Calling Chemistry Geeks ~ Does magnesium sulfate contain sulfa? I'm confused

Hi all,

Due to another thread about detoxing I'm am so confused about Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salts) and if it contains sulfa which many people are allergic to. I'm hoping that the chemistry geeks out there can help clear up my confusion.

I found 3 different sites which only adds to my confusion!

First I found this:

http://naturalsolutionsforahealthyyou.com/the-difference-between-sulfa-drugs-sulfites-and-sulfur/

The Difference between Sulfa (Drugs), Sulfites and Sulfur

Author writes: I often get asked questions like, “I’m allergic to sulfa drugs – do I need to avoid sulfur in supplements and/or food?” There is a lot of understandable confusion about the difference between sulfa drugs, sulfites, sulfates and sulfur. Many people are allergic to sulfa drugs and/or sulfites and thus assume that they have to avoid sulfates and sulfur, also. This article should help explain the difference between these four substances and clear some of the confusion.

Then the article defines the differences.

The Bottom Line: Even though it is easy to do, when you hear that something contains sulfur, don’t equate that to sulfur-containing molecules, such as sulfites or sulfa drugs. They sound similar, but they have dramatically different properties and effects in the human body. Chemistry would be much more fun (and easier to understand!) if they did not give things similar sounding names…


PubChem states:

Magnesium sulfate is a magnesium salt having sulfate as the counterion. It has a role as an anticonvulsant, a cardiovascular drug, a calcium channel blocker, an anaesthetic, a tocolytic agent, an anti-arrhythmia drug and an analgesic. It is a magnesium salt and a metal sulfate.

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/magnesium_sulfate

Then from this site:

Difference Between Sulfur and Sulfate

The abundance of sulfur on earth has been determined as 0.042%. Although it is a very little amount compared to elements like oxygen and silicon, it is the 13th most abundant element on earth. Sulfate is an anion composed of a sulfur atom. But there is a distinct difference between sulfur and sulfate. The main difference between sulfur and sulfate is that sulfur is an element whereas sulfate is an anion.

http://pediaa.com/difference-between-sulfur-and-sulfate/

Can someone help clear up my confusion?

Thanks in advance,
Denise

Thanks Sara, your post helped clear up some of my confusion!

Denise

Hi all, I just want to know if Epsom Salts contain sulfa (sulfur), etc. I have read different sites where there is conflicting information. I'm just trying to clear this up for my own personal confusion because I advocate taking detox baths and I don't want to give the wrong information.

Even the site called TiredofLyme Detox Methods cautions against Epsom Salts stating if one is sulfur sensitive talk to your doctor before taking a epsom salt bath.

I just wish there was a straight answer to all of this.

Denise

Disclaimer - I'm not an expert either.

However - what I do know :

*Epsom salt does "contain" sulfur... In about the same way that table salt contains sodium (let me come back to that)

*But sulfur is not the same as sulfa.

*Sulfur is an element (single unique type of atom) Sulfa is ~a class of drugs - technically "Sulfonamide is a functional group (a part of a molecule) that is the basis of several groups of drugs, which are called sulphonamides, sulfa drugs or sulpha drugs.")

*molecular compounds (groups of atoms from one or more elements) - e.g. sulfa - are NOT "the sum of their parts", don't necessarily behave like the individual elements that make it up. Back to the salt analogy, elemental sodium (a metal) reacts violently with water (look up some videos when you are bored :-D ), whereas a given molecule / compound with sodium "in" it may have completely different properties........ witness sodium chloride, NaCl, aka table salt. All it does in water is dissolve and make it, well, salty.


Sooo... my *non-expert* **speculation** is that....... I wouldn't expect a plain sulfa allergy to necessarily cause problems with magnesium sulfide (Epsom salt). Again, they are completely different compounds.

Now if someone has a sulfur allergy (if such a thing exists), I don't know, I suppose it might be problematic. But off-hand I'd guess (??) that we get exposed to a lot of other sulfur-containing things on a regular basis, so any reactions to those could indicate a potential issue with MgSO4? Also, bathing in a solution of the stuff is likely a lot more exposure than daily whatevers.


*fwiw... Wikipedia says "It is important to make a distinction between sulfa drugs and other sulfur-containing drugs and additives, such as sulfates and sulfites, which are chemically unrelated to the sulfonamide group, and do not cause the same hypersensitivity reactions seen in the sulfonamides. " (***note that sulfates are called out specifically***)

Disclaimer: I am an expert. lol On chemistry anyway.

This was answered above but perhaps I can add some clarity. Having sulfur in a compound does not necessarily make you allergic to it. It depends on how it is chemically attached to the compound and how it is broken down by our body to be processed and eliminated.

Use the drug Lasix (Furosemide) as an example. If you are allergic to sulfa drugs, can you take Lasix? It has a sulfur molecule in it but in an overwhelmingly majority of people, they do not have any problems taking Lasix. The sulfur causes no issues. But what about Hydrochlorothiazide, another diuretic? It also has sulfur in it's chemical structure. It actually has two. Is it more likely to cause a problem with sulfa allergies, yes. It would still be a very low percentage of people that have an issue but because of how the sulfur molecules are arranged, it is more likely. If 1 out of 1000 people have issues with Lasix, maybe 4 out of 1000 would have issues with Hydrochlorothiazide. So the chance is there but it is very low.

... unless perhaps they have the CBS mutation that 1000Daisies mentioned.
It may explain why some people react poorly to the Epsom salt baths.