MAGNESIUMSUPPLEMENTS (Systemic)
Some commonly used brand names are:
In the U.S.?
- Almora 4
- Chloromag 1
- Citroma 2
- Concentrated Phillips' Milk of Magnesia 5
- Mag-200 7
- Mag-L-100 1
- Magonate 4
- Mag-Ox 400 7
- Mag-Tab SR 6
- Magtrate 4
- Maox 7
- MGP 4
- Phillips' Chewable Tablets 5
- Phillips' Milk of Magnesia 5
- Slow-Mag 1
- Uro-Mag 7
In Canada?
- Citro-Mag 2
- Mag 2 8
- Maglucate 4
- Magnesium-Rougier 3
- Phillips' Magnesia Tablets 5
- Phillips' Milk of Magnesia 5
Note: | For quick reference, the following magnesium supplements are numberedto match the corresponding brand names. |
# See Laxatives (Oral) for laxative use of magnesium citrate, magnesium hydroxide, magnesiumoxide, and magnesium sulfate.
** See Magnesium Sulfate (Systemic) for use inseizures and uterine tetany.
?? See Antacids (Oral) for antacid use ofmagnesium hydroxide and magnesium oxide.
Category
- Antihypomagnesemic?Magnesium Chloride; Magnesium Citrate; MagnesiumGluceptate; Magnesium Gluconate; Magnesium Hydroxide; Magnesium Lactate; Magnesium Oxide; Magnesium Pidolate; Magnesium Sulfate
- Electrolyte replenisher?Magnesium Chloride; Magnesium Sulfate
- Nutritional supplement,mineral?Magnesium Chloride; Magnesium Citrate; MagnesiumGluceptate; Magnesium Gluconate; Magnesium Hydroxide; Magnesium Lactate; Magnesium Oxide; Magnesium Pidolate; Magnesium Sulfate
Description
Magnesium is used as a dietary supplement for individuals whoare deficient in magnesium. Although a balanced diet usually supplies allthe magnesium a person needs, magnesium supplements may be needed by patientswho have lost magnesium because of illness or treatment with certain medicines.
Lack of magnesium may lead to irritability, muscle weakness, and irregularheartbeat.
Injectable magnesium is given only by or under the supervision of a healthcare professional. Some oral magnesium preparations are available only witha prescription. Others are available without a prescription.
Magnesium supplements are available in the following dosage forms:
Oral- Magnesium Chloride
- Tablets (U.S.)
- Enteric-coated tablets (U.S.)
- Extended-release tablets (U.S.)
- Magnesium Citrate
- Oral solution (U.S. and Canada)
- Magnesium Gluceptate
- Magnesium Gluconate
- Oral solution (U.S.)
- Tablets (U.S. and Canada)
- Magnesium Hydroxide
- Tablets (U.S.)
- Chewable tablets (U.S. and Canada)
- Oral solution (U.S. and Canada)
- Magnesium Lactate
- Extended-release tablets (U.S.)
- Magnesium Oxide
- Capsules (U.S.)
- Tablets (U.S. and Canada)
- Magnesium Pidolate
- Powder for oral solution (Canada)
- Magnesium Sulfate
Parenteral- Magnesium Chloride
- Magnesium Sulfate
- Injection (U.S. and Canada)
Importance of Diet
For good health, it is importantthat you eat a balanced and varied diet. Follow carefully any diet programyour health care professional may recommend. For your specific dietary vitaminand/or mineral needs, ask your health care professional for a list of appropriatefoods. If you think that you are not getting enough vitamins and/or mineralsin your diet, you may choose to take a dietary supplement.The best dietary sources of magnesium include green leafy vegetables, nuts,peas, beans, and cereal grains in which the germ or outer layers have notbeen removed. Hard water has been found to contain more magnesium than softwater. A diet high in fat may cause less magnesium to be absorbed. Cookingmay decrease the magnesium content of food.
The daily amount of magnesium needed is defined in several different ways.
For U.S.?- Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) are the amount of vitaminsand minerals needed to provide for adequate nutrition in most healthy persons.RDAs for a given nutrient may vary depending on a person's age, sex, and physicalcondition (e.g., pregnancy).
- Daily Values (DVs) are used on food and dietary supplement labelsto indicate the percent of the recommended daily amount of each nutrient thata serving provides. DV replaces the previous designation of United StatesRecommended Daily Allowances (USRDAs).
For Canada?- Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNIs) are used to determine the amountsof vitamins, minerals, and protein needed to provide adequate nutrition andlessen the risk of chronic disease.
Normal daily recommended intakes in milligrams (mg) for magnesium are generallydefined as follows:
Persons | U.S. (mg) | Canada (mg) |
Infants and children Birth to 3 years of age | 40-80 | 20-50 |
4 to 6 years of age | 120 | 65 |
7 to 10 yearsof age | 170 | 100-135 |
Adolescent andadult males | 270-400 | 130-250 |
Adolescent and adult females | 280-300 | 135-210 |
Pregnant females | 320 | 195-245 |
Breast-feeding females | 340-355 | 245-265 |
Before Using This Dietary Supplement
If you are taking this dietary supplement without a prescription, carefullyread and follow any precautions on the label. For magnesium supplements, thefollowing should be considered:
Allergies?Tell your health care professional if you have everhad any unusual or allergic reaction to magnesium. Also tell your health careprofessional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives,or dyes.
Pregnancy?It is especially important that you are receivingenough vitamins and minerals when you become pregnant and that you continueto receive the right amount of vitamins and minerals throughout your pregnancy.The healthy growth and development of the fetus depend on a steady supplyof nutrients from the mother. However, taking large amounts of dietary supplementsduring pregnancy may be harmful to the mother and/or fetus and should be avoided.
Breast-feeding?It is especially important that you receive theright amount of vitamins and minerals so that your baby will also get thevitamins and minerals needed to grow properly. However, taking large amountsof a dietary supplement while breast-feeding may be harmful to the motherand/or baby and should be avoided.
Children?Problems in children have not been reported withintake of normal daily recommended amounts.
Older adults?Problems in older adults have not been reported withintake of normal daily recommended amounts.
Studies have shown that older adults may have lower blood levels of magnesiumthan younger adults. Your health care professional may recommend that youtake a magnesium supplement.
Medicines or other dietary supplements?Although certain medicines or other dietary supplements should not be usedtogether at all, in other cases they may be used together even if an interactionmight occur. In these cases, your health care professional may want to changethe dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking magnesium,it is especially important that your health care professional know if youare taking any of the following:
- Cellulose sodium phosphate?Use with magnesium supplements mayprevent cellulose sodium phosphate from working properly; magnesium supplementsshould be taken at least 1 hour before or after cellulose sodium phosphate
- Magnesium-containing preparations, other, including magnesium enemas?Usewith magnesium supplements may cause high blood levels of magnesium, whichmay increase the chance of side effects
- Sodium polystyrene sulfonate?Use with magnesium supplementsmay cause the magnesium supplement to be less effective
- Tetracyclines, oral?Use with magnesium supplements may preventthe tetracycline from working properly; magnesium supplements should be takenat least 1 to 3 hours before or after oral tetracycline
Other medical problems?The presence of other medicalproblems may affect the use of magnesium. Make sure you tell your health careprofessional if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- Heart disease?Magnesium supplements may make this conditionworse
- Kidney problems?Magnesium supplements may increase the riskof hypermagnesemia (too much magnesium in the blood), which could cause seriousside effects; your health care professional may need to change your dose
Proper Use of This Dietary Supplement
Dosing?The amount of magnesium needed to meet normaldaily recommended intakes will be different for different patients. The followinginformation includes only the average amounts of magnesium.
- For oral dosage form (capsules, chewabletablets, crystals for oral solution, extended-release tablets, enteric-coatedtablets, powder for oral solution, tablets, oral solution):
- To prevent deficiency, the amount taken by mouth is based on normaldaily recommended intakes (Note that the normal daily recommended intakesare expressed as an actual amount of magnesium. The salt form [e.g., magnesiumchloride, magnesium gluconate, etc.] has a different strength.):
For the U.S.- Adult and teenage males?270 to 400 milligrams (mg) per day.
- Adult and teenage females?280 to 300 mg per day.
- Pregnant females?320 mg per day.
- Breast-feeding females?340 to 355 mg per day.
- Children 7 to 10 years of age?170 mg per day.
- Children 4 to 6 years of age?120 mg per day.
- Children birth to 3 years of age?40 to 80 mg per day.
For Canada- Adult and teenage males?130 to 250 mg per day.
- Adult and teenage females?135 to 210 mg per day.
- Pregnant females?195 to 245 mg per day.
- Breast-feeding females?245 to 265 mg per day.
- Children 7 to 10 years of age?100 to 135 mg per day.
- Children 4 to 6 years of age?65 mg per day.
- Children birth to 3 years of age?20 to 50 mg per day.
- To treat deficiency:
- Adults, teenagers, and children?Treatment dose is determinedby prescriber for each individual based on severity of deficiency.
Magnesium supplements should be taken with meals. Taking magnesium supplementson an empty stomach may cause diarrhea.
For individuals taking the extended-release formof this dietary supplement:
- Swallow the tablets whole. Do not chew or suck on the tablet.
- Some tablets may be broken or crushed and sprinkled on applesauceor other soft food. However, check with your health care professional first,since this should not be done for most tablets.
For individuals taking the powder form of thisdietary supplement:
- Pour powder into a glass.
- Add water and stir.
Missed dose?If you miss taking your magnesium supplement forone or more days there is no cause for concern, since it takes some time foryour body to become seriously low in magnesium. However, if your health careprofessional has recommended that you take magnesium, try to remember to takeit as directed every day.
Storage?To store this dietary supplement:
- Keep out of the reach of children.
- Store away from heat and direct light.
- Do not store in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in otherdamp places. Heat or moisture may cause the dietary supplement to break down.
- Keep the dietary supplement from freezing. Do not refrigerate.
- Do not keep dietary supplements that are outdated or are no longerneeded. Be sure that any discarded dietary supplement is out of the reachof children.
Side Effects of This Dietary Supplement
Along with its needed effects, a dietary supplement may cause some unwantedeffects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occurthey may need medical attention.
Check with your healthcare professional immediately if any of the following side effectsoccur:
Rare (with injectable magnesium only)
Dizziness or fainting; flushing; irritation and pain at injection site?for intramuscularadministration only; muscle paralysis; troubled breathing
Symptoms of overdose (rare in individuals with normal kidney function)
Blurred or double vision; coma; dizziness or fainting; drowsiness (severe); increased or decreased urination; slow heartbeat; troubled breathing
Other sideeffects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effectsmay go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. However,check with your health care professional if the following side effect continuesor is bothersome:
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some individuals. Ifyou notice any other effects, check with your health care professional.
Revised: 07/11/1995
