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Head-to-head evidence comparison — which supplement is right for you?
Magnesium vs Valerian Root: Magnesium has the stronger overall evidence (8.5 vs 5.5/10); they're alternatives for perceived sleep quality — the best pick depends on your goals. Take the 60-second quiz for a pick tailored to your goals.
Magnesium wins 3 of 3 categories. Both are solid choices — the best pick depends on your specific goals.
Verdict
Mixed evidence
2 of 6 studies with measurable effects showed benefit.
Top outcomes
Verdict
Too few graded studies
1 of 1 studies with measurable effects showed benefit.
Top outcomes
200-250mg elemental magnesium daily
Evening for sleep/relaxation (glycinate), Morning for energy (malate), Anytime (citrate)
Depends on goal - see notes
300-600mg extract
30-60 minutes before bed
Standardized extract capsules
and 4 more not shown
and 1 more not shown
1-2 weeks
1-2 weeks
1 week
Immediate
2-4 weeks
2-4 weeks
Next morning
Immediate
Magnesium supplementation in pregnancy
The Cochrane database of systematic reviews (2014) · Meta analysis · n=9090
Ten trials involving 9090 women and their babies. Only two were judged to be of high quality overall.
Magnesium Supplementation and Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Hypertension (2025) · Meta analysis · n=2709
38 RCTs with 2709 participants, median 365 mg elemental magnesium for a median 12 weeks. Systolic BP -2.81 mmHg (95% CI -4.32 to -1.29), diastolic -2.05 mmHg versus placebo.
Magnesium and Potassium Supplementation for Systolic Blood Pressure Reduction in the General Normotensive Population: A Systematic Review and Subgroup Meta-Analysis for Optimal Dosage and Treatment Length
Nutrients (2024) · Meta analysis
Both supplements demonstrated greater reductions in SBP for the general population at lower dosages and longer treatment durations.
Valerian Root in Treating Sleep Problems and Associated Disorders-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Journal of evidence-based integrative medicine (2020) · Meta analysis · n=6894
In addition, therapeutic benefits could be optimized when it was combined with appropriate herbal partners.
Fixed herbal drug combination with and without butterbur (Ze 185) for the treatment of patients with somatoform disorders: randomized, placebo-controlled pharmaco-clinical trial
Phytotherapy research : PTR (2009) · Rct · n=182
Analysis of the ITT population confirmed these results.
Herbal Medicines in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Therapeutic Potential, Plant Components, and Dosage Guidelines
Alternative therapies in health and medicine (2025) · Review
Passionflower and Valerian Root alleviate anxiety and hyperactivity through GABAergic pathways.
The two points come from two separate placebo-controlled trials, not from one trial comparing doses. 400 mg of aqueous root extract, taken on separate test nights, shortened self-rated sleep latency and improved sleep quality in 128 people, most clearly in poor or irregular sleepers (PMID 7122669). 530 mg of root extract nightly for 30 nights improved Pittsburgh sleep quality scores after heart bypass surgery in 72 patients, with no change in prothrombin time (PMID 33420602). The extracts and populations differ, so the curve is drawn flat and cannot show whether 530 mg does more than 400 mg. The cited meta-analyses found subjective improvement but give no per-trial doses (PMID 17145239, 33086877). No higher nightly dose for sleep was tested in a cited trial.
AI-estimated from published studies. Interpret as directional guidance.
Magnesium has a higher evidence score (8.5/10 vs 5.5/10) and wins in 3 of 3 categories.
For perceived sleep quality, Magnesium has a higher relevance score (90 vs 75).
No documented interaction was found in the data searched. This does not establish that this exact combination is safe.
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The right pick depends on your goals. Answer a few quick questions for a personalised recommendation — or dig into the full evidence on each.