NOW Foods Magnesium Glycinate 90 Tablets

What it is

NOW Foods Magnesium Glycinate is a dietary supplement supplied as 90 coated tablets in a white bottle with a purple cap. The serving size printed on the panel is 2 tablets, the bottle holds 45 servings, and one serving supplies 200 mg of elemental magnesium — 48% of the Daily Value — all of it from magnesium bisglycinate carrying the Albion™ mark. The front of the bottle is marked Vegetarian/Vegan and Non-GMO, and the band across the top of the label reads Minerals. The Supplement Facts panel carries a single active row, which makes this one of the more straightforward mineral labels to read.

It sits in our Minerals range alongside the rest of the Supplements catalog.

What's inside

The only active ingredient is magnesium, and the panel is specific about the form it takes: magnesium bisglycinate. That is magnesium paired with glycine, the smallest and structurally simplest of the amino acids that make up dietary protein — the "bis" prefix records that two units of glycine are bonded to each magnesium atom. The panel credits the raw material to Albion™, and the small print on the same side states that Albion™ and the Albion Gold Medallion design are trademarks of Balchem Corporation or its subsidiaries.

The word elemental in the ingredient row is doing real work. It means the 200 mg figure counts the weight of the magnesium itself, not the combined weight of the magnesium-and-glycine compound that carries it. That is why a label can print a large compound weight and a smaller mineral weight without contradicting itself, and it is the number worth comparing when you put two magnesium products side by side. The arithmetic on this panel is self-consistent: the US Daily Value for magnesium is 420 mg, and 200 divided by 420 is 47.6% — printed on the panel as 48%. The two numbers corroborate each other.

Everything else on the label is there to make a tablet hold together and go down. The core carries Citric Acid, Hydroxypropyl Cellulose, Stearic Acid (vegetable source) and Silicon Dioxide. The tablet is then finished with what the panel calls a Vegetarian Coating, itself broken out into five named substances: hypromellose (cellulose), stearic acid (vegetable source), sunflower lecithin, triethyl citrate and sunflower oil.

Two of those repeat across the two layers, which is a small detail but a genuinely specific one. Stearic acid appears in the core and again in the coating. Citric acid appears in the core in its own right, and then a second time in esterified form — triethyl citrate is an ester of citric acid, used in film coatings as a plasticizer to keep the dried film flexible rather than brittle. Hypromellose is a cellulose-derived film former, sunflower lecithin an emulsifier pressed from sunflower seeds, and silicon dioxide a flow agent that stops powder binding up during compression. That every one of these is cellulose- or plant-derived is consistent with the Vegetarian/Vegan marking printed on the front of the bottle.

For general background on magnesium as a dietary mineral, the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements consumer fact sheet is the reference point, and the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database lets you compare printed panels across products.

Supplement Facts

How to use it

The printed instruction is "Take 2 tablets 1 to 2 times daily with food." Take it alongside a meal, at a frequency anywhere in that one-to-twice-daily range. The bottle also says to store it in a cool, dry place after opening.

The frequency range is worth doing the arithmetic on before you buy, because it changes how far the bottle goes. At 2 tablets once a day the 90 tablets work out to a 45-day supply. At 2 tablets twice a day, the upper end of the printed range, the same bottle covers about 22 days. The panel also notes that natural color variation may occur in this product.

Who it's for

This is a product for adults 18 and over who want magnesium in tablet form. The practical distinction between this and the capsules elsewhere in the same brand's mineral range is the format itself: this is a compressed tablet finished with a vegetarian film coating, rather than powder filled into a shell.

The 48% Daily Value figure is the number to check against anything else in your routine. If you already take a multivitamin or a combination mineral product, both panels are worth reading side by side, since magnesium commonly appears in both and the Daily Value percentages add up across everything you take. The NCCIH overview of dietary and herbal supplements covers the general ground on combining products.

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

Good to know

• Allergens, 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.
• Origin: the panel reads "Made and quality tested in the USA with globally sourced ingredients," and names the manufacturer as NOW Foods, 395 S. Glen Ellyn Rd., Bloomingdale, IL 60108, USA.
• Marks on the bottle: a GMP Quality Assured seal, a Non-GMO mark, and a kosher mark shown as a letter K within a triangle. The panel also carries the line "Family owned since 1968."
• Packaging: the label states the bottle is made from 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) resin.
• Reading the asterisk: where a supplement label carries a starred statement, the star points to the FDA's required notice. The FDA explains the distinction in its guidance on structure/function claims.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

The bottle holds 90 tablets, which the panel counts as 45 servings of 2 tablets each. Following the lower end of the printed usage — 2 tablets once daily — that is a 45-day supply; at the upper end of 2 tablets twice daily it covers roughly 22 days.

Is this a tablet or a capsule, and what is the coating made from?

It is a compressed tablet with a film coating, not a capsule. The panel names the coating as a Vegetarian Coating and lists its five components: hypromellose (cellulose), stearic acid (vegetable source), sunflower lecithin, triethyl citrate and sunflower oil.

How much magnesium is in a single tablet?

The label states magnesium by the serving rather than by the tablet: 200 mg of elemental magnesium, and 48% of the Daily Value, both belong to the full 2-tablet serving. That is the figure to use when comparing this panel against another product's.

Is this suitable for vegetarians, and is it free from common allergens?

The front of the bottle is marked Vegetarian/Vegan, and the panel describes the coating as a Vegetarian Coating with plant- and cellulose-derived components. On allergens the label states it is not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients, while noting it is produced in a GMP facility that handles those allergens in other products.

How is my order packaged for delivery?

Orders ship in plain, unmarked outer packaging. It will not show the Gear Isle name. You can browse more of our Health & Wellness range for other everyday supplements.

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.