Same elemental magnesium · two salts · snapshot 2026-08-10
Magnesium malate vs taurate: 1,287–1,584 vs 2,242 mg of compound for 200 mg of magnesium
Magnesium malate is 12.6–15.5% elemental magnesium and magnesium taurate is 8.9%, so 200 mg of magnesium needs 1,287–1,584 mg of malate against 2,242 mg of taurate: 2–3 vs 4 size 00 capsules at powder density 0.8 g/mL, the top of the usual 0.6–0.8 range. 0 of 9 capsule labels naming malate alone are above the assumed size 000 capacity at powder density 0.8 g/mL, against 0 of 2 for taurate. Prices within each salt: malate from $0.0460 per 100 mg (median $0.1052, 4 ranked offers); taurate from $0.1033 per 100 mg (median $0.1842, 4 ranked offers); observed 2026-10-26 to 2026-11-02.
computed from chemical formulas
Chart data
| Displayed chart text |
|---|
| 100 mg magnesium |
| malate 644–792 · taurate 1,121 |
| 200 mg magnesium |
| malate 1,287–1,584 · taurate 2,242 |
| 400 mg magnesium |
| malate 2,574–3,167 · taurate 4,484 |
Data release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · registry snapshot 2026-08-10 · latest price observation 2026-11-02 · chemistry 2026-10-17
How much malate or taurate carries the same elemental magnesium?
At the same elemental amount, malate (12.6–15.5% magnesium) always needs less compound than taurate (8.9%): for 400 mg of magnesium, 2,574–3,167 mg against 4,484 mg. That is the mass of powder per dose; how much of it is absorbed is what the studies below measured.
computed| Elemental magnesium | malate compound | malate size 00 | taurate compound | taurate size 00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 mg | 644–792 mg | 1–2 | 1,121 mg | 2 |
| 200 mg | 1,287–1,584 mg | 2–3 | 2,242 mg | 4 |
| 400 mg | 2,574–3,167 mg | 4–5 | 4,484 mg | 7 |
malate: anhydrous 15.54% or dihydrate 12.63% (192.41 g/mol); hydration ambiguity stays a range.
Source · Chemical formulas and NIH DSLD labels · snapshot 2026-08-10 · release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · CSV · method
Estimated salt mass versus assumed capsule capacity
0 of 9 capsule labels naming malate alone are above the assumed size 000 capacity at powder density 0.8 g/mL, against 0 of 2 for taurate. Verdicts use the most favourable hydration and the most units per serving at powder density 0.8 g/mL, the top of the usual 0.6–0.8 range; the audited registry as a whole has 8 of 137 capsule labels above size 000.
computed with assumption
Chart data
| Displayed chart text |
|---|
| malate |
| fits 7 of 9 |
| needs 000 2 of 9 |
| exceeds 0 of 9 |
| taurate |
| fits 0 of 2 |
| needs 000 2 of 2 |
| exceeds 0 of 2 |
| Salt | Audited capsule labels | Fits 0 or 00 | Needs 000 | Exceeds 000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| malate | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| taurate | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Source · NIH DSLD labels; mass balance · recognized salt only; snapshot 2026-08-10 · release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · CSV · method
What does each cost per 100 mg of elemental magnesium, within its own salt?
Compared only with offers of the same salt: malate from $0.0460 per 100 mg (median $0.1052, 4 ranked offers); taurate from $0.1033 per 100 mg (median $0.1842, 4 ranked offers). Prices observed 2026-10-26 to 2026-11-02; a ranking exists only inside one salt, because the compound mass per 100 mg of magnesium differs between salts.
computed| Salt | Ranked offers | Lowest per 100 mg | Median per 100 mg | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| malate | 4 | $0.0460 | $0.1052 | 2026-11-02 |
| taurate | 4 | $0.1033 | $0.1842 | 2026-11-02 |
Source · Amazon via licensed data provider; NIH DSLD · unique ASIN × date; prices observed 2026-10-26 to 2026-11-02 · release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · CSV · method
Has any study measured malate and taurate side by side?
One study in the PubMed-checked registry measured both salts in the same design; 3 involve malate and 1 involve taurate in total. They measured outcomes of the salts, not of any label.
measured| Year | Study | Salts measured | PubMed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Timeline (Bioavailability) of Magnesium Compounds in Hours: Which Magnesium Compound Works Best? | sulfate, oxide, taurate, citrate, malate | 29679349 |
| 2020 | Dose-Dependent Absorption Profile of Different Magnesium Compounds | oxide, citrate, glycinate, malate | 30761462 |
| 2018 | Scottsdale Magnesium Study: Absorption, Cellular Uptake, and Clinical Effectiveness of a Timed-Release Magnesium Supplement in a Standard Adult Clinical Population. | malate | 29425476 |
Source · PubMed-checked study registry · registry checked 2026-08-10 · release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · CSV · method
How many labels name both malate and taurate?
No label names both malate and taurate as of 2026-08-10, against 73 labels naming malate and 12 naming taurate.
measured| Label | Declared elemental per serving | NIH DSLD |
|---|---|---|
| No label as of 2026-08-10 |
Source · Chemical formulas and NIH DSLD labels · snapshot 2026-08-10 · release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · CSV · method
What does every dose from 25 to 1,000 mg of magnesium need in each salt?
The table converts 40 elemental amounts, 25 to 1,000 mg in 25 mg steps, into compound mass and size 00 capsules for both salts, against 730 mg per size 00 capsule at powder density 0.8 g/mL, the top of the usual 0.6–0.8 range. The first eight rows are shown; the rest open below.
computed| Elemental magnesium | malate compound | malate size 00 | taurate compound | taurate size 00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 mg | 161–198 mg | 1 | 280 mg | 1 |
| 50 mg | 322–396 mg | 1 | 561 mg | 1 |
| 75 mg | 483–594 mg | 1 | 841 mg | 2 |
| 100 mg | 644–792 mg | 1–2 | 1,121 mg | 2 |
| 125 mg | 804–990 mg | 2 | 1,401 mg | 2 |
| 150 mg | 965–1,188 mg | 2 | 1,682 mg | 3 |
| 175 mg | 1,126–1,386 mg | 2 | 1,962 mg | 3 |
| 200 mg | 1,287–1,584 mg | 2–3 | 2,242 mg | 4 |
32 additional rows
| Elemental magnesium | malate compound | malate size 00 | taurate compound | taurate size 00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 225 mg | 1,448–1,781 mg | 2–3 | 2,522 mg | 4 |
| 250 mg | 1,609–1,979 mg | 3 | 2,803 mg | 4 |
| 275 mg | 1,770–2,177 mg | 3 | 3,083 mg | 5 |
| 300 mg | 1,931–2,375 mg | 3–4 | 3,363 mg | 5 |
| 325 mg | 2,091–2,573 mg | 3–4 | 3,643 mg | 5 |
| 350 mg | 2,252–2,771 mg | 4 | 3,924 mg | 6 |
| 375 mg | 2,413–2,969 mg | 4–5 | 4,204 mg | 6 |
| 400 mg | 2,574–3,167 mg | 4–5 | 4,484 mg | 7 |
| 425 mg | 2,735–3,365 mg | 4–5 | 4,765 mg | 7 |
| 450 mg | 2,896–3,563 mg | 4–5 | 5,045 mg | 7 |
| 475 mg | 3,057–3,761 mg | 5–6 | 5,325 mg | 8 |
| 500 mg | 3,218–3,959 mg | 5–6 | 5,605 mg | 8 |
| 525 mg | 3,378–4,157 mg | 5–6 | 5,886 mg | 9 |
| 550 mg | 3,539–4,355 mg | 5–6 | 6,166 mg | 9 |
| 575 mg | 3,700–4,553 mg | 6–7 | 6,446 mg | 9 |
| 600 mg | 3,861–4,751 mg | 6–7 | 6,726 mg | 10 |
| 625 mg | 4,022–4,949 mg | 6–7 | 7,007 mg | 10 |
| 650 mg | 4,183–5,146 mg | 6–8 | 7,287 mg | 10 |
| 675 mg | 4,344–5,344 mg | 6–8 | 7,567 mg | 11 |
| 700 mg | 4,505–5,542 mg | 7–8 | 7,848 mg | 11 |
| 725 mg | 4,665–5,740 mg | 7–8 | 8,128 mg | 12 |
| 750 mg | 4,826–5,938 mg | 7–9 | 8,408 mg | 12 |
| 775 mg | 4,987–6,136 mg | 7–9 | 8,688 mg | 12 |
| 800 mg | 5,148–6,334 mg | 8–9 | 8,969 mg | 13 |
| 825 mg | 5,309–6,532 mg | 8–9 | 9,249 mg | 13 |
| 850 mg | 5,470–6,730 mg | 8–10 | 9,529 mg | 14 |
| 875 mg | 5,631–6,928 mg | 8–10 | 9,809 mg | 14 |
| 900 mg | 5,792–7,126 mg | 8–10 | 10,090 mg | 14 |
| 925 mg | 5,952–7,324 mg | 9–11 | 10,370 mg | 15 |
| 950 mg | 6,113–7,522 mg | 9–11 | 10,650 mg | 15 |
| 975 mg | 6,274–7,720 mg | 9–11 | 10,930 mg | 15 |
| 1,000 mg | 6,435–7,918 mg | 9–11 | 11,211 mg | 16 |
Source · Chemical formulas and NIH DSLD labels · snapshot 2026-08-10 · release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · CSV · method