Why Iran must achieve self-sufficiency in Magnesium production

Magnesium is an essential ion and the fourth most abundant cation in the human body, participating in over 300 enzymatic reactions. In the field of health and medicine, magnesium plays multiple vital roles. The most important include:

1. Cardiovascular health

• Regulation of blood pressure: Magnesium helps relax the smooth muscles surrounding blood vessels, thereby assisting in the control of hypertension (high blood pressure).
• Prevention of arrhythmia: It stabilizes cell membranes and plays a critical role in preventing and treating certain cardiac rhythm disorders (arrhythmias). It is even used in emergency medicine to treat torsades de pointes, a serious form of arrhythmia.
• Heart attack care: Magnesium is included in treatment protocols following acute myocardial infarction to reduce cardiac damage and stabilize heart rhythm.

2. Nervous system and mental health

• Reduction of anxiety and depression: Acting as an NMDA receptor blocker, magnesium helps regulate neurotransmitters and exerts a calming effect.
• Migraine treatment: Magnesium supplements — especially magnesium oxide and magnesium citrate — are effective preventive measures to reduce the frequency and severity of migraine attacks.
• Improved sleep quality: By regulating melatonin and calming the nervous system, magnesium supports better sleep and helps relieve insomnia.

3. Women’s health and obstetrics

• Preeclampsia and eclampsia: Magnesium sulfate injection is a gold-standard and life-saving treatment for preventing and controlling seizures in pregnant women with preeclampsia and eclampsia, making it a strategic drug in maternity care.
• Preterm labor: It is also used in some cases to relax uterine muscles and delay premature birth.

4. Bone health and metabolism

• Calcium and vitamin D absorption: Magnesium is essential for activating vitamin D and regulating parathyroid hormone (PTH), processes that directly affect calcium absorption and bone health.
• Blood sugar regulation: Magnesium participates in glucose metabolism, improving insulin sensitivity and benefiting patients with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

5. Other medical uses

• Laxative: Magnesium hydroxide (milk of magnesia) is an osmotic laxative used to relieve constipation.
• Antacid: Combined with aluminum (as in antacid syrups), it helps neutralize stomach acid.
• Respiratory diseases: In severe asthma attacks, magnesium sulfate injections can help dilate the airways.

Why domestic Magnesium production is essential

Given magnesium’s extensive and critical pharmaceutical applications, domestic production is a strategic, economic, and security necessity for Iran.

1. Pharmaceutical and strategic security

• Reducing dependence on imports: Many magnesium-based drugs, such as injectable magnesium sulfate used in emergencies (preeclampsia, arrhythmia, severe asthma), are life-saving. Producing them domestically would reduce import reliance and guarantee continuous access during sanctions or global crises.
• Quality control and standardization: Local production enables tighter supervision over purity and quality in compliance with national and international pharmaceutical standards.

2. Economic and currency savings

• Foreign currency savings: Given the high domestic demand for magnesium-containing medicines and supplements (from general supplements to injectable drugs), local production could save substantial foreign currency annually and redirect it to other critical sectors.
• Development of upstream industries: Producing pharmaceutical-grade magnesium requires technological advancement and purification infrastructure, fostering growth in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

3. Domestic potential

• Abundant natural resources: Iran possesses rich sources of raw materials for magnesium production, particularly in salt-rich regions and saline lakes, making local production economically viable.
• Value addition: Instead of exporting raw materials, processing them into high–value-added products — such as pharmaceutical active ingredients (APIs) — could generate higher national income and even open opportunities for regional export.

Conclusion

Magnesium is not merely a dietary supplement — it is a vital and strategic pharmaceutical substance, particularly in emergency and intensive care protocols (notably in obstetrics). Therefore, domestic production of pharmaceutical-grade magnesium is essential not only for economic efficiency and currency savings but also for ensuring national healthcare security against international restrictions and crises.