High Absorption Magnesium (Lysinate Glycinate)

Doctor's Best High Absorption Magnesium is one of the most reviewed magnesium supplements with more than 76,000 buyer ratings, and it earns its place with a simple, well-chosen formula. Each two-tablet serving provides 200 mg of elemental magnesium from 2,000 mg of magnesium lysinate glycinate chelate made with Albion's TRAACS technology, which binds the mineral to the amino acids glycine and lysine. The label discloses the elemental amount clearly, and the product is vegan, gluten-free, soy-free and non-GMO.

Chelated forms like this are generally gentler on the gut than magnesium oxide, which NIH lists among the forms most often linked to diarrhea, and that tolerability is the main reason buyers choose it. Reviewers most often mention easier sleep, a calmer mood and fewer muscle cramps, though these are self-reported effects rather than proven outcomes.

The dosing deserves attention. The label suggests 2 tablets twice daily, or 400 mg of magnesium, which is above the 350 mg tolerable upper intake level for supplemental magnesium, a limit set to avoid diarrhea and cramping. Many adults do fall short on magnesium (NIH reports 48% of Americans get less than the estimated average requirement from food), so a single 200 mg serving is a sensible starting point. Magnesium can also reduce absorption of some antibiotics and osteoporosis drugs.

At $23.99 for 240 tablets, a 200 mg serving costs about 20 cents. The most common complaint is tablet size: reviewers describe large, somewhat rough-surfaced tablets that some people split, and a minority report grogginess or loose stools at the full dose.