Toplux is a supplement brand best known for its Magnesium Complex, which has more than 2 million units sold on TikTok Shop. The brand claims the supplement contains "8 forms of elemental magnesium" for "maximum absorption."
But are the forms of magnesium in Toplux well-absorbed? Is the dose too high? Is it third-party tested? And is Toplux better or worse than popular magnesium supplements like Thorne?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Toplux Magnesium Complex to give our take on whether or not it's likely to be effective, and whether or not it's healthy.
We'll also discuss the risk of side effects, share our concerns with some of the brand's absorption claims, explain why the brand's official website can be hard to identify, and compare Toplux to other popular magnesium supplements to pick our winners (and losers).
Key takeaways:
- Third-party certified by NSF
- Magnesium dose exceeds the upper limit
- We do not currently recommend Toplux
Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Toplux Magnesium Complex are shown below:
image source: https://amazon.com
Magnesium is the only active ingredient, at a dose of 500 milligrams (mg), or 119% Daily Value (DV).
This dose exceeds the 350 mg upper limit for supplemental magnesium in adults, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Magnesium oxide is the first form listed, and it's clinically shown to be poorly absorbed compared to other forms of magnesium.
Magnesium glycinate and magnesium citrate are organic forms that are more effective than inorganic forms like magnesium oxide, as we documented in our article examining the difference between magnesium glycinate and magnesium citrate.
The label doesn't disclose how much of each form is included, so we can't tell how much of the 500 mg dose comes from the better-absorbed forms.
Magnesium has been studied for sleep in at least a dozen clinical trials, but a medical review published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements concluded that its benefits are modest and inconsistent.
Magnesium may reduce anxiety in people who are prone to it, according to a 2017 medical review, though the review rated the quality of that research as poor.
Magnesium supplementation doesn't appear to improve muscle strength in athletes and active people, though it may benefit older adults, according to a meta-analysis published in the Magnesium Research journal.
Magnesium is also unlikely to meaningfully prevent muscle cramps in older adults, according to a 2020 meta-analysis of 11 clinical trials.
The inactive ingredients in this supplement should be safe and non-toxic.
Overall, we don't expect Toplux Magnesium Complex to noticeably improve sleep, muscle cramps or muscle strength in most healthy adults, based on the clinical research discussed in this section.
We do not currently recommend this supplement because its magnesium dose exceeds the upper limit, and because it includes a poorly absorbed form at an undisclosed dose.
Does Toplux Cause Side Effects?
Toplux Magnesium Complex doesn't appear to have been studied in any clinical trials, which makes it challenging to assess the risk of side effects.
However, we can make an educated guess based on the ingredients.
High doses of magnesium from supplements can cause diarrhea, nausea and abdominal cramping, according to the same NIH fact sheet referenced in the Ingredient Analysis section.
Magnesium oxide, the first form listed, is an osmotic laxative that's clinically shown to relieve constipation at high doses.
In the cramp trials analyzed in the 2020 meta-analysis referenced in the Ingredient Analysis section, between 11% and 37% of participants taking magnesium reported side effects (mostly digestive issues like diarrhea), compared to 10% to 14% of participants taking placebo.
We don't consider Toplux likely to cause serious side effects in healthy adults, but digestive side effects like diarrhea are possible, due to the form and dose used.
Questionable Health Claims
There are several absorption claims on the Toplux website that we disagree with, and find to be unscientific.
The Toplux Magnesium Complex label claims that the supplement provides "maximum absorption," shown below:
image source: https://topluxnutrition.com/
Magnesium oxide, the first form listed on the Supplement Facts panel, was less soluble and less bioavailable than magnesium citrate in a clinical trial published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
A blend that includes a poorly absorbed form at an undisclosed dose cannot credibly claim maximum absorption, in our opinion.
The brand's Magnesium Glycinate sales page claims that this form is "up to 20X more effective than regular magnesium," shown below:
image source: https://topluxnutrition.com/
We cannot identify any clinical research showing that magnesium glycinate is 20 times more effective than other forms of magnesium.
A 2021 medical review of 14 bioavailability studies found that inorganic forms of magnesium appear to be less bioavailable than organic forms, but concluded that all magnesium supplements can maintain normal magnesium levels in healthy people without a deficiency.
The same page claims that magnesium glycinate is "clinically proven" and absorbs "faster and more efficiently than any other type of magnesium," shown below:
image source: https://topluxnutrition.com/
This claim isn't accompanied by a citation, and we disagree with it.
A 2003 clinical trial found magnesium citrate to be more bioavailable than an amino-acid chelate, the category of magnesium forms that includes glycinate.
Third-Party Testing
One positive aspect of Toplux is that its Magnesium Complex is NSF certified, according to NSF's certification listing.
NSF's dietary supplement certification verifies that what's on the label is in the bottle, and screens for undeclared ingredients and unacceptable levels of contaminants.
This is a good sign of quality.
However, this certification doesn't address the dose concern discussed in the Ingredient Analysis section, since it verifies that the 500 mg dose matches the label, not that the dose is appropriate.
Challenging to Find Official Website
Toplux sells its supplements on topluxnutrition.com, which is the website linked from the brand's Instagram and TikTok accounts.
The brand has changed its name before, from Lux Supplement to Toplux in 2019, and its former domain, topluxsupplement.com, now leads to the same store.
However, a separate website, topluxnutrients.com, also uses the Toplux name, and it describes the Magnesium Complex differently than the official label, shown below:
image source: https://topluxnutrients.com/
This page lists L-threonate, which isn't on the official Supplement Facts panel, and a two-capsule serving of about 400 mg, while the official label lists eight forms and a one-capsule, 500 mg serving.
We cannot identify any link to topluxnutrients.com from the brand's official social media accounts, so we consider topluxnutrition.com to be the official website.
We also couldn't find the Supplement Facts panel for the Magnesium Complex on the official website, so the panel shown in the Ingredient Analysis section comes from the brand's Amazon listing.
Toplux vs. Popular Magnesium Supplements
Here's how Toplux Magnesium Complex compares to other popular magnesium supplements in terms of formulation quality, in our opinion:
Thorne
Thorne Magnesium Bisglycinate is a safer option than Toplux, primarily because its 200 mg magnesium dose is within the upper limit for supplemental magnesium.
It also uses magnesium bisglycinate exclusively, a form clinically shown to modestly improve insomnia symptoms in adults with poor sleep.
Thorne's powder does contain citric acid, an additive we recommend avoiding, but we consider Toplux's dose to be the bigger concern.
Thorne is the winner from both a potential efficacy and a health perspective.
Winner: Thorne
Nello Supercalm
Nello Supercalm is a safer option than Toplux, because its 100 mg magnesium dose is well under the upper limit.
It also contains ashwagandha at a research-backed dose for stress relief, as we documented in our Nello Supercalm review article.
Nello Supercalm contains natural flavors and citric acid, two additives Toplux avoids, but we consider Toplux's dose to be the bigger concern.
Nello Supercalm is the winner from both a potential efficacy and a health perspective.
Winner: Nello Supercalm
LMNT
LMNT is an electrolyte drink mix that contains 60 mg of magnesium per serving, along with sodium and potassium.
Its unflavored version contains no inactive ingredients, and its magnesium dose is well under the upper limit.
LMNT's flavored versions contain natural flavors and citric acid, so we only recommend the unflavored version.
LMNT is the winner from a health perspective.
Winner: LMNT
Toplux Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Third-party certified by NSF
- No unhealthy additives
- Includes some well-absorbed magnesium forms
Cons:
- Magnesium dose exceeds the upper limit
- Contains poorly absorbed magnesium oxide
- Doesn't disclose the dose of each form
- Unlikely to prevent muscle cramps
- Modest, inconsistent evidence for sleep
- May cause digestive side effects
- Questionable absorption claims on brand website
- Look-alike website with conflicting product details
- Supplement Facts panel not found on official website
- Doesn't appear clinically tested
- Less healthy than competitors
