NOW Foods Liquid Magnesium 8 fl oz

What it is

NOW Liquid Magnesium with Trace Minerals is an unflavored liquid mineral concentrate that supplies 125 mg of elemental magnesium in a 1/4 teaspoon serving, which the panel gives as approximately 1.23 mL. The 8 fl. oz. (237 mL) bottle holds about 193 servings. It belongs to the NOW Foods minerals range, and the ingredient line on the back of the bottle is a single entry: ionic trace mineral concentrate. There is no flavoring, no sweetener and no carrier liquid — the label describes the product as highly concentrated with nothing added.

Where the minerals come from

The concentrate is sourced from the Great Salt Lake and produced using a proprietary solar evaporation process, both of which the side panel states directly. That process removes 99% of the naturally occurring sodium while preserving the remaining 72 naturally occurring trace minerals in their ionic forms. In practice that means the bottle is not a magnesium compound dissolved in water; it is lake brine that has been concentrated and stripped of most of its salt, so the magnesium arrives alongside the other minerals that were in the water with it.

Two words on the panel do a lot of work, and both are worth understanding before you compare this bottle with anything else.

Elemental is the more important of the two. Magnesium is never sold on its own — it is always bound to something, whether that is a mineral salt in a capsule or, here, the other constituents of the brine. A label can therefore report either the weight of the whole compound or the weight of the magnesium itself. This panel reports the magnesium itself: 125 mg per serving is elemental magnesium, not the weight of the concentrate it came from. That is the figure that can be compared directly against another product's number, provided the other product also says "elemental".

Ionic describes the form the minerals are in rather than how much there is. Minerals dissolved in water carry an electrical charge and exist as separate ions rather than as bound solids, which is what the label is referring to. It is a description of the physical state of the liquid, not a measure of quantity, and the quantity is the number in the panel.

Magnesium is classified as an essential mineral, which in nutrition means the body cannot make it and the supply has to come from what you eat or drink. That classification is why a Daily Value exists for it at all, and why this panel can print a percentage. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheet on magnesium gives general background on the mineral and on dietary intake.

Supplement Facts

Serving Size: 1/4 Teaspoon (approx. 1.23 mL) · Servings: about 193

Ingredient: Ionic Trace Mineral Concentrate.

The 30% is the proportion of the Daily Value, the single reference amount that United States supplement labels are required to measure against so that two products can be compared on the same scale. The 72 trace minerals the side panel mentions are not itemized in the panel and carry no individual amounts, so no figures for them are stated here. The NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database holds label records for products of this kind if you want to compare panels side by side.

How to use it

The label directs you to shake well before use, then take 1/4 teaspoon three times daily mixed with juice or food. The instruction to mix is not a serving suggestion — the panel is explicit that the product is highly concentrated with nothing added and has a very strong taste, and it names mixing into juice or food as the way to mask the concentrated mineral flavor. Anyone expecting a flavored liquid will find this is not one, and taking it straight from the spoon is not what the packaging describes.

A 1/4 teaspoon measure is small, so a proper measuring spoon is worth using rather than estimating with a kitchen teaspoon.

Store in a cool, dry, dark place after opening, as printed on the back panel. The label also notes that natural color variation may occur in this product, so a bottle that looks slightly different in shade from a previous one is behaving as the manufacturer describes.

Who it's for

This is a liquid format for adults who would rather stir a mineral into a drink than swallow a capsule or tablet. That is the real distinction between this bottle and the rest of the NOW magnesium range: the serving is measured out with a spoon and mixed into juice, water or food rather than taken as a solid dose. It is marked Vegetarian/Vegan on the front and carries the Non-GMO Project Verified seal.

It will not suit everyone. The strong mineral taste is stated on the packaging rather than hidden, and a buyer who dislikes it cannot flavor their way around a product that contains nothing but the concentrate. The label restricts the product to adults. If you prefer a fixed serving with no taste at all, a capsule from the wider supplements range is the more natural fit.

Good to know

• Allergens. The panel states the product is not manufactured with yeast, wheat, gluten, soy, corn, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients, and that it is produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens. The second half of that sentence matters if you are severely allergic, and it is part of what the manufacturer prints.
• Caution, as printed. For adults only. Consult physician if pregnant/nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children.
• Origin. Packaged by NOW Foods, 395 S. Glen Ellyn Rd., Bloomingdale, IL 60108, USA. The panel also states "Product of the USA."
• Packaging. The bottle is made from 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) resin, which the back panel states.
• Company. NOW Foods has been family owned since 1968, as printed on the label.

The asterisk that appears beside statements on this and most other supplement packaging is a regulatory device, not a footnote about quality. The FDA explains what it marks and the rules that go with it in its guidance on structure/function claims. General guidance on choosing and using supplements is set out in the NIH's dietary supplements consumer fact sheet.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much magnesium is in one serving?

One 1/4 teaspoon serving contains 125 mg of elemental magnesium, which the panel lists as 30% of the Daily Value. The magnesium comes from the ionic trace mineral concentrate that is the product's only ingredient, and the figure is for the magnesium itself rather than the weight of the concentrate.

Does it taste of anything?

Yes, and the label is direct about it: the product is highly concentrated with nothing added and has a very strong taste. That is why the directions say to mix each 1/4 teaspoon into juice or food rather than take it on its own. There is no added flavoring or sweetener in the bottle.

How many servings are in the bottle?

About 193, according to the Supplement Facts panel. At the three servings a day the label directs, that amounts to roughly a two-month supply from one 8 fl. oz. (237 mL) bottle.

Is it suitable for vegans, and is it non-GMO?

Yes to both, according to the front of the bottle, which is marked Vegetarian/Vegan and carries the Non-GMO Project Verified seal. With ionic trace mineral concentrate as the sole ingredient there is no capsule shell, coating or binder involved, which is what makes those two marks straightforward on this particular format.

How is the order packaged for delivery?

Orders ship in plain, unmarked outer packaging with no indication of the contents on the outside. It will not show the Gear Isle name.

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.