Nature's Bounty · Magnesium · Tablets

Is Nature's Bounty Magnesium 500 mg underdosed?

1 serving = 1 tabletDirections: 1 serving a dayLabel as of 22 Apr 2021 · NIH DSLD

Verdict

500 mg a dayas the label directs · studies use 300 mg a day or more · supplement upper limit 350 mg

Over the upper limit

Taken as the label directs (1 serving a day, 500 mg each), it gives 500 mg a day. Studies of magnesium supplements use 300 mg a day or more; the RDA is 400–420 mg for men and 310–320 mg for women, counting food, and the US upper limit for magnesium from supplements is 350 mg a day. The most the directions give is above the upper limit.

One tablet gives 500 mg, enough on its own for the low end of what studies use (300 mg); it ranks 9th of 21 magnesium supplements here by dose.

1 tablet a day reaches 300 mg.

What the label says

Magnesium per serving
500 mg in 1 tablet
Servings a day
1 serving a day
Magnesium a day, as directed
500 mg
Reference
studies use 300 mg a day or more · supplement upper limit 350 mg Evidence: Moderate
Directions: For adults, take one (1) tablet daily, preferably with a meal.
The label's directions, as printed.

More about magnesium: forms, timing and the studies behind the dose.

Same category, compared

All 21 magnesium supplements we checked, ranked by dose (commission never changes the order). Studies use 300 mg a day or more · supplement upper limit 350 mg; servings counted to 300 mg.

ProductPer servingServings to reach itForm
Country Life Magnesium Glycinate350 mg1 or lessTablets · magnesium bisglycinate
Solaray High Absorption Magnesium Glycinate 350 mg350 mg1 or lessPowders · magnesium bisglycinate
BioEmblem Triple Magnesium Complex300 mg1 or lessCapsules · magnesium malate, glycinate, citrate
Natural Vitality Calm325 mg1 or lessPowders · magnesium carbonate
BiOptimizers Magnesium Breakthrough500 mg1 or lessCapsules · magnesium proprietary blend 1711 mg
Bluebonnet Magnesium Citrate400 mg1 or lessTablets · magnesium citrate
Doctor's Best High Absorption Magnesium 200 mg200 mg1.5Tablets · albion magnesium lysinate glycinate chelate 2000 mg
Doctor's Best High Absorption Magnesium Powder200 mg1.5Powders · magnesium lysinate glycinate chelate 2000 mg
Nature's Bounty Magnesium 500 mg (this product)500 mg1 or lessTablets · magnesium oxide
NOW Foods Magnesium Citrate400 mg1 or lessCapsules · magnesium citrate 2667 mg
KAL High Absorption Magnesium Glycinate315 mg1 or lessCapsules · magnesium bisglycinate
Nature Made Magnesium 250 mg250 mg1.2Tablets · magnesium oxide
Puritan's Pride Magnesium Glycinate240 mg1.3Capsules · magnesium glycinate
Nutricost Magnesium Oxide 375 mg210 mg1.4Capsules · magnesium oxide
Life Extension Neuro-Mag Magnesium L-Threonate144 mg2.1Capsules · magtein 2000 mg
NOW Foods Magtein144 mg2.1Capsules · magtein 2000 mg
Sports Research Magnesium L-Threonate144 mg2.1Capsules · magtein 2000 mg
Pure Encapsulations Magnesium (Glycinate)120 mg2.5Capsules · magnesium glycinate
Thorne Magnesium Glycinate120 mg2.5Capsules · magnesium glycinate
Natural Vitality Calm Capsules100 mg3Capsules · magnesium glycinate
Double Wood Supplements Magnesium Glycinate 400 mg60 mg5Capsules · magnesium glycinate

Where the reference doses come from

  1. Magnesium, 300–350 mg/day: Zhang et al., 2016.
  2. Label data: National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplement Label Database, 2026. https://dsld.od.nih.gov/. Label 242510, including its servings a day.

For a supplement taken every day we judge the most the label's directions give in a day, and show the least. Read the full methodology or the corrections log.