Life Brand Magnesium Recall 2025: What Canadians Need to Know

If you’ve been taking Life Brand Magnesium Bisglycinate 200mg to support your daily magnesium intake, check the label. Health Canada issued a recall for all lots of this supplement on November 12, 2025, because it contains an undeclared ingredient—magnesium oxide—that can cause unexpected side effects. Here’s what happened, why it matters, and what you should do if you have a bottle at home.

Recall date: 2025-11-12 ·
Affected product: Life Brand Magnesium Bisglycinate 200mg ·
Undeclared ingredient: Magnesium oxide ·
Recalled lots: All lots since July 2023 ·
Regulatory body: Health Canada ·
Status: Active recall

Seven facts from the official recall, one pattern: the undeclared switch from bisglycinate to oxide affects every lot produced over more than two years.

What caused the Life Brand magnesium recall?

Undeclared ingredient: magnesium oxide

• The product label lists magnesium bisglycinate as the active form, but Health Canada found magnesium oxide in the capsules (Health Canada (Canadian regulator)).
• Magnesium oxide is an antacid and osmotic laxative, not a substitute for the more absorbable bisglycinate form (Hong Kong Drug Office (overseas regulator)).
• Consumers who rely on bisglycinate for gentle absorption may experience digestive discomfort from the undeclared oxide.

Timeline of the recall announcement

• Production of affected lots began in July 2023 (Health Canada).
• Health Canada issued recall notice RA-78492 on November 12, 2025 (Health Canada).
• Hong Kong Drug Office posted an alert on November 13, 2025 (Hong Kong Drug Office).

The implication: a labeling failure that persisted for more than two years before regulators caught it.

Who issued the recall and where was it sold?

Health Canada role

• Health Canada is the federal authority that issued the recall under the Food and Drugs Act (Health Canada (Canadian regulator)).
• The recall notice warns that the product “contains undeclared magnesium oxide” and advises consumers to return it.

Retailers: Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaw

• Life Brand is the private label of Shoppers Drug Mart, owned by Loblaw Companies Limited (Health Canada).
• The product was sold nationwide at Shoppers Drug Mart locations across Canada.
• Recalling firm address is 243 Consumers Road, Toronto, ON M2J 4W8.

What this means: the recall reaches every major Canadian pharmacy chain under the Loblaw umbrella, affecting thousands of regular buyers.

What is the difference between magnesium bisglycinate and magnesium oxide?

Absorption and bioavailability

• Magnesium bisglycinate is chelated to glycine and has higher bioavailability than oxide (Health Canada).
• Magnesium oxide is poorly absorbed and acts as a laxative at moderate doses (Hong Kong Drug Office (overseas regulator)).
• Consumers who think they are getting bisglycinate may experience different effects from oxide.

Common side effects of each form

• Bisglycinate: generally gentle, may cause drowsiness or relaxation.
• Oxide: can cause loose stools, cramping, and diarrhea.
• The undeclared switch means users could get the oxide side effects without knowing it.

The catch: what’s labeled as a premium absorbable form may actually be a cheap laxative in disguise.

What are signs of too much magnesium?

Digestive symptoms

• Over 350 mg daily from supplements can cause diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal cramping (Health Canada).
• Magnesium oxide is more likely to trigger these symptoms at lower doses than bisglycinate.

Severe toxicity signs

• Very high doses (above 5,000 mg) can lead to irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, or cardiac arrest.
• People with kidney problems are at higher risk because the body cannot excrete excess magnesium efficiently (Hong Kong Drug Office).

Why this matters: the undeclared ingredient could cause unexpected digestive distress in healthy users and more serious problems in vulnerable groups.

Why shouldn’t you take magnesium every day?

Daily recommendations from NIH

• The National Institutes of Health recommends 310–420 mg of total magnesium daily for adults, depending on age and sex.
• Most people meet needs through diet; supplements are only for those with confirmed deficiency.

Risks of chronic overuse

• Taking more than the recommended upper limit from supplements can lead to toxicity over time.
• Chronic use of laxative forms like oxide can cause electrolyte imbalances.

The trade-off: daily use may be fine for some, but without a known deficiency the extra magnesium offers no benefit and carries real risk.

Why do I feel weird after taking magnesium?

Possible drug interactions

• Magnesium can interact with antibiotics, diuretics, and thyroid medications (Health Canada).
• It may reduce absorption of certain drugs if taken at the same time.

Gastrointestinal reactions

• Bisglycinate form can cause drowsiness or relaxation in some people.
• Oxide, if present, can cause cramping, gas, or loose stools.

What to watch: if you feel unusually tired or have digestive issues after taking a magnesium supplement, check whether the ingredient matches the label.

Timeline

The recall timeline shows a gap of more than two years between the start of production and the public alert.

The implication: a two-year gap in quality control allowed mislabeled products to reach consumers.

The clarity check shows that while many details are confirmed, key data about sales volume and patient impact remain unknown.

Health Canada warns that the product “contains undeclared magnesium oxide, which can cause loose stools and cramping.”

— Health Canada (Canadian regulator)

The Drug Office noted the product is not registered in Hong Kong and advised consumers not to purchase it.

— Hong Kong Drug Office (overseas regulator)

For Canadian consumers who bought Life Brand Magnesium Bisglycinate 200mg, the choice is straightforward: return the product for a refund and discuss alternative magnesium forms with a healthcare professional if you rely on supplementation. The recall underscores a broader gap in private-label supplement oversight—one that regulators will likely scrutinize more closely after this alert.

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