Magnesium is an essential mineral that helps regulate calcium levels and bone health. Magnesium plays a role in more than 300 enzyme reactions and contributes to energy production in the body. According to Dierck-Hartmut Liebscher, M.D., magnesium deficiency goes undiagnosed because of its wide-ranging symptoms. Constipation is one such symptom that can easily be attributed to any number of different causes.
Common Symptoms of Deficiency
Magnesium deficiency has been linked to symptoms involving muscles, joints, the cardiovascular system as well as the gastrointestinal tract. According to Michael B. Schachter, M.D., director of the Schachter Center for Complementary Medicine in Suffern, New York, low levels of magnesium can interfere with the contraction of smooth muscles in the abdomen, leading to constipation. A 2006 study published in the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition" indicates that fiber is often implicated in causing constipation. The study analyzed more than 3,800 volunteers. Out of 26 percent diagnosed with constipation, the cause was not associated with low fiber, but rather low magnesium intake.
About Constipation
Constipation is characterized by infrequent bowel movements or difficulty passing stool. The threshold for diagnosis is having fewer than three bowel movements a week as well as hard, dry stools. The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse indicates that more than 4 million Americans have frequent constipation. Taking laxatives containing magnesium is a common treatment.
Recommended Daily Intake
The recommended daily allowance, or RDA, of magnesium varies depending on age and gender, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Kids need about 130 to 240 mg daily. Teens need about 240 to 410 mg and adults need anywhere from 310 mg to 420 mg daily. You should discuss your specific requirements with your physician. Dietary magnesium from food is absorbed into the bloodstream, but about 50 percent is excreted prior to absorption. So if you already eat foods low in magnesium, you may need a daily supplement. Foods rich in the mineral include green vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains.
Deficiency
About 68 percent of adults in the Unites States consume less than adequate levels of magnesium, according to a 2005 study by researchers from the Medical University of South Carolina. Nearly 20 percent of adults consume less than 50 percent of an adequate amount. Certain medical conditions can also put you at risk for deficiency, including kidney disease, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes or a thyroid disorder. A diet high in salt, alcohol, coffee and soda can lower magnesium levels. In Liebscher's 2004 "Journal of the American College of Nutrition" study on magnesium deficiency misdiagnosis, patients are often prescribed a 300 mg supplement, which is half of what is required for successful therapy.
References
- "The Journal of the American College of Nutrition": About the Misdiagnosis of Magnesium Deficiency; Dierck-Hartmut Liebscher, MD; December 2004
- Schachter Center for Complementary Medicine: The Importance of Magnesium to Human Nutrition; Michael B. Schachter
- "The Journal of the American College of Nutrition": Dietary Magnesium and C-reactive Protein Levels; Dana E. King; June 2005
- The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Constipation; July 2007
- MayoClinic.com: Constipation Treatment and Drugs; January 2011
- "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition": Association Between Dietary Fiber, Water and Magnesium Intake and Functional Constipation Among Young Japanese Women; K Murakami; December 2006
