Magnesium Side Effects, Interactions and Warnings

Magnesium Side Effects, Interactions and Warnings





  • Certain diuretics or diuretic drugs may cause a drop in magnesium levels.
    – Eur Heart J 1992 Dec;13 Suppl G:96-103 — Adverse reactions to diuretics. — Prichard BN, Owens CW, Woolf AS.

  • Quinolone absorption is markedly reduced with antacids containing aluminium, magnesium and/or calcium and therapeutic failure may result.
    – Drug Saf 1992 Jul-Aug;7(4):268-81 — Drug interactions with quinolone antibacterials. — Brouwers JR.

  • Trial found that the use of antenatal magnesium sulfate was associated with worse, not better, perinatal outcome in a dose-response fashion.
    – Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002 Jun;186(6):1111-8 — Association between the use of antenatal magnesium sulfate in preterm labor and adverse health outcomes in infants. — Mittendorf R, Dambrosia J, Pryde PG, Lee KS, Gianopoulos JG, Besinger RE, Tomich PG.

  • May cause loose stools or diarrhoea in some people.
    – Drug Saf 2000 Jan;22(1):53-72 — Drug-induced diarrhoea. — Chassany O, Michaux A, Bergmann JF.

  • Hypermagnesemia caused a fatality in the case of chronic Epsom salt gargles for halitosis that produced a serum magnesium of 23.6 mg/dL (9.8 mmol/L) and resulted in coma.
    – J Emerg Med 2002 Feb;22(2):185-8 — Hypermagnesemia-induced fatality following epsom salt gargles. — Birrer RB, Shallash AJ, Totten V.

  • Hypermagnesemia can cause subtle neurologic and cardiovascular signs to the major life-threatening clinical manifestations of shock, dysrhythmias, coma, and cardiopulmonary arrest despite emergency dialysis.
    – J Emerg Med 2002 Feb;22(2):185-8 — Hypermagnesemia-induced fatality following epsom salt gargles. — Birrer RB, Shallash AJ, Totten V.

  • Report highlights several associated nonrenal risk factors for hypermagnesemia, which include age, gastrointestinal tract disease, and administration of concomitant medications, particularly those with anticholinergic and narcotic effects. This case report also demonstrates how consumers may misuse magnesium-containing over-the-counter drug products.
    Arch Fam Med 1995 Aug;4(8):718-23 — Hypermagnesemia. Elderly over-the-counter drug users at risk. — Fung MC, Weintraub M, Bowen DL.

  • Magnesium may cause blood sugar levels to drop.
    – Metabolism 2001 Dec;50(12):1409-17 — Magnesium reduces insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and serum lipid concentrations in type 1 diabetes. — Djurhuus MS, Klitgaard NA, Pedersen KK, Blaabjerg O, Altura BM, Altura BT, Henriksen JE.




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  • last update: February 2014