BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment assesses maximum daily level for magnesium in food supplements
The maximum daily level for magnesium in food supplements should not exceed 250 milligrams (mg). This is the recommendation of the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), taking into account new data. "Food supplements are in vogue, and many people believe that they can provide health benefits", says BfR President Prof. Dr. Dr. Andreas Hensel. "But the consumption of food supplements may also be associated with health risks. The best nutritional strategy basically involves a balanced and varied diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables. Such a diet supplies a healthy body with all essential substances. In most cases, therefore, food supplements are superfluous." The increased intake of magnesium via such products as food supplements in addition to the magnesium ingested through a person's normal diet can lead to diarrhoea.
Opinion:
http://www.bfr.bund.de/cm/349/bfr-assesses-recommended-maximum-daily-level-for-intake-of-magnesium-via-food-supplements.pdf
External Link:Video [embed] Magnesium-eng
The aforementioned health problems caused by excessive magnesium intake are fully reversible within one or two days and do not pose a significant health risk to healthy individuals with normal renal function. Nevertheless, these problems are to be viewed as undesirable health effects. Cases of diarrhoea were not observed with intakes of up to 250 mgshort formilligram magnesium per day in addition to the magnesium intake via the normal diet.
The maximum daily level applies to people from the age of 4 upwards. Due to a lack of data, it is not possible to derive a maximum daily level for children below the age of 4. The BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment recommends that the maximum daily dose be divided between at least two intakes per day, as most studies used to derive the maximum level spread the magnesium intake over two or more portions a day, and it is likely that this improves tolerability. In connection with the intake of magnesium via the normal diet, no negative health effects have been observed to date in healthy consumers.
As before, the new assessment of the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment is based on the current Tolerable Upper Intake Level (ULshort forTolerable Upper Intake Level) derived by the EU's Scientific Committee on Food (SCF), a predecessor body of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority). In 2001, the SCF derived a ULshort forTolerable Upper Intake Level of 250 mgshort formilligram of magnesium per day for additional (= supplemental) magnesium intake via food supplements or fortified foods. The current assessment by the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment also incorporates the findings of more recent human studies.
Magnesium is an essential mineral and an element found frequently in the earth's crust as well as in the human body. It plays an important role in many metabolic processes as well as in the formation of nucleic acids, bone formation, membrane physiology, neuromuscular signal transmission and muscle contraction.
About the BfR
The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) is a scientifically independent institution within the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMELshort forGerman Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture) in Germany. It advises the Federal Government and Federal Laender on questions of food, chemical and product safety. The BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment conducts its own research on topics that are closely linked to its assessment tasks.
The BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, the institute has published a jubilee brochure (in German) which can be downloaded or ordered free of charge at External Link:http://www.bfr.bund.de/en/publication/brochures-61045.html.
This text version is a translation of the original German text which is the only legally binding version.