Magnesium oxide comes as a tablet and capsule to take by mouth. It usually is taken one to four times daily depending on which brand is used and what condition you have. Follow the directions on the package or on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take magnesium oxide exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
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Take any other medicine and magnesium oxide at least 2 hours apart.
If you are using magnesium oxide as a laxative, take it with a full glass (8 ounces [240 milliliters]) of cold water or fruit juice. Do not take a dose late in the day on an empty stomach.
Do not take magnesium oxide as an antacid for longer than 2 weeks unless your doctor tells you to. Do not take magnesium oxide as a laxative for more than 1 week unless your doctor tells you to.
This article explains everything you need to know about magnesium oxide, including how it compares with other forms of magnesium, its potential benefits and side effects, and how to take it.
Magnesium oxide is one of the most common forms sold in supplement form, either as a stand-alone supplement or in multinutrient products.
It&#;s found in a number of foods but can also be taken as a dietary supplement. These supplements contain different forms of magnesium, including magnesium citrate, magnesium glycinate, and magnesium oxide.
Magnesium is a mineral that&#;s needed for many bodily processes, including blood sugar regulation, nerve function, energy production, and DNA synthesis ( 1 ).
Magnesium oxide is a supplement often used to treat migraine and constipation. It may provide other health benefits, including potentially lowering blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
Magnesium oxide is an inorganic salt of magnesium. Even though it contains high amounts of magnesium, it has low absorbability in the body. Still, it has been shown to offer health benefits like constipation relief.
Still, magnesium oxide has been shown to offer several benefits and is commonly used to treat medical conditions like chronic constipation.
In contrast, magnesium citrate, magnesium acetyl taurate, magnesium malate, and magnesium glycinate all have high absorption rates and are more effective at increasing magnesium levels in the body ( 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ).
A rat study demonstrated its low absorption rate, concluding that only 15% of orally administered magnesium oxide was absorbed, while 85% was excreted in the feces. Older research suggests the absorption rate is even lower in humans ( 4 , 5 ).
Because of its low absorption rate in your intestines, magnesium oxide may lead to digestive effects like diarrhea. In fact, its strong laxative effects are why it&#;s commonly used to treat constipation ( 3 ).
Meanwhile, a supplement with both inorganic and organic magnesium salts &#; magnesium oxide and magnesium glycerophosphate, respectively &#; had the highest bioavailability ( 3 ).
A study confirmed this by testing 15 magnesium supplements and finding that a supplement containing only magnesium oxide had the lowest bioavailability ( 3 ).
However, they have a low solubility rate, making them less bioavailable than other forms of the mineral. So, even though magnesium oxide supplements provide a good amount of magnesium, it&#;s not the most available form for your body to utilize ( 3 ).
Magnesium oxide and other inorganic salts of magnesium like magnesium carbonate are high in elemental magnesium, which is the total amount of magnesium in a supplement ( 3 ).
How does it compare with other forms of magnesium?
Compared with other forms of magnesium, it may be less effective at raising blood magnesium levels ( 3 ).
It&#;s one of many forms of magnesium available for purchase in supplement form. It&#;s added to dietary supplements as well as over-the-counter medications used to treat constipation, indigestion, and headaches.
Magnesium oxide is an inorganic salt of magnesium formed with ions of magnesium and oxygen ( 2 ).
Research shows that magnesium oxide is effective at treating certain medical conditions.
Magnesium is needed for proper nerve cell functioning. As such, a deficiency in this mineral can lead to migraine headaches.
Studies show that magnesium oxide may reduce headache symptoms. It may even be as effective as some migraine headache medications (11).
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For example, a randomized, controlled, double-blind study in 63 people who experienced migraine found that taking 500 mg of magnesium oxide daily reduced migraine frequency as effectively as a migraine medication called valproate sodium (12).
Older research also suggests that magnesium oxide may reduce migraine in children (13).
However, other forms of magnesium like magnesium sulfate and magnesium citrate may be more effective at treating migraine, as they are typically better absorbed (14, 15, 16).
Magnesium plays an important role in your body&#;s stress response. In fact, studies have shown that people who experience frequent stress tend to have lower magnesium stores (17).
Some studies have shown that supplementing with magnesium may help reduce levels of stress and anxiety in certain populations.
For example, a review of 18 studies found that magnesium oxide may reduce stress and anxiety in women with premenstrual syndrome, but only when combined with vitamin B6 (18).
Despite these promising results, researchers acknowledge that the quality of existing studies on the subject is poor, and future well-designed studies are needed (18).
One of the most common uses of magnesium oxide supplements is constipation treatment. The supplement has an osmotic effect, meaning it draws water into the intestines to cause a laxative effect that can help relieve constipation in both children and adults.
In a small randomized, double-blind, controlled study, 34 women with mild to moderate constipation were treated with either 1.5 grams of magnesium oxide or a placebo daily for 4 weeks (19).
Many women in the magnesium group experienced significantly improved bowel movement frequency, stool form, colonic transport time, and quality of life compared with the placebo group (19).
In fact, over 70% of those treated with magnesium oxide reported overall symptom improvement, compared with only 25% of those in the placebo group (19).
Similarly, a study in 90 people with constipation found that taking either 1.5 grams of magnesium oxide or 1 gram of senna, another laxative, significantly improved spontaneous bowel movements and constipation-related quality of life compared with a placebo (20).
Magnesium oxide has also been shown to prevent constipation after surgery, treat opioid-induced constipation, and improve functional constipation in children (21).
That said, while magnesium oxide has been shown to be safe for treating constipation, it may lead to dangerously high magnesium levels in certain populations, such as those with kidney impairment and older adults (5).
Magnesium oxide supplements may help reduce elevated blood pressure levels.
A study in 48 people with high blood pressure found that treatment with 300 mg of magnesium oxide per day for 1 month significantly decreased both systolic (the top number) and diastolic (the bottom number) blood pressure (23).
Researchers theorize that the supplement may lower blood pressure by decreasing cellular calcium levels to relax smooth muscle cells and widen blood vessels (23).
Magnesium supplements may lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.
For example, supplements containing magnesium oxide and zinc have been shown to lower blood sugar levels in people with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes, which is diabetes that can occur during pregnancy (24).
In a study, 70 women with gestational diabetes supplemented with either 250 mg of magnesium oxide or a placebo daily for 6 weeks (25).
The magnesium oxide treatment significantly improved blood sugar levels. It also reduced triglyceride levels and the inflammatory markers C-reactive protein (CRP) and malondialdehyde, compared with the placebo group (25).
Magnesium oxide supplements have also been shown to improve blood sugar management in Egyptian children with type 1 diabetes and Iranian adults with type 2 diabetes (26, 27).
SummaryMagnesium oxide may help treat migraine and constipation, reduce blood pressure, improve blood sugar management, and decrease levels of stress and anxiety in certain populations.
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