Magnesium L-Threonate vs Phosphatidylserine
Two 'brain-specific' cognitive supplements whose entire human evidence case rests on a single small, often industry-linked trial each.
Magnesium L-Threonate
Magtein
The 'raises brain magnesium and memory' story rests on one 2010 rat study plus one small industry-linked human trial; for repletion, cheap glycinate/citrate work just as well.
Full Magnesium L-Threonate evidence reviewPhosphatidylserine
PS
The strongest human data comes from older trials using bovine-brain-derived PS, which is no longer sold (BSE concerns); the soy-derived PS on shelves today is chemically different and has a thinner, weaker trial record of its own.
Full Phosphatidylserine evidence reviewSide by side
| Magnesium L-Threonate | Phosphatidylserine | |
|---|---|---|
| Marketed for | Memory, brain magnesium | Cognitive decline, memory, stress/cortisol |
| Evidence grade | Clinical data | Clinical data |
| Family | mTOR & other | mTOR & other |
| Key human source | MMFS-01 RCT, J Alzheimers Dis 2016 | Bovine-PS cognitive decline RCT, Aging Clin Exp Res 1993 |
marks a row where the two differ. Evidence grades come from our evidence matrix, which grades each molecule on the human data for the use it is marketed for.
Our verdict
Magnesium L-threonate's 'raises brain magnesium and memory' story rests on one 2010 rat study plus one small, industry-linked human trial — for general magnesium repletion, cheap glycinate or citrate forms work just as well at a fraction of the cost. Phosphatidylserine's strongest data used bovine-brain-derived PS, discontinued after BSE concerns; the soy-derived form sold today is a different molecule with its own thinner, older trial record. Both are cases where a genuinely evocative mechanism outran the actual human trial base.
Magnesium L-Threonate fits if
You specifically want the brain-targeted magnesium claim, though for general repletion a cheaper form works as well.
Phosphatidylserine fits if
You want the cognitive-specific compound, understanding today's soy-derived version isn't the one the strongest historical trials tested.