Pure Encapsulations Magnesium (Citrate) Review
#3 of 5 · Best for sensitive stomachs✓ Label verified · Supplement Facts read Oct 14, 2026Real retailer photo, cut out. Label unedited.
Consider it. Clean, small, easy to dose, and priced like a premium brand. Citrate absorbs better than oxide (Walker 2003) and still works on the bowel.
$34.50 · 180 capsules (Amazon US, Oct 14, 2026)$0.19 per 150 mg capsule
Why It Scores 7.4 — And The Label Line Behind Each Number
Form bioavailability
30% of scoreMagnesium citrate. In Walker 2003, citrate raised blood magnesium more than oxide and an amino acid chelate. It also keeps some magnesium in the gut, where it softens stool, which is why it fits this list better than glycinate.
- Form
- Magnesium citrate capsules
- Per capsule
- 150 mg magnesium (as magnesium citrate)
- Other ingredients
- Vegetarian capsule (cellulose, water), ascorbyl palmitate
Elemental Mg per serving
25% of score150 mg of magnesium per capsule. The maker's dosing card says one to four capsules a day, so you can stay under the 350 mg upper limit for supplements (two capsules, 300 mg) or go above it for a short time when needed.
Lab transparency
20% of scorePure Encapsulations describes testing of its raw materials and finished products and labels the capsule gluten-free, non-GMO and hypoallergenic. We found no product-level seal from NSF or USP for it.
- Testing
- Maker's own quality program; no NSF or USP listing
Cost per active mg
15% of score$34.50 for 180 capsules on Oct 14, 2026: 19 cents per 150 mg capsule, about 13 cents per 100 mg of magnesium. Similar to Calm, about three times NOW's tablets.
- Servings
- 180 capsules, 1 capsule per serving
- Price
- $34.50 for 180 capsules (Amazon US, Oct 14, 2026)
- Cost per 150 mg capsule
- $0.19
Real-world response
10% of scoreSmall capsule, easy to swallow, and the step-by-step dose makes the bowel effect easier to control than with a large tablet.
- More Specs
- Suggested use
- 1 to 4 capsules daily with food (maker's dosing card)
Label verified. Every figure read from the Supplement Facts photo, Oct 14, 2026.
Marketing Claims Vs. Reality
May help alleviate occasional constipation.
Magnesium salts that stay partly in the gut draw water into the bowel; trials with magnesium oxide show clear benefits (Morishita 2021), and citrate works the same way at a gentler strength.
Supports relaxation and sleep cycles.
Magnesium helps people who are low in it. Trials on sleep are small, and glycinate is the more common choice when sleep is the goal.
Promotes heart and cardiovascular health.
Magnesium is needed for normal heart rhythm and blood pressure. The capsule has not been studied for heart outcomes.
What Our Test Actually Found
Small steps are the advantage
At 150 mg per capsule you can start with one in the evening and add one a day until the stool is soft. With a 200 mg tablet or a scoop of powder the steps are bigger.
Two other ingredients
The label lists only the cellulose capsule and ascorbyl palmitate, a fat-soluble form of vitamin C that keeps the contents stable. No magnesium stearate, coatings or dyes.
You pay for the brand
Per milligram of magnesium it costs about the same as Natural Vitality Calm and about three times NOW's citrate tablets. The difference buys the short ingredient list, not a stronger effect.
Full analysis: all pros & cons (7), buy if / skip if
- 150 mg capsules make the dose easy to adjust
- Only two other ingredients
- Small, easy to swallow
- Gluten-free, vegan
- About 13 cents per 100 mg of magnesium
- No NSF or USP seal
- You need two capsules for 300 mg
- You want citrate without fillers, coatings or dyes
- You want to raise the dose in small 150 mg steps
- You prefer capsules to tablets or powder
- You want the cheapest citrate: NOW tablets cost about a third as much per milligram
- You want magnesium for sleep without effects on the bowel: glycinate is gentler
- You have kidney disease: talk to your doctor first
Citrate absorbs better than oxide (Walker 2003) and still works on the bowel. Pure Encapsulations sells it as a small capsule with almost nothing else in it. Good for sensitive people who want to step the dose up slowly. Not the best value.
Pure Encapsulations makes the version for people who read the other ingredients. Each capsule has 150 mg of magnesium as citrate, and the only other things on the label are the cellulose capsule and ascorbyl palmitate. The maker says to take one to four capsules a day, which makes it easy to find the amount that softens stool without running to the bathroom. You pay for that: per milligram of magnesium it costs about three times as much as NOW's citrate tablets.
The pick for sensitive stomachs, not for the budget
If you want citrate and react to fillers, or you want to raise the dose slowly, these capsules are the easiest to control. Start with one capsule in the evening with water and add one a day as needed. If price matters more, NOW's tablets do the same job for about a third of the cost.
If This Doesn’t Fit — Try These
01NOW Magnesium Citrate
The simplest way to use citrate for constipation: one tablet, water, wait until morning, two if needed.
02Natural Vitality CALM
If you prefer a drink to tablets, start here.
04Trace Minerals Mega-Mag
When citrate at 650 mg hasn't moved you in 24 hours, the chloride-sulfate combination is the next step before resorting to a clinic visit.
Quick Answers
How many Pure Encapsulations magnesium citrate capsules should I take?
The maker says one to four a day with food. For constipation, start with one in the evening and add one a day until it works. Two capsules (300 mg) stay under the 350 mg upper limit for supplements.
Does magnesium citrate help with constipation?
Yes. Part of it stays in the gut and draws water into the bowel. The trials used magnesium oxide (Morishita 2021); citrate works the same way more gently.
Is Pure Encapsulations magnesium citrate third-party tested?
The maker describes its own testing program. We found no listing with NSF or USP for this product.
Citrate or glycinate from Pure Encapsulations?
Citrate if you want a softer stool, glycinate if you want magnesium for sleep or calm without effects on the bowel.
Sources & Further Reading
2 peer-reviewed sources, each linked to PubMed
- [1] Walker 2003 PMID 14596323 — Mg citrate found more bioavailable than other Mg preparations in a randomised, double-blind study. 46 healthy adults took 300 mg of magnesium a day as citrate, amino acid chelate or oxide for 60 days. Citrate gave the highest blood magnesium after a single dose and after 60 days; oxide did not differ from placebo.
- [2] Morishita 2021 PMID 32969946 — Senna Versus Magnesium Oxide for the Treatment of Chronic Constipation: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial. 90 adults with chronic constipation took senna, 1.5 g of magnesium oxide or placebo for 28 days. Overall improvement: 68.3% on magnesium oxide, 69.2% on senna, 11.7% on placebo.
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