Over-the-counter medication · Mineral Supplement

magnesium oxide

Also sold as Mag-Ox. Mag-Ox treats acid indigestion and upset stomach.

Data updated 2026-05-15

39,831
FDA reportsModerately reported
1
InteractionFew interactions
<$0.01
Generic price (NADAC)

What the data shows

magnesium oxide (Mag-Ox) is an over-the-counter Mineral Supplement, reported at a middle-of-the-pack volume (39,831 FDA reports), with 1 documented drug interaction.

Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.

magnesium oxide (Mag-Ox) is an over-the-counter Mineral Supplement. Mag-Ox treats acid indigestion and upset stomach.

Magnesium oxide (Mag-Ox) is a mineral supplement. It helps relieve acid indigestion and upset stomach.

Drug Pricing (NADAC)

Generic Price

<$0.01/unit

Generic Available

Yes (14 manufacturers)

Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →

NADAC price trail: MAGNESIUM CITRATE SOLUTION

Same CMS presentation as the headline generic unit price above (3 effective dates). Adjacent % compares consecutive NADAC releases for this description only, not a patient out-of-pocket quote. Latest step: +5.6% vs prior release.

0.66¢0.68¢0.7¢0.72¢0.74¢0.76¢ 2024-052024-072024-12 0.75¢
Effective NADAC / unit vs prior NDCs
May 22, 2024 $0.0067/ML - 1
July 17, 2024 $0.0071/ML +5.5% 2
December 18, 2024 $0.0075/ML +5.6% 1
View Alternatives → Compare with Another Drug → Full Side Effects Report →

What it does

Mag-Ox treats acid indigestion and upset stomach.

Common side effects

Diarrhea

Key warnings

No specific warnings noted. Always follow your prescriber's instructions.

The sections below are summarized in plain English from magnesium oxide's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.

How It Works

Mag-Ox contains magnesium oxide, which neutralizes stomach acid. This helps to reduce discomfort caused by excess acid. It provides relief from indigestion and upset stomach.

Side Effects (from patient reports)

Based on 39,831 FDA adverse event reports.

Most-reported reactions

Adverse reactions in FAERS for magnesium oxide, by number of reports

reports

What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.

Source FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) As of 2025

Reports over time

Adverse-event reports filed for magnesium oxide each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).

01,0002,0003,0004,000 200220052008201120142017202020232025 3,253

Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.

Where magnesium oxide sits

magnesium oxide has more FDA adverse-event reports than 69% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.

fewest reports most reports

Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is magnesium oxide; the line is the median (50th percentile).

FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis

Detailed analysis of 39,831 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2002–2025.

Total Reports

39,831

Reports Mentioning Death

6,280

15.8% of reports — not proof of cause

Hospitalization Reports

19,832

Top Indication

Product Used For Unknown Indication

Gender Distribution

Female 20,905 (56%)
Male 16,312 (44%)

Age Distribution

0–17 658
18–44 2,526
45–64 8,267
65–74 8,659
75+ 8,409

Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)

# Reaction Reports
1 NAUSEA 2,795
2 DIARRHOEA 2,580
3 FATIGUE 2,419
4 DYSPNOEA 2,054
5 PNEUMONIA 2,029
7 PYREXIA 1,829
8 VOMITING 1,666
9 DEATH 1,601
10 HEADACHE 1,598
11 ANAEMIA 1,465
12 PAIN 1,453
13 DECREASED APPETITE 1,440
14 CONSTIPATION 1,404
16 FALL 1,335
17 ASTHENIA 1,302

Reactions in Death Reports

DEATH 1,595
PNEUMONIA 613
SEPSIS 397
DYSPNOEA 390
MALIGNANT NEOPLASM PROGRESSION 386
NAUSEA 376
INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE 371
PYREXIA 362
ANAEMIA 361
VOMITING 318

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

PNEUMONIA 1,642
NAUSEA 1,560
PYREXIA 1,426
DIARRHOEA 1,395
DYSPNOEA 1,298
VOMITING 1,107
ANAEMIA 1,092
FATIGUE 1,048
DECREASED APPETITE 897
FALL 878

Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation

Known Drug Interactions

moderate naproxen

Antacids and Sucralfate Clinical Impact: Concomitant administration of some antacids (magnesium oxide or aluminum hydroxide) and sucralfate can delay the absorption of naproxen. Intervention: Concomitant administration of antacids such as magnesium oxide or aluminum hydroxide, and sucralfate with naproxen tablets and naproxen sodium tablets is not recommended.

Mechanism: Magnesium oxide can slow down how quickly your body absorbs naproxen into your bloodstream. This might make the naproxen take longer to start working.

This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.

Common Questions

What is Mag-Ox used for?
Mag-Ox is used to relieve acid indigestion and upset stomach.
How many tablets can I take each day?
Do not take more than two tablets unless your doctor tells you to.
Can I take Mag-Ox with food?
Yes, you can take Mag-Ox with or without food.
What should I do if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Do not take more than two tablets in a day.
How should I store Mag-Ox?
Store it at room temperature, between 59° to 86°F.
Can I take Mag-Ox if I am pregnant?
Talk to your doctor before taking Mag-Ox if you are pregnant.
What if my symptoms do not improve?
Talk to your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after taking Mag-Ox.
Is Mag-Ox safe for children?
Ask your doctor if Mag-Ox is safe for children.
Can I take Mag-Ox with other medications?
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Mag-Ox with other medications.
What are the possible side effects of Mag-Ox?
The most common side effect is diarrhea.
What are the common side effects of magnesium oxide?
The registry lists Diarrhea among the most-reported FAERS reaction terms for magnesium oxide. The compiled record contains 39,831 FDA adverse-event reports. These counts are not an individual symptom assessment.
Does magnesium oxide interact with other medications?
The registry has 1 documented interaction rows for magnesium oxide. Notable source-record pairings include naproxen. These rows are not a complete medication review.
What drug class is magnesium oxide?
magnesium oxide belongs to the Mineral Supplement drug class. It is available over the counter (OTC). Mag-Ox treats acid indigestion and upset stomach.
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for magnesium oxide?
The FDA label for magnesium oxide contains product-specific pregnancy or breastfeeding language. PlainMeds does not apply that source text to an individual.

Other drugs grouped near magnesium oxide - same-class peers and common alternatives.

Compare magnesium oxide vs ascorbic acid side-by-side →

Compare beyond drug class

Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share

Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for magnesium oxide: nearest FDA FAERS report volume and nearest death-report share among drugs with at least 1,000 logged reports, excluding same-class neighbors listed above. Counts reflect reporting volume, not proven individual harm.

Medication Guides

What the FDA Data Shows for magnesium oxide

The FDA label for magnesium oxide (sold under brand names such as Mag-Ox) classifies it as an over-the-counter product in the Mineral Supplement class. Mag-Ox treats acid indigestion and upset stomach. Official labeling lists 1 commonly reported side effect, including Diarrhea.

Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 39,831 voluntary reports. The database also lists 1 documented drug interaction derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated moderate severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of <$0.01.

Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.

Data Sources

Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).

FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. This registry does not provide medication decisions.

Last updated: October 21, 2025

PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.

Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.

All federal data sources used on this page