Magnesium Breakthrough made by the BiOptimizers company is described as the first and only full-spectrum magnesium supplement on the market. It's claimed to help everything from bettering sleep and depression to weight loss and while there are lots of testimonials and before and after reports, is it really worth it? And if it is any good, how long does it take to work? In this review, I took Magnesium Breakthrough for 7 months. Here is a summary of what happened and didn't happen and how long it took to see the results. Affiliate Disclosure: This site may earn commissions on purchases you make. See the affiliate disclosure page for more insights.
What Is Magnesium Breakthrough?
Magnesium Breakthrough is a popular mineral supplement. It's made by the BiOptimizers company and is a dietary supplement consisting of 7 different chelated forms of this major mineral:
- Magnesium chelate
- Magnesium bisglycinate
BiOptimizers Magnesium Breakthrough: 7 forms of magnesium in 1 capsule. Click to see more. - Magnesium aspartate
- Magnesium malate
- Magnesium orotate
- Magnesium taurate
- Magnesium citrate
Two capsules of these forms provide 500 mg of elemental magnesium (what the body uses). The supplement is touted to be superior to others like magnesium oxide because it provides a full spectrum of many different types of the mineral.
During my initial investigation, I took Magnesium Breakthrough for 30 days to see what happened. Surprisingly, I did notice some improvements which got me interested to try it longer. So in this review, I'll share what happened after I took the BiOptimizers supplement for 7 months.
Best Way To Take Magnesium Breakthrough
The BiOptimizers company recommends taking 2 capsules a day. They go on to say it's best to take the two capsules with your evening meal. For most people that will be dinner. If you've never taken the supplement before I suggest starting with only 1 capsule for the first week to get used to it. For my experiment, I took one capsule with lunch and the second capsule with dinner.
Why did I take the supplement this way?
My mornings already have magnesium in the form of spinach and other veggies that I add to my breakfast smoothie. I felt that spreading the magnesium out during the day would provide the most coverage and reduce the odds of my mineral levels dropping during the day. Is my way the best way? It just made sense to me.
7 Month BiOptimizers Magnesium Breakthrough Results
Resting Heart Rate
In healthy people, a low resting heart rate (less than 65) is usually seen as a marker of being healthy. Lower resting heart rates may even lead to living longer too. Fortunately, due to my FitBit Charge 3, I was able to track my resting heart rate and record it each week before getting out of bed.
At the start of my experiment, my RHR was 56 beats per minute. After 7 months it was 55 beats per minute. That's not much and I don't feel this is a significant change. Is it possible I didn't see a difference because my resting heart rate is low, to begin with? It's unknown if Magnesium Breakthrough would have an effect on those whose heart rate is higher, such as 80 beats per minute or higher.
Magnesium Breakthrough & Blood Pressure
In my original 30-day before and after trial, I didn't notice any changes in my blood pressure. I started off with a BP of 100/70 and ended with a pressure of 100/70. But what happened after 7 months of daily use?
I took my blood pressure daily in the morning, using my left arm, after being seated for 5 minutes. Here's what happened. I started with a blood pressure of 100/70 and seven months later my blood pressure dropped to 90/70. This means my systolic blood pressure decreased by 10 points.
I feel this is significant because higher systolic pressures are linked to heart disease and strokes. Quality clinical studies have shown magnesium supplements may reduce blood pressure by at least 5 points. Given that my blood pressure was very good to start with this finding was an unexpected pleasant surprise.
I first noticed my blood pressure might be getting better after about 4 months of use. This may be why I didn't see a difference in my first BiOptimizers experiment. As an aside I have not seen a blood pressure of 90/70 since I was in college and running 3 miles a day.
Did Magnesium Improve Workouts?
I did not notice any significant exercise improvements. I don't think I was able to lift more weight or that my endurance was better than before I started taking Magnesium Breakthrough. As before I had good days and on those not-so-good days, I took solace in the old axiom that the only bad workout is the workout you don't do.
Magnesium Breakthrough & Muscle Soreness
Normal muscle soreness refers to those feelings of pain and stiffness we experience between 1 and 2 days after doing an activity we are not used to doing. Some studies have reported reduced muscle soreness and improved athletic performance with magnesium supplementation.
As the gyms opened up after the pandemic, I did not quickly return to my former workout intensity as that would be a recipe for injuries. This made it difficult to determine if BiOptimizers Magnesium was helping reduce muscle soreness or not. In other words, while I didn't experience very sore muscles after workouts, was this due to a benefit of the BiOptimizers Breakthrough supplement or because I progressed myself slowly?
However, one day I went for a 35-mile bike ride. It was well over a year since I biked this far. This kind of activity should have resulted in muscle soreness in the legs. But it didn't. I woke up the next day without any soreness. In fact, the bike ride never caused any muscle soreness. I think this could be a real benefit of BiOptimizers Magnesium at reducing muscle pain after exercise. I was taking the recommended dose of the supplement for 4 months before I biked this distance.
BiOptimizers Magnesium & Body Aches
What about achy joints? I've been blessed in that while I have had my share of injuries, I generally live a pain-free life. One exception I've observed is when I get out of bed in the morning, my feet temporarily hurt for a few seconds until I start to move around. On a scale from 1 to 10, I'd say the pain is a 3 or 4, making it moderately painful. I attribute this to running, years ago, in my 20s. Other than in the morning my feet do not hurt.
After about 4 months I realized my feet were not hurting as much in the morning. The pain did not go away completely but there was a difference. On a scale of 1 to 10, I estimate the pain declined to a rating of 2. This effect was subtle and might be why I didn't notice it for 4 months. While I'm not aware of any research on achy feet, some studies suggest magnesium helps reduce fibromyalgia pain.
Bowel Movements & Constipation
Maybe it's TMI but I don't have any issues in the constipation department. I believe this is mostly due to the high-fiber diet I consume. The fruit and vegetable smoothie I begin my day with has at least 28 to 35 grams of fiber – the RDA- and it probably has more than this amount. One of the magnesium side effects often discussed is that taking 400 mg or more mg may cause diarrhea.
Two capsules of BiOptimizers Magnesium Breakthrough have 500 mg of elemental magnesium. However, I did not experience any negative effects. No diarrhea occurred. If you add up the amounts of the mineral found in the Breakthrough supplement as well as in foods and the protein powder I use, I'm getting more than 500 mg a day. Yet I experienced no adverse effects.
How Did I Sleep?
Magnesium has long been used to improve quality sleeping habits. Studies have documented magnesium supplementation can improve sleep problems, something experienced by at least 50% of people over age 60. Some research even suggests mag supplements may prevent women from falling asleep during daylight hours as well.
As I originally reported, I felt Magnesium Breakthgough helped improve my sleep. While I usually don't experience insomnia, sometimes I do. While I took the supplement, I found myself getting to sleep faster and waking up without feeling groggy. From what I could tell I noticed differences in sleeping health after about a month. Also, I did not experience any insomnia during my 7-month experiment.
Magnesium And Restless Leg Syndrome
Over the years I've noticed periods of mild restless leg syndrome (RLS) at the end of the night. It does not occur often but when it happens, it's when I am under prolonged mental stress. And, for whatever reason, I've noticed it occurring mostly in my left leg. During my time taking Magnesium Breakthrough, I did not experience restless leg syndrome. Was I under less stress during this time? I don't think so. Could this just be a coincidence? Maybe. Research is inconclusive on whether magnesium helps RLS or not. Is it possible BiOptimizers Magnesium Breakthrough helped RLS by improving the quality of sleep? This is speculation.
What About Headaches?
Magnesium has been shown to help people suffering from migraine headaches. While I do not get migraines, I do deal with eye strain, pain, and fatigue, caused by looking at the computer screen for too long. This has sometimes caused me to refrain from computer use for a few days until I recover. During my experiment, I noticed I was not getting eye strain as much as before.
During times when I did have to step away from the computer to recover, it was not for days, but for a day – just 1 day. I'm not sure why this is. Animal studies suggest magnesium deficiency (called hypomagnesemia) can cause defects in the retina and visual cortex. But, prior to using this supplement, I don't think I was ever deficient in magnesium. Obviously, I can't tell if what I experienced is a real effect or simply be a coincidence, but I'll take it.
Stress And Mental Outlook
According to the American Psychological Association, chronic stress is linked to 6 of the leading causes of death. Generally, I'm a pretty happy person. I would not say I deal with depression. That said, I noticed I felt a bit more optimistic after taking the supplement. I noticed this after about a month of taking the supplement. It's difficult to put into words but I do think there was something happening. One of the forms of the mineral in the BiOptimizers supplement is magnesium taurate. I'm intrigued by the reports on how magnesium taurate may help depression. Here's a video I put together.
Did It Help Tinnitus and Ménière’s disease?
Tinnitus is the medical term for ringing in the ears and is a condition I've dealt with for several years. I'm told I have a condition called Ménière’s disease which causes tinnitus, hearing loss, and occasional bouts of vertigo. Some research has uncovered that mag supplements may benefit people with tinnitus. However, I don't think it helped me. There were times when the high-pitched ringing sound was less and I was better able to block it out but I've observed that happening previously too. So, I can't say for certain the Breakthrough supplement caused these effects. I did not have any vertigo while taking the BiOptimizers supplement.
Blood Sugar And Cholesterol Levels
During my before and after trial, I compared the results of blood work while taking Magnesium Breakthrough to a previous blood test when I wasn't. There were no changes in liver enzymes like AST or ALT, testosterone, or cortisol. Here's what stood out to me:
Magnesium Breakthrough Lowered Blood Sugar
Quality clinical studies reveal magnesium can lower blood sugar levels in people who are at risk of getting type II diabetes. It's generally recommended to maintain your fasting blood glucose level to less than 100, with 70 to 100 being the usual reference amounts. A previous blood test revealed my blood sugar to be 77.
After 4 months of taking the BiOptimizers Breakthrough supplement, my blood sugar was 74. That's a 3 point drop. So, from this, it may be that Magnesium Breakthrough reduced my blood sugar a little bit. I must leave open the possibility that exercise may have played a role in this reduction. Quality clinical studies have also documented that magnesium minerals can reduce blood sugar in people who do not have diabetes too. Could this be what I was seeing? The blood test did not measure hemoglobin A1C so I don't know if that changed.
While a 3-point drop in blood sugar may not seem like much, keep in mind I do not have type II diabetes and my blood sugar level has always been in the normal range. If this decrease in blood sugar level is a real effect, I speculate a more dramatic improvement in glucose levels in someone whose blood sugar was above 100.
What About Cholesterol & Triglycerides?
When it comes to blood lipid levels, doctors are usually happy if your total cholesterol is less than 200. On a previous blood test, my total cholesterol was 171. After 4 months of taking the Breakthrough magnesium supplement, my cholesterol decreased to 165. That's a 6 point drop.
LDL Cholesterol
As for bad LDL cholesterol, prior to using the Breakthrough supplement, my level was 97. After taking the supplement my LDL had dropped to 87. Since high levels of LDL cholesterol are highly linked to heart disease, I call a 10 point drop in LDL levels significant.
Triglycerides
My triglyceride levels are consistently very low. Medical authorities usually recommend keeping your triglycerides to less than 150 on blood tests. Before taking BiOptimizers Magnesium Breakthrough my triglycerides were 52 and after 4 months the triglycerides dropped was 49. Clinical trials do suggest magnesium can reduce triglycerides. If this is true, then it's likely the reduction would be greater in those who have high triglycerides levels.
Unfortunately, I've never had a blood magnesium level test so I don't know if my levels of this mineral are higher since I started taking the Magnesium Breakthrough supplement. I assume the supplement raised my level of this mineral.
Magnesium Breakthrough Adverse Side Effects
I did not experience any adverse reactions while I took the BiOptimizers magnesium supplement. There were no GI problems like diarrhea. Keep in mind that I'm a generally healthy person. If you have any health concerns, it's wise to consult your physician before using this or other dietary supplements.
How Much Does It Cost?
Prices fluctuate and the BiOptimizers company is always offering rebates. See the official website for prices and discount codes.
Wouldn't Other Magnesium Supplements Have The Same Benefits?
I can't say if another supplement would have the same effects. In theory yes, but there's not much desire in the supplement industry to compare brands to each other. I can say I've taken other brands of mag supplements previously and did not notice the same results as I observed while taking this one. If you've had good results with other brands, leave a comment below.
So Does Magnesium Breakthrough Really Work?
From my 7 month experiment, I can say I realized enough health effects to make me suggest giving the BiOptimizers supplement a try for yourself. Realize that it may take time to see results. Fortunately, the supplement comes with an impressive 365-day money-back guarantee so you can get a refund if it doesn't work for you. While I tried to be “clinical” in this experiment, this was not a clinical study. I can only report what happened to me. What I experienced may not be the same as what happens if you try Magnesium Breakthrough. You may experience different results or not. I hope this review helped you make sense of the BiOptimizers supplement and whether it's right for you.
You can purchase it directly from the official company here. Scroll to the bottom of the page to order.