Thorne vs Doctor’s Best: Which Magnesium Should You Buy?
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If you’ve read our Thorne Magnesium Bisglycinate review, you already know the short version: it’s a well-made, NSF Certified product that costs about four times more per serving than a comparable chelated tablet. Doctor’s Best High Absorption Magnesium Lysinate Glycinate is that comparable tablet. Here’s how the two actually stack up when you put them side by side.
Quick answer
Both products deliver the same 200 mg of elemental magnesium per serving in a well-absorbed bisglycinate/glycinate-lysinate form. The real difference is format and certification, not the underlying ingredient: Thorne is a flavored powder with NSF Certified for Sport testing, at roughly $0.84 per serving. Doctor’s Best is an unflavored tablet with no third-party sport certification, at roughly $0.20 per serving — about a quarter of the cost for a comparable dose. Unless you’re a drug-tested athlete or specifically prefer a powder, Doctor’s Best gets you the same core benefit for meaningfully less money.
| Magnesium (200mg elemental) | Thorne Magnesium Bisglycinate | Doctor’s Best High Absorption Magnesium |
|---|---|---|
| Form | Powder (mixed in water) | Tablet |
| Servings per container | 60 | 120 (240 tablets) |
| Price per serving | ~$0.84 | ~$0.20 |
| NSF Certified for Sport | Yes | No |
| Best for | Drug-tested athletes / powder preference | Lowest cost per dose |
When Thorne is worth the premium
Choose Thorne if you’re a competitive or drug-tested athlete who needs the NSF Certified for Sport label for peace of mind, if you dislike swallowing pills and prefer a mixable citrus-flavored powder, or if you specifically value Thorne’s manufacturing transparency and are comfortable paying for it.
When Doctor’s Best is the smarter buy
Choose Doctor’s Best if your main goal is simply getting well-absorbed magnesium into your routine at the lowest reasonable cost, if you don’t mind (or prefer) tablets over powder, and if you aren’t subject to any drug testing that would make NSF certification a requirement rather than a nice-to-have.
Check Price on Doctor’s Best →
What they have in common
- Both deliver 200 mg of elemental magnesium per serving.
- Both use a chelated/bound form of magnesium (bisglycinate for Thorne, lysinate glycinate using Albion’s TRAACS technology for Doctor’s Best) that is well absorbed and generally gentle on the stomach compared to cheaper forms like magnesium oxide.
- Neither should be used without medical supervision if you have kidney disease, and both can interact with certain medications — check with a doctor or pharmacist if you take prescription medication regularly.
Bottom line
This is one of the clearer “pay for the certification, not the ingredient” comparisons in the supplement aisle. The magnesium itself is comparably well-absorbed in both products. If NSF Certified for Sport genuinely matters for your situation, Thorne earns its premium. If it doesn’t, Doctor’s Best delivers the same core benefit for about a quarter of the price. For more on magnesium forms and whether supplementing makes sense for you at all, see our Magnesium for Active Adults Over 40 guide.
Sources
- Thorne product listing and retailer product pages for Thorne Magnesium Bisglycinate.
- Doctor’s Best product listing for High Absorption Magnesium Lysinate Glycinate (iHerb).
- NSF Certified for Sport program overview.