NOW Foods Magnesium Ascorbate Powder 8 oz

What it is

NOW Foods Buffered Magnesium Ascorbate Powder is an unflavored vitamin C powder in an 8 oz. (227 g) bottle, supplying 820 mg of vitamin C and 60 mg of elemental magnesium in a 1/4 level teaspoon serving. The front panel describes it as "Buffered Magnesium Ascorbate — Vitamin C Powder", and the Supplement Facts panel lists "Other ingredients: None", so the bottle holds the powder and nothing else: no flavoring, no sweetener, no anti-caking agent. It is labeled "A Dietary Supplement" and marked Vegetarian/Vegan and Non-GMO.

The figures on this bottle reconcile unusually neatly. The panel gives the serving as approximately 1 gram and the servings as about 227, and 1 g × 227 comes to 227 g — exactly the printed net weight of 8 oz. (227 g). At the labeled once-daily serving, one bottle is roughly a seven-and-a-half-month supply.

What's inside

Two nutrients are declared on the panel, and each is listed with the compound it comes from. Vitamin C appears as ascorbic acid at 820 mg per serving, scored at 911% of the Daily Value — and 820 mg measured against the 90 mg adult Daily Value does work out to 911%. Magnesium appears as elemental magnesium from magnesium oxide at 60 mg, scored at 14%; 60 mg against the 420 mg Daily Value is 14.3%, rounded to the 14% the panel prints. Both figures check out against the panel's own arithmetic.

"Buffered" is the label's own word for that arrangement. On vitamin C products the term describes ascorbic acid supplied together with an alkaline mineral compound rather than on its own — magnesium oxide, in this case. It is also why magnesium earns its own row and its own Daily Value on the panel instead of sitting in an "Other ingredients" line: here it is a declared nutrient in the serving, not a processing aid. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements publishes plain-language consumer fact sheets on both nutrients — vitamin C and magnesium — for general background on each.

Reading the asterisk: the front panel carries a claim marked with an asterisk, and the side panel prints the footnote that goes with it — the standard wording that the statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA explains what that mark signifies on its structure/function claims page. Labels in this product category can also be looked up in the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

How to use it

The label directs you to mix 1/4 level teaspoon of powder into at least 6 oz. of cold water or clear liquid and take it once daily with a meal. Read the paragraph below before the first serving, because it is the most important instruction printed on this bottle.

NOW sets one word in capitals on the usage panel: this powder can increase the temperature of liquids on contact, so the recommended serving MUST be mixed into at least 6 oz. of cold liquid before it is swallowed. The caution panel then repeats the point as a standalone line — the product must be dissolved into at least 6 oz. of cold water or clear liquid before consuming. Cold liquid, at least 6 oz. of it, every single serving. On this label that is an instruction rather than a suggestion.

Two further handling notes sit beside it: do not breathe the powder, and avoid contact with skin, eyes and clothing. Store the bottle in a cool, dry place after opening. Because a serving is a quarter teaspoon, level the spoon rather than heaping it — the panel's milligram figures are built on a level measure, and a heaped quarter-teaspoon is a different amount of powder.

Who it's for

This bottle suits adults who want their vitamin C as a powder and are content to measure a serving with a spoon instead of counting capsules. A powder gives you an unflavored, single-purpose ingredient you stir into a drink, which is why it tends to appeal to people who already mix their own morning glass of something. The 8 oz. size also suits anyone who would rather keep one bottle on the shelf than reorder a smaller one several times a year. Browse the wider Supplements range or the Antioxidants category for related NOW Foods items, and see Health & Wellness for everyday essentials.

It is labeled for adults only. Anyone who is pregnant or nursing, takes prescription medication, or manages a health condition should speak to a physician before starting it — that is the label's own instruction, not an added caution. The NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health publishes general guidance on using dietary supplements safely.

Good to know

• Allergen statement: not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients. The panel adds that it is produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens — worth reading in full if you avoid an allergen strictly.
• Sold by weight, not volume. The panel says so directly. A fine powder settles in transit, so the bottle can arrive looking less than full while still holding the printed 227 g.
• Natural color variation may occur in this product. Another line printed on the panel, so a shade that differs slightly from the photograph is anticipated by the manufacturer.
• Marks on the packaging: a Non-GMO badge and "Vegetarian/Vegan" on the front, a "K" symbol beside the net weight, and a "GMP Quality Assured" roundel on the Supplement Facts panel. An Intertek GMP certification mark appears on a separate NOW information card included in this listing's gallery rather than on the bottle itself.
• Packaging: the side panel states the bottle is made from 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) resin. The panel also carries the line "Family owned since 1968."
• Origin: the panel reads "Packaged by NOW FOODS, 395 S. Glen Ellyn Rd., Bloomingdale, IL 60108, USA" and "Packaged and quality tested in the USA."

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this powder really have to be mixed into cold liquid?

Yes — the label requires it, in capitals. NOW states that the powder can increase the temperature of liquids on contact, and that the recommended 1/4 teaspoon serving MUST be mixed into at least 6 oz. of cold water or clear liquid before it is swallowed. The caution panel repeats the same requirement separately, which is a strong signal that it is not a matter of preference.

How much vitamin C and magnesium are in one serving?

One 1/4 level teaspoon serving supplies 820 mg of vitamin C as ascorbic acid and 60 mg of elemental magnesium from magnesium oxide. The panel scores these at 911% and 14% of the Daily Value respectively.

Does the powder contain any fillers, flavoring or sweetener?

No — the Supplement Facts panel lists "Other ingredients: None". The bottle contains the buffered ascorbate powder alone, which is also why it is unflavored and why it dissolves into a plain drink rather than a sweetened one.

How many servings does the 8 oz. bottle hold?

About 227, according to the panel. That figure reconciles with the rest of the label: an approximately 1 g serving multiplied by 227 gives 227 g, the printed net weight, making the 8 oz. bottle roughly a seven-and-a-half-month supply at the once-daily serving.

How is my order packaged for delivery?

Orders ship in plain, unbranded outer packaging with no description 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.