Ridecamp: Re: [RC] malox--revised answer

> I was speculating that it was probably the magnesium hydroxide in the
> Maalox--my guess was that it was too much in conjunction with the
magnesium
> in electrolyte solutions...so I went to the KER website to see if their
work
> on it was there.  According to their study, when they were creating
NeighLox
> (their equine antacid) they started out mimicking human antacids like
> Maalox, but at high doses they became ataxic and also acted like they were
> tying up.  They discovered that the problem was the magnesium hydroxide.
>
> Turns out I was on the right track, but for the wrong reason.  (I hate it
> when that happens!)  Now I think the reason for the sensitivity to the
> magnesium hydroxide not so much the concentration as it is the speed with
> which it is absorbed--the same amount of magnesium supplied by something
> like magnesium oxide probably would have no adverse effects because it is
> absorbed more slowly.  Hydroxide is a strong base (I see I remember
> SOMETHING from Chem. 101), and would react immediately with stomach acid
> when it comes in contact with it.  Not a bad thing as far as solving the
> acid indigestion, but by doing so it would immediately release a flood of
> magnesium.  It would be like giving them a bolus injection of magnesium
too
> rapidly.
>
> Here's a link to the KER study, if anyone is interested in reading it:
>
> http://www.neigh-lox.com/ulcerbook.pdf
>

I have a couple of additions to my answer based on an email conversation
with Tom Dean (thanks, Tom!)--one of the hazards of research summaries is
that sometimes they leave out info that we science nuts need...

Tom had  a discussion about Maalox with KER, and the issue KER has with
Maalox is as a treatment...in other words, the amount needed for treating
acid indigestion is hazardous (because of the magnesium issue I described
above, most likely).  But the small amount you'd use for dealing with e'lyte
solutions "burning" the horse's mouth or esophagus is apparently recommended
by KER.


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