NOW Foods Calcium & Magnesium 250 Tablets

What it is

NOW Foods Calcium & Magnesium is a two-mineral dietary supplement in tablet form, holding 250 tablets per bottle. Each 2-tablet serving supplies 1,000 mg of elemental calcium and 500 mg of elemental magnesium — the 2:1 ratio printed on the front of the bottle. The bottle carries 125 servings, and both minerals are drawn from three source compounds each rather than a single salt. It is labeled a dietary supplement, marked Vegetarian/Vegan, and carries a kosher mark on the front panel.

This is a straightforward, unflavored mineral tablet from a long-established American supplement maker — the back label reads "Manufactured for NOW FOODS, 395 S. Glen Ellyn Rd, Bloomingdale, IL 60108, USA" and the top strip of the same label notes the company has been family owned since 1968. You will find it alongside the rest of our Minerals range.

What's inside

The formula is deliberately short: two minerals, each from three different compounds, plus the excipients needed to press and coat a tablet. Here is what the panel actually lists.

• Calcium (elemental) — 1 g (1,000 mg), 77% Daily Value. Sourced from calcium carbonate, calcium citrate and calcium ascorbate. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body, and the great majority of it is held in the skeleton and teeth. The word "elemental" on this panel matters: calcium carbonate is only about 40% calcium by weight, so the 1,000 mg figure describes the calcium itself rather than the weight of the compound it came from. The three sources behave differently — carbonate is the most concentrated, citrate is the form many people find easiest to take, and ascorbate is a calcium salt of vitamin C. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements consumer fact sheet on calcium gives general background on the mineral and on the different supplemental forms.
• Magnesium (elemental) — 500 mg, 119% Daily Value. Sourced from magnesium oxide, magnesium citrate and magnesium ascorbate. Magnesium is a cofactor in a very large number of enzyme reactions and is found in foods such as pumpkin seeds, almonds, spinach and black beans. As with the calcium, the blend spans a concentrated form (oxide) and two more soluble ones (citrate and ascorbate). The NIH consumer fact sheet on magnesium covers dietary sources and intake reference values.
• Other ingredients. Transcribed in full beneath the table below. In short: a cellulose base, a plant-derived hypromellose coating — which is what allows the Vegetarian/Vegan marking on the front — and vegetable-source stearic acid, magnesium stearate, croscarmellose sodium and silicon dioxide as pressing, disintegrating and flow agents.

Two things the panel does not list are worth saying plainly, because mineral formulas often include them: there is no vitamin D and no vitamin K in this product. If you are comparing it against a combination bone formula, that is the difference to look for. For general orientation on reading a supplement panel, the NIH runs a searchable Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Other ingredients: Microcrystalline Cellulose, Hydroxypropyl Cellulose, Vegetarian Coating [hypromellose (cellulose), calcium carbonate, polydextrose, glycerin, medium-chain triglycerides], Stearic Acid (vegetable source), Croscarmellose Sodium, Silicon Dioxide and Magnesium Stearate (vegetable source).

How to use it

The label's suggested usage is: take 2 tablets daily, and it states that the serving can be taken in divided doses. That is the whole of the instruction printed on the bottle — there is no direction to take it with food, at a particular hour, or on an empty stomach, so we are not going to invent one.

On size: the tablet-size guide supplied for this product shows an oblong, centrally scored caplet measuring just under one inch (roughly 2 cm) end to end, and the guide is printed with the caveat "Size and color shown may vary from actual product." The score line down the middle is there to make the tablet easier to break. The bottle's caution panel separately notes that natural color variation may occur in this product.

Storage is simple: store in a cool, dry place after opening. One detail some buyers appreciate — the side panel states the bottle itself is made from 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) resin.

Who it's for

This is a value-size bottle aimed at adults who already know they want a combined calcium and magnesium tablet and would rather not reorder every month. At the labeled usage of two tablets daily, 125 servings works out to a 125-day supply, which is the main practical argument for the 250-count over a smaller bottle: fewer reorders and less packaging per serving.

The Vegetarian/Vegan marking and the plant-derived coating make it relevant to anyone avoiding gelatin, and the label's full allergen statement is reproduced under "Good to know" below. It sits in our Supplements range. It is for adults only, and it is a food supplement rather than a substitute for a varied diet — the NIH's general guide to dietary supplements and what to know before using them is a sensible starting point if this is your first mineral supplement.

Good to know

The bottle's caution panel reads, in full: "For adults only. Consult physician if pregnant/nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children. Natural color variation may occur in this product."

• Allergens. Not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients. The label adds that it is produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens.
• Origin. The back label states the product is made and quality tested in the USA with globally sourced ingredients — note that this describes the manufacturing and testing, not the origin of every raw material.
• Magnesium at 119% Daily Value. The panel puts a full serving above the Daily Value for magnesium. If you take other magnesium-containing products, the label's own instruction to consult a physician when taking medication or managing a medical condition is the right place to start.
• Discreet delivery. Every order ships in plain, unbranded outer packaging. It will not show the Gear Isle name.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tablets do I take, and how many are in the bottle?

The label's suggested usage is 2 tablets daily, and the bottle holds 250 tablets. That works out to 125 servings, or a 125-day supply at the labeled usage. The label also states the serving may be taken in divided doses, so the two tablets do not have to be swallowed together.

What does the 2:1 ratio actually mean?

It means the serving contains twice as much elemental calcium as elemental magnesium — 1,000 mg of calcium to 500 mg of magnesium. Both figures are for the elemental mineral, not for the weight of the compounds they are drawn from, which is why the panel prints the word "elemental" beside each one.

Is this suitable for a vegan diet?

Yes — the front of the bottle is marked Vegetarian/Vegan, and the tablet coating listed on the panel is plant-derived hypromellose rather than gelatin. The panel also lists stearic acid and magnesium stearate as vegetable-source, and the front carries a kosher mark.

Does this contain vitamin D?

No. The Supplement Facts panel on this bottle lists calcium and magnesium only, with no vitamin D and no vitamin K. If you want those alongside your minerals, you would need a different formula — this one is deliberately a two-mineral product.

How big are the tablets and can they be split?

They are oblong caplets just under one inch (about 2 cm) long, with a score line down the center, according to the size guide supplied for this product. The score line is intended to let the tablet be broken, and the label separately permits the daily serving to be taken in divided doses. The size guide carries the printed note that size and color shown may vary from the actual product.

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.