For two full years, I suffered from a clinically confirmed magnesium deficiency with relentless body-wide muscle twitching and constant eyelid spasms.
Like everyone else, I trusted the social media "health gurus" and internet doctors who demonize Magnesium Oxide as "useless chalk with 4% absorption." So I spent two years—and a small fortune—taking 600 mg of pure elemental magnesium daily (split into three 200 mg doses), rotating between the hyped forms: Bisglycinate, Malate, and Citrate.
The result after 2 years? Almost zero relief. My muscles kept twitching non-stop.
Out of sheer frustration, I switched to cheap Magnesium Oxide with a Depot (extended-release) effect (500 mg elemental Mg, twice a day). Within just 30 days, my eyelid spasms and muscle twitching vanished. Zero laxative effect, zero GI issues. What two years of "premium" supplements failed to do, Magnesium Oxide achieved in one month.
This experience completely changed how I view the supplement industry, and here is my theory on what’s really happening:
The "Glycine Illusion" in Bisglycinate: Why do so many people rave about Magnesium Bisglycinate helping them relax and sleep immediately? My theory is that they are feeling the amino acid Glycine, NOT the magnesium! Because Bisglycinate is only ~14% magnesium by weight, taking a 400 mg dose of elemental Mg means you are swallowing nearly 2,500–3,000 mg of pure Glycine. Glycine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter known to lower core body temperature and induce sleep. People think they are fixing their magnesium deficiency, when in reality, they're just taking an overpriced glycine sleep aid while their actual magnesium stores remain starved.
Fast Absorption = Fast Kidney Flushing: Organic forms absorb rapidly and cause a sudden spike of magnesium in the blood. The kidneys detect this sudden spike, assume there's an excess, and flush most of it into the urine before your slow-moving cellular channels can actually pull it inside the muscles.
Why Oxide + Depot Wins: Magnesium Oxide is a massive 60% elemental magnesium by weight. Because it dissolves slowly inside a Depot tablet, it acts like a 24-hour micro-infusion pump—trickling pure magnesium ions steadily into the bloodstream without triggering the kidneys to dump it.
I honestly regret wasting two years of my health and money listening to influencers who push 10x overpriced chelates for affiliate commissions while demonizing dirt-cheap Magnesium Oxide.
Has anyone else ditched the hyped forms for Magnesium Oxide and finally seen real results?

I was at Vitamin Shoppe today as I ran out of protein powder and the brand I usually get is Bucked Up. The price is now $75.99 for their 2.5lb container instead of the usual $54.99 and it wasn't even on sale. I ended going with Ghost Coco Puffs, their 2.5lb container which was $54.99. Their 5lb container was $99.99 for their Cinnabon flavor. I get they're not Optimum Nutrition which is usually the cheap brand of fitness supplements but still.

Why is Iodine making me feel better than any supplement i’ve ever taken? Mood better, energy better, increased libido, mental clarity, deeper thought clarity and understanding, more coherent, makes my Social Anxiety nonexistent! No other supplement or herb has really done this ever!!! I’m taking between 12.5-50mg i titrate between the doses in case i have a detox reaction. Does this mean it’s correcting a deficiency? I just feel so damn good.

I’ve been struggling with constipation for quite some time, managing it with kiwis, dried prunes, and occasional mild laxatives, particularly when travelling.
However, I had abdominal surgery last month, and since then, my bowel movements have changed. My usual routine is no longer working, and I’ve already had one episode of fecal impaction that landed me in the ER. It was a horrible experience!
Folks, please suggest something that helps keep me regular without causing dependency. I’ve also lost my ability to strain (which I was apparently very good at before surgery! ). Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Note: Milk of Magnesia is not available where I am.

Hi I've been down a loophole of what supplements can help with Anxiety & racing thoughts?

I've been looking at Reddit posts that talk about:

• Ashwaghanda
• NAC
• Inositol
• Sulforaphane

I've tried Ashwaghanda and it has genuinely helped me with anxiety and energy and I genuinely felt a lot happier in the short time that I took it. It also gave me an itchy scalp, very vivid dreams, and if it I took it too many days in a row a numbness in my hands and legs.

I've tried NAC but it does make me a bit nauseous, spikes my tinnitus, and I'm finding hasn't really helped with anxiety at all.

Can anyone comment on these supplements, what I should take and if anything has made a real difference for them?

I have been taking 200mg of l-theanine for quite some time and it has worked well for me. I’ve had a few things going on in my life and I also started having a drink that contains another 132mg of l-theanine to relax at night, which brings my total amount up to 332mg. I have felt quite flat and emotionally numb over the last four days and I’m trying to figure out if it could be the extra l-theanine. Is that a possibility?

Hello Reddit,

Any thoughts on the best way to store 25kg of Creatine? I thought it would be prudent to buy the big bag from bulk supplements, thinking it would be five 10lb bags, but it came in one 25kg bag. It's also funny to have a big bag of white powder in your living room just sitting there.

I have concerns of potency retainment.

Thanks

Has anyone ever had severe gastric problems from a protein shake? I had one protein shake and had severe gastric problems pains and diarrhea for 2 days! Help

I (23F) had very low B12 a few months ago and my gastroscopy showed signs of atrophic gastritis without H. pylori.

These are the ones I take now:
1 mg cyanocobalamin (B12) every day - which is by doctor’s recommendations

20 mcg vitamin D every day

25 mg iron bisglycinate every second day

B-complex supplement every day:
Thiamine (B1) 50 mg (4545%)
Riboflavin (B2) 50 mg (3572%)
Niacin (B3) 50 mg (313%)
Pantothenic acid (B5) 50 mg (833%)
Vitamin B6 12 mg (857%)
Biotin (B7) 75 µg (150%)
Folate (B9) 400 µg (200%)
Vitamin B12 100 µg (4000%)
Inositol 100 mg (*)
Choline 50 mg (*)

These above help me a lot, but I still feel fatigued. Yes, I am aware I need B12-injections, but my doctor won’t prescribe it to me, so that’s an ongoing fight. Except for these supplements, what would you recommend I take?

I bought a mineral complex supplement containing this that I haven’t tried yet:
Magnesium 100 mg (27%)
Potassium 200 mg (10%)
Calcium 100 mg (13%)
Zinc 20 mg (200%)
Manganese 4 mg (200%)
Selenium 100 μg (182%)
Boron 2 mg
Copper 2 mg (200%)
Chromium 200 μg (500%)
Iodine 100 μg (67%)
Molybdenum 50 μg (100%)

Does it look good, or is it potentially unnecessary or even harmful?

Anything else you think I would need for my condition? Maybe creatine?

I would be very grateful for any advice!

Does anyone have experience with this? It’s through jarrows formula? Im wondering if it can help my memory and focus

Ive taken it three times now. And all three times I got severe cramping, vomitting and the runs to the point where I debated calling an ambulance it was THAT bad. I couldnt figure out what was causing it at first, because Ive taken magnesium glycinate from other brands before. Assumed i was sick. But i forgot it one day and took it again the next and it happened again.

I cant figure out why im reacting to this one. Ive taken spring valley magnesium glycinate before and been fine. So its not that I react badly to magnesium glycinate specifically. Ive taken the nature's bounty magnesium citrate before, so its not the brand in general.

And before anyone reccomends something expensive, I cant afford it, and I also cannot not take magnesium. Ill probably just go back to spring valley. I unfortunately have to be on acid reducers to protect my stomach from a lifesaving medication im on, and that means im magnesium deficient without supplementation even with intake of high magnesium foods.

Did I get a bad batch somehow or is there something in the ingredients that wouldve caused this??? Whatever caused this id like to avoid again.

Looking for somewhere to go to get my blood panels done. Can anyone recommend a place? (No insurance)

I’m pretty sure I have pmdd, have been tracking my cycle for almost two years now.

However clinical medicine prescribed by my psychiatrist haven’t helped much so I decided to switch to a more holistic approach.

I’m already anemic so I started with the basic supplements like blood builders (b9 + b12 included) glutamine, vitamin c, magnesium glycinate.

I have seen changes recently however I’m curious as to what has helped you feel better during your pmdd phase or luteal phase. Certain supplements? Habits? Anything else? I wanna know!

Llevo 2 años tomando grandes cantidades de l teanina en cápsulas, me di cuenta que contienen dióxido de silicio, el cual está vinculado a problemas de salud, ya que estas partículas de silicio usadas en suplementos son mucho más pequeñas que las podrias encontrar en la naturaleza o alimentos, lo cual puede inflamar y atravesar el intestino, atravesar la barrera hematoencefalica, causar daño neuronal, reducir neurogenesis entre otros problemas raros como enfermedades autoimmunes...

Esto me tiene muy preocupado ya que he consumido cantidades muy grandes de suplementos con este ingrediente...

Por eso preferí suspender todos los suplementos qué contengan este ingrediente.

¿Qué opinan, estoy exagerando?

What is the best brand of TUDCA? Has anyone had great success with a certain brand? Thanks!

I have noticed a possible connection between taking these three supplements and changes in my behavior. One way or another, I seem to experience increased irritability, agitation and anger while taking them.

The changes feel noticeable enough that I am wondering whether any of these supplements could be contributing to them, either individually or through a combination of ingredients.

Has anyone experienced something similar while taking methylated B vitamins, collagen or magnesium glycinate?

Hey y'all. I was wondering if sports research is a good one to buy from. Are there any red flags that I should be aware of?

Imagine making a 300kg batch of chocolate chip cookies. But there are 20 different types of chocolate chips. Each type of chocolate chips is a different size than the others, and some chocolate chips are put in more than 1000x more than other types of chocolate chips.

Now from the 300kg batch of chocolate chip cookies batter you make 6 million tiny chocolate chip cookies.

What are the odds each cookie has the FDA allowable variance of each chocolate chip (no less than the stated label claim amount of chocolate chips and no more than 20% the label claim)?

Statistically near impossible. Hence the reason so many vitamin companies put in such high amounts of vitamins….the 20% variance grows with the number as well, which comes with a greater risk of over fortification (but meets the regulatory requirements).

I believe the best route is single ingredients. You get the amount disclosed, and you are only taking that which your body is needing. Avoiding unnecessary costs.

Coming from a person who has worked in the supplement space for nearly 20years.

Any comments, insights, tips, opinions, or anything else is welcomed.

I work offshore with a 12h day 7 days a week for 5 weeks. These are the supplements I take.

Supplement plan with timing and reasoning made by ai:

​11:00 | Waking & Fasted Priming (Fasted State)

​What to take: ELMNT Tongkat Ali & Fadogia Agrestis (1 serving), NMN Pro 300 (500mg), Ca-AKG (1,000mg), RS400 Red Spinach (1 scoop), Boron (10mg), Creatine Monohydrate (5g).

​How to take: Immediately upon waking with 500 mL of water.

​Why: NMN expands your NAD^+ pools to reverse shift-work fatigue, Ca-AKG enters the Krebs cycle for clean cellular energy, RS400 primes your nitric oxide pathway, Boron drops your SHBG to free up testosterone, and Tongkat/Fadogia stimulate your HPG axis right as your circadian day begins.

​11:30 – 12:00 | Meal 1 (The Lipid Base & Micronutrient Foundation)

​What to take: Animal Pak (1 pack), Animal Flex (1 pack), CoQ10 Ubiquinol (200mg), Krill Oil (½ daily dose / 1000mg), Zinc Picolinate (50mg).

​How to take: Co-ingested with your first whole-food meal containing healthy fats.

​Why: Fat-soluble vitamins, CoQ10, and Omega-3s require dietary lipids to form mixed micelles in your gut, increasing absorption by up to 300%. Animal Flex and Pak armor your joints and saturate your micronutrient baselines before you step onto the offshore rig.

​14:30 | Mid-Shift Joint Support (During Work)

​What to take: Collagen Peptides (10g) + Electrolytes (½ serving).

​How to take: Mixed in water during your shift.

​Why: Delivers a steady amino acid drip (glycine, proline) to your connective tissues during physical offshore maintenance, protecting your tendons under load without triggering a heavy insulin response.

​16:00 | Mid-Shift Cellular Modulator

​What to take: Resveratrol w/ Quercetin (1 serving).

​How to take: With water mid-shift.

​Why: Activates AMPK and sirtuin pathways, supporting cardiovascular endothelial health and metabolic longevity while you work.

​17:30 – 18:00 | Meal 2 (Lunch & Omega-2 Completion)

​What to take: Krill Oil (remaining ½ daily dose / 1000mg).

​How to take: With your second major meal.

​Why: Completes your daily anti-inflammatory Omega-3 dosage to manage joint and systemic stress.

​19:30 | Mid-Shift Oxidative Shield

​What to take: NAC (1,000mg), Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA - 600mg).

​How to take: With water.

​Why: NAC boosts your intracellular glutathione to neutralize industrial toxins and oxidative stress accumulated during the first half of your 12-hour shift, while ALA supports glucose partitioning.

​21:30 | Systemic Downregulation (Late Shift)

​What to take: Ashwagandha KSM-66 (600mg), Triple Magnesium (½ serving).

​How to take: With water near the end of your shift.

​Why: Blunts the late-shift cortisol spike caused by 10+ hours of occupational stress. This prevents you from entering your midnight gym session in a state of sympathetic burnout.

​23:30 | Pre-Workout Anabolic & Neuro-Activation Window

​What to take: Gorilla Mode Nitric (1–2 scoops), Alpha GPC (600mg), L-Tyrosine (500–1,500mg).

​How to take: In 400–500 mL of cold water, consumed 20–30 minutes before your pre-workout meal or right before your shift ends.

​Why: Gorilla Mode's citrulline and glycerol maximally dilate your blood vessels and hyper-hydrate your muscle cells. Alpha GPC and L-Tyrosine cross the blood-brain barrier to spike acetylcholine and dopamine, ensuring your central nervous system fires with maximum intensity despite a 12-hour shift.

​00:15 – 02:00 | PM Heavy Gym Session

​What to take (Intra-Workout): Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin (HBCD - 30g), Electrolytes (remaining ½ serving).

​How to take: Sips continuously throughout your lifting sets.

​Why: HBCD empties from your stomach instantly like water, providing an ultra-low osmolality glucose stream that spikes insulin, activates mTORC1, and prevents any energy crash during heavy compound lifting.

​02:00 | Immediate Post-Workout Anabolic Window

​What to take: Animal Whey Isolate (1 scoop), L-Carnitine L-Tartrate (LCLT - 2,000mg), Phosphatidylserine (400mg).

​How to take: Mixed in water immediately upon finishing your last set.

​Why: Whey isolate provides rapid amino acid delivery. LCLT upregulates androgen receptor density so your muscles capture testosterone efficiently, and Phosphatidylserine slams the brakes on post-workout cortisol and ACTH.

​02:15 – 02:30 | CNS Sleep Architecture (Pre-Bed)

​What to take: Magtein / Magnesium L-Threonate (2,000mg), Triple Magnesium (remaining ½ serving).

​How to take: With 250 mL of water 30 minutes before lights out.

​Why: Magtein crosses the blood-brain barrier to block excitatory NMDA receptors, while Triple Magnesium relaxes peripheral skeletal muscle. Together, they force your nervous system into deep parasympathetic dominance, guaranteeing you drop into Slow-Wave Sleep (SWS) by 03:00 to trigger maximum HGH-mediated muscle repair.