Herb & supplement monograph

Chlorine Dioxide Drug Interactions, Uses, Effectiveness, Safety & More

Medically reviewed by ·Updated July 2026
What is this page for?

First and foremost: how Chlorine Dioxide interacts with medications. The heart of this page is the interaction list — every drug Chlorine Dioxide is known to interact with, and how serious each one is.

But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Chlorine Dioxide is, what people use it for and how strong the evidence is, its safety and side effects, and answers to the questions we’re asked most — written and reviewed by the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice, and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

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Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Chlorine Dioxide

0 medications have a known interaction with Chlorine Dioxide, graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.

We don’t currently list any known drug interactions for Chlorine Dioxide. This doesn’t guarantee none exist — always confirm with your pharmacist before combining supplements with your medications.

Read The List Like a Pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

  • Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
  • Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
  • Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
  • No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

  • Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
  • Probable. Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • Possible. Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists
  • Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

  • Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
  • Each drug listed above links to the full report for that exact Chlorine Dioxide combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
  • Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.
Monograph

Chlorine Dioxide: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

Medically reviewed by · Reviewed July 2026 ·
The bottom line

Chlorine dioxide products sold as 'Miracle Mineral Solution' (MMS) and similar names are essentially industrial bleach and are not safe to swallow. The FDA has issued strong warnings that drinking these products can cause serious, life-threatening harm, and there is no legitimate evidence they treat any disease. Do not consume chlorine dioxide supplements under any circumstances.

Chlorine Dioxide
Part used
Not a plant; a chemical compound (chlorine dioxide gas, ClO2)
Common forms
Liquid drops sold as 'Miracle Mineral Solution' (MMS), sodium chlorite solution mixed with an acid 'activator', water purification solution
People commonly use it for
  • Falsely promoted as a cure for infections
  • Falsely promoted for COVID-19
  • Falsely promoted for cancer
  • Falsely promoted for autism
  • Water disinfection (industrial/regulated use only)

Popular and traditional uses — not proof it works. See “Uses & effectiveness” below for the evidence.

Safety at a glance
OverallBest avoided

Drinking chlorine dioxide products is dangerous and can cause life-threatening harm; the FDA warns against their use.

PregnancyLikely Unsafe

When used orally for medicinal purposes. Chlorine dioxide supplement products typically contain 28% sodium chlorite, which can provide 3-8 mg of chlor...

Read the full pregnancy detail
BreastfeedingLikely Unsafe

When used orally for medicinal purposes. Chlorine dioxide supplement products typically contain 28% sodium chlorite, which can provide 3-8 mg of chlor...

Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center). Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Jump to a section

Overview

Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is a chemical, not an herb or plant. It is a reactive gas that, in very dilute and carefully controlled amounts, is used by water-treatment plants to disinfect drinking water and to bleach paper. These industrial uses are tightly regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to keep levels low and safe.

The problem is that chlorine dioxide is also sold online as a 'health supplement' under names like Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS), Master Mineral Solution, Miracle Mineral Supplement, the CD (Chlorine Dioxide) Protocol, and Water Purification Solution (WPS). These products usually come as a bottle of sodium chlorite that you are told to mix with an acid 'activator' such as citric acid. Mixing them makes chlorine dioxide—a strong bleaching chemical—at much higher concentrations than would ever be safe to drink.

These products are not approved for treating any illness, and health agencies have repeatedly warned people not to use them.

How it works

Chlorine dioxide is a strong oxidizing agent. That means it reacts with and breaks down other molecules—this is exactly why it works as a disinfectant and bleach. When used to clean water, it kills germs by damaging their cell structures.

Sellers claim that this same 'germ-killing' action can safely wipe out infections inside the human body. This idea is false and dangerous. A chemical strong enough to bleach and disinfect does not become harmless inside the body—instead, it damages the lining of the gut, destroys red blood cells, and disrupts normal body chemistry. There is no mechanism by which it can selectively kill germs while sparing your own tissues.

Effectiveness

Does Chlorine Dioxide work?

Here’s what the research actually shows for each use — graded by Natural Medicines and reviewed by .

Evidence overview · 4 uses evaluated
1 Possibly effective 3 Insufficient evidence
How to read these evidence grades

Natural Medicines’ 7-point scale. We show each rating’s label word-for-word.

1EffectiveStrong, consistent evidence it works.
2Likely EffectiveGood evidence, though not yet conclusive.
3Possibly EffectiveSome evidence suggests a benefit.
4Possibly IneffectiveSome evidence it may not help.
5Likely IneffectiveFairly strong evidence it doesn’t help.
6IneffectiveStrong evidence it doesn’t work.
7Insufficient Reliable Evidence to RateToo little research to say either way.
Possibly Effective Halitosis
Rating & evidence shown verbatim from Natural Medicines

Small clinical studies show that chlorine dioxide 0.1% mouthwash improves halitosis.

Also studied for 3 conditions — evidence insufficient to rate
Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Dental plaque
Rating & evidence shown verbatim from Natural Medicines

It is unclear if chlorine dioxide mouthwash reduces dental plaque.

Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Denture stomatitis
Rating & evidence shown verbatim from Natural Medicines

It is unclear if chlorine dioxide mouthwash improves denture stomatitis.

Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Wound healing
Rating & evidence shown verbatim from Natural Medicines

It is unclear if irrigation with a dilute chlorine dioxide solution is beneficial for wound healing.

Source & disclaimer. Effectiveness ratings and evidence summaries are provided by Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) and shown as licensed. Where Natural Medicines hasn’t rated a use, HelloPharmacist’s pharmacists may add their own reviewed rating and evidence (each such entry is labeled). This is educational information, not medical advice — talk with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or changing a supplement.

Safety & precautions

Do not drink chlorine dioxide products. The FDA has issued repeated public warnings that these products are essentially industrial bleach and can cause severe, even fatal, harm when swallowed.

Everyone should avoid these products. They are never appropriate for children, and giving them to a child can be life-threatening. People who are pregnant or breastfeeding must never use them—they are toxic and can harm both the parent and the baby.

If you or someone you know has been using a chlorine dioxide product, stop immediately and contact a healthcare provider or poison control center. In the United States, you can reach Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.

Side effects

Swallowing chlorine dioxide products can cause serious and potentially life-threatening effects, including:

  • Severe nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
  • Dehydration and dangerously low blood pressure
  • Destruction of red blood cells (hemolysis), which can be life-threatening
  • Abnormal blood chemistry (methemoglobinemia, which lowers oxygen in the blood)
  • Liver injury, including acute liver failure
  • Damage to the mouth, throat, and stomach lining

Some people have required hospitalization, and there have been reports of death. There is no safe dose of these products to drink.

Chlorine Dioxide: Reported Adverse Effects

Documented safety reports on Chlorine Dioxide from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database, shown word-for-word from the licensed record.

Orally, chlorine dioxide supplements are generally considered unsafe and can cause serious adverse effects. Topically, adequately diluted chlorine dioxide seems to be well tolerated.

Most Common Adverse Effects:

Orally: When consumed in amounts commonly found in supplements, chlorine dioxide can cause diarrhea, irritation of the mouth, esophagus, and stomach, hemolysis, hypotension, liver failure, and vomiting.

Reports by condition
Anemia Hematologic

Orally, chlorine dioxide has been reported to cause hemolysis. In one case series, two healthy adults presented with reddish urine, jaundice, tachycardia, and tachypnea three days after ingesting 100 mL each of chlorine dioxide 2% solution. Hemolysis resolved after 7 days. Patients with G6PD deficiency are at increased risk for hemolysis with chlorine dioxide. There are multiple reports of patients with G6PD deficiency experiencing hemolysis after consuming chlorine dioxide as Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS). There is also a case report of a 55-year-old male who developed disseminated intravascular coagulation and acute kidney injury requiring hemodialysis after taking an unknown dose of chlorine dioxide orally daily for 5 days for prophylaxis of COVID-19. Other case reports have described methemoglobinemia and hemolytic anemia.

  1. Kishan H. Chlorine dioxide-induced acute hemolysis. J Med Toxicol. 2009 Sep;5(3):177.
  2. Moore GS, Calabrese EJ, Ho SC. Groups at potentially high risk from chlorine dioxide treated water. J Environ Pathol Toxicol. 1980 Sep;4(2-3):465-70.
  3. Burke D, Zakhary B, Pinelis E. Acute Hemolysis Following an Overdose of Miracle Mineral Solution in a Patient With Normal Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Levels. Chest. 2014;146(4_MeetingAbstracts):273A.
  4. Medina-Avitia E, Tella-Vega P, García-Estrada C. Acute kidney injury secondary to chlorine dioxide use for COVID-19 prevention. Hemodial Int. 2021 Oct;25(4):E40-E43.
  5. Lardieri A, Cheng C, Jones SC, McCulley L. Harmful effects of chlorine dioxide exposure. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2021 May;59(5):448-9.
Dermatitis Dermatologic

Case reports have described toxic irritant dermatitis associated with topical exposure to chlorine dioxide.

  1. Lardieri A, Cheng C, Jones SC, McCulley L. Harmful effects of chlorine dioxide exposure. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2021 May;59(5):448-9.
Diarrhea Gastrointestinal

Orally, consuming chlorine dioxide in quantities exceeding the maximum allowable concentration can irritate the mouth, esophagus, and stomach. Consuming large quantities of chlorine dioxide has been reported to cause severe vomiting and diarrhea.

  1. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). ToxFAQs for Chlorine Dioxide and Chlorite. September 2004. Available at: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/tfacts160.pdf. Accessed on May 4, 2020.
  2. FDA. Danger: Don't Drink Miracle Mineral Solution or Similar Products. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/danger-dont-drink-miracle-mineral-solution-or-similar-products?utm_campaign=FDA%20warns%20consumers%20about%20the%20dangero
Flatulence Pulmonary/Respiratory

Occupational and accidental inhalation of chlorine dioxide gas can cause lung irritation and long-term respiratory complications.

  1. Olin AC, Granung G, Hagberg S, et al. Respiratory health among bleachery workers exposed to ozone and chlorine dioxide. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2002 Apr;28(2):117-23.
  2. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). ToxFAQs for Chlorine Dioxide and Chlorite. September 2004. Available at: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/tfacts160.pdf. Accessed on May 4, 2020.
Hypotension Cardiovascular

Orally, consuming large quantities of chlorine dioxide has been reported to cause life-threatening hypotension.

  1. FDA. Danger: Don't Drink Miracle Mineral Solution or Similar Products. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/danger-dont-drink-miracle-mineral-solution-or-similar-products?utm_campaign=FDA%20warns%20consumers%20about%20the%20dangero
Hypotension Other

Orally, chlorine dioxide solution in doses of up to 10 mL diluted in 1 liter of water, consumed over 8 hours daily for 9 months, has resulted in fatal toxicity. A 65-year-old male presented with nausea and vomiting, melena, drowsiness, hypotension, tachycardia, electrolyte imbalance, peritoneal irritation, absent peristalsis, abdominal distension due to fluid accumulation, and perforation of the jejunum. After gastrointestinal surgery, the patient developed septic shock with multiple organ failure, leading to death.

Orally, chlorine dioxide has been reported to cause Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis) in one patient. A 41-year-old female presented with fever and lymphadenopathy after consuming "one glassful" of chlorine dioxide as Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS). The disease may have been triggered by oxidative injury from chlorine dioxide, leading to an inflammatory response.

  1. Arellano-Gutiérrez G, Aldana-Zaragoza EH, Pérez-Fabián A. Intestinal perforation associated with chlorine dioxide ingestion: an adult chronic consumer during COVID-19 pandemic. Clin J Gastroenterol. 2021 Dec;14(6):1655-60.
  2. Loh JM, Shafi H. Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease presenting after consumption of 'Miracle Mineral Solution' (sodium chlorite). BMJ Case Rep. 2014 Nov 24;2014:bcr2014205832.
Nausea and vomiting Renal

A 55-year-old male who took an unknown dose of chlorine dioxide orally daily for 5 days as prophylaxis for COVID-19, presented with nausea and vomiting, dehydration, altered mental status, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and acute kidney injury requiring hemodialysis.

  1. Medina-Avitia E, Tella-Vega P, García-Estrada C. Acute kidney injury secondary to chlorine dioxide use for COVID-19 prevention. Hemodial Int. 2021 Oct;25(4):E40-E43.
DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.

Adverse-effects data: Natural Medicines, Therapeutic Research Center

Dosing

There is no safe or recommended dose of chlorine dioxide to take as a supplement. Health authorities, including the FDA, advise that these products should not be consumed at all.

Any 'protocol' or dosing instructions found online or on product labels for MMS-type products should be ignored. If you have any of these products, do not use them. If you have already taken some, contact a healthcare provider or poison control right away.

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Chlorine Dioxide & Pregnancy

Likely Unsafe

When used orally for medicinal purposes. Chlorine dioxide supplement products typically contain 28% sodium chlorite, which can provide 3-8 mg of chlorine dioxide per drop when mixed with citric acid as directed. Chlorine dioxide has been reported to cause serious complications, including severe vomiting and diarrhea, life-threatening low blood pressure, hemolysis, and acute liver failure. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of chlorine dioxide when used topically; avoid using.

  1. Kishan H. Chlorine dioxide-induced acute hemolysis. J Med Toxicol. 2009 Sep;5(3):177.
  2. Loh JM, Shafi H. Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease presenting after consumption of 'Miracle Mineral Solution' (sodium chlorite). BMJ Case Rep. 2014 Nov 24;2014:bcr2014205832.
  3. FDA. Danger: Don't Drink Miracle Mineral Solution or Similar Products. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/danger-dont-drink-miracle-mineral-solution-or-similar-products?utm_campaign=FDA%20warns%20consumers%20about%20the%20dangero

Chlorine Dioxide & Breastfeeding

Likely Unsafe

When used orally for medicinal purposes. Chlorine dioxide supplement products typically contain 28% sodium chlorite, which can provide 3-8 mg of chlorine dioxide per drop when mixed with citric acid as directed. Chlorine dioxide has been reported to cause serious complications, including severe vomiting and diarrhea, life-threatening low blood pressure, hemolysis, and acute liver failure. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of chlorine dioxide when used topically; avoid using.

  1. Kishan H. Chlorine dioxide-induced acute hemolysis. J Med Toxicol. 2009 Sep;5(3):177.
  2. Loh JM, Shafi H. Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease presenting after consumption of 'Miracle Mineral Solution' (sodium chlorite). BMJ Case Rep. 2014 Nov 24;2014:bcr2014205832.
  3. FDA. Danger: Don't Drink Miracle Mineral Solution or Similar Products. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/danger-dont-drink-miracle-mineral-solution-or-similar-products?utm_campaign=FDA%20warns%20consumers%20about%20the%20dangero
DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.

© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

Pregnancy & lactation ratings: Natural Medicines, Therapeutic Research Center

References & further reading

The 10 references that drive our Chlorine Dioxide monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Olin AC, Granung G, Hagberg S, et al. Respiratory health among bleachery workers exposed to ozone and chlorine dioxide. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2002 Apr;28(2):117-23. PubMed
  2. Kishan H. Chlorine dioxide-induced acute hemolysis. J Med Toxicol. 2009 Sep;5(3):177.
  3. Loh JM, Shafi H. Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease presenting after consumption of 'Miracle Mineral Solution' (sodium chlorite). BMJ Case Rep. 2014 Nov 24;2014:bcr2014205832. PubMed
  4. Moore GS, Calabrese EJ, Ho SC. Groups at potentially high risk from chlorine dioxide treated water. J Environ Pathol Toxicol. 1980 Sep;4(2-3):465-70.
  5. FDA. Danger: Don't Drink Miracle Mineral Solution or Similar Products. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/danger-dont-drink-miracle-mineral-solution-or-similar-products?utm_campaign=FDA%20warns%20consumers%20about%20the%20dangero
  6. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). ToxFAQs for Chlorine Dioxide and Chlorite. September 2004. Available at: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/tfacts160.pdf. Accessed on May 4, 2020.
  7. Burke D, Zakhary B, Pinelis E. Acute Hemolysis Following an Overdose of Miracle Mineral Solution in a Patient With Normal Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Levels. Chest. 2014;146(4_MeetingAbstracts):273A. DOI
  8. Medina-Avitia E, Tella-Vega P, García-Estrada C. Acute kidney injury secondary to chlorine dioxide use for COVID-19 prevention. Hemodial Int. 2021 Oct;25(4):E40-E43. PubMed
  9. Lardieri A, Cheng C, Jones SC, McCulley L. Harmful effects of chlorine dioxide exposure. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2021 May;59(5):448-9. PubMed
  10. Arellano-Gutiérrez G, Aldana-Zaragoza EH, Pérez-Fabián A. Intestinal perforation associated with chlorine dioxide ingestion: an adult chronic consumer during COVID-19 pandemic. Clin J Gastroenterol. 2021 Dec;14(6):1655-60. PubMed
Keep reading

This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Chlorine Dioxide: Common Questions

What is Chlorine Dioxide used for, and does it work?
People use Chlorine Dioxide for many reasons, but the evidence varies by use. According to the Natural Medicines database, there is at least some clinical evidence supporting Chlorine Dioxide for Halitosis. For most other uses it has been studied for, the evidence is currently insufficient to rate. See the graded list on this page, and always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor.
Does Chlorine Dioxide interact with prescription medications?
We do not currently list any known drug interactions for Chlorine Dioxide. This does not guarantee that none exist, so always confirm with your pharmacist before combining it with your medications.
How are Chlorine Dioxide interactions rated?
Each interaction is graded major, moderate, or minor based on how clinically significant it is and the strength of the evidence behind it. Major interactions are the most serious and are best avoided, or used only under close professional supervision.
Is it safe to take Chlorine Dioxide with my medications?
It depends on the specific medication. Some combinations are fine, while others call for monitoring, timing changes, or should be avoided. Check your exact drug above and confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or changing anything.
Where does this Chlorine Dioxide interaction information come from?
Our interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database — an evidence-graded reference for vitamins, herbs, and supplements — and is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists, who may add clinical context.
Is Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS) safe to drink?
No. MMS and similar Chlorine Dioxide products are essentially industrial bleach. The FDA warns that drinking them can cause severe vomiting, low blood pressure, red blood cell damage, liver injury, and even death.
Can Chlorine Dioxide cure infections, cancer, or COVID-19?
No. There is no legitimate scientific evidence that Chlorine Dioxide treats or cures any disease, and claims that it does are considered fraudulent and dangerous.
Why is Chlorine Dioxide allowed in tap water but not as a supplement?
Water treatment uses tiny, tightly regulated amounts to disinfect water, and most of it breaks down or is removed before you drink it. Supplement products create much higher, toxic concentrations meant to be swallowed, which is not safe.
What should I do if I or my child has taken an MMS product?
Stop using it immediately and contact a healthcare provider or Poison Control (1-800-222-1222 in the U.S.) right away, especially if there is vomiting, weakness, or trouble breathing.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

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