What are the primary causes of magnesium deficiency?

From the Guidelines

Magnesium deficiency is primarily caused by inadequate dietary intake, gastrointestinal disorders, kidney disorders, and certain medications, as well as other factors such as alcoholism, endocrine disorders, and excessive sweating. The primary causes of magnesium deficiency can be broken down into several key categories:

• Inadequate dietary intake: Modern processed foods contain significantly less magnesium than whole foods, making it essential to consume magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and whole grains 1.
• Gastrointestinal disorders: Conditions like Crohn's disease, celiac disease, and chronic diarrhea impair magnesium absorption, increasing the risk of deficiency 1.
• Kidney disorders: Kidney diseases can cause excessive magnesium excretion, leading to deficiency 1.
• Medications: Certain medications, including proton pump inhibitors, diuretics, antibiotics, and chemotherapy drugs, contribute to magnesium deficiency 1.
• Other factors: Alcoholism, endocrine disorders like diabetes and hyperaldosteronism, excessive sweating, and chronic stress also play a role in magnesium deficiency 1. It is essential to note that magnesium deficiency can have severe consequences, including increased risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and other health problems. Therefore, it is crucial to prevent deficiency by consuming magnesium-rich foods and considering supplementation if necessary, under the guidance of a healthcare provider.

From the FDA Drug Label

As a nutritional adjunct in hyperalimentation, the precise mechanism of action for magnesium is uncertain. Early symptoms of hypomagnesemia (less than 1. 5 mEq/L) may develop as early as three to four days or within weeks. While there are large stores of magnesium present intracellularly and in the bones of adults, these stores often are not mobilized sufficiently to maintain plasma levels.

The primary causes of magnesium deficiency are not explicitly stated in the drug label.

• Hypomagnesemia can occur, but the underlying causes are not directly addressed.
• The label mentions that stores of magnesium are not mobilized sufficiently to maintain plasma levels, but it does not provide information on what leads to this insufficient mobilization. 2

From the Research

Primary Causes of Magnesium Deficiency

The primary causes of magnesium deficiency can be categorized into several groups, including:

• Inadequate intake: This can occur during starvation, increased requirement during early childhood, pregnancy, or lactation 3
• Excessive losses: This can result from malabsorption from the gastrointestinal tract or from the kidneys during use of diuretics, as well as from certain diseases such as alcoholism 3, 4, 5
• Gastrointestinal causes: These include protein-calorie malnutrition, intravenous administration of Mg-free fluids, total parenteral nutrition, chronic watery diarrhea, steatorrhea, short bowel syndrome, bowel fistula, and continuous nasogastric suctioning 4
• Renal causes: These include Bartter's and Gitelman's syndrome, post obstructive diuresis, post acute tubular necrosis, renal transplantation, and interstitial nephropathy 4
• Therapeutic agents: Many therapeutic agents can cause renal Mg wasting and subsequent deficiency, including loop and thiazide diuretics, aminoglycosides, cisplatin, pentamidine, and foscarnet 4

Additional Factors Contributing to Magnesium Deficiency

Additional factors that can contribute to magnesium deficiency include:

• Alcoholism: Alcoholics often have a combination of factors that contribute to magnesium deficiency, including inadequate intake, increased excretion, and impaired renal function 3, 4, 5
• Diabetes: Diabetic patients may have an increased risk of magnesium deficiency due to a combination of factors, including increased urinary excretion and impaired renal function 4
• Certain medications: Certain medications, such as digitalis and diuretics, can increase the risk of magnesium deficiency 5, 6
• Chronic diseases: Certain chronic diseases, such as congestive heart failure, can increase the risk of magnesium deficiency 6
• Decreased food crop magnesium contents: The magnesium content of food crops has decreased over time, which can increase the risk of magnesium deficiency 7
• Refined and processed foods: The availability of refined and processed foods can increase the risk of magnesium deficiency, as these foods often have lower magnesium contents than whole foods 7