Does Mylanta affect your blood pressure? An In-Depth Look at Antacids and Hypertension

October 12, 2025 •

4 min read

While most people use antacids like Mylanta for quick heartburn relief, Mylanta can affect your blood pressure under specific circumstances. It's crucial to understand how its active ingredients, magnesium and sodium, can interact with your body and any other medications you are taking.

Quick Summary

Mylanta's magnesium can lead to low blood pressure, particularly in individuals with compromised kidney function, although its sodium content is low. The medication also has notable interactions with certain blood pressure drugs, which can reduce their efficacy. Patients should be cautious with long-term use and always consult a doctor.

Key Points

Mylanta's Magnesium Content: High levels of magnesium, a component of Mylanta, can cause low blood pressure (hypotension), especially in individuals with kidney problems who cannot properly excrete excess magnesium.
Low Sodium Risk: Mylanta contains very little sodium (7 mg per 10 mL dose), so it does not pose the same blood pressure-raising risk as high-sodium antacids.
Drug Interactions are a Primary Concern: Mylanta can interfere with the absorption of certain high blood pressure medications, like ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers, potentially reducing their effectiveness.
Timing is Key: To prevent medication interactions, it is crucial to separate the dose of Mylanta from blood pressure medications by at least two hours.
Risks of Long-Term Use: While short-term use is generally safe, chronic antacid use can lead to electrolyte imbalances, and some research links long-term use of other acid-reducing drugs (PPIs) to cardiovascular risks.
Consult a Doctor: Always talk to a healthcare provider before using Mylanta if you have high blood pressure, kidney disease, or are taking prescription medications.

Mylanta's Core Components and Potential Cardiovascular Effects

Mylanta is a combination antacid that contains aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide, with some formulations also including simethicone for gas relief. These active ingredients primarily work by neutralizing stomach acid to relieve symptoms of heartburn, acid indigestion, and sour stomach. When considering the effect of Mylanta on blood pressure, it's important to analyze the individual components, specifically magnesium and sodium.

Magnesium's Role in Blood Pressure Regulation

Magnesium is an essential mineral for many bodily functions, including regulating blood pressure. High levels of magnesium in the blood, a condition known as hypermagnesemia, can lead to serious complications, including low blood pressure (hypotension). This is a particular risk for individuals with kidney disease, as healthy kidneys are responsible for clearing excess magnesium from the body. If kidney function is impaired, magnesium can accumulate in the bloodstream, increasing the risk of toxicity and causing a drop in blood pressure. Symptoms of high magnesium levels can include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, confusion, and muscle weakness.

Sodium Content in Mylanta

Unlike many other antacids or effervescent heartburn remedies, Mylanta Maximum Strength contains a relatively low amount of sodium—just 7 mg per 10 mL dose. However, other antacid products and OTC medications can be significantly higher in sodium, which is a known contributor to high blood pressure. For those monitoring sodium intake due to hypertension, reading the labels of all antacid products is essential. The low sodium content in Mylanta means it is unlikely to increase blood pressure on its own due to sodium.

Antacid Interactions with Blood Pressure Medications

A more common concern than Mylanta directly altering blood pressure is its potential to interact with other medications, including those prescribed for hypertension. Antacids can interfere with the absorption of certain drugs, effectively reducing their potency.

ACE Inhibitors: Antacids can decrease the bioavailability of some angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, such as captopril and lisinopril, potentially diminishing their blood pressure-lowering effect.
Beta-Blockers: While studies on interactions with beta-blockers like atenolol have yielded mixed results, some data suggest antacids can reduce their effectiveness.
Mechanism of Interaction: The mechanism of these interactions involves antacids increasing gastric pH, which affects how certain drugs are absorbed in the stomach and intestines.
Resolution: To minimize this risk, it is generally recommended to separate the administration of antacids and blood pressure medications by at least two hours.

Long-Term vs. Short-Term Antacid Use

While Mylanta is generally safe for short-term use, long-term or excessive use of antacids, or other acid-suppressing medications, can carry additional risks. Some research has explored the link between chronic use of Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs)—a different class of acid-reducing drugs—and cardiovascular risks, including hypertension, though the mechanisms are not fully understood. The complexity of hypertension's causes makes it challenging to pinpoint a singular drug as the root cause, but potential pathways involving endothelial dysfunction and electrolyte imbalances have been discussed.

Considerations for Individuals with High Blood Pressure

For those with existing hypertension or kidney issues, careful management of antacid use is necessary. This involves understanding the ingredients and timing of all medications.

Comparing Mylanta with Other Heartburn Relief Options


Feature	Mylanta Maximum Strength	High-Sodium Antacid (e.g., some effervescent salts)	H2 Blockers (e.g., Pepcid)	Proton Pump Inhibitors (e.g., Prilosec)
Mechanism	Neutralizes existing stomach acid.	Neutralizes existing stomach acid.	Reduces acid production by blocking histamine.	Blocks acid production at the proton pump level.
Key Ingredients	Aluminum hydroxide, Magnesium hydroxide, Simethicone	Sodium bicarbonate, sometimes others.	Famotidine, Cimetidine	Omeprazole, Esomeprazole
Sodium Content	Low (7 mg per 10 mL dose)	High	Low to none	Low to none
Blood Pressure Risk	Potential for low BP due to high magnesium in kidney disease; interactions with BP meds.	Potential to raise blood pressure due to high sodium content.	Generally not associated with BP changes; may interact with some drugs.	Potential link to hypertension with long-term use, though mechanisms are still being studied.
Onset of Action	Fast, as it directly neutralizes acid.	Fast.	Slower than antacids, but longer-lasting effect.	Longest onset, but longest-lasting effect.
Best for...	Occasional, quick heartburn relief.	Occasional heartburn relief, but caution for hypertension.	More frequent or persistent heartburn.	Chronic acid reflux (GERD), ulcers.

Safe Antacid Alternatives

For individuals with high blood pressure, several alternative strategies can help manage heartburn and acid reflux:

Low-Sodium Antacids: Opt for antacid products explicitly labeled as low-sodium or sodium-free to avoid unnecessary salt intake.
H2 Blockers: Medications like famotidine (Pepcid) and cimetidine (Tagamet) are H2 receptor antagonists that decrease the amount of acid produced by the stomach. They have low sodium content and are often a safer choice regarding blood pressure than high-sodium alternatives.
Lifestyle Adjustments: Simple changes like avoiding trigger foods, eating smaller meals, not lying down immediately after eating, and maintaining a healthy weight can significantly reduce symptoms and the need for antacids.

When to Contact a Healthcare Provider

It is vital to contact a healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms while taking Mylanta, especially if you have kidney problems or are on other medications:

Flushed skin, nausea, or vomiting
Muscle weakness or reduced reflexes
Dizziness or feeling lightheaded
Irregular heartbeats
Any signs of low blood pressure

Conclusion

To directly address the question, does Mylanta affect your blood pressure, the answer is nuanced. Mylanta's low sodium content means it is unlikely to raise blood pressure like some other antacid options. However, its magnesium can cause dangerously low blood pressure in individuals with renal impairment. Furthermore, Mylanta can reduce the effectiveness of certain prescription blood pressure medications by interfering with their absorption. Therefore, individuals with high blood pressure should be cautious and speak with a healthcare professional to ensure safe use, proper timing of medications, or to consider alternative remedies. Always inform your doctor about any OTC medications you are taking, including antacids. A balanced approach involves understanding the ingredients and prioritizing communication with your healthcare team to manage your symptoms effectively and safely.

For more detailed information on drug interactions with Mylanta and other antacids, consult a reliable medical resource like Drugs.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, Mylanta is unlikely to raise your blood pressure because it has a very low sodium content (7 mg per 10 mL dose). The primary concern for individuals with hypertension is potential drug interactions, not a direct increase in blood pressure.

Mylanta's magnesium content can cause low blood pressure (hypotension) if magnesium builds up to toxic levels in your blood. This is most likely to occur in individuals with kidney disease who cannot properly eliminate the excess magnesium.

Individuals with kidney disease should be extremely cautious and consult a doctor before taking Mylanta, as they are at risk for magnesium toxicity and subsequent low blood pressure. Anyone on heart or blood pressure medication should also consult their doctor due to potential drug interactions.

Mylanta's active ingredients (aluminum and magnesium hydroxide) can alter the pH in your stomach, which may affect how well certain blood pressure medications, such as ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers, are absorbed. This can reduce their effectiveness.

To prevent drug interactions and ensure proper absorption, it is generally recommended to separate the administration of antacids like Mylanta and blood pressure medications by at least two hours.

Yes, alternatives include H2 blockers (like Pepcid) that reduce acid production, as well as low-sodium antacid products. Lifestyle modifications such as diet changes can also help reduce symptoms and the need for medication.

Early signs of magnesium toxicity include flushed skin, nausea, vomiting, and muscle weakness. If you experience these symptoms, especially with pre-existing kidney conditions, you should contact a healthcare provider immediately.