Teens do not get enough magnesium in their diets, according to David Milne at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service, because instead of drinking milk they're choosing soda. Magnesium is an important mineral your teen needs for strong bones. Not getting enough now can lead to poor bone health later on in life. Knowing the importance of magnesium and how to get it may encourage your teen to make changes to his diet to fit in this important mineral.
Magnesium
Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body, with 50 percent of it found in the bones. Nagnesium does more than just keep your teen's bones healthy, it is also needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions, normal muscle and nerve function and immune health. It also helps keep your teen's heart beat steady. Magnesium also regulates both blood sugar and blood pressure, helps turn food into energy and assists with the formation of protein.
Recommendations for Teens
The Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine determined how much magnesium your teen needs to eat each day. The Recommended Dietary Allowances, or RDA, for magnesium is the average amount necessary to sufficiently meet the needs of most healthy teens. Teen boys need more magnesium than teen girls. The RDA for magnesium in boys aged 14 to 18 is 410 mg, and girls the same age need 360 mg.
Deficiencies
Although many teens do not get enough magnesium in their diets, deficiency symptoms are rarely seen. However, there is concern that not getting enough magnesium as a teen can lead to health concerns later in life, such as cardiovascular disease. Signs of early magnesium deficiency include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. Continued magnesium deficiency leads to tingling, numbness, muscle contractions, personality changes and seizures. Ultimately, prolonged magnesium deficiency leads to a loss of calcium in the bones and low blood levels of potassium.
Food Sources
While not getting enough milk in the diet is cited as one big reason that teens are not meeting their magnesium needs, milk is not one of the best sources of magnesium. Certain nuts are high in magnesium and may be an easy way for your teen to increase intake. A 1 oz. serving of almonds contains 80 mg, 1 oz. of cashews 75 mg and 1 oz. of peanuts 50 mg. Medium baked potatoes with the skin are also good sources of magnesium, with 50 mg per serving. Beans, rice, yogurt and fortified cereals can also help your teen meet her magnesium needs.
