June 2, 2026 4 min read
Magnesium forms, and why our label says bisglycinate
Oxide, citrate, glycinate: the form changes how much magnesium is in a capsule and how a label should be read. Here is why we use one form, and how to add the totals.
By Anika Dahlberg, Quality & Safety Lead
Magnesium Glycinate is the capsule our customers subscribe to most, and the question that comes with it is nearly always the same: why does the label say bisglycinate, and how is that different from the magnesium in the drugstore? The answer is about chemistry and labeling more than anything else.
Magnesium never comes alone
Magnesium in a supplement is always bound to another molecule, and that partner is what the name refers to: magnesium oxide, magnesium citrate, magnesium bisglycinate. Each compound carries a different share of actual magnesium by weight. Oxide is dense, so a small amount of compound carries a lot of magnesium. Bisglycinate, magnesium bound to the amino acid glycine, carries less magnesium per gram, which is why it takes two capsules to reach 200 mg.
| Form | What it is bound to | How it shows on a label |
|---|---|---|
| Magnesium oxide | Oxygen | Often a large elemental number in a small tablet |
| Magnesium citrate | Citric acid | Common in powders and drinks |
| Magnesium bisglycinate chelate | Two glycine molecules | Fewer milligrams of magnesium per capsule, so more capsules |
Why we chose one form
Our Magnesium Glycinate is fully reacted magnesium bisglycinate, with no magnesium oxide added to raise the number on the front. Mixing in a cheaper form is a common way to print a bigger elemental total on a smaller capsule, and it makes the label harder to read. We would rather sell two honest capsules than one crowded one. The Sleep Blend and Evening Calm use the same bisglycinate.
Read the elemental amount
The amount on our panel is the elemental magnesium, the magnesium itself, with the form in brackets after it. That is the number to compare between products, and the one the percent Daily Value is based on. Two capsules give 200 mg, 48% of the 420 mg Daily Value.
Add the labels you stack
Magnesium shows up in more of our line than people expect: the Sleep Blend (100 mg per three capsules), Evening Calm (150 mg per scoop), the Electrolyte Sticks (60 mg per stick) and Recovery Aminos (40 mg per scoop). If you take more than one, add them up. The Sleep Stack comes with a printed card that does the sum for the two products in it, and our labels say not to take Evening Calm and the Sleep Blend on the same night.
Medications
Magnesium can affect how certain antibiotics and thyroid medications are absorbed, so the label says to ask a pharmacist how far apart to take them. That is a real conversation to have, and a pharmacist is the right person to have it with. We do not give advice on medication, and we never clear a supplement for anyone's prescription.
If you only remember one thing from this, make it the brackets. The word after "as" tells you the form, the number before it tells you the magnesium, and the two together tell you what a capsule really holds.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Nothing in this article is medical advice. If you are pregnant or nursing, take a medication or manage a medical condition, bring the label to your doctor before you start anything new.
