Majority of Americans Not Getting Enough Magnesium

[Guest guest]

http://www.healthy.net/scr/news.asp?Id=9535

 

Majority of Americans Not Getting Enough

Magnesium-Most Not Aware of RDA for Essential Mineral

Provided by PR Newswire on 7/21/2004

 

STAMFORD, Conn., Jul 21, 2004 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/

-- Magnesium is an essential mineral of a healthy

diet. It may help to maintain the function of the

heart, muscles and nervous system.* However, according

to a recent Gallup poll, four out of five Americans

(80%) are not consuming enough magnesium from diet

alone. That number may be even higher among those who

have certain medical conditions or are taking

medications known to deplete magnesium in the body.

 

Even when including vitamin and mineral supplements

together with diet, only about one in three (35%)

consume the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) or

better of magnesium (between 310 - 420 mg/day). The

vast majority of respondents (86%) were not aware of

the daily requirement of magnesium at all.

 

Magnesium is essential for the functioning of more

than 300 enzymes. Proper magnesium levels help

maintain normal heart rhythms.* It is also necessary

for normal protein synthesis, carbohydrate metabolism,

proper muscle function and helps to absorb calcium and

potassium.*

 

" It's clear that most people aren't aware of the

important role that magnesium plays in the body. If

people are concerned about their magnesium levels,

they should make sure to discuss medications and

health conditions with their doctor when evaluating

their diet and magnesium supplement options, " said

Barbara Levine, R.D., PhD., Associate Professor of

Nutrition in Medicine, Weill Medical College of

Cornell University-New York Presbyterian Hospital.

 

The majority of people (53%) surveyed couldn't name a

good source of magnesium, which include 100% bran

cereals, avocados, almonds, milk, pumpkin seeds,

cashews, cooked spinach, sesame seeds, oatmeal,

potatoes (baked, with skin) and soy beans.(1)

 

The body's stores of magnesium can be depleted by

certain illnesses or chronic conditions such as

extensive bowel resection, intestinal or biliary

fistulas, pancreatic insufficiency, celiac disease,

ulcerative colitis and Chron's disease. Certain

medications, such as loop/thiazide diuretics (water

pills) and digoxin, can also affect magnesium levels.

 

Additionally, poorly controlled diabetes may be a risk

factor for depletion of magnesium stores. High alcohol

intake and chronic or excessive vomiting or diarrhea

can also deplete magnesium.(2)

 

Ensuring enough magnesium through diet or supplements

is important -- and so is making sure that the mineral

is absorbed into the body as intended. Supplements

containing magnesium chloride, such as Slow-Mag®,

allow the body to absorb more magnesium compared to

products that contain magnesium oxide. Not

surprisingly, 86% of the survey respondents didn't

know difference between magnesium chloride and oxide.

 

The Gallup Organization conducted a telephone survey

of a nationally representative sample of 1,009

American adults 18 years of age or older. Interviews

were conducted between January 6-31, 2004. For the

results based on sample size, the margin of error at

95 percent confidence interval is +/- 3 percentage

points.

 

This survey was commissioned by Purdue Products L.P.,

makers of Slow- Mag® Tablets. Slow-Mag® Tablets

provide 128mg of elemental magnesium plus 212mg of

calcium -- two vital minerals -- in every dose.

Slow-Mag Tablets are enteric-coated to help prevent

stomach upset, and formulated with magnesium chloride

for increased absorption versus magnesium oxide. For

more information, visit http://www.slow-mag.com.

 

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food

and Drug

 

Administration. This product is not intended to

diagnose, treat, cure

 

or prevent any disease.

 

(1) The magnesium content of various foods and vitamin

supplements was

 

gathered from the Nutritional Data Library of the

USDA,

 

http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/index.html.

 

(2) Office of Dietary Supplements National Institutes

of Health.

 

Magnesium. Facts About Dietary Supplements,

 

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/cc/magn.html.

 

Key Findings:

 

Gallup Poll Survey on Magnesium Intake and Supplement

Usage

 

Americans increasingly understand the necessity of

supplementing their diet with both a multi-vitamin and

extra amounts of certain vitamins and minerals.

However, magnesium is not a mineral that Americans

typically think of as important to their health. The

awareness level of health conditions with associated

vitamin deficiency is also low.

 

General Awareness

 

-- 56% of respondents listed Vitamin C among " most

important " among

 

vitamins and minerals

 

-- 86% of men and women did not know the daily

requirement of magnesium

 

-- Percentage of respondents who were aware of health

conditions

 

associated with vitamin and mineral deficiency:

 

Heart disease, including high blood pressure: 47%

 

Diabetes: 32%

 

Osteoporosis: 71%

 

Migraine headaches: 29%

 

Muscle cramps: 62%

 

Intake of Vitamin and Mineral Supplements

 

-- 51% of men and 66% of women take vitamin and

mineral supplements daily

 

-- 73% of respondents did not know how much magnesium

they take daily

 

-- It is very likely or somewhat likely that more than

half of respondents

 

(55%) may not be consuming enough magnesium

 

-- Four out of five (80%) respondents are below the

RDA of magnesium from

 

food intake alone; when evaluating food intake plus

supplements, more

 

than three out of five (65%) were below the RDA.

Responses, though,

 

varied substantially between men and women:

 

- 86% of men were below the RDA of magnesium from food

intake alone

 

and 76% were below the RDA with food plus dietary

supplement

 

- 76% of women were below the RDA of magnesium from

food intake alone

 

and 55% were below with the RDA with food plus dietary

supplement

 

Intake of Magnesium Supplements Among Patients with

Health Conditions

 

-- Percentage of those who were getting the RDA or

better of magnesium

 

from food and supplements with the following

conditions:

 

- Heart disease 26% (74% were below the RDA)

 

- Diabetes 40% (60% were below the RDA)

 

- Osteoporosis 35% (65% were below the RDA)

 

- Migraine headaches 42% (58% were below the RDA)

 

-- 86% of respondents could not tell the difference

between magnesium

 

chloride vs. magnesium oxide and the benefits

associated with either

 

-- 53% of respondents could not name a good source of

magnesium. Foods

 

which are good sources of magnesium include: 100% bran

cereals,

 

avocados, almonds, milk, pumpkin seeds, cashews,

cooked spinach, sesame

 

seeds, oatmeal, potatoes and soy beans. Dietary

magnesium supplements

 

are also available over-the-counter.

 

Methodology

 

The Gallup Organization conducted a telephone survey

of a nationally representative sample of 1,009

American adults 18 years of age or older. Interviews

were conducted between January 6 - 31, 2004. For the

results based on sample size, the margin of error at

95 percent confidence interval is +/- 3 percentage

points. This survey was commissioned by Purdue

Products L.P.

 

SOURCE Purdue

 

CONTACT: James Heins of Purdue, +1-203-588-8069,

James.heins

 

URL: http://www.purduepharma.com

http://www.prnewswire.com

 

Copyright © 2004 PR Newswire. .