NOW Foods Magnesium 400mg 180 Veg Capsules

What it is

NOW Foods Magnesium Caps 400 mg is a single-mineral dietary supplement sold in a 180-count bottle of vegetarian capsules. Each capsule is one full serving and provides 400 mg of elemental magnesium, drawn from three different magnesium compounds rather than one. The front of the bottle carries a Non-GMO mark, a kosher mark and the words "Vegetarian/Vegan", and the side panel notes that the bottle is made from 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) resin.

At one capsule a day, a 180-count bottle is the long-supply format rather than a try-it size, which is what separates it from smaller counts and from the powder and liquid magnesium formats sold alongside it. You can see the rest of this category on our Minerals shelf.

What's inside

The panel lists one active ingredient and four other ingredients — there is no proprietary blend, and nothing is hidden behind a blend total.

• Magnesium (elemental) — 400 mg, 95% Daily Value. Magnesium is one of the essential dietary minerals, found in foods such as leafy greens, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheet on magnesium gives general background on the mineral, how much adults are advised to get and which foods supply it.
• The three source compounds. The panel states the 400 mg comes from magnesium oxide, magnesium citrate and magnesium aspartate. Magnesium oxide is a mineral salt with a high proportion of magnesium by weight, which is how a 400 mg figure fits into one capsule. Magnesium citrate pairs magnesium with citric acid, the acid found naturally in citrus fruit. Magnesium aspartate pairs it with aspartic acid, an amino acid. The panel does not break the 400 mg down between the three, so neither do we.
• Other ingredients — hypromellose (cellulose capsule), microcrystalline cellulose, stearic acid (vegetable source) and silicon dioxide. Hypromellose is a plant-derived cellulose used to form the capsule shell, which is why this is a veg capsule rather than a gelatin one. Microcrystalline cellulose is a purified plant fiber used as a bulking agent. Stearic acid — here specified as vegetable source — and silicon dioxide are ordinary processing aids that keep powder flowing evenly during encapsulation. That is the complete list; no colors, flavors or sweeteners appear on the panel.

If you want to compare panels across brands before buying, the NIH runs a free Dietary Supplement Label Database holding transcribed labels for tens of thousands of products.

Supplement Facts

How to use it

The label's suggested usage is: take 1 capsule daily. That is the whole of the printed direction — the panel gives no preferred time of day, no instruction about taking it with food and no second serving, so we are not adding one. Storage is printed as "store in a cool, dry place after opening."

The bottle also notes that natural color variation may occur in this product, which is expected in a mineral capsule made without added colors.

Who it's for

This is a general-purpose adult mineral supplement, and the packaging marks it for adults only. Its most distinctive feature for a shopper is the format: one capsule, once a day, with nothing to measure, mix or remember later in the day. If you have found magnesium powders or multi-capsule servings inconvenient, that is the practical difference here.

The vegetarian capsule shell and the "Vegetarian/Vegan" mark on the front make it usable by people who avoid gelatin capsules, and the kosher mark on the label will matter to some buyers. At 180 capsules it is aimed at someone restocking a routine rather than sampling one. Browse the wider Supplements range if you are comparing formats.

Good to know

• The printed caution, in full: "For adults only. Consult physician if pregnant/nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children." That is the entire caution block on this bottle.
• Allergens: the panel 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 these allergens.
• Marks on the label: a GMP Quality Assured seal and a kosher certification mark appear on the bottle, alongside "Family owned since 1968." and the maker's address — NOW Foods, 395 S. Glen Ellyn Rd., Bloomingdale, IL 60108, USA.
• No California Prop 65 warning is printed anywhere on this packaging.
• General reading: the NIH's consumer guide to dietary supplements covers how supplements are regulated in the US and what to raise with a healthcare professional before starting one.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much magnesium is in one capsule, and how many capsules is a serving?

One capsule provides 400 mg of elemental magnesium, and one capsule is the full serving — the Supplement Facts panel gives the serving size as 1 Veg Capsule. The panel lists that 400 mg as 95% of the Daily Value. The bottle holds 180 capsules.

Which forms of magnesium does it use?

Three: magnesium oxide, magnesium citrate and magnesium aspartate. The panel states the 400 mg of elemental magnesium comes from that combination, but it does not publish how the 400 mg splits between the three compounds, so the individual amounts are not available from the label.

Is the capsule vegetarian, and does it contain gluten or soy?

Yes, the capsule is vegetarian — the shell is hypromellose, a plant-derived cellulose, and the front of the bottle is marked "Vegetarian/Vegan". The panel states the product is not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients, though it is produced in a facility that handles those allergens.

How should the bottle be stored once it is open?

Store it in a cool, dry place after opening, which is the storage instruction printed on the label. The bottle is opaque plastic with a sealed screw cap, and the side panel notes it is made from 100% post-consumer recycled resin.

How is this order packaged and shipped?

Orders ship in plain outer packaging with no product imagery 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.