Dietary Magnesium Deficiency And Its Impact On Neuromuscular And Bone Health: A Nutrition Focused Review

Abstract

Magnesium is an important micronutrient which is a part of almost 300 enzymatic reactions in our body. It is needed for neuromuscular transmission, energy production, bone maintenance and immune system regulation. This makes an important topic because magnesium deficiency has slowly emerged as a worldwide public health concern. The dietary magnesium deficiency is mostly caused by modern lifestyle and dietary habits. Although severe deficiency is not common, long term deficiency can lead to chronic inflammation, a problem being faced by many adults worldwide. Existing research shows that magnesium plays a functional role in muscle contraction, nerve conduction, calcium metabolism and bone formation. Sufficient magnesium intake is linked with enhanced muscle and neurological function. It also strengthens our body’s metabolic control and reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, there is debate regarding certain aspects of this topic, such as the role of serum magnesium, a biomarker, in the prevalence of magnesium deficiency. Also, there is little clarity regarding the effectiveness of dietary intake versus supplementation in various health conditions. This review emphasizes current evidence on dietary magnesium deficiency, highlighting its influence on neuromuscular health, bone metabolism and systemic inflammation. It also outlines populations at risk including elderly, pregnant and postmenopausal women and individuals with chronic health conditions. Moreover, the review focuses on dietary magnesium sources, its bioavailability, and also introduces certain nutritional strategies for reducing magnesium deficiency. Acknowledging and understanding magnesium deficiency is important because it is a nutritional factor which plays an important role in healthy aging and disease prevention.