Never Use Magnesium If You Are Taking These Medications? — What You Should Know
Magnesium supplements are safe for many people when used appropriately, but they can interact with certain medications. The concern is usually not that magnesium must never be used, but that it may reduce the absorption or effectiveness of some medicines or affect certain health conditions.
Medications that may require caution with magnesium
- Certain antibiotics
- Magnesium can bind to some antibiotics in the digestive tract and reduce how much medicine your body absorbs.
- Examples include tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones.
- Doctors often recommend separating doses by several hours.
- Thyroid hormone medication
- Magnesium supplements can interfere with absorption of levothyroxine if taken too close together.
- Taking them at different times may be advised.
- Bisphosphonates (some osteoporosis medicines)
- Magnesium may reduce absorption of medicines such as those used to treat bone loss.
- Diuretics (“water pills”)
- Some diuretics can change magnesium levels in the body, so monitoring may be needed.
- Certain heart medications
- Some medicines affecting heart rhythm or blood pressure may require medical guidance when combined with supplements.
- Kidney disease medications or conditions
- People with reduced kidney function may not clear extra magnesium well, which can lead to dangerously high magnesium levels
