Possible side effects of magnesium supplements

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Side effects of magnesium include nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, low blood pressure... To avoid the risk of side effects, drug interactions, magnesium supplements need to performed when prescribed by a doctor.

1. The risks of magnesium supplements

Side effects: Magnesium supplements can cause side effects such as nausea, upset stomach, and diarrhea. In addition, this mineral also has a stool softening effect; Drug interactions: Magnesium may not be safe for people taking diuretics, heart medications, or antibiotics. Tell your doctor if you are being treated for a medical condition or are taking any medications before taking magnesium supplements; Effects on other conditions: People with diabetes, intestinal disease, heart disease or kidney disease should not take magnesium, unless specifically directed by the treating doctor; Overdose: Signs of a magnesium overdose include nausea, diarrhea, low blood pressure, muscle weakness, and fatigue. Magnesium can be fatal if taken in too high a dose. When taken by mouth, magnesium is relatively safe if taken at doses below 350 mg per day in healthy adults.

2. Objects that need special attention

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Magnesium is relatively safe for pregnant and lactating women when taken by mouth in doses below 350 mg per day. For parenteral magnesium supplements, they should only be given intravenously (IV) and the injection should be given at least 5 days before the due date. On the other hand, magnesium is only indicated for pregnant women with certain serious health conditions. There is evidence that magnesium can cause serious bone and brain problems in infants; Children: Magnesium is relatively safe for most children when taken by mouth or by injection in appropriate doses prescribed by a doctor. A safe dose of magnesium when taken by mouth is less than 65 mg for children 1 to 3 years old, 110 mg for children 4 to 8 years old, and 350 mg for children 8 years of age and older; Alcoholics: Alcohol abuse increases the risk of magnesium deficiency;

Blood clotting disorders : Magnesium has the ability to slow down the clotting process. In theory, magnesium supplementation increases the risk of bleeding or bruising in patients with bleeding disorders; Diabetics: Increased risk of magnesium deficiency. Diabetes when not well controlled will reduce the amount of magnesium that the body absorbs; Elderly: Elderly people are at risk of magnesium deficiency due to reduced absorption of magnesium. On the other hand, this group of subjects often have a number of other diseases affecting magnesium absorption; Atrioventricular block (heart block): High doses of magnesium (especially when given intravenously) should not be given to people with heart block; Conditions that affect magnesium absorption: The ability to absorb magnesium can be reduced by a number of conditions, including stomach infections, immune diseases, inflammatory bowel disease; People with myasthenia gravis : Magnesium given intravenously can weaken and cause breathing difficulties in people with myasthenia gravis; People with kidney problems, such as kidney failure: If the kidneys are not working properly, it will affect their ability to remove magnesium from the body, causing magnesium to accumulate to dangerous levels; Restless legs syndrome (also known as restless legs syndrome, RLS): People with restless legs syndrome often have higher-than-normal magnesium levels. Therefore, this subject should be cautious when supplementing with magnesium.

3. What are the side effects of magnesium?

Pregnant women rarely experience an overdose of magnesium with a normal diet. However, once a woman has taken magnesium supplements, there is a risk of an overdose of this mineral. Here are some side effects of magnesium supplements when taken in excess:
Diarrhea and dehydration: Magnesium supplements can stimulate bowel movements in some pregnant women, leading to diarrhea, cramping pain. stomach and loss of appetite. If diarrhea is not treated, there is a risk of dehydration - a serious symptom of pregnancy that affects the amount of amniotic fluid. If a pregnant woman is taking magnesium supplements and has diarrhea for 2-3 days, she should see a doctor for appropriate treatment.
Stomach pain: Common symptoms during pregnancy are abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting (morning sickness). Magnesium supplements can lead to conditions similar to morning sickness. These symptoms will usually subside within a few hours of treatment, but if they persist, notify your doctor right away.
If a pregnant woman experiences any of the following symptoms after taking magnesium supplements, she should go to the emergency room immediately. Magnesium overdose can be fatal if not treated promptly. The side effects of magnesium that need special attention include:
Continuous vomiting; Cardiac arrhythmias; Muscle weakness; Lower blood pressure; Shortness of breath; Dreamy.

Magnesium should only be used for a short time, about 3-7 days. If treated for a long time, the drug can accumulate in the body, causing respiratory failure and hypoxemia of the fetus. Additionally, magnesium can pull calcium out of the infant's bone tissue, leading to an increased risk of fractures during labor. Pregnant women should stop taking magnesium supplements before labor.

4. Risk of drug interactions when supplementing with magnesium

Magnesium is rated as likely to cause moderate interactions. Drugs that have the potential to interact with magnesium, leading to unwanted side effects, include:
Aminoglycoside antibiotics: Magnesium can affect muscles and this risk is increased when taken with other drugs. Aminoglycoside antibiotics. Some antibiotics in the aminoglycoside group include amikacin, gentamicin, kanamycin, streptomycin, and tobramycin.
Quinolone and tetracycline antibiotics: Magnesium can reduce the absorption of quinolone and tetracycline antibiotics, leading to a decrease in the therapeutic effect. To avoid this interaction, take these antibiotics at least 2 hours before taking magnesium supplements or at least 4 hours after taking magnesium-containing medications. Some quinolones that can interact with magnesium include ciprofloxacin, enoxacin, norfloxacin, sparfloxacin, trovafloxacin, and grepafloxacin.
Some tetracyclines that commonly interact with magnesium include demeclocycline, minocycline and tetracycline.
Bisphosphonates: Magnesium supplementation with bisphosphates may decrease the effectiveness of treatment. Therefore, these 2 drugs should be taken at a distance from each other during the day. Calcium channel blockers: Lowering blood pressure is one of the side effects of magnesium. The risk of side effects is increased when used with antihypertensive drugs, causing the patient's blood pressure to drop to very low levels. The typical drugs in the calcium channel blocker group are isradipine, felodipine, amlodipine.
Muscle relaxants: Magnesium has the effect of relaxing muscles. Magnesium supplements along with muscle relaxants may increase the risk of side effects on the muscles. Common muscle relaxants include pancuronium and succinylcholine.
Potassium-sparing diuretics: To treat high blood pressure, doctors may prescribe potassium-sparing diuretics. However, this class of drugs can increase the risk of magnesium side effects by increasing magnesium levels in the body.
To meet the need for magnesium supplements, it is not always necessary to use drugs and supplements. Instead, you should eat sensibly and follow your doctor's instructions to limit the side effects of magnesium.

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Reference source: webmd.com