Magnesium deficiency refers to a lack of dietary magnesium below specified levels, which can result in numerous symptoms and conditions. This can generally be remedied by an alteration of diet or oral supplements. However intravenous supplementation is necessary for more severe cases.
Symptoms
Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include: hyperexcitability, muscle weakness and tiredness.
Incidence/prevalence
61% of the US population does not meet the US RDA for levels of magnesium. The kidneys are very efficient at maintaining body levels, but not in cases where the diet is deficient.
Terminology
"Magnesium depletion" (ICD10 code E83.4) should be distinguished from hypomagnesemia, since the first refers to a disorder of magnesium metabolism, and is much more difficult to treat. However, in the past, the terms have sometimes been used interchangeably. Magnesium deficiency can be present without hypomagnesemia, and hypomagnesemia can be present without magnesium deficiency.
Causes of magnesium deficiency include alcohol abuse, poorly controlled diabetes, excessive or chronic vomiting and/or diarrhea. Certain drugs can also deplete magnesium levels such as osmotic diuretics, cisplatin, ciclosporin, amphetamines, and possibly proton pump inhibitors. Also deficiency may occur in Bartter syndrome and Gitelman syndrome.
For a more detailed discussion on the subject of magnesium metabolism and causes of magnesium deficiency see hypomagnesemia.
Treatments
Magnesium is absorbed orally at about 30% bioavailability from any water soluble salt, such as magnesium chloride or citrate. The citrate is the least expensive oral magnesium salt available in supplements, with 100 mg and 200 mg magnesium typically contained per capsule.
Magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts) has been recommended as a magnesium source.
Magnesium insoluble salts, such as magnesium hydroxide (milk of magnesia) and magnesium oxide depend on stomach acid for neutralization before they can be absorbed, and thus offer poor oral magnesium sources. Magnesium aspartate, chloride, lactate and glycinate each have bioavailability 4 times greater than the oxide form and equivalent to each other.
Claimed plant or bacteria-based effective treatments include Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (blue-green "algae", actually a cyanobacterium) and other chlorophyll rich natural supplements such as the algae spirulina, with the rationale that "synthetic supplements" are sometimes ineffective because of low assimilation. Repletion with blue-green algae/cyanobacteria has not been proven, however, and the powdered product contains only 2 mg magnesium per gram, which would require 150 grams to supply 300 mg of magnesium.
Severe hypomagnesemia is often treated medically with intravenous or intramuscular magnesium sulfate solution, which is completely bioavailable, and effective.
References
- ^ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002423.htm
- ^ "Community Nutrition Products and Services, Community Nutrition : CNMap" . http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=10709 . Retrieved 2007-07-24 .
- ^ Firoz M, Graber M: "Bioavailability of US commercial magnesium preparations.", Magnesium Research 2001 Dec;14(4):257-62.
- ^ Lindberg JS, Zobitz MM, Poindexter JR, Pak CY: "Magnesium bioavailability from magnesium citrate and magnesium oxide.",J Am Coll Nutr. 1990 Feb;9(1):48-55.
- ^ McKeith, Gillian Ph.D. Miracle Superfood: Wild Blue-Green Algae, Keats Publishing 1999, pp. 14-41
- ^ http:
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