Glossary: Magnesium

Magnesium

What is it

A MINERAL essential for good health. Most of it goes into bones and teeth; the rest into muscles and soft tissues. Magnesium is vital to the metabolism of CARBOHYDRATES, PROTEINS and FATS and activates more than three hundred different body enzymes, particularly those that require three B vitamins; THIAMIN (vitamin B1), RIBOFLAVIN (vitamin B2) and PYRIDOXINE (vitamin B6), vitamins C and E. It also helps fight tooth decay by binding CALCIUM to tooth enamel.

1997 RDA FOR MAGNESIUM
babies: birth to 6 months 6 months to 1 year	30 mg per day* 75 mg per day*
children: 1 to 3 years 4 to 8 years 9 to 13 years	80 mg per day 130 mg per day 240 mg per day
men and boys: 14 to 18 years 19 to 30 years 31+ years	410 mg per day 400 mg per day 420 mg per day
women and girls: 14 to 18 years 19 to 30 years 31+ years	360 mg per day 310 mg per day 320 mg per day
pregnant women: less than 18 years 19 to 30 years 31 to 50 years	400 mg per day 350 mg per day 360 mg per day
nursing mothers: less than 18 years 19 to 30 years 31 to 50 years	360 mg per day 310 mg per day 320 mg per day

Deficiency Symptoms

Muscular weakness, twitching, convulsions, nausea, vomiting and runaway heartbeat. With magnesium so widely distributed in plants and animals, deficiencies are rare except in alcoholics, in cases of kidney disease, in diuretic abuse, after severe vomiting and/or diarrhea or in those whose intestines aren't absorbing nutrients properly.

Precautions

Too much magnesium can also cause trouble and, strangely, displays some of the deficiency symptoms � nausea and vomiting. But there may also be low blood pressure, sleepiness of almost drugged intensity and paralysis of the voluntary muscles.

Good Sources

Green vegetables, avocados, bananas, blackstrap molasses, chocolate, whole unprocessed grains, legumes, peanut butter, nuts and seeds.

Food	Magnesium (mg)
All-Bran (1/2 cup)	120
Black or navy beans (1 cup cooked)	105-120
Great Northern or pinto beans (1 cup cooked)	90-95
Brown rice (1 cup cooked)	85
Almonds or cashews (3 Tbs.)	75-85
Garbanzos (chickpeas) or lima beans (1 cup cooked)	80
Kellogg's Raisin Bran (1 cup)	80
Spinach (1/2 cup cooked)	75
Lentils (1 cup cooked)	70
Grape-Nuts (1/2 cup)	60
Multi-Bran Chex or Wheat Chex (1 cup)	60
Baked potato, with skin (1-7 oz.)	55
Seafood (4 oz. cooked)	35-55
Peanuts (1/5 cup) or peanut butter (2 Tbs.)	50
Whole wheat bread (2 slices--2 oz.)	50
Acorn squash (1/2 cup cooked)	45
Yogurt (1 cup)	35-45
Banana (1)	35
Peas (1/2 cup cooked)	35
Watermelon (2 cups)	35
Chocolate, semisweet or sweet (1 oz.)	30-35
Milk (1 cup)	30-35
Grapefruit, orange, or prune juice (1 cup)	25-35
Beef, pork, or poultry (4 oz. cooked)	20-35
Butternut squash (1/2 cup cooked)	30
Cheerios or Wheaties (1 cup)	30
Broccoli (1/2 cup cooked)	20
White rice (1 cup cooked)	20
White bread (2 slices--2 oz.)	15
Kellogg's Corn Flakes (1 cup) or Frosted Flakes (3/4 cup)	0

Chart compiled by Ingrid VanTuinen.

Sources: USDA and manufacturers.

Standard Process Supplements Containing Magnesium