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9/7/2010
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A male over 31 should get at least 420 mg of magnesium a day according to the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA).1
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How Common is Magnesium Deficiency?

  • According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), 7 out of 10 of Americans don't get enough magnesium from diet alone.2

  • Adults with certain illnesses, chronic conditions, or taking medicines that are associated with magnesium depletion may be at particular risk of developing a deficiency.3
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Adults at risk of magnesium depletion may include people with:

Cardiovascular Conditions 2, 4-12

  • Taking loop/thiazide diuretics on an ongoing basis can deplete tissue magnesium levels.

  • These include diuretics such as furosemide, bumetanide, and ethacrynic acid, that can cause considerable magnesium wasting.

Uncontrolled Diabetes 2, 4-12

The incidence of hypomagnesemia in adults with Type II diabetes has been reported to vary from 25% to 39%.

Medical conditions which may be associated with magnesium depletion include: extensive bowel resection, intestinal or biliary fistulas, celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, protein calorie malnutrition, hyperaldosteronism, hyperparathyroidism, hyperthyroidism, and pancreatic insufficiency.2, 4-12

Medications that can deplete magnesium include: Aminoglycosides: amikacin, gentamicin, neomycin, streptomycin, tobramycin. Loop/thiazide diuretics: furosemide, bumetanide, chlorthalidone, ethacrynic acid, hydrochlorothiazide, indapamide, metolazone, torsemide.2, 4-12

Others: cyclosporine, cisplatin, carboplatin, pentamidine, foscarnet, ticarcillin, carbenicillin, amphotericin, digoxin, tacrolimus, sirolimus, aldesleukin, gemtuzumab, acetazolamide.2, 4-12

References:
  1. USDA Agricultural Research reports 32% of all US individuals are meeting the Dietary Reference intake for magnesium. http://www.ars.usda.gov/services/docs.htm?docid=11046
  2. National Institutes of Health. Facts About Dietary Supplements: Magnesium. Office of Dietary Supplements, NIH Web site. Available at: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/magnesium.asp
  3. Douban S, et al. Significance of magnesium in congestive heart failure. Am Heart J. 1996;132:664-671.
  4. Nadler JL, Rude RK. Disorders of magnesium metabolism. Enocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 1995;24(3):623-641.
  5. Humphries S et al. Low dietary magnesium is associated with insulin resistance in a sample of young, nondiabetic, black Americans. Am J Hypertens. 1999;12:747-756.
  6. Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes, Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium, Phosophorus, Magnesium, Vitamin D, and Flouoride. National Academies Press. Washington, DC, 1997. http://books.nap.edu/books/0309063507/gifmid/196.gif
  7. Wacker WE, Parisi AF. Magnesium metabolism. NEJM. 1968;278:712-776.
  8. Whang R. Magnesium deficiency: Causes and clinical implications. Drugs. 1984;28 (suppl. 1):143-150.
  9. Whang R, Hampton EM, Whang DD. Magnesium homeostasis and clinical disorders of magnesium deficiency. Ann Pharmacother. 1994;28:220-226.
  10. Maher T. Medications, alcohol consumption and magnesium: Ensuring adequate intake of oral magnesium. The Magnesium Report, Clinical Research, and Laboratory News for Cardiologists. Second Quarter, 2000.
  11. Lajer H, Daugaard G. Cisplatin and hypomagnesemia. Cancer Treat Rev. 1999;25(1):47,48.
1 National Institute of Health, "Magnesium: What Is It?" Office of Dietary Supplements, NIH website: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/magnesium.asp.