAEL of 12.5%), well above other forms, including bisglycinate (0.8%).
Simply translated: it is the safest formulation, even at high concentrations.
In summary: why is AlgoSource liquid marine magnesium a smart choice?
| Criterion | AlgoSource Marine Magnesium | Bisglycinate |
|---|---|---|
| Solubility | 100% ✓ | 83% |
| Bioassimilation | ≈ 25% | ≈ 27% |
| Intestinal barrier protection | ✓ Unique | ✗ No |
| Assimilation stability | ✓ Stable | ✗ Decreases |
| Naturalness | ✓ Marine, Guérande | ✗ Synthesized |
| Cellular tolerance | ✓ Excellent | ✓ Good |
Who should prefer AlgoSource marine magnesium?
Consumers who want:
- Scientifically validated efficacy, equal to the best current forms
- A bonus effect on intestinal health (strengthened barrier)
- A natural and traceable origin (French, marine, Guérande)
- A liquid formulation (easier to dose, already dissolved)
- Better cellular tolerance
A word on the limitation: in vitro study
For transparency: this study was conducted in the laboratory, on intestinal cells (Caco-2), and not on humans. This is a scientifically rigorous starting point, but it is different from a clinical study. The results are promising, conducted according to a clinical standard for this type of analysis, but confirmation on volunteers would be the next step.
Conclusion: more than supplementation, an intelligent choice
AlgoSource liquid marine magnesium is not only as effective as bisglycinate. It is an alternative that combines:
- Scientific efficacy (equivalent bioavailability)
- Additional benefits (intestinal protection)
- Natural authenticity (Guérande origin)
- Optimal safety (better tolerance)
For those who hesitated between "scientific" and "natural", this magnesium proves that these two aspirations are not contradictory. They can converge towards one and the same product.