Magnesium is essential for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. Not only does the mineral support a healthy immune system and maintain normal nerve and muscle function, but it also regulates blood sugar and blood pressure, and keeps bones strong. Although magnesium deficiencies are not seen very often in the United States, the U.S. Office of Dietary Supplements notes that most Americans do not get the recommended amounts of magnesium. Taking a supplement may help individuals meet the recommended dietary allowance for magnesium.
Recommended Dietary Allowance
The minimum amount of magnesium a person should get each day depends on age. The recommended dietary allowance for all children between the ages of 1 to 3 years is 80 mg a day. Children between the ages of 4 to 8 should get at least 130 mg of magnesium a day, while children between the ages of 9 and 13 should get at least 240 mg of zinc. The recommended dietary allowances begin to vary depending on gender once a person reaches 14 years of age. Male teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18 should get 410 mg a day, while females of the same age only need 360 mg a day. Males between the ages of 19 and 30 should get 400 mg of magnesium a day, while only 310 mg of magnesium is sufficient for females of that age group. All males 31 years old or older should get about 420 mg a day, while females that age should get 320 mg of magnesium a day.
Special Circumstances
Pregnant and breastfeeding women require more magnesium than other women of their age group. The recommended dietary allowance of magnesium during pregnancy is 400 mg for women between the ages of 14 and 18, 350 mg a day for women between the ages of 19 and 30 and 360 mg a day for women 31 years old or older. The recommended dietary allowance of magnesium for breastfeeding women is 360 mg a day for those between the ages of 14 and 18, 310 mg a day for those between the ages of 19 and 30 and 320 mg a day for those who are 31 years old or older. In addition, some other medical conditions may require a person to take larger-than-normal amounts of magnesium. Alcoholism, diabetes, Crohn's disease, regional enteritis, gluten sensitive enteropathy are a few conditions that may put someone at a greater risk for a magnesium deficiency. If you are concerned that a medical condition may be interfering with your body's magnesium levels, consult your doctor for advice on supplementation.
Getting Too Much
Although getting excess amounts of magnesium through food does not pose any health risks, taking too large of a dosage of a magnesium supplement may cause adverse side effects. Symptoms of a magnesium overdose include diarrhea, stomach cramps, muscle weakness, nausea, appetite loss, extremely low blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, changes in mental status and difficulty breathing. To avoid these side effects, do not consume more than the tolerable upper intake level for your age group.
Tolerable Upper Intake Levels
The upper intake level for magnesium is 65 mg a day for children between the ages of 1 and 3 and 110 mg a day for children between the ages of 4 and 8. The tolerable upper intake level for everyone older than 8 years of age, regardless of gender, is 350 mg of magnesium a day. Do not consume more than these amounts unless specifically instructed by a doctor to do so.
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