Mela-Out Magnesium vs Natural Vitality CALM vs Thorne

Melaleuca's Mela-Out Magnesium, Natural Vitality CALM and Thorne Magnesium Bisglycinate are all magnesium powders. They differ in the magnesium compound, the amount per scoop, the price and how each is sold.

A magnesium powder is a drink mix stirred into water instead of a capsule.

Which magnesium powder fits your household?

Mela-Out costs 60 cents per serving at the regular price and about 41 cents at the preferred member price, which requires a Melaleuca membership. Natural Vitality's sweet lemon powder is a flavored, fizzy drink mix; its 16 oz size costs $35.79 and covers 113 days. Thorne's powder lists 200 mg of magnesium bisglycinate per scoop and carries the NSF Certified for Sport mark. A 60-scoop container costs $52.

How the three powders compare

Mela-Out's serving facts come from the SuppCo listing; the other figures come from the makers' product pages.

	Mela-Out Magnesium	Natural Vitality MAXCALM (CALM), sweet lemon	Thorne Magnesium Bisglycinate
Form	Powder drink mix, 5 g scoop	Powder drink mix, about 2 tsp (4 g)	Powder drink mix, 1 scoop
Magnesium compound	Not listed; contains vitamin B6	Ionic magnesium citrate plus magnesium glycinate	Magnesium bisglycinate
Magnesium per serving	Not listed	Not listed	200 mg
Servings per container	About 60	113 days' supply (16 oz)	60 scoops
Price	$36.00 regular / $24.59 preferred member	$35.79 (16 oz, buy once) or $32.21 per shipment on the 10% subscription	$52.00
Price per serving	$0.60 regular / about $0.41 member	About $0.32 per day ($35.79 over 113 days)	About $0.87 ($52 over 60 scoops)
How it's sold	Through Melaleuca membership	Maker's site, with a 10% subscription option	Thorne's own site

Prices change, so check each maker's site for current pricing.

How Mela-Out is sold and what it contains

Like the rest of Melaleuca's catalog, Mela-Out is sold through a membership, not from a store shelf. The preferred member price is $24.59.

The SuppCo listing gives a serving size of one 5 g scoop and about 60 servings per container. It lists magnesium and vitamin B6 as active ingredients. SuppCo also describes Mela-Out's inactive ingredient profile as safe.

At the regular price of $36.00, each serving costs 60 cents. At the preferred member price, the cost is about 41 cents, based on 60 servings.

What CALM says about itself

Natural Vitality sells its sweet lemon powder in two sizes. The 16 oz tub covers 113 days at one serving a day and costs $35.79 on the maker's site. With the 10% subscription, each shipment costs $32.21. At the one-time price, that comes to about 32 cents a day over 113 days.

The company describes it as "ionic magnesium citrate & magnesium glycinate" and says the drink mix is "free of gluten, sugar & artificial colors." To prepare it, pour about 2 teaspoons into a glass and add 2 to 3 oz of hot water. Let it fizz, stir, then top off. The maker says citrate is known for being easy for the body to absorb.

Natural Vitality says magnesium itself does not degrade, but ingredients in MAXCALM may degrade beyond the expiration date; it recommends consuming the product before the package expiration date.

What Thorne says about itself

The powder lists 200 mg of magnesium per 1-scoop serving, as magnesium bisglycinate. The container holds 60 scoops. At $52, each serving costs about 87 cents, the highest of the three at the listed prices.

The product carries the NSF Certified for Sport mark, which Thorne says means it has been tested for label claims. Thorne also says it tests each ingredient for identity, purity and potency, including checks for heavy metals, pesticides and harmful microbes. The other ingredients are citric acid and monk fruit concentrate.

According to Thorne, the product is contraindicated for anyone with a history of hypersensitivity to its ingredients. It advises people who are pregnant to consult a health-care practitioner before use, and says gas, bloating or diarrhea may occur in some people taking magnesium supplements.

What the compound names mean

The compound name tells you what the magnesium is bound to, and that can affect how people use a powder. Thorne says magnesium glycinate and bisglycinate are terms "often used interchangeably for the same compound," magnesium bound to two glycine molecules. It says that form "tends to be gentle on digestion," while citrate is "often used for bowel regularity because it draws water into the intestines." Thorne's FAQ recommends taking its bisglycinate powder 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime, with or without food.

CALM combines citrate with glycinate. Natural Vitality says citrate is "a form of magnesium known for being easy for the body to absorb."

Where to look next

The vitamins and supplements guide compares more of Melaleuca's supplements with other brands and explains who each product suits. For other head-to-head matchups, see the comparisons index.

Which powder is right for you?

Prices range from about 32 cents to 87 cents per serving. The compound and where you buy the powder may matter as much as the cost.

Mela-Out may suit people who already buy from Melaleuca. Preferred members pay about 41 cents per serving through a membership they already have.

Natural Vitality's sweet lemon CALM is a flavored, fizzy mix for people who want a drink to stir at night. The 16 oz tub costs about 32 cents a day and is sold on the maker's site.

For people who want a named compound and published testing, Thorne may suit them. Each scoop has 200 mg of magnesium bisglycinate and the NSF Certified for Sport mark. At about 87 cents a serving, it costs the most of the three.

Sources

Mela-Out Magnesium vs Natural Vitality CALM vs Thorne: a pin-friendly summary image — Saving this for later? Pin it to your boards.