NOW Foods Magnesium Citrate 200mg 250 Tablets

What this is

NOW Foods Magnesium Citrate 200 mg is a dietary supplement in tablet form, sold here as a bottle of 250 tablets. Each tablet carries 200 mg of elemental magnesium, and the label serving of two tablets provides 400 mg of elemental magnesium from magnesium citrate, which the Supplement Facts panel prints as 95% of the Daily Value. At that serving, the bottle holds 125 servings.

Magnesium is a mineral, and citrate is the salt of citric acid, the acid that gives citrus fruit its sourness. The bottle states that "this magnesium citrate is a fully reacted mineral supplement" — meaning the magnesium and the citrate have been chemically combined into one compound rather than blended together as two separate powders in the same tablet. NOW files this product under Minerals, and the band across the bottle's shoulder prints that same category word. The rest of the range sits in Supplements.

What's in the bottle

The Supplement Facts panel lists exactly one active row — magnesium, and nothing else. There is no proprietary blend, no herbal extract and no second mineral sharing the tablet. Everything below that single row is an excipient: an inactive component that does a job in making the tablet rather than in the serving.

The printed Other Ingredients line reads: Hydroxypropyl Cellulose, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Vegetarian Coating [hypromellose (cellulose), calcium carbonate, glycerin], Stearic Acid (vegetable source), Croscarmellose Sodium and Magnesium Stearate (vegetable source).

Two details in that line are worth reading closely, because they are the ones a careful shopper actually checks.

• The words "(vegetable source)", printed twice. Stearic acid and magnesium stearate are pressing lubricants — they keep powder from sticking to the tablet press — and they are the one excipient class on a tablet that is routinely animal-derived. NOW prints the source qualifier after both of them. That is what makes the "Vegetarian/Vegan" line on the front of this bottle checkable against the panel rather than something a shopper has to take on faith, and it is the most useful thing on the Other Ingredients line.
• Magnesium stearate is not part of the declared 400 mg. It is a magnesium compound by name, which reasonably prompts the question. It appears here as a processing aid in trace amounts, and the panel declares magnesium once, from magnesium citrate. The 400 mg figure is the citrate's contribution.

The rest of the line describes a coated, compressed tablet. Hydroxypropyl cellulose and microcrystalline cellulose give the powder something to hold onto under pressure; croscarmellose sodium draws in water and swells, which is what makes a pressed tablet break apart again; and the vegetarian coating is a three-part film — hypromellose forms the film itself, calcium carbonate is the white opacifier that makes it look solid rather than translucent, and glycerin is the plasticizer that keeps the dried film from cracking. The calcium carbonate is there for the color of the coat, not as a calcium source, and it is not declared on the panel.

The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheet on magnesium gives general background on the mineral and its Daily Value, and you can look up filed label data for magnesium products in the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

How to use it

The bottle's suggested usage reads: "Take 2 tablets daily with food." On a bottle this size that makes the arithmetic simple — 250 tablets divided by a two-tablet serving is 125 servings, or a 125-day supply taken once a day as directed. Storage guidance on the same panel is to store in a cool, dry place after opening.

The gallery includes NOW's tablet-size card, which shows the tablet against an inch and centimeter rule. It is worth a look before ordering if tablet size is something you pay attention to.

Who it's for

This is the large-format bottle in NOW's magnesium citrate line, and the count is the reason to choose it. At 125 servings it suits someone who has already settled on magnesium citrate as their everyday form and does not want to reorder every few weeks — the practical opposite of a small bottle bought to try a format out. It is a dietary supplement for adults 18 and over.

Two label facts narrow it further. The front prints "Vegetarian/Vegan", supported by the source qualifiers discussed above, so it fits a plant-based household without a call to the manufacturer. And the allergen statement rules out eight of the common allergens by name, which matters if you are shopping for a household that reads labels. Related items sit under Health & Wellness.

Good to know

The caution printed on the bottle reads: "For adults only. Consult physician if pregnant/nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children." The panel also notes that natural color variation may occur in this product.

• Allergens: the label states it is not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish or sesame ingredients, and that it is produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens.
• Maker: manufactured by NOW Foods, 395 S. Glen Ellyn Rd., Bloomingdale, IL 60108, USA. The panel adds that it is made and quality tested in the USA with globally sourced ingredients, and the bottle prints "Family owned since 1968."
• Marks on the bottle: a "GMP Quality Assured" roundel on the panel, a Non-GMO badge on the front, and a kosher letter mark beside the count.
• Packaging: the side panel states the bottle is made from 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) resin.

For general consumer guidance on choosing and using supplements, the FDA publishes questions and answers on dietary supplements, and NCCIH covers what is known about supplement safety. Neither source refers to this product.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tablets are in this bottle, and how many servings is that?

The bottle holds 250 tablets, which the panel states is 125 servings. The label serving is two tablets, so taken once daily as directed this is a 125-day supply — the largest count NOW offers in this magnesium citrate format.

How much magnesium is in one tablet, and how much in a serving?

One tablet carries 200 mg of elemental magnesium, and the two-tablet serving carries 400 mg. The panel declares the serving figure, 400 mg, and prints it as 95% of the Daily Value; the 200 mg on the front of the bottle is the per-tablet amount.

Is this suitable for vegetarians and vegans?

Yes — the front of the bottle prints "Vegetarian/Vegan", and the Other Ingredients line backs it up. The two stearates are each printed "(vegetable source)", and the coating is a cellulose film rather than gelatin, so there is no animal-derived component listed on the panel.

Does it contain gluten, soy or dairy?

No — the label states the product is not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish or sesame ingredients. The same statement notes it is produced in a GMP facility that also processes other ingredients containing those allergens, which is the standard shared-facility wording and is worth knowing if you avoid trace exposure.

How is this order packaged for delivery?

Orders ship in plain, unmarked 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.