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Magnesium 500 mg

Nature's Bounty

4.7
(95059 ratings)
Magnesium 500 mg
Product Image
Score 30.0

An extremely cost-effective, high-dose magnesium oxide supplement with widespread popularity. Its poor systemic bioavailability makes it largely ineffective for broad health goals, primarily serving as a laxative.

Quantity: 200 Tablet(s)Servings size: 1 Tablet(s) (200 servings)
Selected goals:
Other goals:
Stress Relief
Mood Support
Bone Health
Sleep Support
General Health

Score 30.0

An extremely cost-effective, high-dose magnesium oxide supplement with widespread popularity. Its poor systemic bioavailability makes it largely ineffective for broad health goals, primarily serving as a laxative.

Analysis

This is a larger quantity offering of Nature's Bounty Magnesium 500 mg, providing 500mg of magnesium as Magnesium Oxide, making it even more cost-effective per serving. Despite the very high dosage and extremely low price, Magnesium Oxide has very poor systemic bioavailability, typically absorbing only about 4% into the bloodstream. This severely restricts its ability to address the broad health goals such as energy, stress relief, heart health, bone health, mood, metabolism, and sleep. Its primary and most effective function remains as an osmotic laxative. The massive number of reviews likely reflects its popularity as an affordable option for either general magnesium intake (without full awareness of bioavailability) or for laxative purposes.
Pros
  • Extremely high dose of elemental magnesium per serving
  • Unbeatable low price per serving
  • Massive number of positive reviews, indicating widespread acceptance and popularity
Cons
  • Severely limited systemic bioavailability of Magnesium Oxide
  • High likelihood of laxative effects due to poor absorption
  • Not ideal for comprehensive magnesium repletion for broad health benefits
Warnings
  • High dosage of poorly absorbed magnesium will likely cause diarrhea or significant gastrointestinal upset.
  • Not recommended for addressing systemic magnesium deficiency due to inherent absorption issues.
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$7.55($0.03 per serving)
Walmart
$ 7.55
Amazon
$ 7.57
Vitacost
$ 12.49
iHerb
$ 12.98
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Effectiveness for goals

Dosage, timing & forms

Safety & interactions

Ingredients

IngredientAmount per serving
Magnesium
500 mg
Gluten Free Adults 18–50 Dairy Free Sugar Free
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Categories

Provides a very high quantity of magnesium at an incredibly low price, but its very low systemic bioavailability due to being Magnesium Oxide significantly limits its functional value for comprehensive supplementation.

Goals

Despite its high elemental content, the very poor systemic absorption of Magnesium Oxide means limited contribution to the body's general health processes and essential functions.
Optimal energy production from magnesium requires efficient systemic absorption, which is profoundly lacking with Magnesium Oxide, thus offering minimal direct benefits for energy.
For magnesium to alleviate stress, systemic availability is essential, a function poorly provided by the low absorption of Magnesium Oxide into the nervous system.
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Target-Mins Magnesium Potassium Aspartate With Other Target-Mins Chelates

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A very cheap alternative that also consists of Magnesium Oxide, suitable if the main goal is a laxative effect at an incredibly low cost.
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Magnesium 250 mg

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(63969 ratings)
Extremely low price per serving for Magnesium Oxide, serving a similar purpose for cost-conscious users prioritizing laxative action.
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Magnesium 250 mg

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4.7
(4316 ratings)
Offers Magnesium Oxide at a very low price per serving, aligning with the original product's primary use as a budget-friendly option for bowel regularity.
85 Value

Magnesium Caps 400 mg

NOW
4.8
(29692 ratings)
While at a higher price per serving, its inclusion of better absorbed forms (Citrate, Aspartate) delivers dramatically more effective magnesium per dollar for systemic benefits.
80 Value

Triple Magnesium Complex 400 mg

Swanson
4.8
(15589 ratings)
Offers a blend including better absorbed forms (Citrate, Aspartate) at a competitive price, representing a significantly better value for general magnesium benefits than oxide alone.
90 Value

Magnesium Caps 500 mg

Life Extension
4.8
(71620 ratings)
Although a higher price per serving, its superior chelated forms provide vastly greater value for genuine magnesium absorption and systemic benefits.
90 Performance

Magnesium Caps 500 mg

Life Extension
4.8
(71620 ratings)
Contains highly bioavailable chelated forms (Lysyl Glycinate, Succinate, Citrate) that are significantly better absorbed than Magnesium Oxide, providing superior systemic benefits.
95 Performance

Target-Mins Magnesium Potassium Aspartate With Other Target-Mins Chelates

Country Life
4.7
(4315 ratings)
Offers a broad spectrum of highly bioavailable magnesium forms, comprehensively addressing magnesium needs more effectively than a solely oxide-based product.
90 Performance

Chelated Magnesium 133 mg

Swanson
4.8
(5354 ratings)
Features TRAACS Magnesium Bisglycinate Chelate, a premium, highly absorbable form known for its gentleness and efficacy, far superior to Magnesium Oxide.
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