Drug interactions
Magnesium + Oxytetracycline
Severity: Moderate
Magnesium and Oxytetracycline: 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 greatly reduces oxytetracycline absorption, which may cause subtherapeutic antibiotic levels and treatment failure.
What this interaction means in plain words
Magnesium and Oxytetracycline 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.
Magnesium belongs to Gastrointestinal Tract; Oxytetracycline belongs to Anti Bacterial.
Why it happens
Magnesium cations chelate oxytetracycline in the gastrointestinal tract, forming non-absorbable complexes.
What to do
Give oxytetracycline at least 2 hours before or 4 hours after magnesium. Choose a non-chelating antibiotic if separation is not possible.
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 Magnesium and Oxytetracycline, 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 Oxytetracycline
- Isotretinoin + Oxytetracycline Contraindicated
- Aluminum hydroxide + Oxytetracycline Moderate
- Ampicillin-sulbactam + Oxytetracycline Moderate
- Ampicillin + Oxytetracycline Moderate
- Atracurium + Oxytetracycline Moderate
- Bismuth subsalicylate + Oxytetracycline Moderate
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Magnesium with Oxytetracycline?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Magnesium and Oxytetracycline 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 greatly reduces oxytetracycline absorption, which may cause subtherapeutic antibiotic levels and treatment failure.
How serious is the interaction between Magnesium and Oxytetracycline?
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 oxytetracycline at least 2 hours before or 4 hours after magnesium. Choose a non-chelating antibiotic if separation is not possible.
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.
