Osteoporosis, a disease characterized by weak bones, is a major health threat worldwide and will cause fractures in 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men over the age of 50, according to the International Osteoporosis Foundation. To reduce the incidence of osteoporosis, it is important to build strong bones during childhood and adolescence to reach peak bone mass by the ages of 18 to 20. Magnesium is one of the three minerals needed in large amounts to promote the formation of new bone.
Bone Remodeling
To understand osteoporosis, it is important to understand the process of bone remodeling. Bone consists of living tissue that continually undergoes bone remodeling. During this process, specialized cells known as osteoclasts secrete enzymes that digest old bone tissue for reabsorption. Another type of cells, known as osteoblasts, use the minerals calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, to build new bone matrix to replace the old bone. Usually, osteoclasts and osteoblasts work together in balance to maintain bone mass. A vitamin or mineral deficiency can disrupt the formation of new bone, which leads to a decrease in bone density resulting in osteoporosis.
Role of Magnesium
Although the body uses calcium and phosphorus to build the bone structure, magnesium promotes the efficient use of calcium and enhances the quality of the bone formed. The human body also uses magnesium for normal muscle and nerve function, to support a healthy immune system and to keep the heart beating rhythmically. The body contains about 25 g of magnesium and approximately two-thirds of it is in the bones, according to an article published in 2000 in the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition."
Magnesium Intake
To support normal body functions and avoid the onset of a deficiency, the National Institutes of Medicine Food and Nutrition Board recommends that adult men consume 420 mg and adult women intake 320 mg of magnesium per day. You should only take magnesium supplements when your health care provider determines it to be beneficial. For most people suffering from a mild magnesium deficiency, increasing your dietary intake of magnesium can restore your magnesium level and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Source of Magnesium
Green vegetables, like spinach, serve as a good source of magnesium because chlorophyll, the molecule that gives the green color, contains magnesium. Legume, the classification of foods that contains beans and peas, also provides dietary magnesium. Other good sources of magnesium include nuts, seeds and whole grains. Be sure to consume whole grains because refined grains, which remove the bran and germ, generally contain very little magnesium. Increasing your consumption of these foods supports healthy, strong bones and can decrease the risk for osteoporosis due to a magnesium deficiency.
References
- International Osteoporosis Foundation: Facts and Statistics
- NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center: Other Nutrients and Bone Health At a Glance
- "Journal of the American College of Nutrition": Nutrition in Bone Health Revisited -- A Story Beyond Calcium; Ilich et. al.; 2000
- National Institutes of Medicine Food and Nutrition Board: Daily Recommended Intake; 2004
- National Institute of Health Office of Dietary Supplements: Magnesium
