A hydrogen suppressing, flameless, heat generating chemical composition including magnesium, a hydrogen suppressor or eliminator, particulate carbon, an alloying metal selected from the group consisting of: iron, cobalt, nickel, zinc, aluminum and mixtures thereof, a metallic salt including a cation and an anion, wherein the anion is selected from the group consisting of silicate, carbonate, bicarbonate, phosphate, borate, perborate, percarbonate, perphosphate, persulfate, nitrate, nitrite, ferrate, permanganate, and stannate and combinations thereof, and water. The magnesium or magnesium-containing alloy, hydrogen suppressor or eliminator, particulate carbon, alloying metal, metallic salt and water are each present in a proportional amount to generate sufficient heat to heat water, medical supplies and / or consumable rations.