The No List
What we flag on supplement labels.
Most supplement labels tell you what's in them. This list helps you understand what should make you pause — because after 50, what a formula leaves out matters as much as what it includes.
No magnesium oxide
The cheapest form on the market. Roughly 4% is absorbed by the body; most passes straight through. Prefer labels built around bioavailable forms like bisglycinate, citrate, and L-threonate.
No synthetic dyes or coatings
Titanium dioxide, sunset yellow, tartrazine — these are label shortcuts worth questioning, especially when colour adds no nutritional value.
No unnecessary fillers
Maltodextrin, silicon dioxide and magnesium stearate can be used as manufacturing shortcuts. A cleaner label should explain why each excipient is there.
No proprietary blends
Every ingredient shows its exact dose on the label. If a brand hides amounts behind a 'blend', it usually means the clinically active dose is not in there.
No mega-doses
More is not automatically better after 50. Look for realistic elemental magnesium amounts rather than label numbers chosen to look impressive.
No artificial sweeteners
Aspartame, sucralose and acesulfame-K often appear in taste-first formats. If sweetness is used, the label should make that trade-off clear.
No GMO ingredients
Non-GMO verification should be clear at source, not implied by vague natural-language claims.
No gluten, lactose, or soy
These are common intolerances after 50. Labels should state clearly whether gluten, lactose or soy are present.
No animal-derived capsules
Capsule material should be explicit. HPMC plant cellulose is different from animal-derived gelatin.
No untested batches
Independent batch testing for heavy metals, microbiology and stated potency is one of the clearest quality signals on any supplement label.
No influencer-only claims
If a benefit is not supported by authorised claims or strong peer-reviewed evidence, treat it as marketing — no matter how well it sells.
No shortcuts on sourcing
Source quality matters. Established mineral suppliers and clear chelation details are stronger signals than generic 'premium magnesium' language.
A shorter ingredient list. A longer list of things we refuse.
This is what "formulated for 50+" actually means to us.