Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for magnesium

Abstract

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) derived Dietary Reference Values (DRVs) for magnesium. The Panel considers that Average Requirements (ARs) and Population Reference Intakes (PRIs) for magnesium cannot be derived for adults, infants or children, and therefore defines Adequate Intakes (AIs), based on observed intakes in healthy populations in the European Union (EU). This approach considers the range of average magnesium intakes estimated by EFSA from dietary surveys in children and adults in nine EU countries. For adults, an AI for magnesium is set at 350 mg/day for men and 300 mg/day for women. For children aged 1 to < 3 years, an AI for magnesium is set at 170 mg/day for both sexes. For children aged 3 to < 10 years, an AI for magnesium is set at 230 mg/day for both sexes. For children aged 10 to < 18 years, an AI for magnesium is set at 300 mg/day for boys and 250 mg/day for girls. For infants aged 7-11 months, an AI for magnesium of 80 mg/day is derived by extrapolating upwards from the estimated magnesium intake in exclusively breast-fed infants aged 0-6 months and by considering observed average intakes in the few surveys for which data are available. For pregnant and lactating women, the Panel considers that there is no evidence for an increased need for magnesium, and the same AI is set for them as for non-pregnant, non-lactating women. Magnesium is an alkaline earth metal. It occurs as the free cation Mg 2+ in aqueous solutions or as the mineral part of a large variety of compounds, including chlorides, carbonates and hydroxides. Magnesium is a cofactor of more than 300 enzymatic reactions, acting either on the enzyme itself as a structural or catalytic component or on the substrate, especially for reactions involving ATP, which make magnesium essential in the intermediary metabolism for the synthesis of carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids and proteins, as well as for specific actions in various organs in the neuromuscular or cardiovascular system. Magnesium deficiency can cause hypocalcaemia and hypokalaemia, leading to neurological or cardiac symptoms when it is associated with marked hypomagnesaemia. Owing to the widespread involvement of magnesium in numerous physiological functions and the metabolic interactions between magnesium and other minerals, it is difficult to relate magnesium deficiency to specific symptoms.Magnesium absorption takes place in the distal intestine, mainly as the ionised form. Percentage absorption is generally considered to be 40-50 %, but figures from 10 to 70 % have also been reported. Magnesium absorption can be inhibited by phytic acid and phosphate and enhanced by the fermentation of soluble dietary fibre, although the physiological relevance of these interactions at adequate intakes remains to be established.The majority of the body magnesium content is stored in bone (about 60 %) and muscle (about 25 %). A small amount is present in the serum, mainly as the free cation. Most cells ...

Dietary Reference Values for nutrients Summary report

“…When this is added to basal losses of 1.08 mg/day (obtained from data in postmenopausal women), the requirement for absorbed iron during the first months of lactation is calculated to be 1.3 mg/day, assuming that menstruation has not yet resumed. This requirement is slightly less than in nonpregnant, non-lactating women, but, for depleted iron stores to be replenished and to cover losses of iron when menstruation is re-established, the Panel considers that the AR and PRI for lactating women are the same as for nonpregnant women of childbearing age ( Panel, 2015c). Magnesium is a cofactor of more than 300 enzymatic reactions, acting either on the enzyme itself as a structural or catalytic component or on the substrate, especially for reactions involving ATP, which make magnesium essential in the intermediary metabolism for the synthesis of carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids and proteins, as well as for specific actions in various organs in the neuromuscular or cardiovascular system.…”

“…It occurs as the free cation Mg 2+ in aqueous solutions or as the mineral part of a large variety of compounds, including chlorides, carbonates and hydroxides (EFSA NDA Panel, 2015f). Magnesium is a cofactor of more than 300 enzymatic reactions, acting either on the enzyme itself as a structural or catalytic component or on the substrate, especially for reactions involving ATP, which make magnesium essential in the intermediary metabolism for the synthesis of carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids and proteins, as well as for specific actions in various organs in the neuromuscular or cardiovascular system.…”

Magnesium citrate malate as a source of magnesium added for nutritional purposes to food supplements

“…Upon request of the Panel, the applicant also provided further information on the identity of the substance, on the stability of the product and on the proposed use levels. Data on dietary intake of magnesium in the general population were extrapolated from the scientific opinion of the EFSA NDA Panel on dietary reference values for magnesium (EFSA NDA Panel, 2015).…”

“…Summary of Adequate Intake values for magnesium (EFSA NDA Panel, 2015)Data on dietary intake of magnesium in the general population were extrapolated from the scientific opinion of the EFSA NDA Panel on dietary reference values for magnesium(EFSA NDA Panel, 2015).…”

Outcome of a public consultation on the Draft Scientific Opinion of the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) on Dietary Reference Values for magnesium

“…The NDA Panel prepared an updated version of the Scientific Opinion, taking into account the comments received. The updated Scientific Opinion was discussed and adopted at the NDA Plenary meeting on 29 June 2015, and is published in the EFSA Journal (EFSA NDA Panel, 2015). EFSA is committed to publishing the comments received during the public consultation, as well as a short report on the outcome of the consultation.…”