Magnesium salts are available as a medication in a number of formulations. They are used to treat

magnesium deficiency Magnesium deficiency is an electrolyte disturbance in which there is a low level of magnesium in the body. Symptoms include tremor, poor coordination, muscle spasms, loss of appetite, personality changes, and nystagmus. Complications may inclu ...

, low blood magnesium,

eclampsia Eclampsia is the onset of seizures (convulsions) in a pregnant woman with pre-eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy that presents with three main features: new onset of high blood pressure, large amounts of proteinuria ...

, and several other conditions. Magnesium is an

essential nutrient A nutrient is a substance used by an organism to survive, grow and reproduce. The requirement for dietary nutrient intake applies to animals, plants, fungi and protists. Nutrients can be incorporated into cells for metabolic purposes or excret ...

. Usually in lower dosages, magnesium is commonly included in

dietary mineral In the context of nutrition, a mineral is a chemical element. Some "minerals" are essential for life, but most are not. ''Minerals'' are one of the four groups of essential nutrients; the others are vitamins, essential fatty acids, and essent ...

preparations, including many

multivitamin A multivitamin is a preparation intended to serve as a dietary supplement with vitamins, dietary minerals, and other nutritional elements. Such preparations are available in the form of tablets, capsules, pastilles, powders, liquids, gummies, o ...

preparations. Chelated magnesium is sometimes used to aid in

absorption Absorption may refer to: Chemistry and biology *Absorption (biology), digestion **Absorption (small intestine) *Absorption (chemistry), diffusion of particles of gas or liquid into liquid or solid materials *Absorption (skin), a route by which su ...

. In 2021, it was the 313th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 300,000 prescriptions and magnesium salts were the 211th most commonly prescribed medication, with more than 2million prescriptions.

Medical uses

* As a

bronchodilator A bronchodilator or broncholytic (although the latter occasionally includes secretory inhibition as well) is a substance that dilates the bronchi and bronchioles, decreasing resistance in the respiratory airway and increasing airflow to the lun ...

after beta-agonist and

anticholinergic Anticholinergics (anticholinergic agents) are substances that block the action of the acetylcholine (ACh) neurotransmitter at synapses in the central nervous system, central and peripheral nervous system. These agents inhibit the parasympatheti ...

agents have been tried, e.g. in severe exacerbations of

asthma Asthma is a common long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wh ...

. * Obstetrics:

Magnesium sulfate Magnesium sulfate or magnesium sulphate is a chemical compound, a salt with the formula , consisting of magnesium cations (20.19% by mass) and sulfate anions . It is a white crystalline solid, soluble in water but not in ethanol. Magnesi ...

is used to prevent seizures in women with

preeclampsia Pre-eclampsia is a multi-system disorder specific to pregnancy, characterized by the new onset of high blood pressure and often a significant amount of protein in the urine or by the new onset of high blood pressure along with significant end- ...

and eclampsia, and is also used for fetal neuroprotection in preterm deliveries, but has been shown to be an ineffective tocolytic agent.

Side effects

More common side effects from magnesium include upset stomach and diarrhea, and calcium deficiency if calcium levels are already low.

Overdose

Overdose of magnesium (

hypermagnesemia Hypermagnesemia is an electrolyte disorder in which there is a high level of magnesium in the blood. Symptoms include weakness, confusion, decreased breathing rate, and decreased reflexes. Hypermagnesemia can greatly increase the chances of adv ...

) is possible only in special circumstances. It can cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, severely lowered blood pressure, confusion, slowed heart rate, respiratory paralysis. In very severe cases, it can cause coma,

cardiac arrhythmia Arrhythmias, also known as cardiac arrhythmias, are irregularities in the heartbeat, including when it is too fast or too slow. Essentially, this is anything but normal sinus rhythm. A resting heart rate that is too fast – above 100 beat ...

, cardiac arrest and death. Magnesium overdose can be counteracted by administering calcium gluconate.

Types of preparations

Magnesium deficiency Magnesium deficiency is an electrolyte disturbance in which there is a low level of magnesium in the body. Symptoms include tremor, poor coordination, muscle spasms, loss of appetite, personality changes, and nystagmus. Complications may inclu ...

treatment: ** Oral ***

Magnesium aspartate Magnesium aspartate is a magnesium salt of L-aspartic acid, an amino acid, with the chemical formula . It is used as a mineral supplement, and as an ingredient in manufacturing of cosmetics and household products. As magnesium is an essential ...

***

Magnesium carbonate Magnesium carbonate, (archaic name magnesia alba), is an inorganic salt that is a colourless or white solid. Several hydrated and Base (chemistry), basic forms of magnesium carbonate also exist as minerals. Forms The most common magnesium car ...

***

Magnesium chloride Magnesium chloride is an inorganic compound with the formula . It forms hydrates , where ''n'' can range from 1 to 12. These salts are colorless or white solids that are highly soluble in water. These compounds and their solutions, both of which ...

***

Magnesium gluconate Magnesium gluconate is a compound with formula MgC12H22O14. It is the magnesium salt of gluconic acid. According to one study, magnesium gluconate showed the highest level of bioavailability of any magnesium salt which implies its viability a ...

***

Magnesium glycinate Magnesium glycinate, also known as magnesium diglycinate or magnesium bisglycinate, is the magnesium salt of glycine (one magnesium atom and two glycine molecules), and is sold as a dietary supplement. It contains 14.1% elemental magnesium by ...

***

Magnesium lactate Magnesium lactate, the magnesium salt of lactic acid. Mineral supplement Magnesium lactate can be used as a mineral supplement to prevent and treat low amounts of magnesium in the blood. Magnesium lactate may help treat leg muscle cramps in pre ...

***

Magnesium orotate Magnesium orotate, the magnesium salt of orotic acid, is a mineral supplement. It can be used in treating extracellular magnesium deficiency, as well as in mitigating magnesium depletion that inhibits the binding of adenosine triphosphate ...

***

Magnesium oxide Magnesium oxide (MgO), or magnesia, is a white hygroscopic solid mineral that occurs naturally as periclase and is a source of magnesium (see also oxide). It has an empirical formula of MgO and consists of a lattice of Mg2+ ions and O2− ions ...

***

Magnesium pidolate Magnesium pidolate, the magnesium salt In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural cr ...

** Injected ***

* Laxative **

Magnesium citrate Magnesium citrates are metal-organic compounds formed from citrate and magnesium ions. They are salts. One form is the 1:1 magnesium preparation in salt form with citric acid in a 1:1 ratio (1 magnesium atom per citrate molecule). It contains ...

Magnesium hydroxide Magnesium hydroxide is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula Mg(OH)2. It occurs in nature as the mineral brucite. It is a white solid with low solubility in water (). Magnesium hydroxide is a common component of antacids, such as milk o ...

* Miscellaneous ** Magnesium asparaginate **

Antacid An antacid is a substance which neutralization (chemistry), neutralizes gastric acid, stomach acidity and is used to relieve heartburn, indigestion, or an upset stomach. Some antacids have been used in the treatment of constipation and diarrhe ...

heartburn Heartburn is a burning sensation felt behind the breastbone. It is a symptom that is commonly linked to acid reflux and is often triggered by food, particularly fatty, sugary, spicy, chocolate, citrus, onion-based and tomato-based products. Ly ...

, and

indigestion Indigestion, also known as dyspepsia or upset stomach, is a condition of impaired digestion. Symptoms may include upper abdominal fullness, heartburn, nausea, belching, or upper abdominal pain. People may also experience feeling full earlier ...

. Treatment of

dyspepsia Indigestion, also known as dyspepsia or upset stomach, is a condition of impaired digestion. Symptoms may include upper abdominal fullness, heartburn, nausea, belching, or upper abdominal pain. People may also experience feeling full earlier ...

. **

* Multiple applications **

: It is on the

World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines The WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (aka Essential Medicines List or EML), published by the World Health Organization (WHO), contains the medications considered to be most effective and safe to meet the most important needs in a health s ...

In practice, magnesium is given in a

salt In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...

form together with any of several anionic compounds serving as counter-ions, such as

chloride The term chloride refers to a compound or molecule that contains either a chlorine anion (), which is a negatively charged chlorine atom, or a non-charged chlorine atom covalently bonded to the rest of the molecule by a single bond (). The pr ...

sulfate The sulfate or sulphate ion is a polyatomic anion with the empirical formula . Salts, acid derivatives, and peroxides of sulfate are widely used in industry. Sulfates occur widely in everyday life. Sulfates are salts of sulfuric acid and many ...

. Nevertheless, magnesium is generally presumed to be the active component. An exception is the administration of

magnesium sulfate Magnesium sulfate or magnesium sulphate is a chemical compound, a salt with the formula , consisting of magnesium cations (20.19% by mass) and sulfate anions . It is a white crystalline solid, soluble in water but not in ethanol. Magnesi ...

barium chloride Barium chloride is an inorganic compound with the formula . It is one of the most common water-soluble salts of barium. Like most other water-soluble barium salts, it is a white powder, highly toxic, and imparts a yellow-green coloration to a flam ...

poisoning, where sulfate binds to barium to form insoluble

barium sulfate Barium sulfate (or sulphate) is the inorganic compound with the chemical formula Ba SO4. It is a white crystalline solid that is odorless and insoluble in water. It occurs in nature as the mineral barite, which is the main commercial source of ...

. Magnesium is absorbed orally at about 30%

bioavailability In pharmacology, bioavailability is a subcategory of absorption and is the fraction (%) of an administered drug that reaches the systemic circulation. By definition, when a medication is administered intravenously, its bioavailability is 100%. H ...

from any ''water soluble salt,'' such as

magnesium chloride Magnesium chloride is an inorganic compound with the formula . It forms hydrates , where ''n'' can range from 1 to 12. These salts are colorless or white solids that are highly soluble in water. These compounds and their solutions, both of which ...

magnesium citrate Magnesium citrates are metal-organic compounds formed from citrate and magnesium ions. They are salts. One form is the 1:1 magnesium preparation in salt form with citric acid in a 1:1 ratio (1 magnesium atom per citrate molecule). It contains ...

. The citrate is the least expensive soluble (high bioavailability) oral magnesium salt available in supplements, with 100 mg and 200 mg magnesium typically contained per capsule, tablet or 50 mg/mL in solution.

, lactate,

citrate Citric acid is an organic compound with the formula . It is a colorless weak organic acid. It occurs naturally in citrus fruits. In biochemistry Biochemistry, or biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes within and relati ...

and glycinate each have bioavailability 4 times greater than the oxide form and are equivalent to each other per amount of magnesium, though not in price. The ligand of choice for large-scale manufacturers of multivitamins and minerals containing magnesium is the

magnesium oxide Magnesium oxide (MgO), or magnesia, is a white hygroscopic solid mineral that occurs naturally as periclase and is a source of magnesium (see also oxide). It has an empirical formula of MgO and consists of a lattice of Mg2+ ions and O2− ions ...

due to its compactness, high magnesium content by weight, low cost, and ease-of-use in manufacturing. However it is insoluble in water. Insoluble magnesium salts such as magnesium oxide or magnesium hydroxide (

milk of magnesia Magnesium hydroxide is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula Mg(OH)2. It occurs in nature as the mineral brucite. It is a white solid with low solubility in water (). Magnesium hydroxide is a common component of antacids, such as milk o ...

) depend on stomach acid for neutralization before they can be absorbed, and thus are relatively poor oral magnesium sources, on average.

(Epsom salts) is soluble in water. It is commonly used as a

laxative Laxatives, purgatives, or aperients are substances that loosen stools and increase bowel movements. They are used to treat and prevent constipation. Laxatives vary as to how they work and the side effects they may have. Certain stimulant, lubri ...

, owing to the poor absorption of the sulfate component. In lower doses, they may be used as an oral magnesium source, however. Intravenous or intramuscular magnesium is generally in the form of

solution. Intravenous or intramuscular magnesium is completely bioavailable, and effective. It is used in severe hypomagnesemia and

Research

Research on

topical A topical medication is a medication that is applied to a particular place on or in the body. Most often topical medication means application to body surfaces such as the skin or mucous membranes to treat ailments via a large range of classes ...

magnesium (for example

epsom salt Epsomite, Epsom salt, or magnesium sulfate heptahydrate, is a hydrous magnesium sulfate mineral with formula . Physical properties Epsomite crystallizes in the orthorhombic system. The normal form is as massive encrustations, while acicula ...

baths) is very limited. Studies have revealed that magnesium sulfate can be nebulized to reduce the symptoms of acute asthma.

References

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