Magnesium is a vital mineral that plays a key role in keeping both our bodies and brains functioning at their best. Whilst it’s often chosen as a supplement to combat tiredness and fatigue, magnesium can also support healthy bones and maintain energy levels. Its benefits also extend to muscle function, making it a common addition to sports drinks and electrolyte-balancing products.
While it’s usually possible to meet your magnesium needs through a diet rich in nuts, seeds and leafy green vegetables, some people may choose to take a supplement to boost their intake. Whether you’re addressing a specific deficiency or looking to support overall wellness, selecting the right type of magnesium is essential.
We’ve tested a variety of magnesium supplements, including glycinate, citrate, oxide and tablet forms, to help you find the best options. Read on for our top-rated recommendations, plus expert insights on dosage, types of magnesium and the formats that might work best for your needs. Find out more about the health benefits of magnesium.
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Best magnesium supplement deals
Hoping to make a saving on one of the magnesium supplements in this list? Black Friday doesn’t begin until the end of the week (28 November 2025) but several retailers have launched their sales early this year. We’ve been scouring the market to find the biggest deals – here are the best we’ve seen so far:
For even more offers, take a look at our round-up of the best kitchen appliance deals and find out how we put each product to the test, so you can shop with confidence.
How we tested magnesium supplements
Nutritionist Kerry Torrens provided advice on the benefits and disadvantages of different forms of magnesium, as well as the most efficient delivery formats for supplements and recommended doses.
Our key criteria were price (which we judged by the cost of a recommended daily dose), the percentage of Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) provided in the recommended dose of each product, and how the product format (capsule, tablet, drink, gummy etc) and form of magnesium might affect the amount of magnesium absorbed in the body.
Our panel of Good Food testers also trialled each product to see how easy it was to take or use, and judge flavour and smell where appropriate.
Read more about how we test different products at Good Food.
Best magnesium supplements at a glance
Best magnesium capsules:
- Swallow Pro magnesium 4 complex, £30
- Vitabright magnesium citrate, £19.99
- Vitabright magnesium glycinate, £19.99
- Vitabright magnesium 6-in-1 complex, £19.99
- Zooki magnesium capsules, £30
Best magnesium tablets:
Best magnesium gummies:
- Nutrigums magnesium gummies, £12.99
- Novomins magnesium gummies, £19.99
Best magnesium body oils:
- Holland & Barrett magnesium oil spray, £11.99
- BetterYou magnesium oil body spray, £14.99
Best magnesium bath salts:
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Best magnesium capsules to buy in 2025
Swallow Pro Magnesium 4 Complex
Available from Swallow (£30)
Price per day (recommended dose): £1
Star rating: 5/5
With 300mg elemental magnesium in four different forms (biglycinate, citrate, malate and taurate), and no fillers, this is a great all-rounder. It’s also fortified with 500% NRV vitamin B6 to help with absorption and energy release, plus 500% NRV vitamin D3 for added bone support and 90% NRV zinc. At £1 (plus further discounts for subscribing or buying in bulk), it’s also good value.
Available from:
Vitabright magnesium citrate
Available from Vitabright (£19.99)
Price per day (recommended dose): 16p
Star rating: 5/5
The recommended dose of two easy to swallow capsules provides you with 118 per cent of your NRV. It’s a good option for avoiding allergens or unnecessary ingredients, as it contains no fillers or binding agents. Magnesium citrate is an easily absorbed form of magnesium.
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Vitabright magnesium glycinate
Available from Vitabright (£19.99)
Price per day (recommended dose): 21p
Star rating: 5/5
Two capsules provides 80 per cent NRV of elemental magnesium in the form of glycinate, which may be a gentler alternative for delicate stomachs. Again, this brand is free from fillers and unnecessary ingredients.
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Vitabright magnesium 6-in-1 complex
Available from Vitabright (£19.99)
Price per day (recommended dose): 50p
Star rating: 4.5/5
This was one of the more expensive magnesium supplements we tried; however, the formula does contain six forms of magnesium, including sleep-inducing glycinate. In total, you’ll get 129% of your daily recommended amount (NRV). Vitamins B3 and B6 have also been added to enhance absorption.
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Zooki magnesium capsules
Available from Healf (£24.74), QVC (£30), Zooki (£34.99)
Price per day (recommended dose): £1.17
Star rating: 3.5/5
Providing magnesium bisglycinate at 27 per cent NRV in a liposomal form, this product claims to optimise absorption. It does contain some emulsifiers and colours, and the frosted glass packaging makes reading expiration dates difficult. This is also one of the pricier products we tested.
Best magnesium tablets to buy in 2025
ZipVit magnesium 500mg
Available from Amazon (£7.99), ZipVit (from £8.49)
Price per day (recommended dose): 8p
Star rating: 5/5
This high-dose magnesium oxide supplement will be most useful for digestive issues. Although this form of magnesium is less easily absorbed, each tablet contains 500mg elemental magnesium, which is 133 per cent of NRV. On the downside, the tablets are large and hard to swallow, and also contain fillers. But, if constipation or heartburn are your issue, these could be a good choice as they’re still good value.
Available from:
Solgar magnesium citrate
Available from Solgar (£15.60)
Price per day (recommended dose): 23p
Star rating: 4/5
Magnesium citrate is recommended to help with mood or anxiety issues. Our testers found the tablets on the large side, slightly bitter and chalky, with two to be consumed daily. As a tablet they contain bulking agents, but contain a helpful dose of 400mg (107 per cent NRV).
Available from:
Holland & Barrett magnesium
Available from Holland & Barrett (£12.75)
Price per day (recommended dose): 7p
Star rating: 4/5
Excellent value for money, providing 100 per cent NRV – though magnesium oxide is a less soluble form of magnesium, and likely harder for the body to absorb. There are some additives, such as bulking agents.
Available from:
Best magnesium gummies to buy in 2025
Nutrigums magnesium gummies
Available from Nutrigums (£9.09), Amazon (£12.99)
Price per day (recommended dose): 53p
Star rating: 4/5
Suitable for adults and children aged five and over, these gummies include vitamin C to support energy and immunity. They’re higher in magnesium – at 40 per cent NRV – than the other gummies we tested, but contain glucose syrup and sugar. Our tester enjoyed the smell and taste, describing them as “nice and sweet without being too sickly”.
Available from:
Novomins magnesium gummies
Available from Amazon (£15.46), Novomins (from £19.99)
Price per day (recommended dose): 67p
Star rating: 3.5/5
Although gummies aren’t the most efficient delivery system for nutrients, these have some benefits thanks to the additional vitamin B6 and zinc, which support energy, bone health and immune function.
They’re also gelatin- and sugar-free, with 42 per cent NRV. Our tester found them tasty, comparing the flavour to a wine gum. However, they are not suitable for children.
Other options for supplementing
With insufficient research on how much magnesium can be absorbed via the skin, it’s impossible to gauge whether bath and oil products can help you reach your NRV. The latter (as they’re applied directly to the skin) are likely to be a more effective mechanism for delivery, although a bath can provide additional muscle-relaxing benefits, if that’s your aim. Drinks are a more accurate way to ensure you’re getting the benefits of the added magnesium.
Best magnesium body oils to buy in 2025
Holland & Barrett magnesium oil spray
Available from Holland & Barrett (£11.99)
Price per day (recommended dose): no dosage info
Star rating: 3.5/5
There’s no dosage information provided, so it’s unclear how much to use. The label states a magnesium chloride solution of 310mg per 100ml – the same strength BetterYou product (see below) recommends 10 sprays to achieve 57 per cent NRV. This is a better-value product as it’s a couple of pounds cheaper, but our tester found the spray applicator messy to use and didn’t like the greasy film. It’s also unscented.
Available from:
BetterYou magnesium oil body spray
Available from Amazon (£8.33), BetterYou (£9.99), Superdrug (£12.99)
Price per day (recommended dose): 23p
Star rating: 3.5/5
Applying 10 sprays provides 57 per cent NRV, but our tester found this to be a lot of sprays to administer, especially as the liquid takes a little while to absorb and leaves a sticky residue. However, they did feel that they experienced fewer restless leg symptoms when applying before bed. As with the H&B spray, this is a 31 per cent solution of magnesium chloride, and is unscented.
Best magnesium bath salts to buy in 2025
Westlab magnesium flakes bath soak
Available from Westlab (£5.99/1kg), Holland & Barrett (£7.50/1kg)
Price per day: no dosage information provided
Star rating: 3.5/5
Our tester felt relaxed and refreshed after bathing in these salts, although whether that could be solely attributed to the salts themselves is hard to say. The packaging was less informative than the brand’s website when it came to guidance on the optimal salt-to-water ratio, with the salts containing 117g elemental magnesium per kg.
Available from:
BetterYou magnesium bath flakes
Available from Amazon (£7.88/1kg), BetterYou (£7.99/1kg)
Price per day (recommended dose): £4.95
Star rating: 3.5/5
A quality product that appeared to soothe our tester’s muscles. The flakes dissolved quickly and were easy to use. Again, there is imprecise information on the recommended depth of the bath, but ratios are provided for a foot bath. Contains 120g elemental magnesium per kg. Alternatives that contain essential oils are also available if you’re looking for a scented bath.
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Keep all supplements away from children.
How much magnesium should I take?
How much magnesium you should be looking to include will depend on your age, gender, life stage and any health or dietary issues you might have. But, the Nutrient Reference Value (average recommended daily amount) of magnesium is 375mg.
Make sure you’re checking the ‘elemental magnesium’ amount on the label, as a compound (for instance, magnesium oxide) won’t contain as much magnesium as the pure form.
How should I take a magnesium supplement?
It’s usually best to take magnesium with a meal, and not at the same time as other mineral supplements (if you’re taking any). Aim to take it around two hours before bed if it’s being used as a sleep aid.
What form of magnesium should I take?
Magnesium is usually provided in compound form in supplements, and sometimes the partner element can bring health benefits of their own.
Our expert nutritionist Kerry Torrens advises the following forms, depending on your health needs:
- For energy: Magnesium malate / orortate
- For anxiety or mood: Magnesium citrate / lactate / l-threonate / glycinate / chloride
- For digestion, including constipation: Magnesium citrate / lactate / oxide / sulfate
- For heartburn: Magnesium oxide / chloride / carbonate
- For sleep: Magnesium glycinate / chloride
- For heart health: Magnesium taurate / orotate
- For bone health: Magnesium citrate
- For muscle tension: Magnesium malate / sulfate
What format of magnesium is best?
If you don’t want to take a capsule, magnesium can be used in a spray or bath. There’s limited quality research into how effective magnesium applied to the skin might be (although areas with more hair follicles – such as arms and legs – are believed to be best), as well as in how well magnesium bath salts might be absorbed.
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