Magnesium Glycinate Gummies vs Capsules: Dose, Sugar and Price
Ben Law
Reviewed by Sarah Law, Dip CNM, Naturopathic Nutritionist
Magnesium glycinate gummies vs capsules: the glycinate gummies we read give 100 mg of magnesium per two gummies with 3 to 4 g of added sugar (Nature Made, Natural Vitality MAXCALM) and cost 73 cents to 1.05 US dollars per 100 mg. Love Life Supplements Magnesium Glycinate capsules give 303 mg per four capsules with no sugar for 28 cents per 100 mg ($51.47, or £37.95 at 20.9p per 100 mg), and Eurofins measured 302 mg in the current batch. Gummies make sense if you cannot swallow capsules or only want a small top-up; for a full daily amount of glycinate, capsules give three times the magnesium per serving at a lower cost. If you want a gummy with a bigger dose, citrate gummies such as Vitabiotics Ultra (300 mg per two) carry more.
Our figures come from our own label and lab report. Magnesium Glycinate supplies 2,750 mg of magnesium bisglycinate per four-capsule serving, of which 303 mg is elemental magnesium (81% of the UK NRV), with no magnesium oxide buffering, no sugar and nothing else in the capsule except the vegetable shell. Batch L1026118 was tested by Eurofins on 6 July 2026 and measured 302 mg per four capsules, with lead at 0.10 mg/kg against an EU limit of 3.0. A 240-capsule tub is a 60-day supply at £37.95 on our UK store and $51.47 on our US store. It won an Award of Excellence at the Nourish Awards 2026, is rated 4.8 out of 5 across 260 verified ratings, and is covered by our 60-day money-back guarantee.
Magnesium Glycinate: 303 mg elemental magnesium per serving, unbuffered bisglycinate, no sugar, every batch third-party tested.
View product- Nature Made Magnesium Glycinate Gummies: 100 mg per two gummies from bisglycinate, 4 g added sugar, 150 mg sodium, USP Verified. $20.99 for 40 ($1.05 per 100 mg).
- MAXCALM Magnesium Glycinate Gummies: 100 mg per two gummies, 3 g added sugar. $18.32 for 50 ($0.73 per 100 mg).
- Nature Made Zero Sugar Magnesium Citrate Gummies: 200 mg per two gummies, 0 g sugar, 5 g maltitol, contains gelatin. $18.99 for 40 ($0.47 per 100 mg).
- Vitabiotics Ultra Magnesium Gummies: 300 mg per two gummies from citrate, plus vitamin B6, vegan, sweetened with sucrose and glucose syrup. £17.95 for 60 (19.9p per 100 mg).
- Love Life Supplements Magnesium Glycinate (capsules): 303 mg per four capsules, unbuffered glycinate, no sugar. £37.95 or $51.47 for 240 (20.9p or $0.28 per 100 mg).
Magnesium gummies vs capsules: the comparison table
The biggest differences between magnesium gummies and capsules are magnesium per serving, sugar, and price per 100 mg of magnesium. Every competitor figure below was read from the supplement facts panel and ingredient list on the brand's own product page on 17 October 2026. Prices are one-off list prices on each brand's own store; price per 100 mg is our own calculation.
| Product | Magnesium form | Magnesium per serving | Serving | Sugar per serving | Other ingredients | List price | Price per 100 mg magnesium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nature Made High Absorption Magnesium Glycinate Gummies | Magnesium bisglycinate | 100 mg | 2 gummies | 4 g added | Sugar, maltitol syrup, water, citric acid, sodium citrate, pectin, colour, natural flavours (150 mg sodium per serving) | $20.99 / 40 | $1.05 |
| Natural Vitality MAXCALM Magnesium Glycinate Gummies | Ionic magnesium glycinate | 100 mg | 2 gummies | 3 g added | Sugar, glucose syrup, citric acid, tricalcium phosphate, sodium citrate, pectin, flavour, fruit and vegetable juice, stevia | $18.32 / 50 | $0.73 |
| Nature Made Zero Sugar Magnesium Citrate Gummies | Magnesium citrate | 200 mg | 2 gummies | 0 g sugar; 5 g sugar alcohol | Maltitol syrup, maltitol, water, gelatin, citric acid, natural flavours, carmine | $18.99 / 40 | $0.47 |
| Vitabiotics Ultra Magnesium Gummies | Magnesium citrate | 300 mg (80% NRV), plus 1.4 mg vitamin B6 | 2 gummies | Not stated on the page (sucrose and glucose syrup are the second and third ingredients) | Sucrose, glucose syrup, citric acid, sodium citrate, pectin, natural flavourings, purple carrot juice concentrate | £17.95 / 60 | 19.9p |
| Love Life Supplements Magnesium Glycinate (capsules) | Magnesium glycinate (bisglycinate), unbuffered | 303 mg (Eurofins measured 302 mg) | 4 capsules | 0 g | Vegetable capsule (hypromellose) only | £37.95 or $51.47 / 240 | 20.9p or $0.28 |
Sources: naturemade.com, naturalvitality.com and vitabiotics.com product pages and supplement facts panels, read 17 October 2026; our own label and Eurofins report AR-733-2026-00087324-03. Price per 100 mg = list price divided by (servings x magnesium mg per serving / 100). Nature Made and Natural Vitality are US brands priced in dollars; Vitabiotics is a UK brand priced in pounds. Larger packs and subscriptions cost less per milligram on most brands, including ours (10% off a first subscription order, 15% from the second). Prices change; check each brand's site before you buy.
How much magnesium is in a magnesium glycinate gummy?
About 50 mg. Both glycinate gummies we read give 100 mg of magnesium per two-gummy serving, a third of the 303 mg in a four-capsule serving of our Magnesium Glycinate. The reason is chemistry, not stinginess. Magnesium bisglycinate is only about 14% magnesium by weight, so 100 mg of magnesium needs roughly 700 mg of the compound, and a gummy also has to hold sugar or sweetener, pectin or gelatin, acids and flavour. A full 300 mg serving needs about 2,100 to 2,750 mg of glycinate, which fits in four capsules but not in two gummies.
Citrate is denser, at roughly 16% magnesium for the common form, and sits more easily in a sweet chew, which is why the citrate gummies carry 100 to 150 mg per piece. When you read any gummy label, check that the milligram figure is elemental magnesium and not the weight of the whole compound; a product that names "400 mg magnesium bisglycinate" on the front is giving you closer to 56 mg of magnesium. Our glycinate vs bisglycinate guide shows the arithmetic for any label.
"When a client shows me a gummy, I turn the tub over and check whether the milligrams are elemental magnesium or the whole compound. Two gummies giving 100 mg is a top-up rather than a full serving, and that is fine as long as you know it."
Sarah Law, Naturopathic Nutritionist | Optimised Female
How much sugar is in magnesium gummies?
Between 2 and 4 g of added sugar per serving on the labels we read, which is the price of making a mineral salt taste good. The more important number is the sugar at the dose you actually want: to reach about 300 mg of magnesium from glycinate gummies you would need six a day.
What about 300 mg looks like in each format
| Product | Amount for about 300 mg | Sugar or sweetener in that amount | Cost of that amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nature Made Magnesium Glycinate Gummies | 6 gummies | 12 g added sugar, plus 450 mg sodium | $3.15 |
| MAXCALM Magnesium Glycinate Gummies | 6 gummies | 9 g added sugar | $2.20 |
| Nature Made Zero Sugar Magnesium Citrate Gummies | 3 gummies | 7.5 g maltitol, 0 g sugar | $1.42 |
| Vitabiotics Ultra Magnesium Gummies | 2 gummies | Not stated (sucrose-based) | 60p |
| Love Life Supplements Magnesium Glycinate | 4 capsules | 0 g | 63p or $0.86 |
Our calculation from the panel figures and list prices above. Taking more gummies than the label directs is not advised; the rows show what matching a capsule serving would involve.
For context, the NHS says adults should have no more than 30 g of free sugars a day [8], so 12 g from a supplement would be over a third of that. Two gummies at the label serving (3 to 4 g) is a small amount by comparison. Sugar-free gummies swap sugar for polyols such as maltitol; on UK and EU labels, foods with more than 10% added polyols must carry the warning "excessive consumption may produce laxative effects" [9], which is worth knowing if you already find magnesium loosens your stools.
Do magnesium glycinate gummies work as well as capsules?
The magnesium in a glycinate gummy is the same form as in a glycinate capsule, and there is no published trial showing that chewing rather than swallowing changes how magnesium is absorbed. What differs is the amount. Glycinate was absorbed better than magnesium oxide in people with impaired absorption [3], organic forms such as citrate and amino-acid chelates beat oxide in a 60-day randomised study [2], and oxide itself was absorbed at only about 4% [1]. None of the gummies here uses oxide, which is a point in their favour.
The research people cite for glycinate also uses doses a two-gummy serving does not reach. A 2025 randomised, placebo-controlled trial gave 250 mg of magnesium as bisglycinate to 155 adults reporting poor sleep and found a small improvement on a sleep questionnaire after four weeks [4]. That is two and a half times a glycinate gummy serving. Whatever the format, magnesium contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, to normal muscle function, to normal psychological function and to the normal functioning of the nervous system [7]; the amount you take each day is what decides how much of your intake the supplement covers. Our guide to taking magnesium glycinate every day covers daily use.
How much magnesium do you need? UK and US figures
Most adults need roughly 270 to 420 mg of magnesium a day from all sources, and supplements are usually taken at 100 to 350 mg to top up food. A 100 mg gummy serving is a small top-up on either country's figures.
| Reference | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| UK labelling reference (NRV) | 375 mg a day | Retained Regulation 1169/2011, Annex XIII [10] |
| NHS daily need | 300 mg (men 19 to 64), 270 mg (women 19 to 64) | NHS [6] |
| NHS supplement guidance | 400 mg or less a day from supplements is unlikely to cause harm | NHS [6] |
| US RDA | 400 to 420 mg (men), 310 to 320 mg (women) | NIH Office of Dietary Supplements [5] |
| US upper limit (supplements only) | 350 mg a day for adults | NIH Office of Dietary Supplements [5] |
The UL matters most with gummies because they are easy to eat by the handful. Two glycinate gummies (100 mg) plus a 300 mg capsule serving would take you over the NIH figure. Our guide to how much magnesium glycinate per day converts any label to elemental milligrams. Gummies also look and taste like sweets, so keep them out of children's reach; the products compared here are intended for adults unless the label says otherwise.
Are magnesium gummies cheaper than capsules?
Not for glycinate. The two glycinate gummies cost 73 cents and 1.05 US dollars per 100 mg of magnesium, two and a half to nearly four times the 28 cents of our capsules in the US. Citrate gummies are a different story.
In the UK, Vitabiotics Ultra Magnesium Gummies are slightly cheaper per milligram than our capsules and give 300 mg in two gummies, so if you want a gummy, are happy with citrate and sucrose, and want a full dose, that is a reasonable buy. What you get with our capsules is glycinate rather than citrate, no sugar, nothing else in the capsule, and a batch lab result you can read. The trade-off is four capsules a day, and some customers find them large; you can split them between morning and evening. On our UK store, subscribing takes 10% off the first order and 15% off every order after, which brings a tub to £32.26 from the second delivery.
Magnesium gummies or capsules: which should you choose?
Choose by the thing that matters most to you. Both formats can supply a useful amount of magnesium; they differ in dose, sugar and price.
Pick by priority
Love Life Supplements Magnesium Glycinate: 303 mg per four capsules, Eurofins measured 302 mg. UK and US stores.
Vitabiotics Ultra Magnesium Gummies: 300 mg of citrate per two gummies, from 19.9p per 100 mg.
Nature Made Zero Sugar Magnesium Citrate Gummies: 200 mg per two, sweetened with maltitol; contains gelatin, so not vegan.
MAXCALM Magnesium Glycinate Gummies (100 mg per two, 3 g added sugar) or Nature Made Magnesium Glycinate Gummies (100 mg per two, USP Verified).
"For clients who struggle with capsules, a gummy they enjoy is better than a capsule they skip. I suggest taking it with a meal and counting its sugar alongside everything else in the day, especially if several gummies are needed to reach the dose."
Sarah Law, Naturopathic Nutritionist | Optimised Female
Nourish Awards 2026, Award of Excellence: "a strong elemental dose and exceptional batch testing." Magnesium Glycinate, 60-day supply, 60-day money-back guarantee.
View productIf you prefer a drink to a capsule, our magnesium glycinate capsules vs powder guide compares the two, and our magnesium glycinate buyer's guide covers the label checks that apply to any brand. We have also compared creatine gummies, powder and capsules, where the same dose-per-gummy problem applies.
How we compared these products
We read each competitor's supplement facts panel, other ingredients, directions and price from its own product page on 17 October 2026 (naturemade.com, naturalvitality.com and vitabiotics.com). Where the panel was published only as an image, we read the image. We did not use retailer listings or review sites. Vitabiotics does not state sugar per serving on its page, so we have listed its sweeteners instead of guessing a figure. We have not lab-tested the competitor products and make no claim about their contents beyond their own labels.
Magnesium glycinate gummies: frequently asked questions
Do magnesium glycinate gummies work?
They supply magnesium glycinate, so the magnesium itself is the same form as in a capsule; the limit is the amount. The glycinate gummies we read give 100 mg of magnesium per two gummies (Nature Made and Natural Vitality MAXCALM), about a third of a 303 mg capsule serving. Glycinate is only about 14% magnesium by weight, so a gummy cannot hold much of it. As a top-up they are fine; to reach around 300 mg you would need six gummies a day.
How much sugar is in magnesium gummies?
On the labels we read, 2 to 4 g of added sugar per serving: Nature Made Magnesium Glycinate Gummies 4 g per two gummies, MAXCALM Magnesium Glycinate Gummies 3 g per two, and MAXCALM's citrate and glycinate gummies 2 g per four. Nature Made's Zero Sugar citrate gummies have no sugar but 5 g of the sugar alcohol maltitol per serving. Capsules contain no sugar.
Are magnesium gummies as good as capsules?
Per serving, capsules usually deliver more magnesium with no sugar, while gummies are easier to take for people who struggle with capsules. Citrate gummies carry more per piece than glycinate gummies because citrate is denser in magnesium: Vitabiotics Ultra Magnesium Gummies give 300 mg per two. The form and the daily amount matter more than whether it is chewed or swallowed.
How many magnesium gummies should I take?
Follow the label: two a day for Nature Made, MAXCALM glycinate and Vitabiotics, up to four for MAXCALM's citrate and glycinate gummies. The NIH sets an upper limit of 350 mg a day for magnesium from supplements in adults, and the NHS says 400 mg or less a day from supplements is unlikely to cause harm, so add any magnesium from other supplements before taking extra gummies.
What is the best time to take magnesium glycinate gummies?
Whenever you will remember them. Nature Made and MAXCALM suggest taking gummies with a meal, and many people take glycinate in the evening because it is gentle on the stomach. There is no evidence that a particular time of day changes absorption; taking the same amount consistently matters more.
Are magnesium gummies cheaper than capsules?
Not for glycinate. The glycinate gummies we read cost 73 cents to 1.05 US dollars per 100 mg of magnesium, against 28 cents for Love Life Supplements Magnesium Glycinate capsules in the US (20.9p in the UK). Citrate gummies are cheaper: Nature Made Zero Sugar citrate 47 cents per 100 mg, and Vitabiotics Ultra Magnesium Gummies 19.9p per 100 mg in the UK, slightly less than our capsules.
About the Reviewer: Sarah Law, Dip CNM
Sarah Law is a Certified Naturopathic Nutritionist and Functional Practitioner specialising in hormonal health, gut health, and evidence-based nutrition. She holds a Diploma in Naturopathic Nutrition from the College of Naturopathic Medicine (CNM, London) and is a Certified Functional Health Coach. Sarah combines naturopathic principles with modern functional nutrition science to help her clients make informed health decisions.
About the Author: Ben Law
Ben Law is the founder of Love Life Supplements and host of the Optimised Health Show. He is a qualified Advanced Dietary Supplement Advisor and Primal Blueprint Certified Expert, and has spent 14 years building transparent, research-led formulations manufactured to GMP and BRC standards. He wrote this comparison from each brand's published label and from our own label and batch data.
Nature Made, Natural Vitality, MAXCALM and Vitabiotics are trademarks of their respective owners and are not affiliated with Love Life Supplements. Learn more about Ben.
References
- Firoz M, Graber M. Bioavailability of US commercial magnesium preparations. Magnes Res. 2001;14(4):257-262. PubMed
- Walker AF, Marakis G, Christie S, Byng M. Mg citrate found more bioavailable than other Mg preparations in a randomised, double-blind study. Magnes Res. 2003;16(3):183-191. PubMed
- Schuette SA, Lashner BA, Janghorbani M. Bioavailability of magnesium diglycinate vs magnesium oxide in patients with ileal resection. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 1994;18(5):430-435. PubMed
- Schuster J, Cycelskij I, Lopresti A, Hahn A. Magnesium bisglycinate supplementation in healthy adults reporting poor sleep: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Nat Sci Sleep. 2025;17:2027-2040. PubMed
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Magnesium: fact sheet for health professionals. NIH ODS
- NHS. Vitamins and minerals: others (magnesium). NHS
- Department of Health and Social Care. Great Britain nutrition and health claims (NHC) register. GOV.UK
- NHS. Sugar: the facts. NHS
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex III (foods whose labelling must include additional particulars), as retained in GB law. legislation.gov.uk
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers, Annex XIII (reference intakes), as retained in GB law. legislation.gov.uk
- Nature Made. High Absorption Magnesium Glycinate Gummies and Zero Sugar Magnesium Citrate Gummies product pages (read 17 October 2026). naturemade.com
- Natural Vitality. MAXCALM Magnesium Glycinate Gummies, 50 gummies (read 17 October 2026). naturalvitality.com
- Vitabiotics. Ultra Magnesium Gummies product page (read 17 October 2026). vitabiotics.com
- Love Life Supplements. Eurofins report AR-733-2026-00087324-03, Magnesium Glycinate batch L1026118, 6 July 2026 (linked on the product page). Product page