NOW Foods Magnesium Glycinate 180 Tablets

What it is

NOW Foods Magnesium Glycinate is a dietary supplement supplying 200 mg of elemental magnesium per two-tablet serving, in a bottle of 180 coated tablets. The magnesium is chelated — bound to the amino acid glycine — and the Supplement Facts panel names the raw material as Albion™ magnesium bisglycinate. The front of the bottle is marked Vegetarian/Vegan and carries a Non-GMO seal, and the teal band across the label files it under NOW's Minerals range.

At 180 tablets the bottle holds 90 servings of two tablets each. Taken at the lower end of the printed frequency — one serving a day — that is a 90-day supply; at the upper end of the same printed range, two servings a day, it works out to about 45 days.

What's inside

This is a single-active formula: the panel carries one ingredient row, with no proprietary blend and no dagger-footnoted extras. That row reads Magnesium (elemental) (from Magnesium Bisglycinate) (Albion™) — 200 mg, 48% Daily Value. The percentage is a useful cross-check on the milligrams: the US Daily Value for magnesium is 420 mg, and 200 divided by 420 is 47.6%, which rounds to the 48% the label prints. Divided across the serving, each tablet carries 100 mg of elemental magnesium.

Magnesium bisglycinate is what chemists call a chelate — a mineral held inside an organic molecule rather than paired with an inorganic partner such as oxide or citrate. The "bis" in the name is doing real work: it means two glycine molecules are bonded to each magnesium ion. Glycine is the smallest of the amino acids, and the resulting complex is a different chemical object from a simple magnesium salt. The word "elemental" on the panel matters too — it tells you the 200 mg counts the magnesium itself, not the combined weight of magnesium plus the glycine wrapped around it, which is always a higher number.

The Albion™ mark is a raw-material brand rather than a NOW one, and the label spells out the ownership: Albion™ and the Albion Gold Medallion design are trademarks of Balchem Corporation or its subsidiaries — so the panel names the supplier that made the mineral, not just the mineral. Background on magnesium as a nutrient is available from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements magnesium fact sheet, which is general reference material and is not a comment on this product.

The rest of the panel is the tablet itself, and it is listed in two layers. The core holds Citric Acid, Hydroxypropyl Cellulose, Stearic Acid (vegetable source) and Silicon Dioxide. The Vegetarian Coating is bracketed separately and holds hypromellose (cellulose), stearic acid (vegetable source), sunflower lecithin, triethyl citrate and sunflower oil. Each has a manufacturing job: hydroxypropyl cellulose is the binder that lets loose powder hold together as a compressed tablet, silicon dioxide keeps that powder flowing evenly through the press, and stearic acid is the lubricant that stops it sticking to the tooling. In the coating, hypromellose forms the film, triethyl citrate keeps the dried film flexible rather than brittle, and sunflower lecithin and sunflower oil help the film spread and release cleanly.

The two cellulose entries are not duplicates: hydroxypropyl cellulose in the core and hypromellose — hydroxypropyl methylcellulose — in the coating are related plant-cellulose derivatives doing different jobs, one inside the tablet and one on its surface. This list is also why the front of the bottle can say Vegetarian/Vegan: every component in both layers, including the stearic acid, is specified as vegetable or plant-derived, with no gelatin, shellac or dairy-derived carrier anywhere in the list.

Supplement Facts

Other ingredients: Citric Acid, Hydroxypropyl Cellulose, Stearic Acid (vegetable source), Silicon Dioxide and Vegetarian Coating [hypromellose (cellulose), stearic acid (vegetable source), sunflower lecithin, triethyl citrate, sunflower oil].

Allergen statement, as printed: Not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients. Produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens.

How to use it

The label's suggested usage is: take 2 tablets 1 to 2 times daily with food. That is the whole of the printed direction — the label does not single out a time of day. Taking it with food is part of the instruction rather than a suggestion, so it is worth pairing the serving with a meal.

Storage: store in a cool, dry place after opening. The bottle also notes that natural color variation may occur in this product, which is normal for a compressed mineral tablet. The tablets are oblong caplets with a score line down the center of one face, shown on NOW's printed size card against an inch and centimeter rule; that card notes that the size and color it shows may vary from the actual product.

Who it's for

This is a single-mineral dietary supplement for adults 18 and over who already know they want magnesium in a chelated glycinate form rather than as an oxide or citrate. The 180-count bottle suits someone who has settled on a routine and would rather buy a long interval at once than reorder often.

The Vegetarian/Vegan marking and the plant-derived coating make it relevant to anyone screening supplements for animal-derived excipients, and the printed allergen statement above makes it easy to check against a common food restriction. If you are choosing between magnesium forms, or are unsure how a supplement fits with something you already take, that is a conversation for a licensed healthcare professional. The NIH's general guide to what to know before using dietary supplements is a neutral starting point.

Good to know

The bottle's printed caution reads: for adults only; consult physician if pregnant/nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition; keep out of reach of children.

The label states that the product is manufactured by NOW Foods, 395 S. Glen Ellyn Rd., Bloomingdale, IL 60108, USA, and that it is made and quality tested in the USA with globally sourced ingredients — wording that describes where the work was done rather than where every raw material originated. The bottle carries a GMP Quality Assured seal and the line "Family owned since 1968." The side panel also records that the bottle is made from 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) resin. General background on how dietary supplements are regulated in the United States is available from the FDA's consumer page on dietary supplements. You can browse related products in Health & Wellness.

Frequently asked questions

How many tablets and how many servings are in this bottle?

The bottle holds 180 tablets, which the panel counts as 90 servings of two tablets each. At one serving daily that is a 90-day supply; at the printed upper frequency of two servings daily, about 45 days.

What form of magnesium does this use?

It uses magnesium bisglycinate, a chelated form in which magnesium is bonded to the amino acid glycine, supplied as Albion™ branded material. The panel reports 200 mg of elemental magnesium per two-tablet serving, equal to 48% of the Daily Value, meaning 100 mg of elemental magnesium in each tablet.

Is this product vegan, and what allergens does the label mention?

Yes — the front of the bottle is marked Vegetarian/Vegan, and every listed excipient in both the tablet core and its coating is specified as vegetable or plant-derived. The printed allergen statement says the product is not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients, and that it is made in a GMP facility that also handles those allergens.

How should I take and store it?

Take 2 tablets 1 to 2 times daily with food, which is the label's suggested usage exactly as printed. Store the bottle in a cool, dry place after opening. The label also notes that natural color variation may occur between batches of these tablets.

How is this order packaged for delivery?

Orders are sent in plain, unbranded outer packaging. 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.