Can you overdose on magnesium?
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The bottom line
Magnesium is essential for nerve and muscle function, bone health, heart rhythm, and other body processes. It is in food, laxatives, antacids, and supplements. Overdoses can occur from repeated use of too high a dose or a single large dose. Symptoms of toxicity include nausea, stomachache, vomiting, muscle weakness, abnormal heart rhythms, low blood pressure, lethargy, coma, and stopped breathing or heartbeat.
Prevention tips
Store magnesium up, away, and out of reach of children.
Eat magnesium-rich foods, rather than relying on supplements.
Use the recommended dose on the label.
Limit intake of supplements to the recommended upper limit per day.
Do not use magnesium-containing products if you have decreased kidney function.
Check with your doctor or pharmacist whether any of your medications affect kidney function.
This really happened
A 56-year-old man with multiple medical problems ingested 4 spoonfuls of Epsom salt as a laxative. He felt weak and generally unwell, so he went to the emergency department. He was slightly confused with weakness and decreased reflexes. Within 10 minutes he developed a slow heart rate and low blood pressure, and he became drowsy and then unresponsive. The EKG was abnormal with prolonged intervals (PR, QRS, and QTc). He developed respiratory depression and was intubated. He was treated with intravenous fluids, antibiotics, a diuretic, and calcium. The serum magnesium level was high, so he was treated with dialysis. His magnesium level dropped, and his neurologic status returned to normal. He was extubated and later discharged on day 3 (from Walker et al., 2020).
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What is magnesium?
Magnesium is a chemical element your body needs for nerve and muscle function. It turns food into cellular energy, strengthens bones, and regulates blood pressure and heart rate. It also supports the immune system and helps regulate blood sugar levels.
What products contain a lot of magnesium?
Sources of magnesium in food include spinach, kale, nuts and seeds, brown rice, whole wheat, and beans. It is also found in nonprescription antacids, laxatives, Epsom salts, and dietary supplements. In the healthcare setting, magnesium sulfate is available intravenously for cardiac arrhythmias and preeclampsia, a pregnancy complication that causes high blood pressure and organ damage.
Can you overdose on magnesium?
Yes, it is possible to overdose on magnesium either chronically (by taking too much per day) or acutely (by swallowing a large amount all at once).
Get expert help
If you suspect an overdose of magnesium or have questions about using magnesium safely, use the webPOISONCONTROL® online tool to get help, or call your poison center at 1-800-222-1222. Whether online or by phone, expert guidance is always free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day.
What should I do if I take too much magnesium?
If you take too much magnesium, stop taking it. If you have diarrhea, drink fluids and electrolyte solutions. If you have more serious symptoms, seek medical attention.
How much magnesium is too much?
The recommended dietary allowance of magnesium depends on age and sex. Recommended amounts for children and teenagers range from 80 mg/day to 410 mg/day, depending on age. For adult men it is 400–420 mg/day, for women it is 310–320 mg/day, and for pregnant people it is 360–400 mg/day. Recommended amounts are from all sources, not just from taking supplements. Taking more than these amounts in food is usually okay if your kidneys are healthy. Healthy kidneys can eliminate excess magnesium.
Taking more than the recommended doses of antacids, laxatives, or supplements can elevate serum magnesium levels resulting in side effects and toxicity. Taking more than 5,000 mg/day of these products can cause hypermagnesemia (too much magnesium in the blood), even if kidneys are functioning fine.
What are the symptoms of a magnesium overdose?
Symptoms of a magnesium overdose include nausea, stomachache, and diarrhea. Ingestion of repeated doses or large doses can cause severe diarrhea with fluid and electrolyte abnormalities. Other signs of toxicity include vomiting, muscle weakness, abnormal cardiac rhythms, low blood pressure, and lethargy. Coma, respiratory arrest, and asystole (a flat line on an EKG, meaning the heart has stopped) occur with very high levels.
Who is at risk of magnesium poisoning?
People with pre-existing poor kidney function are at risk of magnesium poisoning. Since kidney function often declines with age, this includes many older adults. Even people with healthy kidneys are at risk of magnesium poisoning if they take large doses chronically or too much all at once.
Is it dangerous to drink Epsom salt?
Yes, it is dangerous to drink Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate). This can lead to severe diarrhea and dehydration as well as too much magnesium in the blood, resulting in magnesium toxicity.
Can a child overdose on magnesium?
Yes. Taking more than the recommended amount of magnesium-containing supplements, laxatives, or antacids can cause an overdose. Children may be especially attracted to certain magnesium products. For example, fragranced Epsom salts may smell appealing, and flavored magnesium citrate laxatives may taste good, leading a child to drink a large amount. Ingesting too much of these products can cause magnesium poisoning.