Too Little Magnesium Can Cause Health Problems

The Recommended Daily Allowance of magnesium (which is the minimum level needed to stave off deficiency symptoms—not the maximum levels) varies by age and gender. Children 1 to 3 years: 80 mg Children 4 to 8 years: 130 mg Children 9 to 13 years: 240 mg Boys 14 to 18: 410 mg Girls 14 to 18: 360 mg Men 19 to 30: 400 mg Women 19 to 30: 310 mg Pregnant women 19 to 30: 350 mg Men 31 plus: 420 mg Women 31 plus: 320 mg Pregnant women 31 plus: 360 mg.

A survey conducted by The Gallup Organization found that 72 percent of adult Americans fall short of the Recommended Dietary Allowance for magnesium.

Because magnesium is required for hundreds of enzymatic reactions (enzymes are protein molecules that stimulate every chemical reaction in the body), deficiency can cause a wide variety of symptoms, such as Low Energy • Fatigue • Weakness • PMS and Hormonal Imbalances Inability to Sleep • Weakening Bones • Muscle Tension, Spasms and Cramps Abnormal Heart Rhythms • Headaches • Anxiousness • Nervousness • Irritability.

Carolyn Dean, MD, ND, and author of The Miracle of Magnesium states, “The recommended daily allowance (RDA), is about 350 mg per day, but most researchers say you need two and three times that amount, partly because it’s not in foods. If it is in foods, if you cook and process the foods in any way, you lose magnesium.”

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