Which Magnesium Is Best for Anxiety and Stress?
Our pick for stress and anxiety is Nature’s Truth Magnesium Glycinate. NSF’s testing list names it, and 2 capsules give 200 mg for $0.30 a day. Nature Made, on the USP Verified list, is our second choice. We checked 44 glycinates; 10 are on a testing list.
By Erin Rose Updated November 2026 How we score
1. Our pick, glycinate on an NSF list
- Magnesium
- 200 mgIn 2 capsules a day
- Form
- GlycinateThe only magnesium form on the label
- Cost
- $0.30 a day$17.78 for 60 days
Why we pick it NSF’s testing list names this glycinate, and 2 capsules give 200 mg. Of the six glycinates on a testing list, it costs the least for 200 mg. The label says to take 2 capsules a day with a meal.
Which magnesium should you buy for anxiety and stress?
Buy a glycinate, and choose the one on a testing list. Beside our pick, three more are worth a look.
Other tested choices: Nature Made (USP Verified, $0.39 a day) and Core Med Science (two NSF listings, $0.30 a day for 150 mg ($0.40 for 200 mg)).
Want the lowest price? NatureBell costs $0.06 a day for 400 mg, which is above NIH’s 350 mg limit for supplements, and it is on no testing list.
2. The second answer: Nature Made Magnesium Glycinate
USP Verified lists “Nature Made High Absorption Magnesium Glycinate 200mg Capsules,” read November 11, 2026. It has the lowest bottle price of the six on a testing list. Two capsules give 200 mg, taken with water and a meal.
Nature Made Magnesium Glycinate
$0.39 a day · $11.70 for 60 capsules
3. Two NSF listings: Core Med Science Magnesium Bisglycinate
NSF/ANSI 173 and NSF Certified for Sport both list it. One capsule gives 150 mg of magnesium from bisglycinate.
Core Med Science Magnesium Bisglycinate
$0.30 a day for 150 mg ($0.40 for 200 mg) · $17.99 for 60 capsules
4. A powder: Thorne Magnesium Bisglycinate
NSF/ANSI 173 lists Thorne’s powder. One scoop gives 200 mg; the label says to mix it with at least 8 ounces of water.
Thorne Magnesium Bisglycinate Powder
$0.87 a day · $52.00 for 60 scoops
How much magnesium should you take for anxiety and stress?
Take the amount on the label: Nature’s Truth says two capsules daily, preferably with a meal, for 200 mg of magnesium. Read the “Magnesium” line on the label, not the weight of the whole compound. NIH sets 350 mg a day as the upper limit from supplements and medicines, not counting food.
Does magnesium help with anxiety and stress?
In a 2017 review in Nutrients, four of eight studies in anxious people reported positive effects of magnesium on anxiety. The review, by Boyle NB and colleagues, covered 18 studies of magnesium and subjective anxiety and stress. Every study recruited people prone to anxiety: mildly anxious, premenstrual syndrome, postpartum or high blood pressure. The review looked at magnesium, not at one form of it, so it does not show that glycinate works better than another form. Its title is The Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Subjective Anxiety and Stress-A Systematic Review.
10 of the 44 glycinates we checked are on a testing list
We checked 44 products whose labels list glycinate or bisglycinate as the only magnesium form. Ten are on a testing list that names the exact product. Here are 10 with a buy button, the tested ones first; each group runs from the lowest cost a day.
| Supplement | Magnesium a day | Testing list | Cost | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| On a testing list | ||||
 Nature’s Truth Magnesium GlycinateOur pick120 capsulesOur pick; two capsules a day with a meal | 200 mg in 2 capsules | NSF/ANSI 173 | $0.30 a day | See on Amazon |
| Core Med Science Magnesium Bisglycinate60 capsulesTwo testing listings; 150 mg a capsule | 150 mg in 1 capsule | NSF/ANSI 173NSF Certified for Sport | $0.30 a dayfor 150 mg ($0.40 for 200 mg) | See on Amazon |
 Double Wood Magnesium Glycinate 400 mg180 capsules60 mg a capsule; NSF lists a 4 capsule serving | 60 mg in 1 capsule | NSF/ANSI 173 | $0.09 a dayfor 60 mg ($0.31 for 200 mg) | See on Amazon |
| Thorne Magnesium Bisglycinate Powder60 scoopsA powder; one scoop is 200 mg | 200 mg in 1 scoop | NSF/ANSI 173 | $0.87 a day | See on Amazon |
 Revive MD Magnesium Glycinate120 capsulesSame 200 mg in 2 capsules | 200 mg in 2 capsules | Informed Sport | $0.33 a day | See on Amazon |
| Nature Made Magnesium Glycinate60 capsulesLowest bottle price on a testing list | 200 mg in 2 capsules | USP Verified | $0.39 a day | See on Amazon |
| Not on a testing list | ||||
 Pure Encapsulations Magnesium Glycinate90 capsules120 mg a capsule; the label says 1 to 4 capsules a day | 120 mg in 1 capsule | Not on a testing list | $0.30 a dayfor 120 mg ($0.50 for 200 mg) | See on Amazon |
 Doctor’s Best Magnesium Glycinate240 tabletsTablets; 200 mg in 2 tablets, 240 count | 200 mg in 2 tablets | Not on a testing list | $0.20 a day | See on Amazon |
NatureBell Magnesium Glycinate 400 mg270 capsules400 mg a capsule | 400 mg in 1 capsule | Not on a testing list | $0.06 a dayfor 400 mg ($0.03 for 200 mg) | See on Amazon |
 Nutricost Magnesium Glycinate 210 mg360 capsules210 mg in 3 capsules | 210 mg in 3 capsules | Not on a testing list | $0.18 a dayfor 210 mg ($0.17 for 200 mg) | See on Amazon |
Questions about magnesium for anxiety and stress
Which form of magnesium is best for anxiety and stress?
Glycinate, also called bisglycinate, is the form we pick. It is magnesium bound to the amino acid glycine,. All ten products in the table list a glycinate or bisglycinate, so the prices compare like for like. The review we cite did not compare forms.
How do I take Nature’s Truth Magnesium Glycinate?
The label says to take two quick release capsules daily, preferably with a meal. A bottle of 120 capsules lasts 60 days.
What testing does Nature’s Truth Magnesium Glycinate have?
NSF/ANSI 173 lists it as “highly absorbable magnesium glycinate 200 mg,” capsule, 2 capsules, all packs, read November 12, 2026. NSF says it tested that the product contains the ingredients and amounts on the label and no unacceptable amounts of contaminants.
How we picked
We started from the question “Which magnesium should I buy for anxiety and stress, and which brand?” and read the labels of 44 glycinate products sold on Amazon. For each we searched five testing lists: NSF/ANSI 173, NSF Certified for Sport, USP Verified, Informed Sport and Informed Choice. Each list names the exact product; list dates are in Sources. Prices are Amazon’s, read November 12, 2026.
Sources
- Amazon listings and label panels of the 10 supplements above, prices read November 12, 2026; label panels from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and the brands’ own product pages.
- Testing lists: NSF International, NSF/ANSI 173 list and NSF Certified for Sport, read November 12, 2026; USP Verified, read November 11, 2026; Informed Sport, read November 9, 2026; Informed Choice, read October 27, 2026.
- Boyle NB, Nutrients, 2017: The Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Subjective Anxiety and Stress-A Systematic Review.
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Magnesium fact sheet for consumers.