NOW Foods Cal-Mag Caps 240 Veg Capsules

What NOW Foods Cal-Mag Caps is

NOW Foods Cal-Mag Caps is a dietary supplement that puts 500 mg of elemental calcium and 250 mg of elemental magnesium into a two-capsule serving, sold in a 240-capsule bottle. At the label's serving size that works out to 120 servings in the bottle. Each serving also carries vitamin D3, vitamin K2 as MK-7, chelated zinc, copper and manganese, and 25 mg of organic kelp. The back label files it under NOW's Minerals category band, and the front of the bottle carries a Non-GMO badge and a kosher "K" symbol.

What is in each two-capsule serving

Every amount below is transcribed from the Supplement Facts panel printed on this bottle, not from a catalog feed. Where no Daily Value has been established, the panel marks it with a dagger rather than a percentage.

• Calcium (elemental) — 500 mg, 38% DV. Drawn from three sources rather than one: calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, and Aquamin® seaweed-derived minerals, which is how the panel words it. Aquamin® is a registered trademark of Marigot Limited, as the bottle notes. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body; the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheet on calcium gives general background on the nutrient.
• Magnesium (elemental) — 250 mg, 60% DV. Supplied as a blend of magnesium oxide, magnesium citrate and magnesium malate. Magnesium is a mineral found in everyday foods such as nuts, legumes and leafy greens; the NIH fact sheet on magnesium covers dietary sources and intake levels.
• Vitamin D — 25 mcg (1,000 IU), 125% DV, in the D3 cholecalciferol form. The NIH fact sheet on vitamin D explains the difference between the D2 and D3 forms and the mcg and IU units that the panel prints side by side.
• Vitamin K2 — 40 mcg, as menaquinone-7, printed on the panel as MK-7. No Daily Value is established for it, so the panel carries a dagger in that column.
• Zinc 7.5 mg (68% DV), copper 0.5 mg (56% DV) and manganese 2.5 mg (109% DV). All three are supplied in amino-acid-bound forms — zinc as a zinc amino acid complex, copper as copper bisglycinate, manganese as manganese bisglycinate. Background on the first of the three is in the NIH fact sheet on zinc.
• Organic kelp (Laminaria spp.) — 25 mg. A brown seaweed, included here as a whole-food mineral ingredient. The panel gives no Daily Value for it.

The Other Ingredients line reads, exactly as printed: hypromellose (cellulose capsule), magnesium stearate (vegetable source), maltodextrin, hydroxypropyl cellulose, rice flour, stearic acid (vegetable source), silicon dioxide and citric acid. The capsule shell is cellulose-based rather than gelatin-based.

Supplement Facts

How to take it

The bottle's Suggested Usage line reads: take 2 capsules daily, preferably in divided doses, with food. "Divided doses" is the manufacturer's own wording and means splitting the two capsules across the day rather than swallowing both at once. The label asks for the capsules to be taken with food and does not name a specific time of day. Store in a cool, dry place after opening. The bottle also notes that natural color variation may occur in the product.

Who it is for

This is a general-purpose adult mineral supplement, and the label restricts it to adults only. It suits anyone who wants calcium and magnesium from one bottle instead of two, and the added D3, K2 and chelated trace minerals mean it covers more ground than a plain calcium capsule. The 240-capsule count is the point of this particular listing: at two capsules a day it is the format you buy when you already know the formula fits your routine and you would rather restock twice a year than every few weeks. If you are still comparing options, the wider Supplements and Health & Wellness sections carry other mineral formats. Anyone pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a medical condition should speak to a physician before starting it, as the bottle itself instructs.

Good to know

• Allergens. The bottle states the product is not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients, and that it is produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing those allergens.
• Caution, as printed. For adults only. Consult physician if pregnant/nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children.
• Quality mark. The bottle carries a GMP Quality Assured seal next to the barcode.
• Packaging material. The bottle itself is made from 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) resin, which the label states directly.
• Origin. The back panel reads "Made and quality tested in the USA with globally sourced ingredients", and gives the NOW Foods address in Bloomingdale, Illinois.
• Prop 65. No California Proposition 65 warning is printed anywhere on this package.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many capsules are in the bottle, and how many servings is that?

The bottle holds 240 capsules, which the Supplement Facts panel gives as 120 servings at the label's serving size of two capsules. Taken as directed at two capsules daily, one bottle provides 120 daily servings.

Is the capsule shell vegetarian?

The capsule shell is cellulose-based, not gelatin: the Other Ingredients line names hypromellose (cellulose capsule), which is plant-derived. The bottle does not print a certified vegan or vegetarian mark, so that ingredient line is the only statement available on the point, and it is what this description reports.

Does it contain gluten, soy or dairy?

No — the bottle states that the product is not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients. It adds that production happens in a GMP facility handling other ingredients that do contain those allergens, so anyone with a severe allergy should weigh that statement themselves.

What form of vitamin K does it use?

It uses vitamin K2 as menaquinone-7, printed on the panel as MK-7, at 40 mcg per two-capsule serving. That is the long-chain menaquinone form rather than K1, phylloquinone, and the panel notes that no Daily Value has been established for it.

How is the order packaged for delivery?

Every order ships in plain, unmarked outer packaging. It will not show the Gear Isle name. The sealed bottle travels inside that outer packaging.

Product information compiled and reviewed by the Gear Isle product team. We transcribe supplement facts directly from manufacturer packaging. Found an error? Tell us.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Dietary supplement for adults 18 and over. Consult a licensed healthcare professional before use, especially if you have a medical condition, heart concerns, or take prescription medication (including nitrates). Keep out of reach of children.