What is Magnesium Chloride?

Magnesium is a mineral that occurs naturally in the body and is found in certain foods. Magnesium is important for many systems in the body especially the muscles, nerves, heart, and bones.
Magnesium chloride is used to treat or prevent magnesium deficiency (lack of natural magnesium in the body).
Magnesium chloride may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about Magnesium Chloride?

You should not use this medication if you are allergic to it, or if you have kidney disease, a stomach ulcer or disorder, or if you are dehydrated.
Before taking magnesium chloride, tell your doctor if you have any other medical conditions or any type of allergy.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. It is not known whether magnesium chloride could harm an unborn baby, or if it passes into breast milk and could harm a nursing baby. Your dose needs may be different while you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
Avoid using antacids or laxatives without your doctor’s advice. These medications may contain minerals and if you take certain products together you may get too much magnesium.
Tell your doctor about all other medications you use, especially antibiotics, ADHD medication, thyroid medication, or medication for osteoporosis or Paget’s disease.
Magnesium chloride is only part of a complete program of treatment that may also includes a special diet. It is very important to follow the diet plan created for you by your doctor or nutrition counselor.
To be sure this medication is helping your condition and not causing harmful effects, your blood may need to be tested on a regular basis. Your kidney function may also need to be tested. Do not miss any follow-up visits to your doctor.
Call your doctor at once if you have signs of too much magnesium in your blood, such as depression, feeling tired or irritable, muscle cramps, or severe or ongoing diarrhea.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Magnesium Chloride?

You should not use this medication if you are allergic to it, or if you have:

kidney disease
a stomach ulcer or disorder; or
if you are dehydrated

Before taking magnesium chloride, tell your doctor if you have any other medical conditions or any type of allergy.
It is not known whether magnesium chloride is harmful to an unborn baby. Your dose needs may be different during pregnancy. Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.
It is not known whether magnesium chloride passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Your dose needs may be different while you are nursing. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Magnesium Chloride Side Effects

What are the possible side effects of Magnesium Chloride?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; severe dizziness, difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have signs that you magnesium blood levels are too low, such as:

depression, feeling tired or irritable
muscle cramps; or
severe or ongoing diarrhea

Less serious side effects may include:

mild diarrhea
nausea, stomach pain; or
upset stomach

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Magnesium Chloride Interactions

What other drugs affect Magnesium Chloride?

Tell your doctor about all other medications you use, especially:

digoxin (Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps)
sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Kalexate, Kayexalate, Kionex)
an amphetamine such as ADHD medication (Adderall, Vyvanse, Dexedrine, and others)
an antibiotic such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro), ofloxacin (Floxin), norfloxacin (Noroxin), levofloxacin (Levaquin), and others
medication for osteoporosis or Paget’s disease, such as alendronate (Fosamax), ibandronate (Boniva), etidronate (Didronel), pamidronate (Aredia), or risedronate (Actonel); or
thyroid replacement medication such as levothyroxine (Synthroid, Levothroid, Unithroid)

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with magnesium chloride. Tell your doctor about all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

What should I avoid while taking Magnesium Chloride?

Avoid using antacids or laxatives without your doctor’s advice. Use only the specific type of antacid your doctor recommends. These medications may contain minerals and if you take certain products together you may get too much magnesium.
If you are taking a tetracycline antibiotic, avoid taking it within 2 hours before or 3 hours after you take magnesium chloride. Tetracycline antibiotics include doxycycline (Adoxa, Doryx, Oracea, Vibramycin), minocycline (Dynacin, Minocin, Solodyn, Vectrin), or tetracycline (Brodspec, Panmycin, Sumycin, Tetracap, and others).

Magnesium Chloride Dosage

How should I take Magnesium Chloride?

Use this medication exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use it in larger amounts or for longer than recommended.
Take this medication with a full glass of water.
Magnesium chloride should be taken with food if it upsets your stomach or causes diarrhea. Follow your doctor’s instructions.
Do not crush, chew, or break an extended-release tablet. Swallow the pill whole. Breaking the pill may cause too much of the drug to be released at one time.
It is important to use magnesium chloride regularly to get the most benefit. Try to take your dose(s) at the same time each day.
Magnesium chloride is only part of a complete program of treatment that may also includes a special diet. It is very important to follow the diet plan created for you by your doctor or nutrition counselor. You should become very familiar with the list of foods you should eat to help control your condition.
To be sure this medication is helping your condition and not causing harmful effects, your blood may need to be tested on a regular basis. Your kidney function may also need to be tested. Do not miss any follow-up visits to your doctor.
Store magnesium chloride at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light

What happens if I overdose on Magnesium Chloride?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
Overdose symptoms may include thirst, confusion, severe drowsiness, slow heart rate, urinating less than usual or not at all, swelling, weight gain, feeling short of breath, or fainting.

What happens if I miss a dose of Magnesium Chloride?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then to take the medicine and skip the missed dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
Edited from everydayhealth.com

Magnesium Chloride