Bronchial asthma is a disorder that severely reduces the amount of air your lungs obtain while you breathe. In asthmatics, the airways of the lungs, or bronchi, begin to swell and become inflamed when exposed to a specific allergen or trigger, reports MedlinePlus, a health-information website of the National Institutes of Health. Using magnesium, or compounds containing magnesium, reportedly relieves the symptoms of asthma and allows your lungs to get more oxygen from the environment. Do not attempt to self-treat asthma with magnesium or reduce your asthma medication without the advice of your doctor.
Magnesium and Asthma
In bronchial asthma, the smooth muscles around your airways constrict, which causes even less oxygen to get to your lungs. Smooth-muscle contraction is modulated by a variety of minerals including magnesium. Without adequate levels of magnesium, your muscles are more excitable and contract quickly when exposed to a trigger or allergen, a 2007 article in “Archivum Immunologiae et Therapiae Experimentalis” explains. If you suffer from asthma, high magnesium levels will lessen the risk of contraction in your bronchial smooth muscles, thus reducing the symptoms of asthma.
Bronchodilation
Bronchoconstriction, which is another term for narrowing of your airways, is the main characteristic of bronchial asthma. Magnesium, in the form of magnesium sulfate, causes a noticeable widening of your bronchi, a process called bronchodilation, according to an article published in the February 1990 issue of “Chest.” Magnesium sulfate improved lung function tests in 10 out 12 subjects. Talk to your doctor about whether adding magnesium sulfate to your current asthma medication will help control the disease.
Magnesium and Conventional Asthma Medication
Salbutamol sulfate is a medication commonly used to treat acute cases of bronchial asthma. When compared with magnesium sulfate, salbutamol proved more effective and worked for a longer period of time. When using salbutamol, you will experience an improvement in lung function, respiratory rate and bronchodilation for approximately six hours, according to a study found in the April to June 1996 issue of “The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics.” Conversely, magnesium sulfate only showed improvement for around one hour after administration. Therefore, though magnesium sulfate does show some ability to help treat asthma, it should never replace more conventional medications. In some cases, using magnesium sulfate as an adjunct to regular treatment may be a viable option.
When to Use Magnesium Sulfate
Though magnesium sulfate is not as powerful as other asthma medications, you can use the drug in certain situations. The article in “Archivum Immunologiae et Therapiae Experimentalis” says that one dose of magnesium sulfate should be given to patients suffering from a severe bronchial asthma attack that has proven resistant to treatment with other drugs. In such a case, conventional medication has proven ineffective and one dose of magnesium sulfate may help treat the patient. Your doctor will know whether magnesium sulfate is right for your particular case.
References
- MedlinePlus; Asthma; David Zieve, MD and Denis Hadjiliadis, MD; May 2011
- “Archivum Immunologiae et Therapiae Experimentalis”; The Use of Magnesium in Bronchial Asthma: A New Approach to an Old Problem.; A. Kowal, et al.; January to February 2007
- "Chest"; Bronchodilating Effect of Intravenous Magnesium Sulfate in Acute Severe Bronchial Asthma; M. Noppen, et al.; Febraury 1990
- “The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics”; Inhalation Therapy with Magnesium Sulfate and Salbutamol Sulfate in Bronchial Asthma; A. Meral, et al.; April to June 1996
