Testing Pure Encapsulations Magnesium Glycinate Supplement Capsules for Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, and Arsenic with Independent, Third-Party Laboratory Analysis

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Published: September 6, 2025
A Quick Note from Tamara Rubin:

As with all of the other Magnesium supplements (tablets and capsules) that we have tested and reported on to date, this Pure Encapsulations Magnesium product (Magnesium Glycinate in capsule form) also tested positive for Lead. See the lab reports for other Magnesium supplements we have tested and reported on here.

We will be publishing an updated comparative chart with all our recent Magnesium supplement test results shortly, and will update this article with the new chart as soon as it is published. In the meantime, our most recent comparative chart with Magnesium test results (as of June 21, 2025) is below. This Pure Encapsulations product tested positive for Lead at a lower level than half of the products in the chart below. One might also argue that it is technically cleaner than the Doctor’s Best Capsule product (ranked first on the chart below), as it did not test positive for Arsenic (though the Lead level is about one ppb higher than the Doctor’s Best product, which is a negligible difference).

While all federal agencies agree that there is no safe level of Lead exposure for humans, some people may choose to take this product, absent other Magnesium Glycinate products testing cleaner. If you are one of the people who find themselves needing to make this choice, it is important to remember that the impact of Lead exposure is cumulative over a lifetime, and that it’s recommended to avoid any known sources of Lead exposure if at all possible. That said, for some people who must have a Magnesium supplement per their doctor’s recommendation (like my husband, who is 67-years-old and very physically active, making him prone to leg cramps at night), the best option at this moment (absent finding a Magnesium Glycinate product that tests “non-detect” for heavy metals) may be choosing the least contaminated product (while also continuing to advocate that manufacturers make uncontaminated products so we are not faced with having to make hard choices like this).

I do want to be clear that we are not recommending this product. 

With the position articulated above, we are simply articulating that someone may choose this over other similar products (with the same purported benefits, specifically other Magnesium Glycinate supplements) IF they decide it is the best option for them (the least contaminated choice of all products in that category).

All federal agencies agree that there is no safe level of Lead exposure for humans — this is an undisputed point within the scientific and medical communities (yet is often disputed by supplement manufacturers)! Please do note that consuming Lead-contaminated products may not result in elevated (or notable) levels of Lead in your urine or blood, and getting a baseline test for heavy metals (urine or blood, according to what your doctor recommends) is always a good action to take so you can have context to measure future test results with if you have concerns for incidental (or chronic) heavy metals exposure down the line. You can read more about that here and here, at this link.

Please scroll down to see the full original lab report for the Pure Encapsulations Magnesium Glycinate product (the lab report is at the bottom of this page).

I think it is also important to note that this is the fourth “Pure Encapsulations” brand product we have tested and reported on to date, and every single product from this brand has tested positive for non-negligible levels of one or more toxicants. To see all of the Pure Encapsulations products we have tested to date, click here.


The funding covering our costs for testing and reporting on this particular product was covered by a single individual sponsor. Thank you so much to that person for supporting this work in this way!

Contributions supporting the Community-Collaborative Laboratory Testing Initiative of Lead Safe Mama, LLC are always welcome, but are also particularly needed this month as we battle an operating shortfall of over $10,000 from the summer.

We recently sent more than 50 (fifty!) products to the lab for testing (including several baby food pouch products) without first receiving full funding through each respective campaign to cover the costs of testing and reporting those items. While this may seem (at first glance) like an irresponsible action from a business perspective, all of this testing was very important in helping provide critical supporting data points for our greater Laboratory Testing Initiative and the work we are planning on organizing moving forward.

To both support Lead Safe Mama, LLC and be among the first to see our new lab reports as we publish them, please subscribe to our Patreon Channel. You can join us there for FREE or with a small monthly gift in support of our work. Our average monthly gift from paid Patreon subscribers at the time of publishing this article is $2.51. In total, 372 (three-hundred and seventy-two!) people contributing an average of $2.51 a month adds up to over $900 a month in combined contributions, which helps us test more products more often! So while a contribution of $2.50 or $3 a month may seem like a small amount, it can help make a big difference. Thank you for considering supporting our work in this way.


To date, through the Lead Safe Mama, LLC Community-Collaborative Laboratory Testing Initiative, we have identified 96 “Lab-Tested Safer Choices” across all product types we have tested (most of which are products that came back from the lab with “non-detect” results for all four heavy metals we test for — Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, and Arsenic — with the limits of detection noted on the lab report for those products). You can find the full list of lab-tested safer choices  below (please scroll down). There is one Magnesium (Citrate) supplement on that list (new as of this week)!


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For those new to the work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC

Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her four sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005).


This is an ad-free article.

We have removed ads from most of our more widely-read articles and new articles (like this one!) to make them easier for you to read. 


A “spacer graphic” like the one above can be found in each of our articles that include the Lead Safe Mama, LLC Lab-Tested Safer Choices List. The graphic differs depending on which version of the list is below it. The Leaf graphic above is our newest spacer for the September 2025 update of this Lab-Tested Safer Choices List. If the graphic is different when you see this list in any article (a sun, rainbow, flower, heart, or shamrock), that means it is an earlier version of the Lab-Tested Safer Choices List. While the date of the list (and its last update) is included in the text below it, we also wanted to introduce the visual tool we use to identify the latest version of our lab-tested safer choices list. Lead Safe Mama team members strive to update the list with the current spacer graphic, indicating that the most recent list of safer choices is below. However, they may not have had a chance to update every copy yet. Please be patient! Thank you.


Are you interested in seeing MORE safer choices?

Below is an expanding list of products (foods, supplements, cosmetics, and personal care items, including sunscreens and toothpaste) that tested “non-detect” for Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, and Arsenic with independent, third-party, community-funded laboratory testing coordinated by Lead Safe Mama, LLC (an Oregon-based small business with a unique community-collaborative business model and a focus on consumer goods safety and childhood Lead poisoning prevention).

  • The product examples below clearly demonstrate that companies can manufacture safer choices (at least from the perspective of concerns for heavy metals contamination).
  • The limits of detection (low-threshold of detection) for each of the metals tested are noted in the lab report for each specific product.
    • To see the full original lab report (and read the related article) for any of these products, type the brand or product name into the search bar at the top of any page on Lead Safe Mama dot com and scroll down to the bottom of the related article. The original lab report is always included at the very bottom of each related article. 
  • Most of our published lab reports are also linked here, on our lab testing landing page.
    • This landing page is updated weekly (most weeks) and is a good page to bookmark and check back on periodically if you want to check in to see the latest test results.
  • Flavors (or specific variations) tested are noted in the list below (and on all of our related articles). Other variations of the same product (or other products from the same brand) have either not been tested or have been tested but did not yield similar results.
    • Test results only apply to the specific products listed and linked below.
    • Test results are PRODUCT SPECIFIC, not BRAND SPECIFIC.
    • One should never assume that all products from a specific brand are clean just because a few products from that specific brand tested clean.

Products on our “safer choices” list are retested periodically (annually or more frequently, as funding permits). If a product no longer tests clean when retested, it is removed from the list. If you have questions about a product that was removed from this list, please use the search bar at the top of the page to search for that product (by brand or product name) to read the related article/ see the most recent test results.


Lab-Tested Safer Choices List
UPDATED: September 5, 2025, Friday
Now at 90 products + 6 “bonus” products
Scroll down to see all 96 Lab-Tested Safer Choices

INDEX — See Product Categories Below

  • Section #1) Baby Foods & Baby Food Pouches
  • Section #2)Infant Formulas
  • Section #3) Breakfast Cereals
  • Section #4) Coffee & Tea
  • Section #5) Dairy Products
  • Section #6) Other Beverages
  • Section #7) Packaged Snacks for Kids (Fruit Bars, Chips, etc.)
  • Section #8) Baking & Cooking Ingredients
  • Section #9) Sweeteners/ Sugars/ Sugar Alternatives
  • Section #10) Salts
  • Section #11) Oils & Fats
  • Section #12) Plant-Based Milks
  • Section #13) Seeds (Chia & Hemp)
  • Section #14) Candy & Sweet Treats
  • Section #15) Adult Supplements & General Supplements (not expressly sold for use by kids)
  • Section #16) Children’s Supplemets
  • Section #17) Cosmetics, Lotions, & Sunscreens
  • Section #18) Toothpaste

Section #1) Baby Foods & Baby Food Pouches (16)

  • Baby Food — 1 — Little Spoon Kale, Carrot + Pear BabyBlends
  • Baby Food — 2 — Little Spoon Butternut Squash + Blueberry BabyBlends
  • Baby Food — 3 — Little Spoon Sweet Potato BabyBlends
  • Baby Food — 4 — Little Spoon Sweet Potato + Carrot BabyBlends
  • Baby Food — 5 — Little Spoon Banana + Pitaya BabyBlends
  • Baby Food Pouch — 6 —  Costco’s Kirkland Organic Apple Sauce Pouch: https://amzn.to/4gOYpZ9
  • Baby Food Pouch — 7 — GoGo Squeez Organic Apple Sauce Pouch: https://amzn.to/3XhWYLe
  • Baby Food Pouch — 8 — OUAF Once Upon A Farm Dairy-free Fruit Smoothie Pouch in Strawberry Banana Swirl Flavor**: https://amzn.to/3CPMbAw
  • NEW!  Baby Food Pouch — 9  — [Tested clean in August 2025] OUAF Once Upon A Farm Organic Smart Blend in Pear-y Blueberry & Spinach Flavor**: https://amzn.to/4mEIe3n
  • NEW!  Baby Food Pouch — 10 — [Tested clean in August 2025] OUAF Once Upon A Farm Organic Fruit & Veggie Blend in OhMyMega Veggie Flavor**: https://amzn.to/4mIeanF
  • NEW!  Baby Food Pouch — 11 — [Tested clean in August 2025] OUAF Once Upon A Farm Organic Immunity Blend in Pineapple, Banana & Dragon Fruit Flavor**: https://amzn.to/4mJ4fON
  • NEW!  Baby Food Pouch — 12 — [Tested clean in August 2025] OUAF Once Upon A Farm Organic Immunity Blend in Mango, Banana & Spirulina Flavor**: https://amzn.to/429BjXE
  • NEW!  Baby Food Pouch — 13 — [Tested clean in August 2025] OUAF Once Upon A Farm Organic Immunity Blend in Blueberry, Banana & Ginger Flavor**: https://amzn.to/3HScYis
  • NEW!  Baby Food Pouch — 14 — [Tested clean in August 2025] Pumpkin Tree Organic Pear Puree with Oat Fiber & Seeds**: https://amzn.to/425mTb7
  • NEW!  Baby Food Pouch — 15 — [Tested clean in August 2025] HappyTot Organics Super Bellies Immune & Digestive Support Blend in Organic Pears, Beets & Blackberries Flavor**: https://amzn.to/4fZTaGk
  • NEW!  Baby Food Pouch — 16 — [Tested clean in August 2025] HappyTot Organics Fiber & Protein in Organic Pears, Peachers, Pumpkin, Apples & Cinnamon Flavor**: https://amzn.to/47UaUAS

Section #2) Infant Formulas (11/27)

  • Infant Formula — 1 — Bobbie Organic Gentle Infant Formula Milk-Based Powder with Iron (pink and white can): https://amzn.to/3YYb849 
  • Infant Formula — 2 — Bobbie Organic Infant Formula Milk-Based Powder with Iron (green and white can): https://amzn.to/3VOr4Vy
  • Infant Formula — 3 — Bobbie Grass-Fed Milk-Based Powder with Iron (green can): https://amzn.to/3ZlAaeJ
  • Infant Formula — 4 — ByHeart Infant Formula (USA-made, not organic): https://amzn.to/48DJjTb
  • Infant Formula — 5 — HiPP Bio Combiotik Infant Formula Powder, Stage 1 (imported)
  • Infant Formula — 6 — HiPP HA Stage PRE (0+ Months) Combiotic Formula  (imported)
  • Infant Formula — 7 — Holle Bio Goat Stage 2 Infant Formula (for 6-10 months, organic, European — Swiss/ German/ Austrian) is not available on Amazon, but the Stage 3 version of this product is (not yet tested, but will likely test similarly): https://amzn.to/3BVU7zI
  • Infant Formula — 8 — Kendamil Goat Infant Formula (not organic): This product may be available at Target (it is not available on Amazon)
  • Infant Formula — 9 — Kendamil Organic Follow-On Milk (European/ British Toddler Formula, for 6-12 months, Cow Milk): Not available on Amazon 
  • Infant Formula — 10 — Kendamil Whole Milk Infant Formula (from Europe, pink can, not organic), available at Target
  • Infant Formula — 11 — Kendamil Organic Infant Formula (Cow Milk): Not available on Amazon but may be available at Target

Section #3) Breakfast Cereals (2/29)


Section #4) Coffee & Tea (4/33)

  • Coffee & Tea — 1 — Chameleon Handcrafted Organic Cold Brew Concentrate: https://amzn.to/3OcrH77
  • Coffee & Tea — 2 — Tao of Tea Organic Genmaicha (Tamara’s favorite, Made in Japan, sold by a Portland, Oregon-based company!): https://amzn.to/3Dp8Fsd
  • Coffee & Tea — 3 — Califia Farms Almond Latte Cold Brew (XX Espresso): https://amzn.to/4gTTGoJ
  • Coffee & Tea — 4 — Death Wish Organic Espresso Roast Ground Coffee (Multi-country origin, non-USA): https://amzn.to/3yo1eiL

Section #5) Dairy Products (2/35)


Section #6) Other Beverages (3/38)


Section #7) Packaged Snacks For Kids — Fruit Bars, Chips, etc. (3/41)

  • Fruit Snack — 1 — (bar)  Pure Organic Layered Fruit Bars in Raspberry Lemonade Flavor: https://amzn.to/3XcFsIp
  • Fruit Snack — 2 — (bar) — Pure Organic Layered Fruit Bars in Strawberry Banana Flavor: https://amzn.to/3WQEekA
  • NEW!  Puff  Snack — 3 — (cheese puffs) — Barbara’s Original Cheese Puffs Gluten-free Snack**: https://amzn.to/429mdBB

Section #8) Baking & Cooking Ingredients (3/44)

  • Ingredient — 1 — (beans) Jovial Organic Chickpeas, Product of Italy: https://amzn.to/4iRON1l
  • Ingredient — 2 — (red wine vinegar) — Napa Valley Naturals Organic Red Wine Vinegar (California): https://amzn.to/4jWhHOg
  • NEW! Ingredient — 3 — (apple cider vinegar) — [Tested clean in August 2025] Fairchild’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (Raw & Unfiltered)**: https://amzn.to/46gsTjM

Section #9) Sweeteners/ Sugars/ Sugar Alternatives (3/47)


Section #10) Salts (3/50)


Section #11) Oils & Fats (5/55)

  • Oil — 1 — (avocado) — Chosen Foods 100% Avocado Oil (not organic): https://amzn.to/3YDZSuv
  • Oil — 2 — (coconut) Dr. Bronner’s White Kernel Virgin Coconut Oil, Regenerative Organic Certified: https://amzn.to/40xwBmv
  • NEW!  Oil — 3 — (coconut) [Tested clean in August 2025] Dr. Bronner’s Whole Kernel Virgin Coconut Oil, Regenerative Organic Certified**: https://amzn.to/3UWrKYq
  • Oil — 4 — (olive) Bryan Johnson BluePrint Snake Oil Olive Oil (not organic): https://amzn.to/4mMieUj
  • Oil — 5 — (perilla seed)  Dr. Adorable’s Organic Perilla Seed Oil (Korea): https://amzn.to/3NDt7Yc

Section #12) Plant-Based Milks (3/58)

  • Plant-Based Milk — 1 — (coffee creamer)  Laird Superfood Coconut Creamer: https://amzn.to/4fItA7A
  • Plant-Based Milk — 2 — (plant milk)  Kiki Milk Organic Plant-Based Milk (original flavor): https://amzn.to/3AA6Qrt
  • Plant-Based Milk — 3 — (soy milk) — [Retested clean in August 2025] — West Soy Unflavored Unsweetened Organic Soy Milk: https://amzn.to/4dwev8l

Section #13) Seeds (2/60)


Section #14) Candy & Sweet Treats (4/64)


Section #15) Adult Supplements & General Supplements — not expressly sold for use by kids (9/73)

  • Supplement — 1 — (adult) — Clean Creatine (100% Creapure), Made in Germany (use with caution, please read article): https://amzn.to/43UjrS6
  • Supplement — 2 — (adult)  Doctor’s Best Vitamin C with Q-C: https://amzn.to/4hlVvea
  • NEW! Supplement — 3 — (adult) [Tested clean in August 2025] Natural Vitality CALM, Magnesium Citrate Supplement Gummies (Raspberry Lemon Flavor)**: https://amzn.to/3VuwsN3
  • Supplement — 4 — (adult) — Nature’s Way Zinc Lozenges: https://amzn.to/4liDz6f
  • Supplement — 5 — (adult) Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Fish Oil: https://amzn.to/48q1j2V
  • NEW! Supplement — 6 — (adult)   [Tested clean in August 2025] Nordic Naturals Prenatal DHA (Strawberry Soft Gels)**: https://amzn.to/4ngIVjv
  • Supplement — 7 — (adult) Pectasol Modified Citrus Pectin, Formulated in the US: https://amzn.to/3QUmZfN
  • Supplement — 8 — (adult)  Pendulum Metabolic Daily Dietary Supplement: https://amzn.to/4gY5wOm
  • Supplement — 9 — (adult) — Qwell Omega-3 by The Veggie Doctor, Vegan Algae DHA + EPA + DPA: https://amzn.to/45Lbosh

Section #16) Children’s Supplements (5/78)

  • Supplement — 8 — (kids) Baby Ddrops, Organic Vitamin D3 Supplement for Babies: https://amzn.to/49C3ktH
  • Supplement — 9 — (kids) Mary Ruth’s Organic Toddler Multivitamin Liquid Drops with Iron: https://amzn.to/3YPhcgx
  • Supplement — 10 — (kids) Mary Ruth’s Organic Toddler Elderberry Liquid Drops: https://amzn.to/42617TU
  • Supplement — 11  — (kids) Nordic Naturals Kids Vitamin D3 Gummies (Ages 3+): https://amzn.to/4l7117a
  • NEW!  Supplement — 12  — (kids) [Tested clean in August 2025] Seed PDS-08 Pediatric Daily Synbiotic, Fiber-Based Prebiotic & Probiotic for Kids: https://amzn.to/47kVTIc

Section #17) Cosmetics, Lotions, & Sunscreens (5/83)


Section #18) Toothpaste (7/90)

  • Toothpaste — 1 — Aquafresh “FRESH & MINTY” Fluoride Toothpaste, Purchased in London, England (Made in U.K. or Slovakia): https://amzn.to/4lhRMjO
  • Toothpaste — 2 — Orajel Kids Training Toothpaste, Fluoride-free in Natural Berry Fruity Flavor with Elmo Sesame Street packaging: https://amzn.to/41wxtrY
  • Toothpaste — 3 — Miessence Fluoride-free Mint Toothpaste (Made in Australia): https://amzn.to/4bJc4PO
  • Toothpaste — 4 — Dr. Brown’s Fluoride-free Baby Toothpaste in Strawberry Flavor: https://amzn.to/3DCehzZ
  • Toothpaste — 5 — Pegciz Kids Foam Toothpaste in Watermelon Flavor, Low Flouride (packaging varies, see report): https://amzn.to/3YzP68e
  • Toothpaste — 6 — Kid’s Spry Fluoride-free Tooth Gel with Xylitol in Original Flavor: https://amzn.to/41GZb4e
  • Toothpaste — 7 — Essential Oxygen Fluoride-free BR Certified Organic in Peppermint Flavor: https://amzn.to/4lARZ2J

**Lab reports pending/ Not yet published as of 9/2/2025


Here’s a link to our landing page featuring all our third-party lab reports for the foods, supplements, and cosmetic products we have published to date, including those listed above. This is a good page to bookmark since it is updated several times each week, as new lab reports are published: https://tamararubin.com/lab-reports/


BONUS (6/96): Below are six additional products that each tested positive for trace (very low levels of) Arsenic —  at levels considered safe by all standards (with the limits of detection noted in the lab report for the specific product listed).

  1. Infant Formula — Kendamil Goat Toddler Milk, not organic (positive for traces of Arsenic): May be available at Target or through other online retailers of European infant formulas
  2. Ingredient — Maseca Instant Corn Masa Flour, Product of Mexico (positive for traces of Arsenic)https://amzn.to/4iR8qWN
  3. Fruit Snack —  That’s It Apple Cherry Bars, not organic (positive for traces of Arsenic): https://amzn.to/4fHkSWV
  4. Oil — Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado oil, organic (positive for traces of Arsenic): https://amzn.to/3BVQYQa
  5. Supplement — (adult)  Now Sunflower Lecithin, not organic (positive for traces of Arsenic): https://amzn.to/3AFdHzO
  6. Supplement — (adult)  WishGarden Immune Boost Seasonal Rescue for Pregnancy: https://amzn.to/3Cd940N

Products Removed from the Above “Lab-Tested Safer Choices” List

The following two products were previously on the Lead Safe Mama, LLC Lab-Tested Safer Choices List, but have since been removed due to results from a retest (in 2025) showing them to be positive for toxicants.

In each case (for the two products noted below), the retest showed a very low level of toxicants (consistent with the narrative that these two products are still a cleaner choice when compared to similar options in their product categories). We only list products above that come back from the lab with “non-detect” results for all four metals we test for (Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, and Arsenic), so even though the re-test levels for these two products were low, they do not meet our standards for remaining on the list above.

You can read more about these products and the most recent lab test results for each in the articles linked below:

  1. One Degree Organics Sprouted Rolled Oats, yellow bag (Made in Canada) — May 2025 Retest
  2. Jovial Organic All-Purpose Einkorn Flour (Made in Italy)  August 2025 Retest Lab Report to be Published Shortly


Amazon links are affiliate links. If you purchase something after clicking on a Lead Safe Mama, LLC Amazon Affiliate Link, Lead Safe Mama, LLC may receive a percentage of what you spend at no extra cost to you.

Lab report for the product pictured above:


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18 Comments

  1. Something tells me that Magnesium Citrate should be clean including Pure Encapsulation Magn. Citrate. Glycinate has lead for some reason.

      1. Has Pure Encapsulations been notified of your testing results? My doctor has had me on this magnesium over 7 years now. I’m concerned and a bit angry hearing this! I see a naturopathic doctor who suggests this brand and I’m sure she doesn’t know that this product has tested positive but she will very soon.

        1. Agree. Although I’m having a hard time following this and have had a lot of Nuero events getting worse and I’m still looking for the “clean list”.. I need to take magnesium:/

        1. I see thats for their prenatal and not the magnesium…have you seen any reports for the magnesium, either the powder or capsules? Thank you.

          1. No. Those are the only products from that brand that we have tested, but they serve as an indicator of the potential for contamination with that brand.

            T

  2. Hi,
    I use Now brand magnesium glycinate in powder. Wondering if this has been tested and if it may test differently as the above options are all capsules. Thx!

    1. There is no single sponsor of testing of all of the magnesiums. Hundreds of members of the Lead Safe Mama online community contributed to cover the costs of testing all of the magnesiums. When testing and reporting for a single product is paid for by a member of the community – they are just one of many supporting this work (which is subsidized to a degree as well).

    2. When a single person covers most of the costs of testing and reporting we do not share their identity – but they are just a concerned parent looking for answers – like you and I.
      T

  3. Was the product ordered from Amazon or directly from Pure Encapsulations?

    There are so many counterfeit products on Amazon. No one should be ordering food or supplements there. And, honestly, I don’t think it’s wise to endorse food or supplements purchased from Amazon.

  4. How much of the product is tested at a time? Is the lead value 9ppb per capsule? Or 9ppb per bunch of capsules ground up? What’s the concentration?

    1. The lead level is a percentage. It is relevant to any amount of the product — a single serving or a whole bottle. PPB means parts per billion. Any quantity of a product can be divided into a billion parts.

      Tamara

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