Same elemental magnesium · two salts · snapshot 2026-08-10

Magnesium taurate vs l-threonate: 2,242 vs 2,424 mg of compound for 200 mg of magnesium

Magnesium taurate is 8.9% elemental magnesium and magnesium l-threonate is 8.3%, so 200 mg of magnesium needs 2,242 mg of taurate against 2,424 mg of l-threonate: 4 vs 4 size 00 capsules at powder density 0.8 g/mL, the top of the usual 0.6–0.8 range. 0 of 2 capsule labels naming taurate alone are above the assumed size 000 capacity at powder density 0.8 g/mL, against 0 of 6 for l-threonate. Prices within each salt: taurate from $0.1033 per 100 mg (median $0.1842, 4 ranked offers); l-threonate $1.1572 per 100 mg (a single ranked offer); observed 2026-10-26 to 2026-11-02.

computed from chemical formulas
taurate for 200 mg Mg2,242 mg8.9% magnesium · 4 size 00
L-threonate for 200 mg Mg2,424 mg8.3% magnesium · 4 size 00
Exceeds size 0000 of 2 · 0 of 6taurate · l-threonate capsule labels
Cheapest by declared elemental magnesium, per 100 mg, within each salttaurate $0.1033 · l-threonate $1.15724 and 1 ranked offers · 2026-11-02
dumbbell · taurate vs l-threonate · compound mass for 100, 200 and 400 mg magnesium, 2,242 vs 2,424 mg at 200 mg · chemistry 2026-08-10
Compound mass for the same elemental magnesium: dark dot taurate (8.9%), grey dot l-threonate (8.3%); the labels give each salt's full range.
Chart data
Chart labels and values for the main chart
Displayed chart text
100 mg magnesium
taurate 1,121 · l-threonate 1,212
200 mg magnesium
taurate 2,242 · l-threonate 2,424
400 mg magnesium
taurate 4,484 · l-threonate 4,848

Data release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · registry snapshot 2026-08-10 · latest price observation 2026-11-02 · chemistry 2026-10-17

Elemental: The magnesium itself; the rest of the compound weight is the partner molecule.

Compound: The whole salt that must physically fit in a capsule; a lower magnesium fraction means more compound for the same magnesium.

How much taurate or l-threonate carries the same elemental magnesium?

At the same elemental amount, taurate (8.9% magnesium) always needs less compound than l-threonate (8.3%): for 400 mg of magnesium, 4,484 mg against 4,848 mg. That is the mass of powder per dose; how much of it is absorbed is what the studies below measured.

computed
Compound mass and size 00 capsules for taurate and l-threonate
Elemental magnesiumtaurate compoundtaurate size 00L-threonate compoundL-threonate size 00
100 mg1,121 mg21,212 mg2
200 mg2,242 mg42,424 mg4
400 mg4,484 mg74,848 mg7

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 2 capsule labels naming taurate alone are above the assumed size 000 capacity at powder density 0.8 g/mL, against 0 of 6 for l-threonate. 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
stacked bar · taurate vs l-threonate · capsule verdicts, 0 of 2 vs 0 of 6 exceed size 000 · snapshot 2026-08-10
Capsule verdicts for labels naming each salt alone: fits size 0 or 00, needs 000, exceeds 000.
Chart data
Chart labels and values for Estimated salt mass versus assumed capsule capacity
Displayed chart text
taurate
fits 0 of 2
needs 000 2 of 2
exceeds 0 of 2
l-threonate
fits 6 of 6
needs 000 0 of 6
exceeds 0 of 6
Capsule verdicts for taurate and l-threonate labels
SaltAudited capsule labelsFits 0 or 00Needs 000Exceeds 000
taurate2020
L-threonate6600

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: taurate from $0.1033 per 100 mg (median $0.1842, 4 ranked offers); l-threonate $1.1572 per 100 mg (a single ranked offer). 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
Price per 100 mg of declared elemental magnesium, within each salt
SaltRanked offersLowest per 100 mgMedian per 100 mgObserved
taurate4$0.1033$0.18422026-11-02
L-threonate1$1.1572$1.15722026-11-02

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 taurate and l-threonate side by side?

No study in the PubMed-checked registry measured taurate and l-threonate side by side as of 2026-08-10; 1 involve taurate and 0 involve l-threonate separately.

measured
Registry studies involving taurate or l-threonate
YearStudySalts measuredPubMed
2019Timeline (Bioavailability) of Magnesium Compounds in Hours: Which Magnesium Compound Works Best?sulfate, oxide, taurate, citrate, malate29679349

Source · PubMed-checked study registry · registry checked 2026-08-10 · release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · CSV · method

How many labels name both taurate and l-threonate?

No label names both taurate and l-threonate as of 2026-08-10, against 12 labels naming taurate and 9 naming l-threonate.

measured
Labels naming both salts
LabelDeclared elemental per servingNIH 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
Compound mass reference, 25 to 1,000 mg of elemental magnesium
Elemental magnesiumtaurate compoundtaurate size 00L-threonate compoundL-threonate size 00
25 mg280 mg1303 mg1
50 mg561 mg1606 mg1
75 mg841 mg2909 mg2
100 mg1,121 mg21,212 mg2
125 mg1,401 mg21,515 mg3
150 mg1,682 mg31,818 mg3
175 mg1,962 mg32,121 mg3
200 mg2,242 mg42,424 mg4
32 additional rows
Compound mass reference, 25 to 1,000 mg of elemental magnesium, additional rows
Elemental magnesiumtaurate compoundtaurate size 00L-threonate compoundL-threonate size 00
225 mg2,522 mg42,727 mg4
250 mg2,803 mg43,030 mg5
275 mg3,083 mg53,333 mg5
300 mg3,363 mg53,636 mg5
325 mg3,643 mg53,939 mg6
350 mg3,924 mg64,242 mg6
375 mg4,204 mg64,545 mg7
400 mg4,484 mg74,848 mg7
425 mg4,765 mg75,152 mg8
450 mg5,045 mg75,455 mg8
475 mg5,325 mg85,758 mg8
500 mg5,605 mg86,061 mg9
525 mg5,886 mg96,364 mg9
550 mg6,166 mg96,667 mg10
575 mg6,446 mg96,970 mg10
600 mg6,726 mg107,273 mg10
625 mg7,007 mg107,576 mg11
650 mg7,287 mg107,879 mg11
675 mg7,567 mg118,182 mg12
700 mg7,848 mg118,485 mg12
725 mg8,128 mg128,788 mg13
750 mg8,408 mg129,091 mg13
775 mg8,688 mg129,394 mg13
800 mg8,969 mg139,697 mg14
825 mg9,249 mg1310,000 mg14
850 mg9,529 mg1410,303 mg15
875 mg9,809 mg1410,606 mg15
900 mg10,090 mg1410,909 mg15
925 mg10,370 mg1511,212 mg16
950 mg10,650 mg1511,515 mg16
975 mg10,930 mg1511,818 mg17
1,000 mg11,211 mg1612,121 mg17

Source · Chemical formulas and NIH DSLD labels · snapshot 2026-08-10 · release 2026-08-10-f441aa9f · CSV · method