The 10 Best Magnesium Supplements of 2025, According to a Registered Dietitian

Transparent Labs provides high-quality products and full transparency about them, its single-ingredient magnesium supplement included. As our best magnesium supplement overall, let’s see what this single-ingredient magnesium supplement is all about. 

Each three-capsule serving provides 300 milligrams of magnesium bisglycinate chelate, a combo of magnesium and the amino acid glycine. Also known as magnesium glycinate and chelated magnesium, magnesium bisglycinate provides great absorbability with fewer side effects—like diarrhea and abdominal cramping—compared to other forms of magnesium. The formulation earns a 4 out of 5 from our team.

Senior director of content Kate Meier tested Transparent Labs’ magnesium out, and said the capsules are quite large—and you have to take three per serving. Keep that in mind if you don’t like swallowing pills. 

“Just one of these pills alone is a little large,” Kate noted.

While we cover dosing in full below, how much supplemental magnesium you get varies based on many factors—like the intended use and the amount of magnesium you consume from food sources. But to provide context for Transparent Lab’s 300-milligram dose, and the other options ahead, the Daily Value (DV) for magnesium is 420 milligrams daily for an adult male and 320 milligrams for an adult female.

Like all Transparent Lab products, its magnesium supplement is free of artificial ingredients and third-party tested. You can even view its Certificate of Analysis (COA), aligning perfectly with the brand’s commitment to transparency. As a result, we give this supplement a perfect 5-out-of-5 rating for third-party testing.

An added bonus: Transparent Labs is also pretty affordable. At $0.57 per serving, we give this a 3.5 out of 5 for price, especially when you factor in the quality formulation and commitment to transparency.

Committed to providing clinically effective doses and total formulation transparency, Legion is a supplement brand we trust and regularly recommend. And supposedly providing a scientifically proven form of magnesium that supports athletic performance, amongst other benefits, Legion Sucrosomial Magnesium could be a great option for athletes and health enthusiasts alike. 

If you’re wondering what “Sucrosominal Magnesium” is all about, it’s a patented form of magnesium oxide protected by a sucrosomial complex trademarked by Maypro. The company website tells us that phospholipids and sucrose esters cover magnesium to enhance absorption—and apparently absorb faster with 20 percent higher bioavailability than magnesium citrate. A 2018 study³ further suggests that sucrosomial magnesium leads to an increased bioavailability of magnesium compared to other forms like magnesium oxide. 

And regarding those athletic benefits, out of all of the minerals, magnesium (and iron) has the strongest quality evidence⁴ for improving athletic and muscle performance. But given that magnesium helps with energy metabolism and muscle function, it’s unsurprising that it may support athletic endeavors.

Specific to magnesium oxide, there’s some research⁵ hinting that supplementing with it for 12 weeks seems to improve physical performance in healthy older women. Overall, because adequate magnesium levels⁶ are positively linked to muscle performance and cardiorespiratory health during aerobic exercise, adequate intake should be emphasized over the form.

Like all Legion products, we appreciate that the magnesium supplement is free of artificial ingredients. Oh, and Legion offers a “no return necessary” money-back guarantee and will give you a full refund on the spot—no forms or return necessary! We rate their customer service an easy 5 out of 5.

And as the magnesium-rich cherry on top, Legion products are also made in U.S.-based, National Sanitation Foundation (NSF)-certified, Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-inspected, and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)-compliant facilities. They also undergo third-party testing to ensure it meets FDA purity standards, and you can even view each product’s COA on the Sucrosomial Magnesium product page. Again, Legion earns a perfect score of 5 out of 5 for third-party testing—a valuable component when testing supplements.

Senior director of content Kate Meier tested Legion’s magnesium and said the pill was easy to swallow—she appreciated the serving size is only one (albeit, large) capsule, too.

“It is bigger than your typical vitamin, but it’s thankfully not hard to swallow,”

She regularly takes magnesium and didn’t notice any interruption or side effects when swapping this product in, which is a good thing. 

Another bonus about Legion is that this supplement is inexpensive. With a per-serving cost of $0.25, we give this a 4.5 out of 5 for price.

If you’re looking for the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to dosage, LifeForce Magnesium contains 315 milligrams of magnesium per three-tablet serving. Registered dietitian Laila Ouldibbat says that amount is perfect for anyone looking to take magnesium to alleviate stress or anxiety-related symptoms. As a result, we give the formulation a rating of 5 out of 5.

“Glad it falls within the recommended daily allowance and ‘stress dose,’” Laila says. A 2017 review of studies on magnesium found supplementing with the micronutrient reduced stress-related symptoms such as mild anxiousness, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and hypertension. There were no improvements in postpartum anxiety, the study found.

Laila warns, however, that users should know how much magnesium they’re getting from their food in addition to this magnesium supplement. The average adult should limit themselves to 350 milligrams of magnesium per day—not far from the 315 mg dose. Excess magnesium could lead to an upset gastro-intestinal tract.

Kate Meier, senior director of content and expert product tester, didn’t notice much of a change in her mood during her testing. She added that the tablets were large and “very chalky.”

“I couldn’t take all three at once,” Kate says, rating the texture 2.5 out of 5.

Unfortunately, Life Force also earned a low score for price per serving. With a 30-serving bottle costing $60 ($2 per serving), we had no choice but to give a 1 out of 5 in this category.

A serving of Double Wood Magnesium L-Threonate provides 144 milligrams of magnesium sourced from Magtein, the patented name for magnesium L-threonate (MgT). According to Magceutics, the company that owns the Magtein patent, magnesium L-threonate is a mineral salt of magnesium, a brain-bioavailable form of magnesium that is typically well-tolerated with no significant adverse effects. This type of magnesium is often considered the best for brain health.

Most of the research on the effects of magnesium L-threonate are animal studies, including these 2010¹⁸ and 2019 studies¹⁹ that imply MgT improves brain-related functions like learning and memory. Fast forward to 2022, a study²⁰ suggests that Magtein, paired with vitamins C and D, may improve memory and cognition in healthy adults. 

Our tester didn’t notice any particularly strong benefits from using Double Wood Magnesium L-Threonate, but mentioned they were pleasantly surprised by the capsule size, rating the swallowability a 5 out of 5. They said, “The serving size is four pills that are all roughly the size of a quarter. I was able to get them down in one swig. There’s no taste either, which helps with getting them down.”

While the front of the bottle says 2,000 milligrams per serving, the nutrition label clarifies that this provides 144 milligrams of elemental magnesium, which is the total amount of active magnesium in the 2,000 milligrams of magnesium salt. Since that’s not quite at the level we’d like to see, we rate the formulation 3 out of 5.

The capsules are manufactured in the United States, and are gluten-free, soy-free, and non-GMO. Double Wood also uses third-party testing for these capsules, and you can see the Certificate of Analysis and third-party testing results on the company website. We give it a 5-out-of-5 rating in this all-important category.

While great for any budget, Nature Made Magnesium Glycinate is far from low-quality! And for extra savings, and longer-term use, we recommend snagging the 180-count filled with 90 servings—this amounts to about $0.57 per day versus about $0.70 per day for the 60-count, 30-day supply. Either way, the price-per-serving earns a 4.5 out of 5 rating.

Your health-devoted $0.55 per day provides 200 milligrams of highly absorbable magnesium glycinate to support a healthy heart, bones, and nervous system. This form of magnesium may also be gentler on the stomach than others like magnesium oxide. 

Former GGR performance editor Anthony O’Reilly tried these Nature Made tablets and said for the price, you can’t beat them. “Did it help me fall asleep? Yes, but not to the point where I’d take them every night,” he says. “I do take them now if I need to fall asleep quickly, such as the night before a flight or something like that.”

Although Nature Made prides itself on being the first vitamin brand to earn United States Pharmacopeia (USP) verification on many of its products, there’s no sign online that its magnesium supplement is. But we like that it’s free of synthetic dyes, artificial flavors, and gluten. We’ll give a 2 out of 5 for third-party testing, as we would like to see proof in the form of Certificate of Analysis (COA).

Google search “magnesium functions,” and you’ll find roles related to helping with muscle and nerve function, managing blood sugar levels, regulating blood pressure, and supporting immune health, amongst others. Search for “magnesium citrate,” it makes sense why NOW Magnesium Citrate is crowned to send you back to your porcelain throne.

NOW provides 400 milligrams of magnesium citrate, a form of magnesium well known for its laxative effects. It works by increasing fluid in the small intestine, thus softening the stool and relieving constipation, often within 30 minutes to 6 hours.

Former GGR staff writer Lauren Strong says this magnesium was recommended to her for pelvic floor health, as well as regularity, by her physical therapist. “I like that the one pill has a 400-milligram dose, which is exactly how much I’m supposed to take.”

Early 1990 research¹¹ shows that magnesium citrate is more soluble and bioavailable than magnesium oxide, another form of magnesium commonly used to treat constipation. Newer 2017 research¹²  confirms and supports the former data, suggesting magnesium citrate may be more suitable than magnesium oxide for optimizing dietary magnesium intake.

To totally support your gut health, we recommend checking out the best prebiotic, best probiotic, and best fiber supplements (especially if you aren’t getting enough of these in your daily diet).

But back to the NOW, its magnesium citrate is not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, egg, fish, shellfish, and tree nuts. However, it’s made in a GMP facility (great to see!) that processes common food allergens (so please select accordingly). We rate the formulation a 4 out of 5, but can’t give quite as high of a score for third-party testing. While we appreciate that NOW uses internal testers, we can only give 2 out of 5 in this category.

Did you know magnesium can help with migraines? According to the American Migraine Foundation, a 400 to 600-milligram dose of magnesium oxide may prevent migraines. A recent 2021 study¹³ further supports that magnesium oxide may be as effective as valproate sodium¹⁴, a medication for migraines.

Nature Made provides 250 milligrams of magnesium oxide per 1 soft gel serving, so taking two would align with the 400 to 600 milligram dose for migraine. Beyond managing and preventing migraines, the Nature Made magnesium supplement is formulated to support bone, nerve, and heart health. The formulation earns a 3 out of 5 since you would need to double the dose to hit 500 milligrams (which is in the dosage range for migraines).

It’s important to note that magnesium oxide can have a strong laxative effect and is the reason why it’s often used to treat constipation. 

Director of content Nicole Davis supplemented with Nature Made’s magnesium oxide to help with headaches during pregnancy, and she noticed a huge improvement in her symptoms. With no negative side effects to report, Nicole rated Nature Made a 5 out of 5 in this category.

And as previously mentioned, many of Nature Made’s products are third-party tested and certified through USP. But like its magnesium glycinate supplement, there’s no indication of USP certification on magnesium oxide’s product page.  As a result, we gave a rating of 1 out of 5 in this category.

Thorne Research is known for its high-quality ingredients in clinically effective doses, even collaborating with Mayo Clinic, and that’s one of the reasons why we awarded it the best iron supplement overall. All this to say, it’s really not so surprising that its magnesium powder landed on our top picks. 

Formulated to promote restful sleep and muscle relaxation, one scoop of the taste-free powder provides 200 milligrams of magnesium bisglycinate. While the powder does not indicate a specific flavor, it is sweetened with the natural sweetener monk fruit.

“There’s truly no taste,” said former performance Anthony O’Reilly.

It’s also free from gluten, added sugars, thickeners, and artificial flavors and colors. Our team rated the formulation a 4 out of 5.

Thorne’s facilities are verified by multiple international third-party organizations, including Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration, a regulatory agency run by the Australian Government Department of Health. Thorne supplements are also NSF Certified for Sport,  meaning they have been tested for and are free of over 200 substances banned by many major sports organizations. That leads to an easy 5-out-of-5 rating for third-party testing.

Though not the most expensive magnesium supplement on this list, Thorne is a bit pricier than most. Checking in at $0.80 per serving, we give it a 3 out of 5 value rating.

Is taking more than one form of magnesium best? According to Klaire Labs, “a blend of four bioavailable forms of magnesium allows your body to optimally absorb and use this vital mineral.” But you know how we roll at GGR, so let’s dig into the data.

Klaire Labs Mag Complete provides 240 milligrams of magnesium sourced from four different forms of magnesium: magnesium succinate, magnesium taurinate (also referred to as magnesium taurate or acetyl taurate), magnesium malate, and magnesium aspartate. We give the formulation a strong 4 out of 5 based on the use of multiple sources.

A 2019 study¹⁵ suggests magnesium acetyl taurate and malate forms have higher absorbability than magnesium citrate and oxide, while magnesium aspartate shows to compensate for deficiency more effectively and faster than 10+ other forms according to 2010 data.¹⁶ However, it’s important to note that the results are based on animal studies, and more human studies should be conducted.

Interestingly, former GGR staff writer Lauren Strong found that Mag Complete gave her trouble sleeping. “It was noticeable that I wasn’t falling asleep as easily as I do with other magnesium blends.” And while this is not the common side effect, we thought we should call it out, leading to a side effect rating of 3 out of 5.

Luckily, Klaire Labs is one of the more affordable options. One bottle provides 60 servings, and at $0.40 per serving, we give this a 4 out of 5 for value.

You should ideally bite into magnesium-rich foods—like leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and whole grains—on a daily basis. But Trace Minerals Magnesium Gummies can conveniently supplement your magnesium intake in just a few chews. 

One gummy serving provides 84 milligrams of magnesium citrate to support a healthy mood, energy levels, and mental focus. The small dose in each gummy makes them suitable for children and Trace Minerals recommends kids aged 4 to 12 years to chew 1 gummy per day. Anyone aged 13 and older can chew 1 gummy up to 4 times daily spread throughout the day to mitigate the laxative effect of magnesium citrate. 

Like most gummy supplements, all three flavors—Peach, Tangerine, and Watermelon—contain added sugars sourced from organic cane sugar and organic tapioca syrup. But unlike most gummies, these are gelatin-free, making them a great option for a vegan diet. We give the formulation a 4 out of 5 since vegan dieters can still include it in their stack.

Senior director of content Kate Meier tried these gummies and confirmed they’re effective. “I take four at a time; they provide a very calming effect and help me sleep. I have wild dreams, too!”

Most importantly, these gummies go down easy, too.

“These are delicious,” Kate said, giving a rating of 5 out of 5 for taste and texture. “I tried watermelon and it has a great flavor. They’re chewy and similar to a gum drop.”

Speaking of, Trace Minerals Magnesium Gummies are Certified Vegan and also free of gluten and GMOs. While no identifiable logo indicates additional third-party testing, Trace Minerals claims its “rigorous standards and certifications from manufacturing to packaging guarantee clean, trustworthy products.” We’ll give a 3.5 out of 5 for this category thanks to their transparency despite no clearly identifiable logo indicated third-party testing.

Breathe in, breathe out… Sip Natural Vitality Calm, and mellow out. If you’re seeing this Natural Vitality, new slogan? And if you’re seeing this in hopes of managing stress, Natural Calm might be your newest supplement stack addition. 

The calming magnesium powder provides 350 milligrams of magnesium carbonate in a 2-tablespoon serving size. That’s great bang for your buck, leading to a 4.5 out of 5 formulation rating. Magnesium carbonate is joined with citric acid, so when they’re added to water, it forms magnesium citrate—but does it really ease stress?

Based on a 2017 review¹, emotional stress—whether related to excitement, anxiety, or depression—increases the need for magnesium. This is likely because magnesium converts tryptophan to serotonin, a neurotransmitter majorly linked to mental health and mood. Complementary evidence published in Nutritional Neuroscience¹⁷ suggests magnesium supplementation may prevent depression and be an adjunctive therapy.

The magnesium-calming drink comes in its original, unflavored option and five flavors—Cherry, Lemon, Orange, Raspberry Lemon, and Watermelon—all free of added sugar, fructose, and artificial colors and flavors. 

“I have taken Natural Calm, either as a powder or as gummies, on and off for years,” says senior director of content Kate Meier. “I love it. I always sleep better when I take it (and it always gives me dreams that are totally bananas!). I started off just taking two at a time, and now I take four gummies.”

Rating these a 5 out of 5 for effectiveness, Kate didn’t give quite as high marks for taste or texture. While she gave a 4 out of 5 for flavor, she had mixed opinions about the texture.

“One bottle I got in-store and the gummies seemed really fresh. The second order was from Amazon and they didn’t seem nearly as much,” Kate said. With some mixed experiences, she gave a 3.5 out of 5 for texture.

Of course, you could avoid this altogether and go with the powdered version and still enjoy the benefits.