Minerals >> Magnesium

Magnesium deficiency in healthy individuals who are consuming a balanced diet is quite rare because magnesium is abundant in both plant and animal foods and because the kidneys are able to limit urinary excretion of magnesium when intake is low. The following conditions increase the risk of magnesium deficiency.

Gastrointestinal disorders: Prolonged diarrhea, Crohn's disease, malabsorption syndromes, surgical removal of a portion of the intestine, and intestinal inflammation due to radiation may all lead to magnesium depletion. 

Renal disorders (magnesium wasting): Diabetes mellitus and long-term use of certain diuretics (see Drug interactions) may result in increased urinary loss of magnesium.

Chronic alcoholism: Poor dietary intake, gastrointestinal problems, and increased urinary loss of magnesium may all contribute to magnesium depletion, which is frequently encountered in alcoholics.

Age: Several studies have found that elderly people have relatively low dietary intakes of magnesium. Because intestinal magnesium absorption tends to decrease and urinary magnesium excretion tends to increase in older individuals, suboptimal dietary magnesium intake may increase the risk of magnesium depletion in the elderly. 

Alhough severe magnesium deficiency is uncommon, it has been induced experimentally. When magnesium deficiency was induced in humans, the earliest sign was decreased serum magesium levels (hypomagnesemia). Over time serum calcium levels also began to decrease (hypocalcemia) despite adequate dietary calcium. Hypocalcemia persisted despite increased parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion. Usually, increased PTH secretion quickly results in the mobilization of calcium from bone and normalization of blood calcium levels. As the magnesium depletion progressed, PTH secretion diminished to low levels. Along with hypomagnesemia, signs of severe magnesium deficiency included hypocalcemia, low serum potassium levels (hypokalemia), retention of sodium, low circulating levels of PTH, neurological and muscular symptoms (tremor, muscle spasms, tetany), loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and personality changes.

The RDA

In 1997, the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine increased the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for magnesium, based on the results of recent, tightly controlled balance studies that utilized more accurate methods of measuring magnesium. Balance studies are useful for determining the amount of a nutrient that will prevent deficiency but give little information regarding the amount required for chronic disease prevention or optimum health.

• Magnesium: structure and the function of the human body

• Magnesium Deficiency: Gastrointestinal disorders & Diabetes mellitus

• Magnesium & Disease Prevention: Hypertension (high blood pressure)

• Magnesium & Disease Treatment: Toxemia of Pregnancy...

• Magnesium Function: Energy production & Synthesis of essential molecules

• Magnesium & Safety

• Magnesium Food sources & Supplements

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