Minerals are the part of a supplement stack people tend to think about last, usually after they notice cramping, poor sleep or flat training sessions. The confusing part is not whether to take them, it is which form. Magnesium alone comes in half a dozen versions that behave quite differently.
This guide covers the minerals and electrolytes we supply in Australia: what each form is, how they differ, and where they fit.
Why Form Matters
A mineral is almost never sold on its own. It comes bound to something else, and that carrier changes how much of the mineral you actually get, how it sits in the stomach, and how much elemental mineral is in a given gram of powder.
Two numbers matter. Elemental content is how much of the actual mineral is in the compound. Bioavailability is how much of that your body absorbs. A cheap form with high elemental content and poor absorption can deliver less than an expensive form with the opposite profile.
Magnesium
The most commonly supplemented mineral and the one where form matters most.
Magnesium Glycinate
Magnesium bound to glycine, an amino acid. It is the form most often chosen where gastrointestinal tolerance is the priority, because the glycine carrier is gentle compared with the salt forms. Glycine itself is used in sleep and relaxation formulas, which is part of why this combination is popular in evening stacks.
Elemental magnesium content is lower than the oxide forms, so serving sizes are larger by weight.
Magnesium L-Aspartate
Magnesium bound to aspartic acid. A well-absorbed form that has been used in sports nutrition for a long time, and the form you will most often see in products aimed at training and recovery rather than sleep.
ZMA (Zinc, Magnesium, Aspartate)
A combination of zinc and magnesium in aspartate form, usually with vitamin B6. It has been a staple of night-time formulas for decades. If you want zinc and magnesium together rather than dosing separately, this is the convenient route.
Calcium
Calcium Citrate
Calcium bound to citric acid. The distinguishing feature is that it does not depend on stomach acid for absorption the way calcium carbonate does, so it can be taken with or without food. Elemental calcium content is lower than carbonate, which means a larger serving for the same delivered dose.
Potassium
Potassium Gluconate
Potassium bound to gluconic acid. Milder in taste than potassium chloride, which is why it is common in hydration and electrolyte formulas rather than the harsher salt forms.
Potassium is one of the main electrolytes lost in sweat, alongside sodium. If you train in heat or sweat heavily, it is usually the one people are short of without realising.
Electrolytes as a Group
Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electrical charge in solution: mainly sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium. They are what allow muscles to contract and nerves to fire, and they are lost through sweat.
Plain water replaces the fluid but not the minerals. In long or hot sessions that gap is what tends to show up as cramping and flatness late in a session.
You can either buy a ready-formulated blend or build your own from single ingredients, which is what a lot of our wholesale and food manufacturing customers do because it lets them set their own ratios.
Shop hydration electrolyte powder
Building Your Own vs Buying a Blend
A pre-made blend suits most people. The ratios are set, it tastes like something, and there is nothing to weigh.
Single ingredients make sense if you want control over ratios, if you are formulating a product, or if you are buying at volume where cost per serve matters. Sodium, potassium gluconate and magnesium are the usual base.
A Note on Health Claims
We describe what these ingredients are and how the forms differ. We do not make claims about treating or preventing any condition. If you are supplementing minerals for a specific health reason, or you are on medication, that is a conversation for a doctor or pharmacist rather than a supplement supplier.
Read Next
- Magnesium forms compared: glycinate, aspartate and ZMA
- Electrolytes explained: what they do and when you need them
Browse the full vitamins and minerals range, packed in Australia and independently lab tested.