Lubrizol’s quick melt bioavailability-boosted magnesium ranked “most palate-pleasing” in consumer panel

Lubrizol Life Science’s Magshape melt-in-your-mouth magnesium prototype was rated the “most palate-pleasing option” in a recent internal blind-tasting panel. Initially made available in a highly concentrated and chewable tablet, the oral-soluble supplement appeals to a growing number of consumers who dislike swallowing pills, highlights Lubrizol.

The powdered stick’s patent-pending technology micronizes and microencapsulates magnesium for quick, convenient, on-the-go consumption.

Lubrizol notes that traditional magnesium supplements can have unpleasant aftertastes, cause gastric discomfort and require high product volume to achieve the recommended magnesium daily intake.

“While magnesium is emerging as a popular go-to for the proactive health-conscious consumer, we identified the most common complaints associated with this mineral via an AI-driven search,” says Isabel Gómez, global marketing manager for Lubrizol Nutraceutical.

“The main consumer complaints about magnesium supplementation include the tendency to leave a long, lingering unpleasant aftertaste and the need to swallow large or multiple pills to obtain the daily required dose. Both can affect consumers’ commitment to the daily routine. Additional complaints include digestive upsets, poor solubility and gritty texture.”

Convenient melt format

Magshape technology improves the bioavailability of magnesium while also enhancing its stability and dispersibility, highlights Lubrizol. This assists in the creation of oral-soluble powders that have a pleasant taste and dissolve in the mouth without leaving lumps or a “pasty” sensation.

Each 1.5 g Magshape compact sachet delivers 250 mg magnesium in a low-dose powder that can be taken directly or dispersed into a wide range of on-the-go delivery formats without first diluting it in water.

The solution is recommended as post-work supplementation to help relax the mind and muscles and for a restful sleep.

According to Innova Market Insights, while traditional formats such as tablets and softgels are still popular, powdered supplement formats are gaining traction due to increased consumer focus on sensory appeal and convenience.

Innova also highlights an increased focus of influencers on magnesium on social media. In particular, the use of magnesium to promote sleep, alleviate stress and boost energy levels is gaining popularity on several social media platforms.

Blind taste test

In its consumer tasting panel, Lubrizol tested five oral-soluble powder formulations containing 250 mg of magnesium, with the only difference being the source of magnesium. Magshape was compared to commonly used magnesium salts such as magnesium oxide, magnesium citrate, magnesium bicarbonate and magnesium bisglycinate. 

Participants evaluated the various oral-soluble magnesium powders on multiple aspects of each product’s sensory properties and ranked each product based on their preference.

Magshape amassed the highest scores for its texture. Consumers described it as “soft, fine and fast melting” in the mouth. It was rated the tastiest powder with the lowest tendency to leave an unpleasant aftertaste and had the lowest bitterness intensity.

Additionally, 56% of the participants reported not detecting any off-notes. Magshape was also considered the “most perfectly balanced” in terms of sourness and was the most overall preferred option owing to its organoleptic characteristics.

The panelists also expressed that the 1.5 g Magshape sachet was among the two magnesium formulations considered to offer the ideal format for delivering the daily recommended magnesium dose without dividing the product into multiple doses.

Also, 74% found obtaining 250 mg/day in a single concentrated dose to be “highly advantageous.”

“Magshape has been carefully crafted to overcome the hurdles of meeting these consumer needs,” says Gomez. “The competitive advantage of Magshape is in its ability to deliver a potent dose of magnesium in a compact serving that is pleasant to the taste buds, convenient to consume and has maximum bioavailability.”

Lubrizol also addresses typical flavor and absorption challenges through microencapsulation with its Lipofer ingredient, a water-dispersible micronized source of iron with a reduced risk of gastric irritation, which it featured at Vitafoods 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland.