FUNCTIONAL-DISORDERS IN CHILDREN DUE TO M AGNESIUM-DEFICIENCY - THE ROLE OF NUTRITION

Taking 0.76 mmol Mg/l serum or plasma as the lower margin of the refer ence-range it becomes overt that hypomagnesemia frequently occurs duri ng childhood increasing with age. Hypomagnesemia was present at a freq uency of around 12% during infancy and of 30% during adolescence. With in a controlled Mg supplementation study - proving the efficacy of Mg in the treatment of functional disorders in children - it became overt that the prevalence of Mg deficiency differs considerably within diff erent geographic regions. Nutritional Mg supply was supposed as a main cause. During one week the consumption of food was monitored and samp les were taken (duplicate method) for analysis studying small groups o f children living in areas with high (23.6%) or low (5.9%) frequencies of hypomagnesemia. Electrolytes were measured and also calculated. In fact, lower Mg, Ca supply and Na was noticed in areas with higher fre quency of hypomagnesemia. Calculated intakes were considerably and sig nificantly higher than the analysed contents. The opposite was true fo r Na. Despite the high frequency of hypomagnesemia the recommended dai ly allowances of the German Nutrition Society were obtained, indicatin g that these recommendations are too low. This assumption is supported by higher DRI/RDA-figures discussed in the USA. Hypomagnesemic childr en with functional disorders profit from Mg supplements: Daily oral do ses of 10 mmol Mg - corresponding to 300% in younger children resp. 10 4% in older ones of the actual RDA - offer relief of symptoms in more than 80% of all cases.