You pick up a bottle of magnesium or fish oil, glance at the front of the box, and feel confident you’ve made an informed choice—but what’s inside might surprise you.

With so many supplements competing for your attention, it’s easy to assume that bigger numbers mean better results. But when you take a closer look, you’ll often find that the actual usable amount—the part your body can absorb and benefit from—is much lower than it appears.

This is where understanding elemental dosing becomes essential. It’s one of the most overlooked details on a supplement label, yet it makes all the difference when it comes to getting real value from the products you choose. 

Understanding elemental doses isn’t just a technical detail—it’s the difference between getting what you paid for and falling for clever marketing.

If you don’t check the elemental dose, you might find yourself:

• Taking far less than you think you are – which means you might not experience the benefits you’re hoping for.

• Spending money on low-value products – where the headline numbers sound impressive but the real content is minimal.

• Overlooking higher quality options – because you’re comparing products based on a ‘marketing’ figure rather than an elemental one.

Good supplement brands make the elemental dose easy to spot. They clearly show how much of the active nutrient is in each serving, often in brackets or as a separate figure next to the compound name. This is a sign of transparency and quality—and it’s something worth looking out for. 

It’s not just the dose that matters—what else is in your supplement counts too. Some products are bulked out with extra ingredients that don’t add nutritional value but help with manufacturing or shelf life.

Common examples include:

• Magnesium oxide – cheap but poorly absorbed.

• Maltodextrin – a filler used in powders.

• Microcrystalline cellulose – bulks out tablets and capsules.

• Stearic acid or magnesium stearate – used to stop machinery sticking.

• Silicon dioxide – prevents clumping in powders.

• Shellac or glazing agents – used to make tablets look shiny or smooth.

The more fillers you see, the less room there is for the nutrients you want.

When it comes to magnesium, elemental dosing is one of the most important things to check.

Here’s what to look for:

• Elemental Magnesium Content
  Aim for at least 250mg of elemental magnesium per daily serving. This is a meaningful amount to support muscles, nerves, and energy production.

• Check the Form
  Look for well-absorbed forms like magnesium taurate, bisglycinate, or malate. Avoid cheap forms like magnesium oxide, which is poorly absorbed.

• Avoid Additives
  Check for minimal fillers, binders, or bulking agents. These add size but little nutritional value. 

Remember: You only benefit from the exercise you recover from. Treat recovery as part of your training and your body will thank you on the next summit.

You’ll often see “elemental” on mineral labels (like magnesium), but not on fish oils.

• For minerals, elemental means the usable amount your body absorbs.

• For fish oils, check the EPA and DHA content—this is the active part that delivers the benefits.

In both cases, it’s not about the biggest number on the label, but the amount your body can use. 

Once you know what to look for, reading labels becomes much easier. Here’s a quick summary to help you:

1. Look for the Active Amount

• For magnesium, check the elemental dose (at least 200mg).

• For fish oil, check the EPA + DHA total (over 1000mg).

2. Check the Serving Size
   Sometimes the label lists amounts based on multiple capsules or teaspoons. Make sure you’re comparing products fairly by checking how much you’d need to take for that stated dose.

3. Review the Ingredient List
   Look for unnecessary fillers, binders, and additives. A shorter, simpler list often means a cleaner, higher-quality product.

4. Look for Quality and Transparency
   Good brands often include details like third-party testing, certifications, or sustainable sourcing. These can give you confidence that the product contains 
   what it claims, and that it’s been checked for quality and safety. 

Choosing the right supplement isn’t about chasing the highest number on the label. It’s about understanding what’s inside and making sure you’re getting the active nutrients your body can use.

By learning to spot elemental doses, checking therapeutic levels of active ingredients, and avoiding unnecessary extras, you can make smarter choices—without falling for clever packaging.

Because when it comes to your health, it’s the quality that counts, not just the quantity.