Compare supplements by cost per dose

Glycinate vs Oxide

For daily supplementation, magnesium glycinate is the better choice for most people — it is far better absorbed and gentle on the gut. Magnesium oxide is cheaper per milligram but poorly absorbed, and is really only useful as an occasional laxative.

Glycinate vs Citrate

Both are well-absorbed and a solid choice. Pick glycinate for sleep, stress, and a calm gut; pick citrate if you want a well-absorbed form that also helps with regularity, often at a slightly lower price.

Citrate vs Oxide

Magnesium citrate is the better all-rounder — meaningfully better absorbed than oxide and gentler at supplement doses. Oxide is cheaper per milligram but mostly passes through unabsorbed.

Glycinate vs L-Threonate

For everyday magnesium — sleep, stress, muscle — glycinate does the job at a fraction of the cost. Magnesium L-threonate (Magtein) is the premium, research-backed form chosen specifically for brain and cognitive support, and you pay a large premium per dose for it.

Standard C vs Liposomal C

Standard vitamin C is plenty for almost everyone and costs a fraction of liposomal. Liposomal vitamin C aims to deliver more at high doses (1000 mg+) by encapsulating it in fat — the absorption edge is real but modest, and the price premium is large.

Citrate vs Carbonate

Calcium citrate is the easier-to-absorb, gentler form — it does not need stomach acid, so it suits older adults, anyone on acid-reducers, and sensitive stomachs, and can be taken without food. Calcium carbonate is cheaper with more elemental calcium per pill, but must be taken with a meal and more often causes gas or constipation.

Ubiquinol vs Ubiquinone

Ubiquinol is the body-ready (reduced) form of CoQ10 and is generally better absorbed, which matters more after about 40 when the body converts CoQ10 less efficiently. Ubiquinone (regular CoQ10) is cheaper and very stable, and works well for most younger, healthy people — especially taken with a fatty meal.

Fish oil vs Krill oil

Fish oil is the value choice — far more EPA/DHA per dollar, so it is the efficient way to hit an omega-3 target. Krill oil delivers omega-3s in phospholipid form (possibly slightly better absorbed) plus astaxanthin and no fishy burps, but you pay a steep premium per gram of EPA/DHA.

Methylcobalamin vs Cyanocobalamin

Both raise B12 levels effectively for most people. Methylcobalamin is the body-ready, active form, preferred if you want to avoid the trace cyanide molecule in cyanocobalamin or have absorption concerns. Cyanocobalamin is cheaper, extremely stable, and the form used in most studies. For ordinary supplementation either works — methyl is the gentler, premium pick.

D3 vs D2

For raising and maintaining vitamin D levels, D3 (cholecalciferol) is the better choice for most people. Both D2 and D3 are well absorbed and both cure rickets, but most evidence shows D3 raises blood 25(OH)D more and keeps it elevated longer. D2 (ergocalciferol) shows up mainly in high-dose prescriptions and some vegan-by-default products.

Glycinate vs Malate

Both are well-absorbed organic magnesium forms that are gentle on the gut, so neither is clearly "better" — the choice is mostly the partner molecule and timing. Glycinate is bound to the calming amino acid glycine and is popular for evening use, sleep, and stress; malate is bound to malic acid and is often taken in the daytime, sometimes marketed for energy and muscle comfort, though evidence for those specific uses is limited.

Picolinate vs Gluconate

For everyday zinc, picolinate is a solid pick — it is often cited as one of the better-absorbed forms. Gluconate is cheaper, very well studied (it is the classic cold-lozenge form), and absorbed well enough for general use, so it is the better value. Neither is dramatically superior, and both beat cheap zinc oxide.

Bisglycinate vs Ferrous sulfate

Iron bisglycinate is the gentle choice — a chelated form that is much easier on the stomach while still raising iron, so it is the go-to if ferrous sulfate upset you. Ferrous sulfate is the cheapest and most-studied iron and works well, but it causes the most nausea and constipation. Only supplement iron if you are actually low.

Picolinate vs Citrate

Both are well-absorbed daily zinc forms with little to separate them in practice. Picolinate is the form most often singled out for absorption; citrate is also well absorbed, gentle, and usually cheaper. For most people the difference is minor — choose on cost per dose unless you specifically want picolinate.

Monohydrate vs HCl

Monohydrate is the clear default — it is by far the most-studied, most-proven creatine and the cheapest per gram. HCl is more water-soluble and marketed as gentler (less bloating) at smaller doses, but there is no good evidence it works better. Buy monohydrate for value and evidence; consider HCl only if monohydrate upsets your stomach. Note HCl is dosed smaller, so compare cost per gram, not per serving.

Marine vs Bovine

Both are hydrolyzed collagen peptides that work for skin, hair, nails and joints — the main difference is source. Bovine (from cattle) supplies types I & III, is the most common, and is usually the better value per serving. Marine (from fish) is mostly type I with smaller peptides, suits pescatarians and those avoiding beef, and tends to cost more. Pick on dietary preference and cost per serving.

Glycinate vs Taurate

Both are well-absorbed, gentle chelated forms of magnesium. Glycinate (magnesium + glycine) is the versatile pick for sleep, stress, and sensitive stomachs. Taurate (magnesium + taurine) is often chosen by people focused on cardiovascular and blood-pressure support, though high-quality human evidence for that specific edge is limited. For most general use they are interchangeable — pick on price per dose unless you specifically want taurine.

NAC vs Glutathione

For most people NAC is the better-value way to raise glutathione — it supplies cysteine, the building block your body uses to make glutathione, and it is well absorbed and much cheaper. Taken directly, standard glutathione is largely broken down in the gut; a liposomal form absorbs better but costs more. Choose NAC to support glutathione on a budget; choose a liposomal glutathione to supplement the molecule itself.

Ashwagandha vs Rhodiola

Both are adaptogens, but they pull in different directions. Ashwagandha is calming — best for stress, anxiety, and sleep, and usually taken in the evening. Rhodiola is more stimulating — best for fatigue, mental sharpness, and endurance, taken in the morning. Choose ashwagandha to wind down; choose rhodiola to pick up.

5-HTP vs L-tryptophan

Both are serotonin precursors. 5-HTP is one step closer to serotonin and crosses into the brain readily, so it tends to act more directly for mood and sleep. L-tryptophan is a step earlier and is also used to make niacin and protein, so more of it is diverted elsewhere. Choose 5-HTP for a more targeted effect; choose L-tryptophan for a gentler, upstream option. Do not combine either with antidepressants without medical advice.

L-Theanine vs Melatonin

They help sleep differently. Melatonin is a hormone that signals "it is night" — best for jet lag and a shifted schedule, taken a couple of hours before bed and short-term. L-theanine is not a sedative; it promotes calm and quiets racing thoughts without changing your body clock, and it does not cause grogginess or habituation. Choose melatonin to shift timing; choose L-theanine to wind down a busy mind.

L-Citrulline vs L-Arginine

To raise arginine and nitric oxide, L-citrulline is usually the better buy. Oral L-arginine is largely broken down in the gut and liver before it reaches the bloodstream; citrulline passes through and is turned into arginine by the kidneys, so it raises blood arginine more reliably — without the stomach upset that high arginine doses cause. Arginine is cheaper per gram.

BCAA vs EAA

If you buy an amino-acid supplement for muscle, EAAs are the better choice. BCAAs are three of the nine essential amino acids; muscle cannot be built without all nine, so BCAAs alone send the leucine signal without the full set of building blocks. EAAs supply all nine. Both matter less if you already eat enough protein — whole protein supplies them too.

Creatine vs BCAA

They are not substitutes. Creatine monohydrate is one of the best-evidenced supplements for strength, power and lean mass alongside resistance training. BCAAs add little if you already eat enough protein. If you buy one of the two, buy creatine.

Whey vs Collagen

For building muscle, whey wins clearly: it is a complete protein rich in leucine. Collagen has no tryptophan and little leucine, so it is a poor muscle-building protein. People take collagen for skin and joints, where the evidence is modest. Collagen grams count toward total protein but contribute little to muscle.

B12 vs B-complex

If your need is specifically B12 — you are vegan, over 50, take metformin or an acid-reducing drug, or had a low B12 result — take B12 on its own: it delivers a meaningful dose for less. A B-complex makes sense when you want all eight B vitamins, for example on a restrictive diet. Most B-complexes include B12, but the amount varies widely.

Magnesium vs Melatonin

They do different jobs. Melatonin shifts the timing of sleep — best for jet lag and a body clock that runs late, in low doses and short-term. Magnesium is a mineral, not a sleep hormone; it may improve sleep quality a little, mainly in older adults or people low in magnesium. If your schedule is off, melatonin; for a gentle nightly option, magnesium.

L-Theanine vs Ashwagandha

Pick by timing. L-theanine works within about an hour for calm focus without drowsiness, so it suits occasional use — including with coffee. Ashwagandha works over weeks of daily use to lower perceived stress and may help sleep. For an occasional effect, L-theanine; for ongoing stress, ashwagandha, keeping its rare liver-injury and thyroid cautions in mind.

Probiotics vs Enzymes

They solve different problems. Digestive enzymes break food down meal by meal — they help when you lack a specific enzyme, such as lactase for lactose intolerance. Probiotics are live microbes whose effects build over weeks and depend on the strain. For a food you cannot digest, an enzyme; to prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea, a probiotic with that use studied.

NMN vs NAD+

NMN is the better-studied oral choice. NAD+ itself is a large molecule that is mostly broken down in the gut before it is absorbed, so oral NAD+ pills largely deliver its fragments. NMN is a precursor that small human trials show raises blood NAD+. Either way, evidence that raising NAD+ improves health or slows ageing in people is still preliminary.

NMN vs NR

Both are NAD+ precursors and both raise blood NAD+ in human trials; no head-to-head study shows one works better. NR (nicotinamide riboside) has more published human safety data. NMN is one step closer to NAD+, but much of it may be converted to NR before entering cells. Choose on cost per dose and the brand’s testing.

Fish oil vs Cod liver oil

Choose fish oil if you want omega-3s: it usually delivers more EPA + DHA per serving and contains no vitamin A. Cod liver oil adds vitamins A and D — useful if you need them, but vitamin A adds up, and high intakes are a concern in pregnancy and for bone health. Check your total vitamin A before combining cod liver oil with a multivitamin.

Spirulina vs Chlorella

Both are algae sold as nutrient-dense greens, and neither has strong evidence for specific health benefits. Spirulina is a blue-green cyanobacterium that digests easily and is higher in protein; chlorella is a green alga with a tough cell wall (buy “broken cell wall”) and more chlorophyll. Choose on taste, digestion and testing — contamination is the real quality risk.

Omega-3 vs Fish oil

Fish oil is one source of omega-3, so the two overlap rather than compete. “Omega-3” on a label means EPA and DHA (from fish, krill or algae) or ALA (from plants); fish oil is the most common and cheapest source of EPA and DHA. Compare EPA + DHA per serving, not the word on the front. Vegans need algal oil.

Citrate vs Malate

Both are well-absorbed organic magnesium salts, and the practical difference is small. Magnesium citrate loosens stools at higher doses — handy if you tend toward constipation, unwelcome if not. Magnesium malate is gentler on the gut and often chosen for daytime use; claims that malate boosts energy or eases fibromyalgia rest on very small studies. Compare them on cost per mg of elemental magnesium.