Magnesium chloride folk remedy linked to fatal hypermagnesemia
What it found
A 75-year-old woman died after taking magnesium chloride in milk as a folk remedy.
Her blood magnesium level after death was 10.2 mg/dL, higher than in earlier reports.
What they found
Studies in people
Cause of death
The autopsy found no injury or illness that could explain the death. The authors considered hypermagnesemia, caused by taking magnesium chloride, to be the cause.
Blood magnesium level
The woman's magnesium concentration in serum after death was 10.2 mg/dL. The authors note this was higher than in previous reports.
No other substances
Toxicology analysis found neither alcohol nor controlled drugs.
Other findings
Magnesium in products
Magnesium is taken in as supplements in prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs and health foods around the world. The authors say its potential toxicity should be recognised.
What the authors conclude
“The concentration of magnesium in serum was higher than that of the previous reports.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that the cause of death was hypermagnesemia.
- They advise that the potential toxicity of magnesium-containing prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs and health foods should be recognised.
How it was done
Magnesium is widely consumed in prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs and health foods as supplements, and the authors say its potential toxicity should be recognised.
They report one fatal case: a 75-year-old woman who took milk containing magnesium chloride as a folk remedy. Her autopsy and toxicology tests were examined, and her magnesium level was measured after death.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This is a single case report, so it cannot show how often this happens or who might be at risk.
- It cannot prove that magnesium chloride was the only cause, though the authors considered it the cause of death.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Hiroshima University, Japan
The paper
- Title
- A fatal case of hypermagnesemia caused by ingesting magnesium chloride as a folk remedy
- Type
- Case report
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Torikoshi-Hatano A, Namera A, Shiraishi H, Maeno Y, Kato H, Nagao M (2013). A fatal case of hypermagnesemia caused by ingesting magnesium chloride as a folk remedy. Journal of forensic sciences. doi:10.1111/1556-4029.12266PubMed 24020515DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error