Magnesium chloride is a supplement used to correct low magnesium levels in your blood. Alcohol abuse and poor nutrition can lead to lowered magnesium levels, which, if you suffer from epilepsy, can cause seizures and a calcium deficiency. Although magnesium chloride can help to correct conditions that these deficiencies cause, it has dangers that you must consider when taking it.
Overdose
If you overdose on magnesium chloride, HealthyAdvice.com recommends immediate emergency medical attention. An overdose can cause any number of side effects, ranging from nausea, vomiting and flushing to low blood pressure and slow heartbeat. You may feel drowsy, and, in the most severe cases of magnesium chloride overdose, you may experience coma or death.
Allergic Reaction
Drugs.com advises that you watch for any signs of an allergic reaction when taking magnesium chloride. These signs may include hives, dizziness, trouble breathing or swelling in your face, tongue, throat or lips.
Harmful to Pregnant or Nursing Women
Whether magnesium chloride can harm a fetus or nursing baby is unknown. Little data exists concerning whether magnesium chloride can be transferred from mother to infant via breast milk, but Drugs.com notes that a related drug, magnesium sulfate, has produced magnesium in breast milk.
Kidney Complications
The authors of the report "Magnesium Chloride Hexahydrate Therapy," posted on the Arthritis Trust website, note that magnesium chloride can have an adverse effect on your kidneys. If you have a pre-existing kidney condition, your kidneys may be unable to process and eliminate such minerals as magnesium.
Reactions With Other Medications
Avoid using magnesium chloride if you are taking certain other drugs. These include many antibiotics, such as tetracycline antibiotics and fluoroquinolone antibiotics. MedHelp.org also lists penicillamine, digoxin and nitrofurantoin as additional drugs to avoid. Other medications to avoid include antacids or laxatives, which may contain magnesium. According to HealthCare.com, the combination of magnesium chloride with other magnesium-based medicines can cause magnesium toxicity.
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