Night one
The wind‑down, not the knockout
Glycine is calming on its own, so most people notice it's easier to switch off within the first hour or two. If you're expecting to be flattened, this isn't that — and that's the point.
525 mg per serving
90 capsules
Chelated magnesium glycinate
Magnesium Glycinate Complex
525 mg of chelated magnesium in three small veggie capsules — for the 3 a.m. wake‑ups, the calf that cramps under the covers, and the mind that keeps drafting tomorrow.
- 525 mg per serving — 125% of the daily value, not a token dose
- Bound to glycine, the form clinicians name when they're asked which one absorbs
- No laxative effect — the complaint people bring here from oxide and citrate
- One active ingredient. No proprietary blend, no oxide hidden in the mix
Most popular
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Choose your supply1 jar = 30 nights
$84.00
$147.00
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Works out to $0.93 a night · free shipping
90‑night money‑back guarantee · keep the jars
Third‑party testedEvery batch, ISO 17025 lab
Vegan capsuleNon‑GMO, no gelatin
Ships same dayBefore 2pm ET, from Michigan
Supplement facts
Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 3 Veggie Capsules
Servings Per Container: 30
Amount Per Serving%DV**
Magnesium
(as Magnesium Glycinate)525 mg 125%
(as Magnesium Glycinate)525 mg 125%
** Daily Value (DV) based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Inactive Ingredients: Hypromellose (Vegetable Capsule), Rice Flour, Silicon Dioxide.
Free from gluten, dairy, soy, egg, shellfish, added sugar, artificial colors and artificial flavors. Capsules are plant-based — no gelatin.
How to take it
Three capsules, 60–90 minutes before bed, with water. Food isn't required, but take them with a snack for the first few nights if your stomach is generally sensitive.
If you'd rather spread the dose, two at night and one in the afternoon works just as well — magnesium is about repletion over weeks, not a spike on any single night. Don't exceed one serving in 24 hours.
Shipping & returns
Orders placed before 2pm ET ship the same business day from our Livonia, Michigan facility. Free US shipping over $45; $4.95 below that. Typical delivery is 2–5 business days.
Every order is covered for 90 nights. If it hasn't done anything for you, email hello@themg12.com and we'll refund it. You don't need to send the jars back.
Testing & certificates of analysis
Every production batch is tested by an independent ISO 17025-accredited laboratory for label potency, heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury) and microbial limits.
The batch number printed on the bottom of your jar pulls up that exact batch's certificate. We publish them whether or not anyone asks.
Independent sources
The form of magnesium covered & studied by
Thirteen publications and research groups, on magnesium glycinate as an ingredient. None of them are talking about themg12, and none of them were paid.
Verified·The New York Times
Verified·National Institutes of Health
Verified·Cleveland Clinic
Verified·Forbes
Verified·TIME
Verified·Healthline
Verified·University of Chicago
Verified·The Wall Street Journal
Verified·Medical University of Lublin
Verified·CNN
Verified·Vogue
Verified·Syracuse University
Verified·BBC Good Food
The gap
You're probably not bad at sleeping.
You're probably low on magnesium.
Magnesium runs more than 300 enzyme reactions, including the ones that let your nervous system stand down at night. Most adults don't get enough of it from food — and the first place a shortfall usually shows up is after dark.
- 48%
- of Americans take in less magnesium than the estimated average requirement from food alone.
- 300+
- enzyme systems depend on it — nerve signalling, muscle contraction, blood sugar, blood pressure.
- 3am
- the hour customers name more than any other when they describe the sleep they were trying to fix.
Intake figure: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Magnesium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Customer figure: internal analysis of 387 written reviews.
Straight from the inbox
The 3 a.m. club is losing members.
Photos and words sent in by people who bought a jar. None of it was shot in a studio, and we didn't ask anyone to smile.
Third night in and I slept straight through. I keep waiting for it to stop working.
KRKayla R.
No charlie horses. That alone is worth the money to me.
MAMarisol A.
Citrate destroyed my stomach. This one I can take on an empty stomach and feel nothing.
BKBethany K.
Not a knockout — I just stop bracing. Fall asleep like a normal person.
RFRachel F.
Off melatonin for the first time in years. No fog in the morning.
JMJenna M.
Took about ten days for me. Worth sticking with past the first week.
ADAlison D.
My legs used to twitch all night. My husband noticed before I did.
COCarmen O.
Lives in my gym bag. Take it after evening training and I'm not wrecked the next day.
SLSteph L.
Bought it for me. My husband stole it. Now we order two.
TPTanya P.
I'm less snappy with my kids by 6pm. Didn't expect that one.
HBHollie B.
Duermo de corrido y me levanto sin esa pesadez. Ya se lo recomendé a mi hermana.
LGLucía G.
Perimenopause wrecked my sleep. This is the only thing that's moved the needle.
NSNadia S.
4.8 from 2,847 verified reviews
Read them all
The form matters
Most magnesium on the shelf is the cheap kind.
Magnesium oxide is the most widely sold form and the least absorbable — which is why it's better known as a laxative than a supplement. Glycinate is the same mineral bound to glycine, an amino acid your gut already has a transport route for. Same element. Very different ride.
| How they compare | Glycinate — what we make | Citrate | Oxide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absorption | High — chelated, amino-acid bound | Moderate | Low — roughly 4% in studies |
| Effect on digestion | Gentle; no laxative pull | Loosens stools at higher doses | Sold as a laxative for a reason |
| Typically used for | Sleep, night cramps, stress, daily repletion | Constipation, general topping-up | Heartburn, constipation |
| Cost to manufacture | Highest | Moderate | Lowest — which is why it's everywhere |
| Elemental Mg per serving here | 525 mg (3 capsules) | 200–350 mg | 250–400 mg (little of it absorbed) |
The dose
525mgPer serving · 125% daily value
A real dose, in three small capsules.
Plenty of jars print a big number on the front and then define a serving as four capsules. Ours is three — small, plant-based, and the same size people in reviews keep calling "easy to swallow." Take all three before bed, or split them across the day. The bloodstream doesn't mind either way.
RDA range per NIH ODS for adults aged 31+. A single serving of themg12 exceeds the RDA; magnesium from supplements has a tolerable upper intake level of 350 mg for supplemental forms, and higher intakes are common but worth discussing with your clinician if you have kidney concerns.
What to expect
The first thirty nights
We'd rather set this correctly than oversell it. Magnesium isn't a sedative and it doesn't work like one. Here's the arc most people describe.
Week one
Staying asleep
This is the change that comes up most in reviews — not falling asleep faster, but not surfacing at 3 a.m. Night cramps and restless legs tend to quiet down in the same window.
Week four
A calmer baseline
Repletion is slow by design — you're refilling cellular stores, not spiking a level. Around the month mark is when people describe less edge during the day, not only at night.
What's in it
One active ingredient. Nowhere to hide.
No "proprietary magnesium complex" quietly padded with oxide. Magnesium glycinate, plus the three inactive ingredients it takes to get a powder into a plant-based capsule. That's the whole list.
Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 3 Veggie Capsules
Servings Per Container: 30
Amount Per Serving%DV**
Magnesium
(as Magnesium Glycinate)525 mg 125%
(as Magnesium Glycinate)525 mg 125%
** Daily Value (DV) based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Inactive Ingredients: Hypromellose (Vegetable Capsule), Rice Flour, Silicon Dioxide.
Batch-level transparency. Every production run is tested by an independent ISO 17025 laboratory for potency, heavy metals and microbials. The batch code on the bottom of your jar pulls up that batch's own certificate — not a generic one from two years ago.
What isn't in here
- Magnesium oxide, citrate or "blend" fillers
- Proprietary blends that hide the real ratios
- Titanium dioxide
- Artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners
- Gelatin — the capsule is plant-based
- Added sugar or sugar alcohols
- Gluten, dairy, soy, egg, shellfish
- Stearates beyond the silicon dioxide listed above
Manufactured for themg12 in an FDA-registered, cGMP-compliant facility. 34835 Plymouth Rd, Livonia, Michigan 48150.
Independent voices
The people who study this mineral keep landing on the same form.
None of the clinicians and researchers below are affiliated with themg12, and none were paid to say anything. We’re citing their public positions on magnesium glycinate as an ingredient — not on this jar.
Dr. Michael Breus, Ph.D.
Clinical psychologist · sleep specialist
Widely known as “The Sleep Doctor,” he points to this highly absorbable form for its ability to quiet a racing mind and relax tense muscles at the same time.
Dr. Andrew Huberman, Ph.D.
Neurobiologist · Stanford School of Medicine
Treats this specific form as a component of a nightly routine — effective at helping the nervous system transition into deep, restorative sleep rather than forcing it.
Dr. Mark Hyman, MD
Functional medicine physician · author
Calls magnesium the “relaxation mineral,” and recommends the bioavailable chelated form to calm an overactive nervous system, ease muscle tension and blunt chronic stress.
Dr. Rhonda Patrick, Ph.D.
Biomedical scientist
Emphasises magnesium’s role in cellular energy and DNA repair, and points to the chelated form as the one that raises cellular levels without gastrointestinal upset.
Dr. Peter Attia, MD
Longevity & performance physician
Advocates the premium chelated form for muscle recovery, metabolic health and sleep architecture — the three things he tracks hardest in his own protocol.
Dr. Carolyn Dean, MD, ND
Author, The Magnesium Miracle
One of the mineral’s longest-standing advocates. She singles out this absorbable form as the way to correct daily deficiency without the laxative effect of cheaper salts.
Dr. Sara Gottfried, MD
Harvard-trained physician · hormone health
Recommends this precise form as a natural tool to help regulate cortisol — support for hormone balance, mood and anxiety rather than a knockout for sleep.
Dr. James DiNicolantonio, Pharm.D.
Cardiovascular research scientist
Argues for this exact form to replace the mineral depletion caused by modern diets, with an emphasis on heart health and blood sugar regulation.
Dr. Will Cole, IFMCP, DNM
Functional medicine practitioner
Uses the glycinate form against inflammation and to soothe the gut–brain axis, praising it for staying gentle on digestion while delivering the brain-calming benefit.
Dr. Stella Volpe, Ph.D., RDN
Sports nutrition researcher
Frames the absorbable form as a necessity for active people — recovery, muscle function and metabolic health after physical exertion.
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Reviews
What people actually write in
Unedited except for typos. We publish the three- and two-star ones too — you can filter for them.
4.8
2,847 verified reviews
92% of reviewers mention sleep, night cramps or stress as the reason they bought.
Try it for 90 nightsNo more restless nights
This has absolutely changed my nighttime routine, I promise I cannot end my night without it. I was restless, achy, and had headaches all the time. Magnesium has saved me.
KJKevin J.VerifiedAug 4
Great for muscle cramps
I have a condition that flares up and gives me leg cramps in the middle of the night that wake me up. I'd tried bananas and potassium and it really didn't do anything. Started this about a month ago and I haven't had a single charlie horse in my sleep since. If you get bad night-time leg cramps this will probably work wonders for you.
CTChristopher T.VerifiedJul 29
Switched off melatonin
Started taking this instead of melatonin and I love it. Doesn't make you groggy or dragging throughout the next day. Plus the added health benefits from taking magnesium.
EPEmily P.VerifiedJul 22
Does wonders
For the first time in my life after taking a supplement I could actually feel the difference. I'm calmer, I don't cry when my period is coming, and I sleep like a baby. I'm hooked.
AMAstrida M.VerifiedJul 18
Got my husband on it too
I felt results after taking these one time. I take them at night and there's a huge improvement in my sleep. I got my husband to take them as well and he's said his sleep improved too. Worth the buy.
EPEmily P.VerifiedJul 11
Works, but give it time
Honestly the first week I didn't notice much and almost gave up. Around day ten I realised I hadn't woken up in the night for a while. Not dramatic, just steadier. Docking a star because I wish the label said that up front.
JHJonathan H.VerifiedJul 6
Easy on my stomach
Citrate wrecked me. I'd basically written magnesium off. These are easy to swallow and as long as I take them with a little food they don't bother me at all — and I've noticed less back pain at night.
MNMorgan N.VerifiedJun 30
Fewer capsules than the last brand
Most competing brands say 400 mg but one dose is four capsules. The maths here is honest and the capsules are smaller than what I was taking before. That alone got me to switch.
HHHunter H.VerifiedJun 24
Nicely calming
It doesn't knock you out but it is definitely calming. I take it an hour before bed and sleep soundly all night.
EMEric M.VerifiedJun 19
Excelente para dormir
Llevo tres semanas tomándolo antes de dormir. Duermo de corrido y me levanto sin esa pesadez de otras pastillas. Ya se lo recomendé a mi hermana.
PBPaige B.VerifiedJun 12
Fine, but not a miracle for me
Sleep is a little better and my calves stopped cramping, which is worth something. But I was hoping for more on the anxiety side and that hasn't really moved. Support was quick when I emailed, no complaints there.
ALAndrew L.VerifiedJun 5
Third jar
Most people are magnesium deficient. I've been buying this for a year now — I feel better, sleep better, and I'm more regular. Nothing else to report, which is exactly what I want from a supplement.
JHJoseph H.VerifiedMay 28
Side by side
themg12 vs. the jar you're currently holding
Two honest comparisons: the $9 bottle from the pharmacy aisle, and the clinical brand your practitioner sells at three times the price.
| THEMG12 | Drugstore magnesium | Practitioner brand | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form | 100% glycinate | Usually oxide | Glycinate |
| Elemental magnesium per serving | 525 mg | 250–400 mg (poorly absorbed) | 120–200 mg |
| Third-party batch testing published | Every batch, public | Rarely | On request |
| Capsule | Plant-based, small | Often gelatin, large | Plant-based |
| Proprietary blend | None | Common | None |
| Cost per night | $0.93 on subscription | $0.30 for far less absorbed mg | $1.60–$2.40 |
| Guarantee | 90 nights, keep the jars | Unopened returns only | 30 days, restocking fee |
The routine
Three capsules. One habit. That's the whole protocol.
There's no loading phase, no cycling on and off, and nothing to measure. If you can remember to brush your teeth, you can do this.
-
Sixty to ninety minutes before bed
Three capsules with a glass of water. Food isn't required — glycinate is gentle enough without it — but take them with a snack for the first few nights if your stomach is generally touchy.
-
Same time, every night
Magnesium works by refilling stores, not by spiking a level. Consistency does more than timing. Missing a night isn't a setback; missing three weeks is.
-
Adjust it to your day
Some people take two at night and one mid-afternoon for daytime tension. Both patterns work. Just keep it to one serving in 24 hours.
The 90-night promise
Sleep on it for ninety nights.
Take it every night for three months. If your sleep, your cramps or your baseline stress are exactly where they started, send us one email and we'll refund the whole order. You don't need to ship the jars back and we won't ask you to fill in a form. We'd rather absorb the cost than argue with someone it didn't work for.
Questions
Answered properly
When should I take it?
Sixty to ninety minutes before bed is what most people settle on, because that's when the calming effect of glycine is most useful. If you're taking it for daytime tension or cramps rather than sleep, any consistent time works.
Will it make me groggy in the morning?
It shouldn't. Magnesium isn't a sedative — it doesn't act on the same pathways as melatonin or a sleep aid, so there's no hangover mechanism. The most common note in our reviews from people switching off melatonin is specifically that the next-day fog is gone.
Is 525 mg too much?
525 mg is 125% of the daily value, which sounds like a lot until you account for the fact that most people are running a deficit from food. It's a common therapeutic dose for glycinate and it's well tolerated because the chelated form doesn't pull water into the bowel the way oxide and citrate do.
That said: the tolerable upper intake level for supplemental magnesium is 350 mg, set on the basis of laxative effect rather than toxicity. If you have reduced kidney function, take prescription medication, or would simply rather start lower, take two capsules instead of three and talk to your clinician.
Will it upset my stomach?
Far less likely than the magnesium you've probably tried. Oxide and citrate are poorly absorbed, so a lot of the mineral stays in the gut and draws in water — that's the laxative effect. Glycinate is absorbed through amino-acid transport, so much less of it lingers.
A minority of people still prefer to take it with food for the first week. If it doesn't agree with you at all, the 90-night guarantee covers it.
How is this different from the magnesium at my drugstore?
Almost certainly the form. The cheapest and most widely stocked magnesium is oxide, which studies put at roughly 4% absorption — it's genuinely sold as a laxative in other aisles of the same shop. Reading the "supplement facts" panel rather than the front of the bottle will usually tell you within five seconds.
Can I take it alongside melatonin or my other supplements?
Magnesium glycinate is commonly stacked with melatonin, glycine, L-theanine and vitamin D, and plenty of our customers do exactly that. Space it a couple of hours away from high-dose zinc, calcium or iron, which compete for the same absorption routes, and from certain antibiotics — check the leaflet that came with any prescription.
Is it safe if I'm pregnant, nursing, or on medication?
Ask your doctor first — genuinely, not as a legal reflex. Magnesium interacts with several drug classes including some antibiotics, bisphosphonates and diuretics, and dosing during pregnancy is a conversation for someone who knows your history. Not intended for anyone under 18.
How does the subscription work?
You save 20% on every order and it arrives every 30 days by default. You can change the interval, skip a shipment, swap the size or cancel outright from your account page in about two clicks — no email, no phone call, no retention script. We send a reminder three days before each renewal so nothing arrives as a surprise.
Where is it made?
Manufactured for themg12 in an FDA-registered, cGMP-compliant facility in the United States, and distributed from 34835 Plymouth Rd, Livonia, Michigan 48150. Registration means the facility is inspected against manufacturing standards — it isn't the same as FDA approval, and no dietary supplement has that.
Still deciding? Email a real person at hello@themg12.com — we usually reply the same day.
One jar, thirty nights
Give it a month and see what your nights do.
- 525 mg chelated magnesium glycinate per serving
- 90 plant-based capsules — a full 30-night supply
- Third-party tested, batch certificate published
- Free US shipping over $45, ships the same day
$31.20
per jar on subscription · $49.00 retail
Choose your supply
Magnesium Glycinate Complex
3 jars · subscribe & save · $84.00