The magnesium sulfate (MgSO 4 ), or magnesium sulfate if you prefer, is the magnesium salt of sulfuric acid. In its heptahydrate form (MgSO 4 · 7 H 2 O) it is also known as English salt, or Epsom Salt in the Anglo-Saxon countries.
Magnesium sulfate as a laxative
Magnesium sulfate is marketed as a laxative to be taken by mouth, generally under the name of English salt or Epsom Salts. Depending on the doses of intake, generally in the order of 20 grams per day, magnesium sulfate can be used as a saline laxative or as an osmotic purgative (stronger effect); at such high doses, significant amounts of magnesium sulfate escape intestinal absorption, attracting water in the lumen of the viscera by osmotic gradient. Consequently, the ingestion of magnesium sulfate increases the hydration of the stool, giving it a semi-solid or frankly liquid consistency which facilitates its evacuation.
Undesirable effects and contraindications: if taken in excess or for prolonged periods, magnesium sulfate can cause kidney problems (related to excessive magnesium intake) and electrolyte imbalances. For this reason, magnesium sulfate is contraindicated for patients suffering from kidney disease and not recommended for elderly and children.
Potential benefits and medical applications
Magnesium sulfate is used in the medical field for the administration of magnesium intramuscularly and intravenously. In this regard it is found in a sterile, non-pyrogenic, heptahydrate form aqueous solution; available in concentrations of 4% and 8%, it can contain sodium hydroxide or sulfuric acid as pH correctors.
Some scientific evidences suggest that the infusion of magnesium sulfate (one gram intravenously for 15 minutes) can improve acute attacks of migraine; again parenterally, magnesium sulfate has been shown to be effective in the treatment of severe asthma attacks, of eclampsia (hypertension + proteinuria) in pregnancy, in delaying labor in the event of premature birth and in preventing the onset of infantile cerebral palsy in pre-term births. In general, however, the scientific literature concerning the possible clinical applications of magnesium sulfate should be considered in a broad sense; we are in fact talking about the form of magnesium mainly administered BY ENDOVENOUS, therefore the same benefits are not automatically valid in the case of oral intake of magnesium sulfate or other magnesium salts .
Each gram of magnesium sulfate provides 100 milligrams of elemental magnesium; nevertheless, there are few studies concerning the impact of oral administration of magnesium sulfate on mineral levels in the human body. In general, magnesium sulphate is considered to be poorly absorbable by the body, which is why - if it is used as a magnesium supplement - it is advisable to move towards salts with better bioavailability, such as organic ones (magnesium gluconate, aspartate, pyruvate, malate, citrate, pidolate, lactate or orotate) or to the cheaper magnesium chloride.
