How long does it take for diarrhea to occur after taking magnesium sulfate?

Magnesium sulfate has the effect of cleansing the intestines. For patients with constipation, it can increase gastrointestinal motility and accelerate gastrointestinal excretion. Generally, magnesium sulfate will be at its peak half an hour after taking it. At this time, you can drink some white sugar salt water, or warm boiled water, which can accelerate the cleansing of the intestines. Let us learn about this aspect below.

1. The role of magnesium sulfate

Magnesium sulfate can produce completely different pharmacological effects due to different administration routes. For example, oral magnesium sulfate is rarely absorbed and has laxative and choleretic effects; external hot compresses of magnesium sulfate have anti-inflammatory and detumescent effects; and injections can also cause central nervous system inhibition and skeletal muscle relaxation.

Oral magnesium sulfate is rarely absorbed in the intestines and therefore has a good laxative function, so magnesium sulfate is also called "Epsom salt". After oral magnesium sulfate solution reaches the intestinal cavity, it prevents the water in the intestine from being absorbed by the intestinal wall. Therefore, magnesium sulfate can be used to treat constipation, abnormal intestinal fermentation, and intestinal examination or preoperative preparation; combined with anthelmintics, it can also make intestinal parasites easier to expel. Each time, 5 to 20 grams of magnesium sulfate can be dissolved in 100 to 400 ml of warm water and taken orally once in the morning.

Oral magnesium sulfate can also stimulate the duodenal mucosa, reflexively causing relaxation of the common bile duct sphincter and contraction of the gallbladder, thereby promoting gallbladder emptying. It has a "choleretic" effect and can be used to treat cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. Take 2-5 grams each time, 3 times a day, orally before or during meals.

2. Usage and dosage of magnesium sulfate

Catharsis: Take 5-20g orally each time, usually in the morning on an empty stomach, and drink 100-400ml of water at the same time. It can also be dissolved in water before taking.

Choleretic: 2-5g each time, 3 times a day, before meals or between meals. You can also take 33% solution, 100ml each time;

Anticonvulsant, hypotensive, etc.: intramuscular injection of 25% solution, 4-10 ml each time; or dilute 10 ml of 25% solution with 5%-10% glucose injection to 1% or 5% concentration and then drip intravenously; for the treatment of angina pectoris, dilute 10 ml of 10% solution with 10 ml of 5%-10% glucose injection and then slowly inject intravenously, once a day for 10 consecutive days.

3. Adverse reactions to magnesium sulfate

If the concentration is too high during catharsis, it may cause dehydration; ulcers and damage to the gastrointestinal tract may easily lead to excessive absorption of magnesium ions and cause poisoning.