Horsetalk.co.nz Dangers in giving magnesium sulfate intravenously to horses highlighted in study
Intravenous administration of magnesium sulfate to horses to provide a competitive edge is a nefarious and dangerous practice, say researchers.
Magnesium is an essential macroelement involved in many physiological processes.
In equine medicine, intravenous magnesium sulfate is used to treat heart rhythm irregularities, neurological disorders, low magnesium levels in the blood that might arise during critical illness, and for low levels of calcium in the blood which are not responding to other treatments.
However, more recently, intravenous magnesium has been used in equine events as a calming and performance-enhancing agent, with the ultimate goal of giving a competitive edge to horses that receive it. It is a practice forbidden at FEI events under the international governing body’s anti-doping rules because of its calming and metabolic effects.