Magnesium in Prevention and Therapy
Gröber et al. • Nutrients
Key Finding
Nearly 50% US adults have inadequate Mg intake; hypomagnesemia <0.75 mmol/L; diabetes meta-analysis: RR 0.85 per 100 mg/day increase; 13.5-47.7% of diabetics have hypomagnesemia
Key Findings
- 1Nearly 50% of US adults have inadequate magnesium intake
- 2Hypomagnesemia (<0.75 mmol/L) in 13.5-47.7% of diabetics
- 3Diabetes risk: RR 0.85 per 100 mg/day Mg increase
- 4Serum contains only 0.3% of total body magnesium - poor indicator
Original title: “Magnesium in Prevention and Therapy”
Plain English Summary
Review on magnesium as cofactor for >300 enzymatic reactions. Nearly 50% of US adults have inadequate intake. Low Mg linked to diabetes, hypertension, CVD, migraine.
In-Depth Analysis
Study Details
Authors: Uwe Gröber, Joachim Schmidt, Klaus Kisters
Institution: Academy of Micronutrient Medicine, Germany
Journal: Nutrients, 2015 Sep; 7(9):8199-8226
PMCID: PMC4586582
Key Statistics (from original paper)
Magnesium Role
"Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body. It has been recognized as a cofactor for more than 300 enzymatic reactions, where it is crucial for adenosine triphosphate (ATP) metabolism."
Deficiency Prevalence
- •Nearly 50% of US adults have inadequate dietary magnesium intake (NHANES 2005-2006)
- •Dietary intake declined from ~500 mg/day to 175-225 mg/day over 100 years
Reference Ranges
- •Hypomagnesemia: <0.75 mmol/L
- •Normal serum: 0.76-1.15 mmol/L
- •Recommended lower limit: 0.85 mmol/L (especially diabetics)
Body Distribution
- •Bone stores: ~60%
- •Extracellular: 1-3%
- •Serum: only 0.3% of total body magnesium
Type 2 Diabetes
- •Hypomagnesemia incidence: 13.5-47.7% in diabetics
- •Meta-analysis (7 studies, 286,668 participants): RR 0.85 per 100 mg daily increase
Drug-Induced Depletion
Loop diuretics, thiazide diuretics, PPIs, aminoglycosides, chemotherapy, immunosuppressants
Source: PMC full text (PMC4586582)
Paradigm Relevance
How this study applies to different clinical perspectives:
Standard Medical
RelevantConventional clinical guidelines used by most doctors
Why it matters:
Documents evidence for magnesium therapy in established cardiovascular disease.
Research Consensus
RelevantCurrent scientific understanding, often ahead of guidelines
Why it matters:
Provides quantified benefits and dosing recommendations based on clinical evidence.
Metabolic Optimization
RelevantProactive targets for optimal health, not just disease absence
Why it matters:
Supports proactive supplementation with well-absorbed forms for disease prevention.
Study Details
- Type
- Review Article
- Methodology
- Review article covering magnesium biochemistry, deficiency epidemiology, disease associations, and drug interactions.
Evidence Quality
Review from PMC4586582. Academy of Micronutrient Medicine, Germany.
Related Biomarkers
Calculate & Evaluate on Metabolicum
Original Source
DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is a permanent link to this publication. Unlike website URLs that can change, a DOI always resolves to the correct source.
Related Studies
Subclinical magnesium deficiency: a principal driver of cardiovascular disease and a public health crisis
DiNicolantonio et al. • Open Heart • 2018
10-30% of populations have subclinical deficiency (<0.80 mmol/L); 48-50% US consumes below RDA; serum reflects <1% of body stores; linked to hypertension, arrhythmias, atherosclerosis, heart failure
Challenges in the Diagnosis of Magnesium Status
Workinger et al. • Nutrients • 2018
Blood magnesium represents only 0.8% of total body stores; 45% of Americans are magnesium deficient; 60% of adults do not reach recommended intake levels
Perspective: The Case for an Evidence-Based Reference Interval for Serum Magnesium: The Time Has Come
Costello et al. • Advances in Nutrition • 2016
Proposed optimal threshold: ≥0.85 mmol/L (vs current 0.75 mmol/L); CVD risk increases at <0.75-0.85 mmol/L; T2D risk elevated at <0.74 mmol/L