Skip to content
Nutrition ReviewsNutrition Reviews — home

Head to head · Vitamins & Minerals

Doctor's Best High Absorption Magnesium (Lysinate Glycinate) vs Thorne Iron Bisglycinate

Thorne scores higher overall (8.6 vs 7.9 out of 10), mainly on efficacy, quality & purity, experience and transparency. Doctor's Best still leads on value.

Updated September 2026 from our full reviews · How we score

Front of Doctor's Best High Absorption Magnesium 240-tablet bottle
Doctor's BestHigh Absorption Magnesium (Lysinate Glycinate)
7.9
Good

A long-running Amazon favorite: 200 mg of fully chelated magnesium per serving that is easy on the gut, but the tablets are large and the full label dose exceeds the UL.

Check price on AmazonBuy from the brand

We may earn a commission when you buy through these links — it never affects our scores. How we make money

Read the full review
Higher score
Front of Thorne Iron Bisglycinate 60-capsule bottle
ThorneIron Bisglycinate
8.6
Excellent

25 mg of chelated iron (Ferrochel bisglycinate) in a small, NSF Certified for Sport capsule; gentler than iron salts for most, but only for people who need iron.

Check price on AmazonBuy from the brand

We may earn a commission when you buy through these links — it never affects our scores. How we make money

Read the full review

We may earn a commission when you buy through these links — it never affects our scores. How we make money

The short answer

Choose Doctor's Best if…

  • People who get stomach upset from magnesium oxide or citrate
  • Evening routines aimed at relaxation and muscle tension
  • Buyers who want a chelated form at a mid-range price
  • You care most about value

Choose Thorne if…

  • People with low ferritin who get stomach upset from ferrous sulfate
  • Menstruating women and athletes who need iron under medical guidance
  • Vegetarians with confirmed low iron
  • You care most about efficacy, quality & purity, experience, transparency

Side by side

High Absorption Magnesium (Lysinate Glycinate)Iron Bisglycinate
Our score7.9 / 108.6 / 10
Efficacy (30%)7.88.5
Quality & Purity (25%)7.29.3
Value (20%)8.87.6
Experience (15%)7.68.6
Transparency (10%)8.59.0
FormTabletCapsule
Serving2 tablets120 servings per container1 capsule60 servings per container
Testing & certificationsNone verified
NSF Certified for Sport
DietaryVegan, Gluten-free, Soy-free, Non-GMOGluten-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free
Key ingredients
  • Magnesium (from magnesium lysinate glycinate chelate, Albion TRAACS)200 mg (from 2,000 mg chelate)
  • Iron (as Ferrochel ferrous bisglycinate chelate)25 mg
Flavors——
Creator video reviews55

Pros and cons

High Absorption Magnesium (Lysinate Glycinate)

  • Fully chelated magnesium lysinate glycinate made with Albion TRAACS
  • Clear elemental dose: 200 mg per two tablets
  • Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free and non-GMO
  • About $0.20 per 200 mg serving
  • The label's full dose (400 mg) exceeds the 350 mg upper limit for supplemental magnesium
  • Large tablets that some people need to split
  • No USP or NSF certification
  • Grogginess or loose stools reported by some at the full dose

Iron Bisglycinate

  • Iron amino-acid chelate, a form NIH says may cause fewer GI side effects
  • NSF Certified for Sport
  • 25 mg dose sits below the 45 mg upper limit
  • Small 18 mm capsule with a short ingredient list
  • About $0.27 per day, more than generic ferrous sulfate
  • Some users still report nausea on an empty stomach
  • No vitamin C or other cofactors included
  • Not appropriate without a confirmed need for iron

Our verdicts

High Absorption Magnesium (Lysinate Glycinate)

A well-tolerated, clearly labeled chelated magnesium at a fair price, and a sensible first choice for people who found magnesium oxide or citrate hard on the stomach. Start with one 200 mg serving rather than the label's full 400 mg, and expect large tablets.

Full review

Iron Bisglycinate

If you have documented low iron and struggle with conventional iron pills, this is one of the best-tolerated and best-verified options available, at a fair premium. It is not something to take without a reason: check ferritin first, and space it from calcium, thyroid medication and zinc.

Full review

What creators say

Questions people ask

Is Doctor's Best better than Thorne?
In our scoring, Thorne Iron Bisglycinate rates higher overall (8.6 vs 7.9 out of 10). Doctor's Best leads on value; Thorne leads on efficacy, quality & purity, experience and transparency. Scores weigh efficacy, quality, value, experience and transparency.
Are Doctor's Best and Thorne third-party tested?
Doctor's Best has no independent certification we could verify; Thorne carries NSF Certified for Sport. Sport-level certifications screen for banned substances, which matters for drug-tested athletes.
Who should choose Doctor's Best over Thorne?
Our reviews suggest Doctor's Best is best for people who get stomach upset from magnesium oxide or citrate, evening routines aimed at relaxation and muscle tension and buyers who want a chelated form at a mid-range price, while Thorne is best for people with low ferritin who get stomach upset from ferrous sulfate, menstruating women and athletes who need iron under medical guidance and vegetarians with confirmed low iron.

More vitamins & minerals comparisons

Vitamin D3 2000 IU Softgels vs Zinc Picolinate 15 mg

Vitamin D3 2000 IU Softgels vs Magnesium (Glycinate)

Vitamin D3 2000 IU Softgels vs Vitamin D3 + K2 (5000 IU)

Magnesium (Glycinate) vs Zinc Picolinate 15 mg

Vitamin D3 + K2 (5000 IU) vs Zinc Picolinate 15 mg

Magnesium (Glycinate) vs Vitamin D3 + K2 (5000 IU)

See all vitamins & minerals, ranked