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Magnesium: Hype and Health Benefits
Senthilkumar Sankararaman1, Zoe Memel2, Jason Dubroff3
1Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital, Cleveland, OH, USA. sankars6@ccf.org.
Current Nutrition Reports
|July 22, 2026
Summary
Magnesium is vital for health, with subclinical deficiency common in chronic diseases. Supplementation shows benefits for various conditions, but caution is advised, especially for those with kidney issues.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Science
- Biochemistry
- Human Health
Background:
- Magnesium is essential for numerous physiological and metabolic pathways.
- While true deficiency is rare, subclinical and functional magnesium deficiency are increasingly recognized in chronic health disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of magnesium in human health.
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of magnesium supplementation for various health conditions.
- To highlight the challenges in assessing magnesium status.
Main Methods:
- Review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and clinical studies.
- Assessment of magnesium status through serum, urinary, and dietary intake.
- Analysis of evidence for magnesium supplementation in chronic disorders.
Main Results:
- Magnesium supplementation is effective for constipation, mood disorders, metabolic diseases, and bone health.
- Evidence supports magnesium's role in acute management of eclampsia, asthma, and migraine.
- Caution is needed for magnesium supplementation in individuals with renal insufficiency.
Conclusions:
- Magnesium plays a critical role in maintaining health and managing chronic diseases.
- While beneficial for several conditions, claims of purported benefits require further high-quality evidence.
- Accurate assessment of magnesium status involves a combination of measures.
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