Magnesium in Multivitamins

Magnesium has a pivotal role in hundreds of biological reactions, warranting its addition to multivitamins.

Magnesium is an essential mineral used by the body to support hundreds of biochemical reactions by:

• Aiding enzyme function. Magnesium helps the function of enzymes involved in a many processes, including protein and DNA synthesis, energy production, and cell signaling.

Overview

A fundamental component of all cells and roughly 300 enzymes, magnesium is a metallic chemical element (Mg). Out of the roughly 25 mg of magnesium in the human body, less than 1% is found in the blood. Magnesium levels are strictly maintained at a concentration of 0.75 – 0.99 millimoles per liter by the kidneys, which is why determining individual magnesium needs can be challenging.

It is widely recognized as an essential mineral for its role in numerous fundamental processes, including energy production and the synthesis of biological compounds. The abundance of magnesium in common foods—such as cereals, nuts, spices, and leafy green vegetables—makes its deficiency rare, although insufficiency in as much as 45% of the U.S. population has been reported.¹

Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for Magnesium

Age	Males	Females
0 – 12 months	30 – 75 mg	30 – 75 mg
1 – 8 years	80 – 130 mg	80 – 130 mg
9 – 13 years	240 mg	240 mg
14 – 18 years	410 mg	360 mg (400 mg for pregnancy, 360 mg for breast-feeding)
19 – 30 years	400 mg	310 mg (350 mg for pregnancy, 310 mg for breast-feeding)
31+ years	420 mg	320 mg (360 mg for pregnancy, 320 mg for breast-feeding)

Foods High in Magnesium

Food	Serving Size	Amount per serving (mg)
Cereal (all bran)	½ cup	112
Brown rice (cooked)	1 cup	86
Mackerel	3 ounces	82
Spinach	½ cup	78
Peanuts	1 ounce	48
Banana	1 medium	32

How Magnesium Supports General Health

Magnesium is involved in a wide range of bodily processes, but is best recognized for:

Facilitating metabolic reactions

Magnesium is a cofactor (helper molecule) for more than 300 enzyme systems in the body that facilitate processes including:²:

• Energy production. Magnesium is required to convert carbs and fat into energy in the body, known as ATP. ATP also needs to bind to magnesium in order to work.
• Synthesis of essential compounds. Magnesium play a major part in making DNA and proteins in the body, as well as helping other enzymes manufacture carbs, lipids, and the antioxidant glutathione.
• Cell signaling. Magnesium helps form one of the main messenger molecules in the body, cAMP, which helps control cell function.
• Ion transportation. By conducting the transport of ions – such as potassium and calcium – in and out of cells, magnesium has an impact on nerve impulses, muscle contraction, and heart beat.³

Magnesium’s Benefits as a Multivitamin

Magnesium is frequently added to multivitamins to help support its biological functions in the body, especially considering that as many as 45% of Americans have insufficient levels. Furthermore, low levels of magnesium may be associated with:

• High blood pressure⁴
• Type II diabetes⁵
• Cardiovascular complications^{6 7}
• Bone deterioration, or osteoporosis⁸

In addition, magnesium supplementation may also have benefits such as ameliorating migraines and asthma, as well as boosting testosterone and improving sleep. More on magnesium for testosterone and sleep.

Multivitamin Dosage

• Multivitamins typically include 39 – 100 mg of magnesium as magnesium oxide
• Health professionals recommend taking no more than 350 mg of magnesium per day to avoid adverse side effects such as diarrhea.