Drug interactions
Levofloxacin + Magnesium
Severity: Moderate
Levofloxacin and Magnesium: moderate interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Oral magnesium salts (antacids, laxatives, supplements) bind levofloxacin in the gut and reduce how much is absorbed. This can lower antibiotic concentrations enough to cause treatment failure or promote resistance.
What this interaction means in plain words
Levofloxacin and Magnesium can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Levofloxacin belongs to Anti Bacterial; Magnesium belongs to Gastrointestinal Tract.
Why it happens
Divalent magnesium cations chelate the fluoroquinolone in the gastrointestinal tract, forming poorly absorbed complexes.
What to do
Give oral levofloxacin at least 2 hours before or after magnesium-containing products. Separate doses consistently throughout the course of therapy.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Levofloxacin and Magnesium, the additional notes, the evidence detail and the whole-prescription interaction checker.
- Full clinical management advice
- Additional notes
- Evidence detail
- Interaction checker for a whole prescription
Try Pro+ free for 14 days on the web. No card needed.
Other interactions of Magnesium
- Ciprofloxacin + Magnesium Major
- Magnesium + Pancuronium Major
- Magnesium + Rocuronium Major
- Magnesium + Vecuronium Major
- Amikacin + Magnesium Moderate
- Amphotericin b deoxycholate + Magnesium Moderate
Other interactions of Levofloxacin
- Dronedarone + Levofloxacin Contraindicated
- Ibutilide + Levofloxacin Contraindicated
- Levofloxacin + Thioridazine Contraindicated
- Levofloxacin + Vandetanib Contraindicated
- Levofloxacin + Ziprasidone Contraindicated
- Adagrasib + Levofloxacin Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Levofloxacin with Magnesium?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Levofloxacin and Magnesium can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Oral magnesium salts (antacids, laxatives, supplements) bind levofloxacin in the gut and reduce how much is absorbed. This can lower antibiotic concentrations enough to cause treatment failure or promote resistance.
How serious is the interaction between Levofloxacin and Magnesium?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Give oral levofloxacin at least 2 hours before or after magnesium-containing products. Separate doses consistently throughout the course of therapy.
What other medicines interact with Magnesium?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Magnesium with, for example, Ciprofloxacin, Pancuronium, Rocuronium. The full list is on the Magnesium page.
Full monographs, dosing and an interaction checker in the MediHelp app
Open the complete reference, check multi-drug interactions and use dosing tools in the MediHelp app.
