My take? Pricier but worth every penny. Here’s my 30-day Ritual Magnesium+ recap — what was great and what was so-so about this powdered mag.
I’m a middle-aged, outdoorsy, athletic woman in my 40s. I manage general anxiety, some arthritis, and fibromyalgia, which causes pain episodes in my nerves that radiate to my muscles and cause migraine. I know, cute. I also have a slow metabolism and usually don’t have a regular bowel movement without some supplementation.
I’ve tried a couple of magnesium powders and pills in the past to remedy the above. Magnesium can be effective in treating a range of ailments in the body, depending on the specific form you take.
Magnesium glycinate can also have a mild laxative effect (not as strong as magnesium citrate, magnesium oxide, and magnesium sulfate).
I was very excited to try this potent magnesium product and had high hopes for the tart cherry blend.
At first, I didn’t enjoy the taste. With 8 ounces of water, I found the chalky taste poorly masked by the tart cherry extract, as well as the raspberry and strawberry flavors. I also don’t care for stevia, so I found it doable, but not palatable.
But boy, was it effective.
I was in the middle of a pain episode when I started this, and Ritual’s formula of magnesium and tart cherry — for me — was comparable to my 5 to 10 mg baclofen muscle relaxer. It gently made me drowsy and kept away the intensifying pain episode and regular nighttime stiffness that makes sleeping with fibromyalgia difficult.
Also, I loved how subtly regular it made my bowel movements. I think it’s a more sustainable form of magnesium chelate to take daily than the more overt magnesium laxatives that are recommended only for sporadic use.
One minor complaint: I dug around with my fingers, then with a utensil, only to realize that no scoop was provided. I ended up using two separate teaspoon scoopers to measure out my nightly dose.
After a month of use, Monday through Friday, I can confidently say I would buy this tub again once I run out. It helped me minimize how often I had to take pain medication for breakthrough pain episodes. It kept my body loose and my sleep sound at night. Sleep is really uncomfortable with fibromyalgia, so this helped win me over.
I experimented with mixing the powder in less water and found the flavor to be tasty with about 6 ounces. I will still drink a little water afterward in case the supplement requires more hydration, but the tart cherry really comes through with less water. The chalkiness on the first sip is gone.
Ritual Magnesium+ highlights
- bisclycinate form is gentler on the stomach than other magnesium glycinate products
- 84% of Ritual’s materials are recycled
- traceable ingredients
- Ritual boasts a low total carbon emission
- 300 mg of magnesium is helpful for stress, muscle soreness, and nerve pain
- 480 mg of Montgomery Tart Cherry is helpful for muscle recovery, nerve function, and sleep
| Comparable magnesium glycinates we’ve vetted | %DV | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Ritual Magnesium+ Bisglycinate Powder | 71% | $50.00 |
| Thorne Magnesium Bisglycinate Powder | 48% | $44.00 |
| Nutricost Magnesium Bisglycinate Powder | 50% | $18.95 |
| Nested Naturals Magnesium Bisglycinate, Magnesium Oxide | 48% | $21.95 |
Magnesium bisglycinate
2 glycinate atoms bound to one mag. This makes it more readily absorbed by the body.
Magnesium glycinate
1 glycinate atom bound to one mag. Same function, just less solubility
If you’re open to support for calmness, muscle recovery, something to ease your nerves, and help with quality sleep, you might find Ritual Magnesium+ a remedy worth its $1.67 price per serving.
Ultimately, I found it to be tasty and effective, and I would buy it again.
I appreciated the winning combination of easing my mind, dulling muscle or nerve pain to a whisper, and helping me sleep at night, as well as waking up to a bowel movement in the mornings.