NOW Foods Magnesium Malate 1000mg 180 Tablets

What it is

NOW Foods Magnesium Malate 1000 mg is a dietary supplement in tablet form, sold in a bottle of 180 tablets. Each tablet is built on 1,000 mg of magnesium malate, which the Supplement Facts panel lists as supplying 113 mg of elemental magnesium, or 27% of the Daily Value. The back panel describes it as "a fully reacted mineral supplement" — the magnesium and the malic acid are chemically bound to one another rather than blended together as two separate powders. NOW files the product under its own Minerals heading, which is the same category banner printed across the top of the bottle's back label.

The bottle is white with a purple cap, and the front carries a Non-GMO mark, a kosher symbol and the line "Vegetarian/Vegan". It is a single-ingredient mineral product: there is no herbal blend, no proprietary matrix, no added sweetener and no stimulant.

What's inside

The ingredient list is short, and every item on it is printed on the back panel. One active mineral does the work; the rest is what holds a tablet together.

• Magnesium (elemental), 113 mg — from 1,000 mg magnesium malate. Magnesium is an essential dietary mineral, meaning the body cannot manufacture it and has to take it in from food. It turns up most densely in leafy green vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheet on magnesium gives general background on the mineral and on recommended dietary intakes.
• Malic acid — the "malate" half of the name. Malic acid is an organic acid that occurs naturally in apples, cherries and other fruit; it is the compound behind the sharp edge of a green apple, and the food industry also uses it as an acidulant. Here it is not a flavoring but the partner the magnesium is bound to, which is what makes the compound magnesium malate rather than magnesium plus a separate acid.
• Other ingredients, exactly as the panel prints them: Hydroxypropyl Cellulose, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Stearic Acid (vegetable source), Croscarmellose Sodium, Magnesium Stearate (vegetable source), Silicon Dioxide, and a Vegetarian Coating made of hypromellose (cellulose), calcium carbonate and glycerin.

That second list is ordinary tablet engineering rather than anything active. Microcrystalline cellulose is a plant-derived bulking agent that lets a powder hold its shape under compression, and hydroxypropyl cellulose binds the mix. Croscarmellose sodium is a disintegrant — it swells on contact with liquid so the tablet breaks apart instead of passing through whole. Stearic acid and magnesium stearate act as lubricants so the tablet releases cleanly from the press, and the panel specifies a vegetable source for both, which matters if you are checking that the front label's "Vegetarian/Vegan" line holds up all the way down the ingredient list. Silicon dioxide keeps the blend free-flowing, and the hypromellose coating gives the finished tablet a smooth surface.

If you like to compare formulas across brands before buying, the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database archives label panels from thousands of products and is a neutral place to see how different magnesium forms are declared.

Supplement Facts

The panel prints no other nutrient rows and no proprietary blend. Magnesium is the only item carrying an amount and a Daily Value.

How to use it

The label's suggested usage is one tablet three times daily, preferably with food. That is the manufacturer's own wording, and worth noting: a three-times-daily schedule is not the once-a-day habit many mineral supplements are built around. Taken that way, a 180-tablet bottle works out to a 60-day supply.

Storage is straightforward: store in a cool, dry place after opening. The back panel also notes that natural color variation may occur in the product, which is normal for a mineral tablet and not a sign that anything is wrong with the batch.

The tablet itself is an oblong, scored caplet. NOW prints a tablet-size guide on the packaging showing it against an inch and centimeter rule, where it runs just under an inch from end to end — useful to know in advance if you find large tablets hard to swallow.

Who it's for

This is a straightforward mineral supplement for adults 18 and over who want magnesium in tablet form. Within the wider Supplements range, the distinguishing features here are the malate form, the 180-count bottle and the tablet format — if you prefer a powder you stir into water or a capsule you can pull apart, this is not that product.

It suits a vegetarian or vegan household, and it will matter to anyone who reads labels for allergens — the panel's allergen statement is unusually explicit. Both points are covered in detail in the questions below. As with anything in Health & Wellness, it is a food supplement and not a substitute for a varied diet.

Good to know

The manufacturer's printed caution, in full, is: "For adults only. Consult physician if pregnant/nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children." That is the whole of the safety text NOW prints on this bottle.

• Allergen statement: not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish or sesame ingredients. The panel adds that it is produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens.
• Origin: the back panel states the product is made and quality tested in the USA with globally sourced ingredients, and that it is manufactured for NOW Foods, 395 S. Glen Ellyn Rd., Bloomingdale, IL 60108.
• Marks on the bottle: a Non-GMO mark and a kosher symbol on the front, and a "GMP Quality Assured" seal on the back panel alongside the line "Family owned since 1968."
• Packaging: the label notes the bottle is made from 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) resin.

If you take prescription medication or have an ongoing medical condition, the label's own instruction is to speak to your physician first. The FDA's questions and answers on dietary supplements is a useful general primer on how supplements are regulated and what the label on any of them can and cannot tell you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much elemental magnesium does each tablet actually contain?

Each tablet contains 113 mg of elemental magnesium, which is 27% of the Daily Value. That figure comes from 1,000 mg of magnesium malate — the 1,000 mg on the front of the bottle is the weight of the whole magnesium malate compound, while 113 mg is the magnesium within it. Both numbers are printed on the Supplement Facts panel.

Is this product suitable for vegetarians and vegans?

Yes — the front of the bottle is marked "Vegetarian/Vegan". The tablet coating is hypromellose, a cellulose-derived material, rather than gelatin, and the panel specifies that both the stearic acid and the magnesium stearate come from a vegetable source.

How many tablets a day, and how far does one bottle go?

The label's suggested usage is one tablet three times daily, preferably with food. At that usage a 180-tablet bottle is a 60-day supply. If you are unsure whether that schedule suits you, the label directs you to consult your physician.

Does it contain any of the common allergens?

No — the panel states the product is not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish or sesame ingredients. It also discloses that production takes place in a GMP facility that handles other ingredients containing those allergens, a shared-facility statement worth knowing if your sensitivity is severe.

How is the order packaged for delivery?

Orders ship 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.