Maalox is still available, but it can be harder to find on store shelves than it once was. The brand has gone through ownership changes and periodic supply disruptions over the years, leading many people to wonder whether it’s been discontinued. The liquid antacid suspension, which is what most people think of when they hear “Maalox,” remains a registered over-the-counter product with active listings in the FDA’s DailyMed database.
What Happened to Maalox
Maalox has changed corporate hands multiple times. The brand was originally sold by Novartis, then acquired by Chattem (a subsidiary of Sanofi). During these transitions, production was interrupted more than once, and certain product variations were quietly dropped from the lineup. The result is that while the brand technically still exists, you may not see it stocked as reliably as competitors like Mylanta or store-brand equivalents.
If your local pharmacy doesn’t carry it, online retailers and pharmacy websites are typically the easiest way to track it down. Availability varies by region, so checking multiple sources is worth the effort if you’re set on the name brand.
What’s in It
The classic Maalox liquid contains three active ingredients per teaspoon (5 mL): 200 mg of aluminum hydroxide, 200 mg of magnesium hydroxide, and 20 mg of simethicone. The first two are antacids that work by directly neutralizing stomach acid on contact. Simethicone is an anti-gas agent that helps break up bubbles in the digestive tract, which is why Maalox is marketed for both heartburn and bloating.
The aluminum and magnesium combination is intentional. Aluminum hydroxide on its own tends to cause constipation, while magnesium hydroxide tends to cause loose stools. Pairing them together helps balance out those side effects for most people.
Store-Brand Alternatives
If you can’t find Maalox or don’t want to pay a brand-name price, generic versions with the identical ingredient profile are widely available. Major pharmacy chains sell their own “Advanced Antacid” or “Regular Strength Antacid” liquid suspensions containing the same 200 mg aluminum hydroxide, 200 mg magnesium hydroxide, and 20 mg simethicone per teaspoon. These products are therapeutically equivalent, meaning they work the same way at the same doses. The packaging will list the active ingredients on the back, so it’s easy to confirm you’re getting the same formula.
These store brands come in bottles typically ranging from 355 mL to 769 mL and are consistently stocked, making them a more reliable option if availability matters to you.
Who Should Be Cautious
Maalox is safe for most adults when used occasionally, but the aluminum and magnesium in it pose real risks for certain people. The most important group is anyone with kidney problems. Your kidneys are responsible for clearing both aluminum and magnesium from your body. When kidney function is reduced, these minerals can build up to dangerous levels. Excess magnesium can cause dangerously low blood pressure, muscle weakness, and slowed breathing. Excess aluminum can weaken bones over time by depleting phosphate from the body.
People with intestinal blockages or inflammatory bowel disease should also avoid this type of antacid. The aluminum component can worsen constipation severely enough to cause an obstruction, and the magnesium component acts as a mild laxative that can aggravate inflamed bowel tissue.
If you have a bone-thinning condition or a known phosphate imbalance, aluminum-containing antacids are not a good fit. Aluminum binds to phosphate in the gut and prevents your body from absorbing it, which can accelerate bone loss.
How Maalox Compares to Newer Options
Maalox belongs to the oldest class of heartburn treatments: liquid antacids that neutralize acid already present in your stomach. This makes them fast, often providing relief within minutes. But the effect is also short-lived, typically lasting 30 minutes to two hours depending on whether you’ve eaten.
Newer options like H2 blockers (famotidine, sold as Pepcid) and proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole, sold as Prilosec) work differently. They reduce how much acid your stomach produces in the first place, which means they take longer to kick in but last much longer. For occasional heartburn after a heavy meal, a liquid antacid like Maalox is perfectly suited. For heartburn that shows up multiple times a week, an acid-reducing medication is generally more effective and more practical than dosing a liquid antacid repeatedly throughout the day.
Many people keep both types on hand: a liquid antacid for immediate relief and an acid reducer for ongoing management.