E345 - Magnesium citrate

At a glance

• What it is: a magnesium salt of citric acid
• What it does: acidity regulator (helps keep pH steady), sequestrant (binds metal ions), and magnesium source
• Where it’s found: flavored drinks, sports powders, fortified foods, and supplements
• Common stand-ins: other citrates like sodium citrates, potassium citrates, or calcium citrates; other magnesium salts such as magnesium phosphates
• Safety: authorized as a food additive in the European Union; large supplemental doses can cause loose stools

Why is magnesium citrate added to food?

Magnesium citrate helps set or hold a product’s acidity (pH), which can protect taste, color, and shelf life. It also acts as a sequestrant, meaning it binds certain metal ions that would otherwise cause off-flavors or discoloration. In some products, it serves as a source of the essential mineral magnesium for fortification. In the European Union (EU), E345 is an authorized food additive with established identity and purity specifications.¹

What foods contain magnesium citrate?

You’re most likely to find it in:

• Flavored and functional drinks (electrolyte beverages, flavored waters, energy drinks)
• Powdered drink mixes and effervescent tablets
• Fortified foods such as nutrition bars, meal-replacement shakes, and dairy alternatives
• Chewables and gummies positioned as supplements

On labels, look for “magnesium citrate,” “E345,” or simply “magnesium” in the mineral blend.

What can replace magnesium citrate?

• For acidity control: other citrate buffers like sodium citrates, potassium citrates, or calcium citrates; or acids like phosphoric acid depending on flavor.
• For metal binding: citrate salts as above, or phosphate-based systems such as sodium phosphates in suitable foods.
• For magnesium fortification: other magnesium salts (for example, magnesium phosphates) chosen based on taste, solubility, and label goals.

How is magnesium citrate made?

Manufacturers typically produce magnesium citrate by neutralizing citric acid with a magnesium base such as magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide, or magnesium carbonate, followed by purification and drying.² This straightforward acid–base reaction yields a food-grade salt with defined composition.

Is magnesium citrate safe to eat?

In the EU, E345 is on the Union list of permitted food additives and must meet detailed specifications in law.³ Those specifications set identity and purity so the additive performs as expected and remains safe in use.¹

Magnesium is an essential nutrient, but too much supplemental magnesium at once can cause digestive upset (soft stools or diarrhea). Health authorities set a tolerable upper intake level (UL) of 350 mg per day for magnesium from supplements and medications in adults; this UL does not include magnesium naturally present in foods.⁴

Does magnesium citrate have any benefits?

As a mineral source, it provides magnesium, which supports muscle and nerve function, energy metabolism, and bone health. Forms such as magnesium citrate are generally well absorbed compared with some other magnesium salts, which is why they are common in supplements.⁴ In foods, its acidity control and metal-binding actions can help keep flavors bright and colors stable.

Who should avoid magnesium citrate?

• People with kidney disease or severe kidney impairment should not take high amounts of supplemental magnesium unless a clinician advises it, because the body may not clear excess magnesium well.⁴
• Some medicines interact with magnesium (for example, certain antibiotics and osteoporosis drugs). Take magnesium-containing products at a different time as directed by a healthcare professional.⁴
• Anyone who experiences ongoing diarrhea or stomach cramping from magnesium-containing products should reduce the dose or stop use and seek advice.

Myths & facts

• Myth: Magnesium citrate is only a laxative. Fact: At food-use levels it mainly regulates acidity, binds metals, and adds magnesium; laxative effects are linked to larger, supplement-like doses.
• Myth: All citrates taste the same. Fact: Citrate salts can affect flavor differently depending on the cation (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium) and the product recipe.
• Myth: It isn’t regulated. Fact: In the EU, E345 is an authorized additive with legal purity specifications and labeling rules.³

magnesium citrate in branded foods

You may see magnesium citrate on ingredient lists for sports drinks, fortified waters, electrolyte powders, meal-replacement shakes, yogurt or dairy alternatives, nutrition bars, and supplement gummies or tablets. It can appear as “magnesium citrate,” “E345,” or within a mineral premix. If you’re tracking intake, check both the ingredients and the Nutrition Facts/label panel for total magnesium per serving.

References

Footnotes

1. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 laying down specifications for food additives listed in Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/231/oj ↩ ↩²

2. Magnesium citrate — PubChem, National Institutes of Health. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Magnesium-citrate ↩

3. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives (Union list and use conditions) — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2008/1333/oj ↩ ↩²

4. Magnesium — National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/ ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴