Answer:
This is a good question, since magnesium can make up less than half the weight of compounds that include it, such as magnesium citrate, magnesium chloride, and magnesium glycinate.
The amount of actual magnesium (sometimes listed as "elemental" magnesium) that you're getting from a supplement
should be indicated on the label, but that's not always the case, so it's important to notice
how the claim regarding magnesium is worded. For example, if your supplement label states: "Magnesium (as magnesium citrate)....500 mg" it should contain 500 mg of actual magnesium. However, if the label says "Magnesium citrate 500 mg," this means the entire compound is 500 mg — of which only a small percentage is magnesium (in fact, it's only 11.2% in magnesium citrate, or 16.2% in trimagnesium dicitrate, which may also labeled as magnesium citrate).
Keep in mind that even when a supplement appears to be properly labeled, the only way to know for sure whether it contains what it claims is if it has been tested by an independent group like ConsumerLab.com. Not all products contain what they claim. You can find out which magnesium supplements do or don't contain what they claim in our
Magnesium Supplements Review. The Review also includes our
Top Picks among magnesium supplements we consider best, as well as additional information about how to read magnesium supplement labels, including an example of a
misleading label from a product reviewed by ConsumerLab.com. In the Review, you'll also get objective information about what magnesium does, proper dosage, side effects, and how the forms of magnesium differ.
Note that this labeling rule applies to other essential minerals, such as
calcium,
iron and
zinc. See the "ConsumerTips" section of our Reviews of supplements of each type for more about the different forms and what to look for on labels.
Dorothy11030
July 3, 2016What is magnesium oxide? That is what is on the label of the supplement I take. Is a different form better?
Hi Dorothy - You can find information about the different forms of magnesium, including magnesium oxide, in the "ConsumerTips" section of the Magnesium Supplements Review: https://www.consumerlab.com/reviews/magnesium-supplement-review/magnesium/#forms