Merchient

Merchient’s ingredient library

What can you say about magnesium in your ads and on your site?

The library supports 6 wordings for magnesium; the strongest is “Supports normal muscle function” (strong, 20-500 mg elemental magnesium a day). Avoid wording that names or implies a disease, a drug or a treatment, such as “Lowers blood pressure, or helps with hypertension”.

Also called: Mg

Reviewed

Not legal advice. This guide shows the wording that published evidence supports at a daily dose, from the sources linked below; it is not a ruling on any claim. Your own product, its form and dose, and your own evidence still need to match the wording you use.

Supported wordings

What you can say.

Strong evidenceWording 1

Claims Facts

“Supports normal muscle function.”

Daily dose20-500 mg elemental magnesium a day
SupportListed by Health Canada and authorized in the EU after EFSA review.
Dose detailsHealth Canada: 20-500 mg a day for adults 19 and older, 20-350 mg at age 18. ODS sets the upper limit for magnesium from supplements at 350 mg a day for adults. The EU claim applies to products that are at least a ‘source’ of magnesium.
Dose warningAbove 350 mg a day of magnesium from supplements is over the ODS upper limit for adults. Health Canada’s range runs to 500 mg; the claim’s support stands.
FormAny magnesium form on Health Canada’s list, counted as elemental magnesium
SourcesHealth Canada monograph: Multi-Vitamin/Mineral Supplements
Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, list of permitted health claims

Strong evidenceWording 2

Claims Facts

“Supports normal function of the nervous system.”

Daily dose20-500 mg elemental magnesium a day
SupportListed by Health Canada and authorized in the EU after EFSA review.
Dose detailsAs for muscle function: Health Canada 20-500 mg a day for adults 19 and older; ODS upper limit from supplements 350 mg a day.
Dose warningAbove 350 mg a day of magnesium from supplements is over the ODS upper limit for adults. Health Canada’s range runs to 500 mg; the claim’s support stands.
FormAny magnesium form on Health Canada’s list, counted as elemental magnesium
SourcesHealth Canada monograph: Multi-Vitamin/Mineral Supplements
Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, list of permitted health claims

Strong evidenceWording 3

Claims Facts

“Plays a part in energy metabolism.”

Daily dose20-500 mg elemental magnesium a day
SupportHealth Canada lists a role in energy metabolism and the EU authorizes a role in normal energy-yielding metabolism.
Dose detailsHealth Canada 20-500 mg a day for adults 19 and older; ODS upper limit from supplements 350 mg a day.
Dose warningAbove 350 mg a day of magnesium from supplements is over the ODS upper limit for adults. Health Canada’s range runs to 500 mg; the claim’s support stands.
FormAny magnesium form on Health Canada’s list, counted as elemental magnesium
SourcesHealth Canada monograph: Multi-Vitamin/Mineral Supplements
Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, list of permitted health claims

Strong evidenceWording 4

Claims Facts

“Helps build and maintain healthy bones and teeth.”

Daily dose20-500 mg elemental magnesium a day
SupportHealth Canada lists bone and tooth development and maintenance; the EU authorizes maintenance of normal bones and teeth.
Dose detailsHealth Canada 20-500 mg a day for adults 19 and older; ODS upper limit from supplements 350 mg a day.
Dose warningAbove 350 mg a day of magnesium from supplements is over the ODS upper limit for adults. Health Canada’s range runs to 500 mg; the claim’s support stands.
FormAny magnesium form on Health Canada’s list, counted as elemental magnesium
SourcesHealth Canada monograph: Multi-Vitamin/Mineral Supplements
Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, list of permitted health claims

Strong evidenceWording 5

Claims Facts

“Helps maintain normal electrolyte balance.”

Daily dose20-500 mg elemental magnesium a day
SupportListed by Health Canada and authorized in the EU after EFSA review.
Dose detailsHealth Canada 20-500 mg a day for adults 19 and older; ODS upper limit from supplements 350 mg a day.
Dose warningAbove 350 mg a day of magnesium from supplements is over the ODS upper limit for adults. Health Canada’s range runs to 500 mg; the claim’s support stands.
FormAny magnesium form on Health Canada’s list, counted as elemental magnesium
SourcesHealth Canada monograph: Multi-Vitamin/Mineral Supplements
Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, list of permitted health claims

Moderate evidenceWording 6

Claims Facts

“Helps reduce tiredness and fatigue.”

Daily dose56.25-350 mg elemental magnesium a day
SupportAuthorized in the EU after EFSA review; Health Canada does not list it and ODS does not address it.
Dose detailsEU: the product must be at least a ‘source’ of magnesium, which is 15% of the 375 mg EU nutrient reference value, or 56.25 mg (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex XIII). 350 mg a day is the ODS upper limit for magnesium from supplements.
FormMagnesium, counted as elemental magnesium
SourceCommission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, list of permitted health claims

How strong the evidence is

Strong evidence
At least two listed sources support it independently at a comparable dose and form, and none disagrees.
Moderate evidence
One listed source supports it as an evidence-based use at that dose, and no listed source disagrees.
Limited evidence
The only support is traditional use, the sources disagree, or the source itself calls the evidence weak.

Wordings to avoid

What to leave out.

Claims Facts

Ingredient: Magnesium

Wording to avoidReason
“Lowers blood pressure, or helps with hypertension”Names a disease. The only supported route is FDA’s qualified health claim, with its set wording and conditions (see fda_health_claims).Disease
“Relieves migraines”Names a disease.Disease
“Treats insomnia, or a cure for sleep problems”Names a sleep disorder and promises to treat it; no listed source supports sleep wording for magnesium.Treatment
“Controls blood sugar in diabetes”Names a disease.Disease
“Calms anxiety or depression”Names mental health disorders; no listed source supports mood wording beyond the EU’s normal psychological function claim.Disease

Disease: names or implies a disease. Drug: names a drug or presents the product as one. Treatment: promises to treat, cure or prevent a condition.

Sources

Where this comes from.

All ingredient guides

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