What is magnesium peroxide in layman's terms, and is it safe to
ingest, especially on a daily basis?  Is it a synthetic?  Here's a
link I found: http://www.hummelcroton.com/mgo2_m.html

Magnesium peroxide is commonly known as "oxygenated magnesia." It is
also known by the registered trademark ORC, "Oxygen Release Compound."
According to my brilliant and helpful husband, who has a degree in
chemistry, this is a manufactured substance, not a natural mineral
product.

"Magnesium peroxide (MgO2) is 'oxygenated magnesia'. It contains both
magnesium (oxide) and oxygen and progressively liberates the oxygen
upon contact with acids in water. It is 43.17% magnesium and 56.83%
oxygen. Magnesium peroxide also imparts a beneficial alkaline reaction
to water to which it is added, and in the process of neutralizing
acids, liberates the bound oxygen (ensuring a more controlled action
than with hydrogen peroxide, which latter tends to slightly acidify
water). The oxygenating, alkalising and chemo-physiological effects of
magnesium peroxide probably equal, if not exceed its basic magnesium
nutritional benefits (The Editor). The spent magnesium peroxide is
converted to magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2). The safety of this
material is easily conveyed by the fact that a suspension of magnesium
hydroxide in water is ordinary Milk of Magnesia, which explains its
gentle, yet reliable laxative effect, the latter at doses approaching
½ - 1 tsp in a glass of water. Magnesium peroxide is used as an
anti-septic, chiefly in dentifrices, including toothpowders. These
magnesium compounds meet safety criteria for entering the environment,
including the food chain. The compounds are simple minerals and so,
microorganisms can metabolize them, using their internal organic acids
to solubilize them. Pharmacopoeia indicate deodorant, antiseptic,
anti-infective, antacid, and laxative effects for magnesium peroxide."

Gaia Research
http://www.gaiaresearch.co.za/magnesium.html

Regenesis
http://www.regenesis.com/ORC/

Regarding the safety of ingesting magnesium peroxide:

"Both magnesium peroxide and magnesium hydroxide are environmentally
benign and actually safe enough to ingest. In fact, they are both
recognized as medicinal antacids - the more common one being magnesium
hydroxide, also known as Milk of Magnesia."

Regenesis
http://www.regenesis.com/pdf%20files/Battell%2001%20abs.paper/KOENIGSBERG%20and%20SANDEFUR%20%20-%20B2001%20-%20Paper.pdf

Search terms used:

magnesium peroxide
commonly known 
oxygenated magnesia

I hope this is the kind of information you need. It's always a
pleasure to help a fellow Google Answers Researcher.

Best regards,
pinkfreud

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Request for Answer Clarification by jbf777-ga on 19 Mar 2003 10:30 PST

Hi pinkfreud -

Thanks so much for the great answer.  Just a couple quick RFQ's:

In the sentence:

"The safety of this material is easily conveyed by the fact that a
suspension of magnesium hydroxide in water is ordinary Milk of
Magnesia, which explains its
gentle, yet reliable laxative effect, the latter at doses approaching
½ - 1 tsp in a glass of water ..."

is that supposed to be "magnesium peroxide," not "hydroxide?"

Could you ask your husband: this substance is manufactured, but since
it's just magnesium and oxygen [both natural substances], is its
definition of "synthetic" solely due to these substances being married
together into one molecular unit?

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Clarification of Answer by pinkfreud-ga on 19 Mar 2003 11:00 PST

Thanks for the five stars and the tip!

Regarding the passage you quoted:

"The safety of this material is easily conveyed by the fact that a
suspension of magnesium hydroxide in water is ordinary Milk of
Magnesia, which explains its gentle, yet reliable laxative effect, the
latter at doses approaching ½ - 1 tsp in a glass of water."

This passage refers to magnesium hydroxide, not magnesium peroxide.
Note this sentence immediately preceding the passage:

"The spent magnesium peroxide is converted to magnesium hydroxide
(Mg(OH)2).

On the matter of whether this substance is "synthetic," here are two
definitions of "synthetic":

"Produced by synthesis, especially not of natural origin." 

"Prepared or made artificially."

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=synthetic

This substance indeed contains two "natural" elements. All substances
are "natural" in that sense, with the exception of radioactive
substances composed of manmade elements. The word "synthetic," as it
is commonly used in referring to chemical compounds, generally means
"made in a lab" as opposed to "mined from the earth" or otherwise
"found." By this definition, we can say that sodium chloride (table
salt) is "natural," since it occurs in nature. I could be wrong, but I
don't think there are any magnesium peroxide mines. ;-)

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Request for Answer Clarification by jbf777-ga on 19 Mar 2003 11:39 PST

Oops!  Would have been nice if I had more carefully read the previous
sentence. :)  Thanks for the clarification.  Great work!

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Clarification of Answer by pinkfreud-ga on 19 Mar 2003 12:40 PST

If you need another reference that may be useful regarding the safety
of magnesium peroxide, here's a magnesium peroxide product that is
touted as a miracle health aid:

"This magnesium peroxide compound replaces the older method of
ingesting 35% hydrogen peroxide and water, where toxins could be
reabsorbed if taken in too large a quantity. If too much hydrogen
peroxide is taken, it can split into hydroxyl radicals; a very
unstable oxidized form of hydrogen, very toxic and capable of killing
cells. Magnesium peroxide, on the other hand, can only split into
oxygen and magnesium!"

Choice Mall
http://ww3.choicemall.com/oxyoxc/

(You don't need to respond to this clarification unless you need more
information. I posted this primarily because, as you know, Google
Answers expects us to answer our customers' requests for
clarification, and your last remark was posted as an RFC.)

~Pink

Exemplary.

jbf: Mixing more oxygen into a molecular unit can make an enormous
difference in the properties of the new molecules, so magnesium
peroxide may not be safe under some conditions even though the decay
products magnesium hydroxide and oxygen are sorta kinda safe. In fact
some metalic peroxides are very dangerious even though the oxide or
hydroxide is sort of kinda safe. Swallowing large quantities of most
anything has potenially fatal or injurious possibilities. As a fine
powder the magnesium peroxide is likely damaging to your lungs if you
accidentally inhail a significant amount of the dust.
 Pink: The last last part of your quote is not generally true.
Magnesium peroxide typically splits into magnesium oxide and oxygen.
In the presences of digestive jucies it becomes oxygen and magnesium
hydroxide and magnesium chloride (the only form soluable in water).
Some  magnesium ions will be produced, but no metalic magnesium.  
Neil

I think drinking even small quantities of 35% hydrogen peroxide would
be dangerious unless diluted with lots of water. The 3% hydrogen
peroxide sold over the counter in drug stores has another chemical to
improve the shelf life and is not intended for internal use.   Neil