Aspargin – composition, action, indications, dosage, side effects

Proven content

Aspargin is a drug mainly used in cardiology and family medicine to replenish magnesium and potassium deficiencies in the body. The active substances of the preparation are magnesium (magnesium hydrogen aspartate) and potassium (potassium hydrogen aspartate). What is Aspargin and what is its composition? What’s the action? What are the indications for use and are there any contraindications and side effects of using Aspargin? What precautions should be taken when using the preparation and what substitutes are available in pharmacies?

Magnesium and potassium, the main ingredients in Aspargin, are essential substances that build up the body. Magnesium supports the work of the heart muscle and the nervous system, while potassium is an important factor that helps maintain the acid-base balance and has a positive effect on nerve conduction, kidney function, heart, smooth and skeletal muscles.

Aspargin – description of the medicinal preparation

Aspargin is a medicinal product that has been used for 50 years to supplement the levels of potassium, magnesium and aspartic acid in the body. The main task of the drug is to support the work of the nervous and cardiovascular systems.

The active substance in the drug Aspargin is a mixture of the magnesium and potassium salts of aspartic acid.

Aspargin is a drug in the form of oral tablets, it is available in packs containing 50 (2 blisters in a cardboard box) or 75 tablets (3 blisters in a cardboard box). The drug is available without a prescription and is non-refundable. Cena Leku Aspargin depends on the size of the package and ranges from PLN 6 to 10.

This product should be stored in its original packaging in order to protect it from moisture at temperatures below 25 degrees Celsius. In addition, the drug should be kept out of the sight and reach of children.

The entity responsible for the production and admission to trading of Aspargin is Farmaceutyczna Spółdzielnia Pracy FILOFARM.

Which Polish pharmaceutical companies enjoy the greatest trust of patients? Check: Customer satisfaction from Polish pharmaceutical companies: which is the most convincing?

Aspargin – composition and action of the drug

Aspargin is a combination drug containing magnesium and potassium in the form of aspartates. One tablet of the drug contains active substances such as:

1. 250 mg of magnesium hydrogen aspartate (Magnesii hydroaspartas), corresponding to 17 mg of magnesium ions,
2. 250 mg of potassium hydrogen aspartate (Kalii hydroaspartas), corresponding to 54 mg of potassium ions.

In addition to active substances, the drug contains auxiliary substances, including: potato starch, sodium carboxymethyl starch, sucrose, magnesium stearate, talc.

The action of the drug Aspargin is associated with the content of a well-absorbed composition of magnesium and potassium salts of aspartic acid. They are essential substances that build the body, closely interacting with each other in many physiological processes.

Magnesium is involved in many metabolic changes in the body, such as the synthesis and use of high-energy compounds and the synthesis of many enzymes. Moreover, magnesium is the main cellular and intracellular stabilizer involved in all basic physiological functions. It plays an important role in maintaining the proper functioning of the heart muscle, nervous system, smooth muscle tissue, vessels and striated muscle tissue. Magnesium alleviates the symptoms of sleep disorders, removes fatigue and improves thought processes and concentration.

In contrast, potassium is the cation of the intracellular fluid. It plays an important role in the functions of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, as well as neuromuscular conduction.

Aspartic acid is an amino acid that provides energy to cells and is involved in the process of transmitting signals in the central nervous system.

What are amino acids responsible for in our body? Read: Amino acids – what are their functions in the body?

Aspargin – dosage and method of taking

Aspargin is in the form of tablets for oral use, it is best to take the drug after a meal with water. Before using the preparation, it is worth asking your doctor or pharmacist or read the information included in the package leaflet.

Use the drug as prescribed by your doctor. It is usually used in adults and adolescents over 12 years of age. Correct dose of Aspargin is 1 to 2 tablets taken 2 to 3 times a day, i.e. 2 to 6 tablets a day in 2 or 3 divided doses. This is equivalent to 108 mg to 324 mg of potassium per day and 34 to 102 mg of magnesium per day.

The maximum number of tablets that can be taken should not exceed 6 tablets a day.

Particular caution should be exercised in some patients using Aspargin. This preparation should not be administered to children under 12 years of age and people with severe renal and hepatic impairment due to the possibility of hypermagnesaemia or hyperkalaemia and in patients with impaired renal function.

Consult your doctor if you notice a weak or strong effect of the drug. The recommended doses should not be exceeded, because it does not increase the effectiveness of the drug and may be harmful to health or life.

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Aspargin – use with food and drink

Aspargin is a drug that should be taken after a meal and the dose of the preparation should be washed down with a large amount of water. Currently, there is no information on the direct effect of the drug on the consumption of food or drink.

However, it should be remembered that magnesium absorption is reduced in the presence of phosphates, calcium, lipids and phytates in the diet. Therefore, when using Aspargin, you should avoid eating such products as: cereal grains (wheat, rice, buckwheat, barley), nuts, seeds, vegetables, especially legumes and fruits, whole grain bread, meat and cold meats, ripening rennet cheese and products with high fat content.

How to plan your diet so that it goes well with the medications you take? Check: Diet and treatment, or what to eat so as not to reduce the effectiveness of drugs?

Aspargin – indications for use

Among the indications for the use of Aspargin, supplementation of magnesium and potassium deficiency is indicated in cases of:

1. post-infarction convalescence;
2. heart arrhythmia and hyperactivity;
3. prophylactically in ischemic heart disease, at risk of a heart attack;
4. after infectious diseases and surgical procedures resulting in the loss of magnesium and potassium;
5. long-term use of cardiac glycosides and diuretics (e.g. thiazides, furosemide).

The use of Aspargin is also indicated in the case of painful muscle cramps that may occur in athletes and problems with concentration in physically and mentally active people. The preparation can also be supplemented in the event of noticing symptoms such as:

1. muscle cramps;
2. eyelid twitching;
3. irritability;
4. depressed mood and depression;
5. trouble falling asleep;
6. palpitations;
7. high blood pressure;
8. state of general fatigue;
9. difficulty concentrating.

These are the most common symptoms of magnesium and potassium deficiency, which requires reaching for the drug Aspargin to replenish the level of these elements in the body.

How is potassium deficiency manifested? Check: Potassium deficiency

Aspargin – contraindications to use

Aspargin, despite the existence of indications for taking, cannot always be used. Some diseases and circumstances may constitute a contraindication to the use or indicate a change in the dosage of the preparation. There are also situations where certain check-ups are recommended by your doctor before giving Aspargin. Among the contraindications to the use of Aspargin, the following are distinguished:

1. hypersensitivity to any component of the preparation;
2. excess magnesium (hypermagnesaemia) or potassium (hyperkalaemia) in the blood;
3. acute renal failure (creatinine clearance less than 30 ml / min);
4. infection of the urinary tract (kidneys, bladder);
5. significant arterial hypotension;
6. acute dehydration;
7. extensive tissue destruction;
8. gastric ulcer;
9. cancers;
10. disturbance of atrioventricular conduction;
11. bradycardia (too slow heart beat);
12. myasthenia gravis (a rare disease accompanied by muscle relaxation);
13. age of the patient – the drug should not be used in children under 12 years of age.

The use of the drug in people over 65 years of age does not require changing the method of administration and dosage. Pregnant or breastfeeding women are required to take special care before taking Aspargin and consulting with the attending physician. When used as recommended, the drug does not affect the ability to drive and use machines, as well as psychomotor performance.

How to recognize deficiencies of important vitamins and minerals in the body? Read: Seven signs that you are lacking vitamins and trace elements

Aspargin – possible side effects

Aspargin, like all medicines, may cause side effects that do not have to occur in all people using this preparation. Uncommon side effects (less than 1 in 100 patients treated) that usually go away on their own are:

1. nausea;
2. abdominal pain;
3. constipation or diarrhea;
4. vomiting.

Rare side effects (occurring in 1 to 10 users in 10 treated) are:

1. atrioventricular conduction disturbances (abnormal heart beat);
2. reddening of the skin;
3. muscle weakness;
4. People with renal impairment may develop hyperkalaemia.

Very rare side effects (occurring in less than 1 in 10 patients treated) are:

1. insomnia.

The expected benefits of using Aspargin, as a rule, are greater than the harm resulting from the occurrence of side effects. However, in the case of severe side effects after taking Aspargin or other not mentioned above, a doctor or a pharmacist should be consulted.

Aspargin – interactions with other medicinal products

The use of Aspargin should always be consulted with a doctor if you are taking other medications at the same time, even if they are sold without a prescription. Some medicines can affect the way Aspargin works and the dosage may need to be changed or you may have to stop taking it altogether. Be especially careful and inform your doctor immediately if you are taking medications such as:

1. antibiotics from the tetracycline group, as magnesium salts reduce the absorption of these antibiotics;
2. drugs and dietary supplements with phosphates and calcium compounds, as the magnesium contained in Aspargin shows antagonism to these compounds;
3. drugs and dietary supplements containing iron, fluorine, fluoroquinolones and oral coumarin-derived anticoagulants, as magnesium reduces the absorption of these compounds from the gastrointestinal tract;
4. medicinal preparations containing atropine or hyoscyamine, as intestinal ulceration may occur due to the oral intake of potassium salts;
5. diuretics (amiloride, spironolactone, triamterene) and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (medicines used to treat cardiovascular diseases such as captopril and enalapril), which may increase blood potassium levels;
6. digitalis glycosides (heart medicines) which, when combined with potassium, can lead to abnormal heart rhythms;
7. aminoglycoside antibiotics, loop diuretics, cisplatin, cycloserine, mithramycin, amphotericin B and mineralocorticosteroids, which increase the excretion of magnesium from the body;
8. cortisone which reduces the effect of potassium;
9. vitamin B12, which under the influence of potassium contained in Aspargin may be absorbed by the body to a lesser extent.

Which drugs should never be combined with each other? Check: Dangerous interactions

Aspargin – warnings and precautions

Taking the drug Aspargin requires special care. The use of this drug must be discussed with a physician who will individually assess the risk that the implementation of Aspargin may entail in the treatment of the patient’s disease. The initiation of treatment with this preparation requires special care in the case of:

1. long-term use of Aspargin, diarrhea or in people treated with cardiac glycosides, as it requires the control of potassium and magnesium levels in the blood serum, and, if necessary, also in erythrocytes;
2. people who have been found to be intolerant to some sugars, especially people with diabetes, because one tablet of Aspargin contains 53 mg of sucrose;
3. people suffering from neoplastic diseases – they should not use the drug without consulting a doctor;
4. people treated with cardiac glycosides or other drugs containing potassium;
5. acute dehydration;
6. gastric ulcer;
7. extensive tissue destruction;
8. taking other medications that contain potassium;
9. women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or when a woman thinks she may be pregnant or is planning a pregnancy.

What should you know about side effects of drugs? Read on: Adverse drug reactions

Aspargin – similar products

Products with the same international name and in the same form do not have to be substitutes, because the content of the active substance, i.e. the dose of the drug, determines the use of the drug.

It should be remembered that even when the dose of the active substance is similar, the patient may not always use the substitute because he may be allergic to any of the excipients of the drug.

Therefore, before using a substitute for Aspargin, read the package leaflet or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Aspargin is a complex preparation containing magnesium and potassium in the form of easily digestible aspartates, intended for supplementing the daily diet and treating deficiencies of these elements. The intake of magnesium and potassium has a positive effect on the functioning of the muscular system, improves nerve conduction and supports the work of the circulatory system.

Alternatives to Aspargin can be drugs or dietary supplements that contain magnesium and potassium. Among those with a similar composition and form, i.e. in the form of tablets, the following are distinguished:

1. Aspafar Farmapol;
2. Aspar Espefa;
3. Strong Asparagus;
4. Asparaginian,
5. Asparaginian Magnokal;
6. Asparaginian Max Vita;
7. Asparan;
8. Asparan Forte MG+K;
9. Asparan Max Tablets from Wadowice Magnesium + Potassium;
10. Magne-Balans Plus;
11. Apteo Asparoc;
12. Asparawit;
13. Asparagine?
14. Asparkal Cardio;
15. Order Optisaltabs;
16. Magnesium LGO with Potassium;
17. Non jump;
18. Potassium + Magnesium Farmax.

However, among preparations with a similar composition, but in a different form, the following are distinguished:

1. Potazek Mag in capsule form;
2. Life Magnesium Shrink in capsule form;
3. Life Magnesium Cramp in the form of effervescent tablets;
4. Mapooro in the form of a powder to be dissolved in water.

How to recognize a magnesium deficiency? Check: Magnesium deficiency – symptoms and replenishment