Are Kids' Magnesium Gummies Safe? The MHRA Warning Explained
The short answer: most kids' magnesium gummies on sale in the UK are not dangerous, but they are not all equal. In August 2025 the MHRA, the UK medicines regulator, told parents to stop using one brand after testing found melatonin, a prescription-only medicine, hidden inside. The lesson is to buy from brands that test every batch independently and tell you exactly what is in the product.
What the MHRA found
On 18 August 2025 the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency advised parents and caregivers to stop giving children Nutrition Ignition Kids Magnesium Glycinate Gummies and to dispose of any they had at home. Testing of two batches found between 1.5mg and 1.7mg of melatonin in each gummy. Melatonin was not listed anywhere on the packaging.
The product had been sold online as a food supplement for children aged 4 and over. The MHRA worked with online retailers to remove all listings.
Why melatonin matters
In the UK, melatonin is a prescription-only medicine. It is licensed for specific sleep disorders in children over 6, usually after other approaches have been tried, and doctors start children on a low dose. A child taking one or two of those gummies a day would have been getting a medicine their parents did not know about, at doses a doctor had not chosen.
The MHRA said taking too much melatonin can cause drowsiness, headache, dizziness and nausea, and that lasting harm is not expected. If you are worried about anything your child has taken, speak to your GP or pharmacist. We cover the differences between the two in magnesium vs melatonin for kids.
Are other magnesium gummies safe?
The warning was about one brand, not about magnesium or gummies in general. Magnesium itself is an everyday mineral found in food, and children's products are dosed with that in mind. But the case shows two real weak spots in the market:
- Online-only brands can slip through. Food supplements do not need approval before they go on sale, so checks happen after the fact.
- Gummies are made to taste like sweets. That usually means sugar or sweeteners, and it makes them easy for children to over-eat if they find the jar.
How to choose a safe magnesium for your child
- Look for independent batch testing. Third-party lab testing checks that what is on the label is what is in the product, and nothing else.
- Check the ingredients list is complete and short. You should recognise everything on it.
- Prefer UK-made and UK-registered brands with a real address and contact details.
- Read the dose per age band. A product for children should give different doses for toddlers and older children.
- Store supplements out of reach, especially anything that looks or tastes like sweets.
Gummies or liquid?
Gummies win on convenience, but a truly unflavoured liquid has no sugar to negotiate over and no sweet-like jar on the shelf. It also lets you measure the dose precisely by age. We compare the two properly in magnesium gummies vs liquid for kids.
What we do
Our liposomal magnesium for kids is made in the UK and third-party lab tested. It contains magnesium bisglycinate in liposomal form, with no sugar, sweeteners, flavourings, colours or melatonin, and the dose is set by age: 2.5ml for ages 1 to 5 and 5ml for ages 5 to 14.
Source: MHRA press release, 18 August 2025, "Parents and caregivers advised to stop all use of specific brand of kids' magnesium gummies due to the presence of an undeclared prescription-only medicine".
Our magnesium
Liposomal Magnesium for Kids (Age 1+) is truly unflavoured, gentle on little tummies, and built for absorption. Magnesium contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system.*
*Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Consult your healthcare provider before use if your child has a medical condition or takes medication.