Magnesium in Food and Dietary Allowance

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Table of Contents

Good and excellent food sources of magnesium
Recommended Dietary Allowance for magnesium
Deficiency signs and symptoms
A risk for toxicity
Body functions
History with magnesium and its discovery
Laboratory test associated with magnesium
Special populations that should be concerned with magnesium
References

Good and excellent food sources of magnesium

Some of the food identified as good sources of magnesium include nuts, green vegetables, and grains (Rude and Olerich 436). It is important to note that green leafy vegetables have especially been identified as excellent sources of magnesium.

Recommended Dietary Allowance for magnesium

The RDA for magnesium is dependent on gender, age, and life stage. The table below helps to depict the RDA requirement on the basis of the three aforementioned variants

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for Magnesium
Life Stage	Age	Males (mg/day)	Females (mg/day)
Infants	0-6 months	30 ( AI)	30 (AI)
Infants	7-12 months	75 (AI)	75 (AI)
Children	1-3 years	80	80
Children	4-8 years	130	130
Children	9-13 years	240	240
Adolescents	14-18 years	410	360
Adults	19-30 years	400	310
Adults	31 years and older	420	320
Pregnancy	18 years and younger	–	400
Pregnancy	19-30 years	–	350
Pregnancy	31 years and older	–	360
Breast-feeding	18 years and younger	–	360
Breast-feeding	19-30 years	–	310
Breast-feeding	31 years and older	–	320

(Source: Linus Pauling Institute 2010).

Deficiency signs and symptoms

Some of the recognizable symptoms include cramps, muscle tension, twitches, muscle soreness. Other signs include urinary spasms, constipation, difficulty in swallowing, photophobia, and menstrual cramps. A deficiency of magnesium also affects the nervous system leading to tingling and numbness (Rude and Olerich 456). With respect to the cardiovascular system, a deficiency of magnesium may result in heart arrhythmias, palpitations, and angina. A diet deficient in magnesium could trigger the development or deterioration of symptoms associated with such autoimmune disorders as fibromyalgia, Raynaud’s, and hyperthyroidism, among others. Others include cardiovascular disorders and diabetes.

A risk for toxicity

Even as dietary magnesium has not been implicated with a health risk nonetheless, dietary supplements of the mineral may enhance such adverse effects as abdominal cramping and diarrhea. High doses of antacids and laxatives rich in magnesium could also result in magnesium toxicity (Xing and Soffer 1201). In case of toxicity, there is the risk of kidney failure.

Body functions

The structural role of magnesium includes such body structures as cell membranes, bones, and chromosomes. In addition, magnesium is also involved in the active transport of such ions like calcium and potassium across the cell membrane (U.S. Department of Agriculture 2010). Moreover, magnesium is involved in cell migration and cell signaling.

History with magnesium and its discovery

Three individuals have been credited with the discovery of magnesium. The first of these is Sir Humphrey Davy, a pioneer in electrolysis, who is thought to have first discovered magnesium in 1808. Accordingly, he utilized the electrolysis method in an attempt to isolate magnesium. Another individual credited with the discovery of magnesium is Antoine Bussy, a chemist of French descent. He is credited as a pioneer in magnesium isolation from large quantities. Joseph Black, a chemist and physician, is also thought to have discovered magnesia in 1755.

Laboratory test associated with magnesium

One of the laboratory tests associated with magnesium is referred to as the magnesium loading test. Here, the patient is required to present a urine sample within 24 hours to facilitate the measuring of total magnesium. Thereafter, a given amount of magnesium is injected into a patient. Then, the patient is requested to submit a second urine sample. Again, a second test to assess the level of magnesium is carried out. In case the test reveals that the body retains magnesium beyond a given threshold, this is indicative of magnesium deficiency.

Special populations that should be concerned with magnesium

Individuals who need to be more concerned with magnesium as a nutrient include those patients diagnosed with the condition that could limit its absorption or excessive loss of the nutrient. In addition, patients taking such medicines as antibiotics, diuretics, and anti-neoplastic medication should also be concerned because they are associated with a deficiency of magnesium. Others include poorly-controlled diabetes (American Diabetes Association 543) and the elderly.

References

American Diabetes Association. Nutrition recommendations and principles for people with diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Care, 22(1999): 542-5.

Linus Pauling Institute. Magnesium. 2010. Web.

Rude, Robert and Olerich, Michael. Magnesium deficiency: Possible role in osteoporosis associated with gluten-sensitive enteropathy. Osteoporos Int, 6(1996):453-61.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Research Service. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 16. 2003. Web.

Xing, Jin Soffer, Edy. Adverse effects of laxatives. Dis Colon Rectum 2001;44:1201-9.

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